Review MKM Root

  

-  back to the roots

"Modern Traditional" is an expression that is sometimes used for the type of knives to which this creation called Root belongs. That means a classic pocket knife made with modern materials and production methods. That's precisely what Italian MKM - Maniago Knife Maker did here.

MKM Root

The designer behind this knife is none other than our friend Jens Ansø. It is perhaps not so difficult to figure out as it bears certain similarities to a previous collaboration between the Danish designer and another well-known knife brand. However, this is a better knife on several parameters according to me. I will get back to why.  

Root is available in no less than nine different versions. You can choose between different materials in the handle such as aluminum or titanium with or without inlays, wood in some variants, and canvas-Micarta, which is also available in a couple of nuances.

In other words, there is a lot to choose from. It also gives the impression that MKM believes in this model right from the start.

Another fruitful collaboration between Denmark and Italy, Ansø and Maniago Knife Makers

Short version: MKM Root, is a typical example of a "modern traditional". Classic design with a twist seasoned with top-of-the-line materials.

Blade

When designing a classic pocket knife there are a couple of archetypes when it comes to blade shapes to choose from. You can find one of them here in the form of a sheep's foot. It is characterized by a straight edge and an equally straight back which then curves downwards in a gently rounded manner to meet the edge. However, you can add "modified" to correctly describe this blade. That's because the edge is actually not completely straight, but actually has a slight curvature. In addition, it has a rather pronounced tip for being a sheep's foot.

The blade is otherwise distinguished by three holes. In addition to being decorative, they also facilitate the opening of the knife. The finish is a really nicely executed satin and the marking is reasonably discreet. On one side you will find MKM's logo and on the opposite side Ansø's along with the steel type.

The blade is a modified Sheep's foot

And speaking of steel, the one found here is among the best you can get. MKM uses M390 which has become one of the staples among manufacturers of premium folding knives. It is not so strange as it is an exceptionally fine knife steel with high values for most parameters when properly hardened and heat treated. A small note of caution may be in place as the hardness is stated to be 58-60 HRC which theoretically is quite low for this steel. It would have benefited from being scared up a couple of notches to use the potential of the material to the fullest.

Of that steel, you get a piece that is 71 mm long, 21 mm high at most, and a modest 2.1 mm thick. Because the blade is thin and also completely flat ground, you get the basis for a knife that can cut really well. Especially as the thickness behind the edge is thin 0.2-0.3 mm or so. It is not only good but even exceptionally good. 

The steel is the excellent M390 from Böhler

It is something that also becomes obvious when you use the knife. Root is a slicer and generally a joy to cut with. This especially applies to things like paper and cardboard. But the thin blade also works well for all kinds of small tasks such as cutting strings, thinner ropes, and plastic. But again nothing you pry with given that there is no lock. But in return, the back spring is strong and the knife does not feel unsafe to use. Thanks to its rather distinctive tip and slightly curved edge, Root is perfectly fine for small tasks at the picnic, such as slicing a tomato or cucumber and dicing some cheese.

But after all, the format sets limits on what I want to use this and similar knives for. Mainly it is the size of the handle that is problematic. More on this under the next heading, but I can say that wood carving is not something I do with this knife, even though the edge bites well in most materials. 

Handle

Root is built around a steel frame that is one millimeter thick. It is backed up by a well-rounded back spring that takes over where an equally well-rounded blade spine ends. In the extension of the back spring, there is also a hole for a lanyard. The knife is screwed together with two T6 screws in addition to the adjustable pivot screw. Incidentally, around the latter, the knife's only color element is found in the form of a collar around the screw head.

The handle is available in various designs, here in hardwood

As said, the handle sides can be obtained in several versions. Personally, I thought that despite the modern elements in the knife, I associate a good slip joint with natural materials, so wood was a must. This is Santos and is a fairly dark type of wood with a clear grain like most mahogany species. The sides have been given some cut grooves for increased grip. The sides are flat with chamfered edges, especially around the recesses.

It can be pointed out that the Root is not a large knife and this is clearly evident from the handle. The overall length is 95mm but only measured from the somewhat pointy back end to the absolute front of the handle. The available grip surface however is 78mm. The thickness is just over one centimeter and the height is around two centimeters.

