Knife review QSP "Mamba"

- a brand on a mission  

First, there was a shark, then birds both real and mythical, a snake and now yet another deadly serpentine creature. QSP expands there Zoo, sorry widen their range and this knife is one of the later additions. Meet the Mamba.

QSP QS111-A Mamba

With this knife, it is obvious that QSP has raised their game. Already the simpler knives are competitive and well made for their price range and a good example of this is the by me reviewed "Parrot". The more elaborated model "Phoenix" didn't just arise from the ashes but also in the hierarchy with somewhat better steel and more attention to detail. I think that is a progression that also can be seen in this model.

A knife that grows on you

Today's review object has like many other knives on the market today, a flipper propelled blade. At first glance, the overall looks are deceptively simple. No extravagances to speak of. A tad boring someone might think, uncluttered says somebody else. Some vanity is introduced by a well-made handle in an exclusive material and really stellar build quality paired with noticeably good action.  

Twitter version: It is as Black as its namesake and even if this
Mamba won't kill you it has a potent bite!

Blade

The blade or perhaps fangs of this snake is a drop-point that looks rather unpretentious. Or modest I might say. But if you take a closer look there are a number of details to enjoy.

The most noticeable is that the blade has a "two-tone lacker". Parts of the blade is dark while the rest is nicely satin finished. What kind of coating it is I'm not aware of but it held up so far. The blackness follows the sweeping plunge line. What is not that obvious on pictures alone is that this curve is enhanced by a milled groove in the blade. A clear decor element without any practical significance. 

A pointy blade with a sweeping plunge line

Another detail worth mentioning is the nicely rounded blade spine. Something that more often is found on more expensive knives. The marking is relatively discreet with QSPs logotype on one side and blade steel on the opposite.

The steel is a familiar one, Japanese VG10. The steel snobs may have some objections but I actually like this steel. It easy to maintain offers good resistant against corrosion and takes a keen edge. On the negative side, it doesn't hold that edge for a very long time. But more often that is because of low hardness when used in folding knives than inherent properties of the steel. In kitchen knives where VG10 really shines, it is often way up on the Rockwell scale. In the Mamba, it feels softer.

The blade steel is Japanese VG10

The blade is a drop point with a subtle slope of the spine. That makes for a long slender blade with a distinct tip. The blade is full flat ground from a stock thickness of 3,5 millimeter.

The factory edge was reasonably good. The knife shaved arm hair with some pressure out of the box. The edge is well made, even and symmetrical. And QSP has almost succeeded with the sharpening choil. But the heel of the edge is not completely free of the plunge line so there is the slightest tendency towards a recurve. Not enough to cause a problem though.

The geometry and edge angles are really suited for EDC-use. It handles less challenging tasks as cutting paper and cardboard decently even if it's not this knife's strongest area of expertise. It is actually in tougher materials it shines. The tip is strong and pointy and excellent at penetrating shrink wrap, PET-bottles, and hard plastic for example. Considering the general blade shape it might come as a surprise how well this knife works in woodcarving. That wasn't anything I was expecting from a folding knife with this appearance. The blade is certainly flat ground but the secondary edge is a bit more obtuse which gives a good balance between strength and bite.

Despite this, the blade also works in more delicate matters in the kitchen. Think fruit root vegetables and vegetables. Folding knives are never the best choice in a kitchen environment but using them there gives a pointer towards how well the maker has succeeded with blade geometry and sharpening of a knife. In this case beyond expectation. It is always nice to be surprised positively. 

Handle

The construction itself doesn't offer any surprises. A steel frame and on top of that screwed handle sides. Add to that a clip and the description ends after a quick first look. But as was the case with the blade the rest of the knife also has a little more to offer. 

If you haven't got a clear agenda it is best to keep handles simple

If we start with the frame it is weight relieved as it should be on a quality piece. It not only lowers overall weight but also provides a much better balance. The point of balance for this knife is found in the back portion of the finger choil.

The frame is also unusually well rounded and polished. A necessity in this case since the liners are protruding. The smoothness definitely contributes to a more exclusive feeling.

Another nice detail is the plate that covers the holes not used for the clip. It always looks more elaborated. Add to that the lack of a lanyard hole and you got more cohesive lines. The absence of a hole can be considered a deficiency or an advantage depending on your attitude to lanyards. But the ones who use such things can attach a thinner cord around the standoff at the end of the handle. Not to thick though or the blade will cut it. 

The massive slabs of carbon fiber that is found on the outside of the frame are both milled and contoured

The main characteristic of the handle and what contributes most to make the knife stand out is the scale material. The sides are made out of massive slabs of really high-quality carbon fiber. It is shiny with some depth to it and in this case, totally lacks voids or indentations. The sides are also nicely contoured to fit the hand. As a decorative element, there are some milled grooves which also give some traction but mostly are for looks. They affect how the lights hit and reflect off the carbon fiber. All in all, really well made.

Besides that, the handle has an open back construction with two standoffs. The screw heads are as small as T6 which I think is a bit too delicate. Not that it affects the overall strength of the knife in any significant way and it sure looks clean. But these screw heads are both small and shallow which increases the risk of damaging them when you disassemble your knife. Something you have to do sooner or later with knives that feature ball bearings. Unlike older folding knives they are in need of maintenance every now and then. 

In use, the handle is good without being extreme in any way. It is basically a "stick" with some added contouring and an exemplary finger choil. A simple and effective shape. Lengthwise it measures 11,5 centimeters which are long enough even for larger hands. The handle is 14,7 millimeters wide and 22 millimeters high. The volume is enough to fill the hand without making the knife feel like a sausage in a pocket. All grip works but the standards like "hammer" and "saber"-grip works the best. The clip isn't too annoying and the blade spine has some notches for added traction. "Jimpings" isn't something I'm a big fan of in general but if they are present they should be effective without tearing up your hand. Something too many knife makers totally miss. They seems to think "more is better". In this case, they are quite discreet and thereby get a pass from me. They add some friction without being too coarse. 

