A&R Located in the city of Zlatoust in the Ural Mountains — which itself has been involved in weapons production since the time of Peter the Great — A&R is one of the largest knife manufacturers in Russia. Its entire lineup is made in-house using a variety of steels, from 95×18 (the Russian equivalent of 440C, which adds .2% titanium to the alloy) to a proprietary Damascus called “Zladinox.” The chief knifemaker at A&R is Vladimir Gerasimov, an ABS Master Bladesmith.