For me, that means the Root is a three-finger knife, maybe a four-finger if I crawl forward with my index finger in front of the recess and curl it around the finger guard. 

Root offers a good grip though only for three fingers

But it can be added that it is a good little handle. The index finger finds its place and so do the rest of the fingers in a fairly natural way. Then the shape of the guard is flat instead of pointed, which as I said allows you to place a finger there to increase the size of the handle. 

The rounded back of the blade also makes it feel comfortable to place an index finger there and the finish on the handle works well if you hold the knife in a pinch grip. That is, the back end of the handle doesn't create a hot spot against the palm. Thus, most grips work fairly well given the size of the knife.

Opening and Lock

The opening method kind of lends itself to this type of knife. You pinch the blade, preferably over the three holes for better traction and then you open the blade slowly and thoughtfully.

The extra traction is not really needed. The resistance from the back spring, aka "pull" is about 4. Or rather, that is true for the first part of the blade's travel, which offers less resistance.

There are a  relatively big portion of blade to grip around and three holes increase traction

Then you are greeted by a ninety-degree half-stop. A safety function that is extra sympathetic when closing the knife. It prevents the blade from snapping closed and cutting a fingertip on the way in. After the stop, the knife is slightly harder to open, about five to six, which is very good as it holds the blade more secure once open.

The back spring rests against the back of the handle in both the open and folded positions and rises slightly at the halfway stop. The fit between the back spring and the frame could have been a bit tighter 

Since Root is a slip joint, there is of course no lock in the real sense. As is the case with most slip joints the blade is held in place by a back spring. Incidentally, it is done with flying colors. It is another area in which this knife is significantly better than its predecessor. That knife had an open back and was built on a double-detent solution. This way of putting a knife together is more traditional and solid.

Both in the fully open position and when the knife is folded, the back spring is flush with the back. Or as smooth as it can be when both it and the frame are rounded. If any small negative criticism is directed at the build quality, it is that there is a small gap between the various parts. This especially applies to the left side of the handle.

To Carry

Root is both extremely easy to carry or a tad fiddly depending on your attitude to clips and their absence. This knife has none. This means that if you know that you belong to the category of people who believe that a modern knife should not exist without that invention, it is no good.

There is a clip of sorts but not on the knife but on the included sheath. It is equipped with a leather flap with a magnetic attachment

But in return, Root comes with a stylish and well-made slip-type leather sheath, which in turn is equipped with a kind of magnetic clip. It is a flap that is placed on the outside of the pocket and attaches to itself through the fabric. This allows you to attach the sheath to the inside of the pocket and carry the knife as you are used to. The sheath is, like most, leather goods that come from Italy or at least Maniago, very well sewn with an excellent fit. Or rather, the sheath and knife wear together in a sympathetic way.

With that solution, however, the knife becomes a bit thick. With sheath, Root measures just under twenty millimeters. If you add the leather flap with its magnet it will be approx. 5 mm more.

And this is what Root looks like when worn in a pocket using the sheath

Otherwise, of course, this knife can be carried loose in a pocket as well. Root weighs in at a feather-light 70g and is 11mm thick across the neck without sheath. Since it is not the world's largest folding knife, the length of 9.5 cm does not deter either. All in all, a knife that rests in the bottom of a pocket without any problems.

To Conclude

I have to admit, I immediately fell for this knife. For me, this is the knife that the ZT 0230 was not. The aesthetics are quite similar, especially if you ditch the wooden handle on the Root and go for something more modern. I like that knife too which you can guess since I own it. But, and it's a big but, that knife has some flaws as a cutting tool. I can reveal that it is neither material nor execution as they are entirely on par with Root.

ZT 0230 compared to MKM Root

No, the differences are found in how the knives feel when you actually cut with them. The first thing that is noticed is that Root has significantly more power in the back spring. The detent is better, the half-stop is more distinct and the blade feels significantly more secure when working with the knife. 

There is an even bigger difference when you compare how they slice. The blades are fairly similar in shape and material, but there is a hell of a difference in geometry. This Italian knife is much thinner behind the edge and it is immediately noticeable.

Root cuts really well and gives more power to the cuts than you might first think. Given that it is a slip joint and the knife thus lacks an actual lock, you should avoid stabbing and prying, especially trying to penetrate packaging and the like by pressing. It is tempting fate.