Opening and Lock

Most knives have there shortcomings and merits. One of the Mambas biggest strengths is its "action". It is simply put very nice to both open and close.

The blade runs on ball bearings and the detent is very well tuned, the geometry is well thought out and the flipper tab is correctly positioned. Together with a rather light blade that gives a quick knife that opens reliable every time that tab is hit. And it doesn't matter whether you use a light switch or a push button motion. A very satisfying feeling even if you aren't a flipper fetishist. 

A really well-executed flipper tab

And yours truly really appreciate that the size of the flipper tab is kept small. They do not actually need to protrude more than this if they are well-executed. It is when done wrong you need more leverage which often results in a giant shark fin sticking out from the knife.

For added grip, there is some texture which is well needed to prevent slipping from the well rounded and chamfered tab.

The lock is very functional and easy to access

The liner lock is also very well made. The blade is held in the open position without movement in any direction but the most positive is how easy it is to disengage. The reason can be found in a fine-tuned lock bar without too much resistance but most of all in a proper relief cut in the opposite scale. To prevent slippage the lock bar has some grooves.

An advantage with liner locks in steel is that they don't need overtravel stops and steel inserts in order to work in contrast to their titanium cousins. But as for frame locks, the geometry must be right to prevent lock slip when negative pressure is applied on the blade. This lock is really solid and not even some (light) spine whacking causes any trouble.

To Carry

The clip is really good without being perfect. It is of a "low ride" type which allows for the knife to really dive deep down in the pocket and there it sits both secure and discreet. The hight of the clip is enough to swallow even thicker jeans fabric. A small miss is that the screw heads are protruding and steals some space even if it is helped by their domed shape.

Perhaps you can say that the clip isn't the most fun to look at. But it fulfills its primary purpose to keep the knife in place. It can also be shifted from the right side to the left but only tip up. As mentioned earlier there is a plate that covers the holes, not in use.

Ambidextrous deep carry clip

The slick carbon fiber paired with proper tension in the clip makes for a knife that is very easy to pull and put away. Besides that, it can be said that the clip isn't felt too much in hand when the knife is in use. Calling it "unnoticed" is saying too much but it doesn't create any hotspots. An improvement though would be a tad longer tip of the clip that is more parallel with the scale. The tip isn't pointing outwards that much but I prefer not at all.

The weight of the knife is kept to a civilized 100 grams and the volume of the handle isn't too frightening either. All in all that makes the Mamba a rather pleasant serpent sleeping in your pocket. That is beside the tail that for some unknown reason are equipped with a pair of, rounded for certain, but "thorns" or maybe fangs. They are not extreme in any way but you do feel them when your hand hits them from time to time. I would much have preferred a more rounded butt on this creature. 

To Conclude

QSP is a brand that like many other relatively new Chinese producers probed the market with a few models, to begin with. They were simpler but well-made knives were my impression, knives like the "Parrot" and "Shark". Since then the catalog has expanded significantly and no less than seventeen new models have been added since I started to test the Mamba. Now there are knives in all price categories, both fixed blades and folders with all available materials where the top models have handle in titanium, micarta and carbon fiber and blade in S35VN and M390 steels. 

This knife, the first model with carbon fiber was a clear step in that direction. QSP is now a brand to keep an eye on. They are on a mission!

Mamba is a good option for EDC capable of heavier duty if needed

Regarding names, well one has to assume it's a black Mamba considering the blackness on the parts of the blade and the handle. Like its namesake it can bite you. All in all, I must say that this knife is a really good one. It also got some details that really elevates it. The Mambas appearance is clean with consistent lines even if I personally could live without the black parts of the blade which doesn't really match the elegance in the rest of the knife in my mind. I would prefer a blade with a uniform finish. But it is, of course, a matter of taste.

The materials used are more than decent and the quality of the carbon fiber is worth mentioning since it is among the best I've seen just below the Taichung produced Spyderco Kapara. Top notch that is. Especially since it is high lighted through the design with the grooves in the sides. The knife is a success also when it comes to comfort both in the pocket and in hand. The serpent winds with remarkable ease. 

QSP Mamba, the snake that surprised with a better bite than expected

And speaking of comfort, the Mamba is actually really nice to work with. When it comes to blades I often declare that simplicity is king and it goes for this knife as well. A good tip and more than decent cutting abilities are what this knife offer. The handle matches those traits in an excellent way.

Then there are a few corners on the knife that I actually do not understand what they are doing there. You find them in front of the handle both at top and bottom, corners that are pointier than they need to be. But most of all it goes for the small "horns" at the back of the knife. Perhaps they are there to mimic the fangs of a snake or something. Anyway, they are in the way and I bump my hand in them every now and then carrying the knife in my right front pocket. Not very pleasant at all and considering the rather soft lines of the knife otherwise they feel misplaced.

But that is pretty much the only objection I have. It is easily overpowered by really good action and all around good handling. The knife is very easy to open and close and the feeling doing that is very satisfying. When the blade is passed the detent ball it falls shut with the slightest of shakes.

If you like the looks of this knife there isn't much to hesitate about. QSP Mamba is definitely a solid choice and an alternative for the carbon fiber fetishist or just the one who likes a good and competent pocket knife. 

Specification:

Length overall: 210 mm
Handle length: 115 mm
Weight: 100 g
Blade length: 95 mm
Blade thickness: 3,5 mm
Blade Steel: VG10
Handle:  Carbon fiber on a steel frame
Lock: Liner lock

Produced by: QSP, made in China


/ J - bitten once again

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