Root is an excellent EDC knife that is also quite disarming in its appearance

But otherwise, it is fully equivalent to other high-quality pocket knives on the market. The other difference or possibly shortcoming depending on how you look at it is of course that the knife cannot be opened and closed with one hand. It's a fact you have to deal with. Or someone else has already done it for you through legislation depending on where you are in the world.

A slip joint brings with it the good thing that they are legal in more places on our globe than several other knives especially if it cannot be opened quickly. Add to that a blade length that falls short of the three inches or 7.5 cm that is often set as a limit, and you have a knife that is largely passable in all places where you are allowed to carry a knife at all. 

Root is an example of another successful collaboration between Ansø and Maniago Knife Makers

Therefore, MKM Root is a knife that has a lot going for it. In addition to being legal, it is very classic in its appearance and thus nice to look at. At least I think so, but aesthetics is a highly personal consideration. But how good Root cuts is not. It is a fact.

So for those looking for stylish Danish design executed with Italian craftsmanship in a knife where traditional meets modern and which is also really practical, Root is a very viable option.

Maniago Knife Makers

Specification:

Length Folded: 166 mm

Length Overall: 95 mm

Weight: 70 g

Blade Length: 71 mm

Blade Thickness: 2,5 mm

Blade Steel: Böhler M390

Handle: Wood, Santos

Lock: none, slip joint

Produced by: Mikita, made in Italy

/ J - Rooting 

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre 

Review MKM Hero

  

-  a robust folding knife for outdoor life

Most of the knives I have from MKM - Maniago Knife Makers are rather timid in size. That is not the case with this knife called Hero. Here we are talking about a sturdy folding knife that is not discreet. There are, of course, both pros and cons to such a format, and I intend to discuss some of them in this text.

MKM Hero

Hero is a knife designed by the Italian Tommaso Rumici. He has on numerous occasions collaborated with well-established manufacturers and made knives produced by Maserin and Viper to name a few. But this time it's a knife from another Maniagobased company, MKM. It is also a knife that is something of an exclamation point as it is a solid folding knife.

As is often the case with knives from this manufacturer, the model is available in several versions. The handle can be had in a couple of different shades of G10, Micarta, and of course wood or carbon fiber. That should cover most tastes.

As usual, MKM has created a well-built knife with excellent materials

Short version: MKM Hero, a sturdy folding knife for outdoor activities and possibly EDC use for those feeling bold.

Blade

It is not primarily the length of the blade that gives the massive impression. It is large but not extremely long at 88mm. But when combined with a width of over three centimeters and a thickness of 4 mm, you get an impressive blade. It is also ground so that it retains a large part of the thickness near the tip, which makes it strong.

The finish is a very fine semi-polished satin. The marking consists of MKM's logo on the presentation side and Rumici's octopus logo on the opposite side. The observant can also find the manufacturer MIKITA's name elsewhere on the knife.

Hero is equipped with a sturdy drop-point blade

As usual with knives from MKM, the blade gives a very well-worked impression. This can be seen, for example, on the well-rounded blade spine and the grooves found at the base of the blade. They provide a good grip without being too sharp.

The steel is M390 from Böhler often used by MKM. It is one of the knife steels that has been among the best for a few years now. It is simply very good on most parameters such as the ability to take an edge and hold it, rust resistance, and impact resistance. Although the latter may not be its forte. The disadvantages are mostly found in the price and the fact that it can be difficult to grind as it can be very hard. But on that point, the Italians have chosen a different path.  

Stated HRC is found in the range 58-60 and if it is correct (something I do not have the opportunity to investigate) then it is some points below what would have been optimal for the steel on a theoretical level. If the steel's full potential is to be used, it must be tempered to perhaps 61-62 HRC. That is an ongoing debate.

The grind is very high, basically completely flat. It gives 25 mm of secondary bevel for the steel to thin out to the approx. 0.7-0.9 mm it measures behind the edge. The latter number describes the area right at the tip. Normally, an objection that it is too much would have been appropriate. But it must be put in relation to the intended use of the knife. Then it can be said that the original edge was sharp and the factory edge overall decent. 

The finish is a semi-gloss satin

In practice, the knife does not feel particularly thick behind the edge after all. Butchering large cardboard boxes and cutting similar materials with the Hero is nice. The same applies to fast cuts in plastic materials and the like. Even in wood, the edge bites relatively well and in that case, there are other areas that make this knife less optimal for that kind of work.

I also noted that the knife works best for different types of poultry, fish, and meat in mixed kitchen service. Therefore, I am inclined to believe that this broad blade with its substantial belly makes an excellent folding hunting knife. 

Handle

Hero is a knife with quite a large handle. It is 12.8 cm long in total. Of that, the available grip area behind the finger guard is 10.5 cm, which is enough for most hands. Especially as the design of the end of the handle enables the little finger to slide backward, which is good if, for example, you wear gloves and need more space.

The handle is also a full 36 mm high at most and a few millimeters more at the finger guard. This contributes to the fact that it fills the hand well even though it is relatively thin. 

The handle sides can be had in several different materials. This is G10

The fact that the knife is not even heavier is because a lot of it is made of titanium. This applies to the frame itself, the clip, and the bolster. Yes, and then the little decorative splash of color that the collar around the pivot screw makes up. The material in the frame is probably the reason why it is not lightened inside. Such a measure had not contributed much to reducing the weight but had impaired the strength. On the other hand, the back spacer to which the clip also attaches is made of steel, as is the lock bar.

The balance point is found just behind the bolster. Not entirely unusual for this type of construction. They tend to be a bit back-heavy.

Due to the construction, the back is not open. On the inside, the sharp-eyed can read "Made by MIKITA"

In addition to the titanium bolster, the sides consist of a couple of finely treated pieces of G10. As I said, they are softly rounded and this also gives a structure reminiscent of what wood looks like. The different layers are exposed when the material is sanded, which is reminiscent of grain.

The sides are screwed in place with T6 screws. Usually, I don't appreciate such small screws in knives intended to be disassembled. However, backlock knives are not so in this case it is irrelevant. The pivot screw is a couple of sizes larger and can be adjusted with a driver intended for T8s.

It is mainly in the saber grip that the handle of the Hero comes into its own

As mentioned, the handle is large enough to be used even with gloves. However, Hero is comfortable to work with even without them. The sturdy handle invites you to work hard, and then I generally prefer to use a hammer grip. Especially when I have to cut wood or carve. The knife works well in that context but is not perfect. It is simply to thin for that, above all around the front portion of the handle. In addition, the part of the grip that meets the little finger is both too thin and somewhat too angular to be optimal in that respect. There, a hot spot occurs when the knife pivots in the hand during heavy work.

So Hero can be said to be a knife intended for medium heavy usage if you know what I mean. This often leads to a saber grip with the thumb on the back of the blade. Then suddenly everything feels perfect! The fingers fall into place very naturally and no hot spots are felt, not even the clip.

Also in other grips, Hero is easy to work with. This applies, for example, when an index finger is placed on the blade or when the knife is held in a pinch grip. However, it can be pointed out that the thumb studs could have been placed closer to the handle. They are not directly in the way of cutting, but you have to take them into account. With a reverse grip, such as when carving towards yourself, it is noticeable that the handle is angled in relation to the blade, which affects the feeling. 

Opening and Lock

Hero can be opened in two ways. Either you choose two hands and pinch around the generous portion of the blade that is visible or you use the double-sided thumb studs. In any case, this is a knife you open calmly and controlled. The lock construction and design are not intended to act as a fidget toy in front of the TV. In this case, you open your knife, cut what needs to be cut, and put it away again.

Having said that, the action is very smooth and you can tell it's a quality knife by the way the blade swings freely when the lock is fully released. But sure, a large part of that can be attributed to the combination of a heavy blade and ball bearing. Anyway, the tolerances are small. 

The thumb studs are easy to access and give a good grip, almost too good

The thumb studs unfortunately seem to be a direct import from another quality knife. They are quite similar to those found on a Sebenza. It is nothing to aspire to. I find these pyramid-shaped thumb studs too sharp. But by all means, they work very well in this case. The wide blade means that the leverage becomes substantial and the curve for the thumb becomes natural. For the same reason, the grand pyramids are very easy to "find" when the thumb reaches for them.

This is a solid back lock which, with its short lock bar, can also be called a mid-lock

The nature of this knife somehow includes that this should be a back lock, although the position and size of the lock bar means that it can be counted as what is sometimes referred to as a mid lock. In addition, a solid and strong one. The lock bar falls into place with authority and the blade is held firmly. It doesn't move in the slightest, not sideways anyway but up and down you can sense more than feel that the blade can move, which is the case with ninety-nine percent of all back locks. Here, there is so little that it is barely noticeable, but the feeling is there.

In addition to that, it can be stated that the lock bar, like the blade spine, is softly rounded in such a way that it forms a unit. Releasing the lock feels natural, there are probably not many people who cannot handle a back lock. Here the process is facilitated by grooves of a slightly sharper cut than those found at the base of the blade. The force required to press down the lock is well-modulated, which makes the lock easy to handle.

To Carry

You know what I will say under this heading. A knife cannot be the best at everything and there is usually a direct connection between carrying comfort and ergonomics as well as blade length. A large knife is rarely as handy in the pocket as a small one. As I said, this is a solid piece, which is reflected in both weight and outer dimensions. Of course, that affects how this knife feels in the pocket.

But in this case, there are several forgiving features. One such is how thin the Hero is. The thickness is a maximum of 1.6 cm and that measurement is taken in the middle of the handle slabs, which must be pointed out because the handle is heavily arched. This means that the outer dimensions have less impact on how the knife feels in the pocket.

The clip is quite generous in size with excellent function

The weight is the most noticeable in my opinion. Much depends on the fact that it has been summer and in a pair of thinner shorts, the 178 grams feel substantial. They weigh down the pocket in a tangible way.

In the pocket, Hero is discreet despite its size, at least if you're wearing jeans

However, something that contributes to ease of carrying is the eminent clip. Made of titanium and of the "fold over" type, it means that the knife sits deep in the pocket. In addition, it is designed so that the rear end is softly rounded so that it does not press against the hand when the knife is held in a saber grip. In other grips, the rear end of the handle and thus the clip protrudes outside the hand and causes no problems at all.

The clip is attached to the back end of the handle with two screws of the same type and size that hold the sides in place. It can be switched between the right and left side according to need and taste.

The lightly blasted titanium surface is pierced by MKM's logo in the form of three stylized mountain peaks. The thickness is increased enough to give good tension and the ramp is sufficient for all but the very thickest jacket fabrics. The same applies to the space under the clip.

To Conclude

Hero was not an entirely easy knife to review. Namely, it is not a given EDC knife. For that, in my opinion, it is somewhat too large or rather too solid and thus heavy. Therefore it remains to consider it as a folding outdoor knife. But Hero does not completely dominate there either. The handle is not the best if you use your knife to cut wood, at least not without gloves. Seen from my perspective, it is a slight shortcoming.

But that's where I want to place it after all. Outdoors, on the excursion, camping, or why not the hunting trip. Because it turns out that this blade, which in many ways resembles a skinning blade, is really good for handling all kinds of meat. It also excels in man-made materials such as cardboard, plastic, etc.

So the area of use I firmly believe is outdoor life with the exception of "bushcraft" or carving and possibly a particularly substantial daily companion.

The competitors are knives such as ZT 0220, Lionsteel TM1, and Victorinox Hunter Pro

In addition to the substantial weight, Hero also comes with a robust edge and a solid tip. The blade has a lot of steel behind the edge, maybe even a little too much actually. It could also have been kept a little harder. My advice to MKM is to dare to trust the steel to a greater extent in the future.

If you like extremely solid knives, the Hero might work as an EDC option

Like everything I've come in contact with from MKM so far, Hero is very well-built. It is reflected in the choice of materials and the way they are put together, it is also noticeable in the care for the details. The finish on the blade is superb and all edges and corners on the handle are ground and rounded. The quality is reflected, among other things, in the well-rounded blade spine, which then continues into an equally well-rounded lock bar, which then transitions into a back spacer.

That production time has been spent on the knife is also visible in things such as the collar around the pivot screw, how well the grooves on the lock bar are made, and the arched handle sides.

MKM Hero feels absolutely best outdoors as a heavy-duty folding knife or perhaps a hunting knife

A bonus is that the MKM Hero with double-sided thumb studs, back lock, and switchable clip is totally ambidextrous which should be a nice thing to hear for all the left-handed people out there.

Otherwise, it is a knife with a pronounced aesthetic that is robust and well-suited for most outdoor activities, except for carving wooden spoons. So, if that is up your alley and you are looking for a knife that also comes with top-rated materials and is very well constructed, Hero is a knife for you. If you have decided to purchase one, it costs around €349 at the time of writing.

.

Maniago Knife Makers

Specifications:

Length Overall: 214 mm

Length Folded: 128 mm

Weight: 178 g (weighed by me, stated 175 g)

Blade Length: 88 mm

Blade Thickness: 4 mm

Blade Steel: Böhler M390

Handle: Titanium/G10

Lock: Back Lock

Produced by: Mikita, Made in Italy

/ J - looking out for a Hero

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre 

Recension MKM Hero

 

-  robust fällkniv för friluftsliv

De flesta knivar jag har från MKM - Maniago Knife Makers och som jag skrivit om tidigare har varit tämligen timida skapelser vad gäller storlek. Det gäller inte den här kniven kallad Hero. Här talar vi om en bastant fällkniv som inte är diskret på något vis. Det finns förstås både för- och nackdelar med ett sådant format och något av det ämnar jag diskutera i den här texten. 

MKM Hero

Hero är en kniv designad av italienaren Tommaso Rumici. Han har vid ett flertal tillfällen samarbetat med väletablerade tillverkare och gjort knivar som produceras av bland andra Maserin och Viper för att nämna några. Men nu handlar det alltså om en kniv från MKM. Det är dessutom en kniv som är något av ett utropstecken då det är en rejäl fällkniv. 

Som ofta med knivar från den här tillverkaren finns modellen i flera utföranden. Ett par olika nyanser av G10 finns att tillgå som handtagsmaterial och därtill kan läggas Micarta och så förstås trä och kolfiber. Det torde täcka de flesta smaker. 

Som vanligt har MKM åstadkommit en välbyggd kniv i excellenta material

Kortversion: MKM Hero, en stabil fällkniv för friluftsliv och möjligen EDC-bruk för den som känner sig djärv.

Blad

Det är inte främst längden på bladet som ger det maffiga intrycket. Det är stort men inte extremt långt med sina 88 mm. Men när det kombineras med en tilltagen bredd på över tre centimeter och en grovlek på 4 mm så får du ett kraftigt blad. Det är dessutom slipat så att det behåller en stor del av tjockleken på godset nära spetsen vilket gör den stark. 

Finishen är en mycket fint arbetad satin som sedan polerats något. Märkningen består av MKMs logotyp på presentationssidan och Rumicis bläckfisklogo på den motsatta. Den uppmärksamme kan även finna tillverkaren MIKITAs namn på annat ställe på kniven. 

Hero är försett med ett bastant drop point-blad

Som vanligt med knivar från MKM så ger bladet ett mycket arbetat intryck. Det märks exempelvis på den väl rundade bladryggen samt de räfflor som återfinns vid bladbasen. De ger gott fäste utan att vara för skarpa. 

Stålet är det av MKM ofta använda Böhler M390. Det är ett av de knivstål som varit bäst i några år nu. Det är helt enkelt mycket bra på de flesta parametrar såsom förmågan att ta en egg och hålla den, rosttröghet och slaghållfasthet. Även om det sistnämnda kanske inte är dess forte. Nackdelarna återfinns mest i priset och det faktum att det kan vara svårt att slipa då det kan göras mycket hårt. Men på den punkten har man från italienarnas håll valt en annan väg.  

Uppgiven HRC återfinns nämligen i spannet 58-60 och om det stämmer (något jag inte har möjlighet att undersöka) så är det någon grad under vad som varit optimalt för stålet på ett teoretiskt plan. Skall stålets fulla potential utnyttjas skall det skrämmas upp till kanske 61-62 HRC. Det där är en ständigt pågående debatt. 

Slipningen är mycket hög, i princip helt flat. Det ger 25 mm för stålet att tunnas ut till de ca 0,7-0,9 mm den mäter bakom eggen. Den senare siffran beskriver området precis vid spetsen. I vanliga fall hade en invändning om att det är för mycket varit på plats. Men det får ställas i relation till knivens tänkta användningsområde. Sedan kan tilläggas att originaleggen var vass och att slipningen får godkänt även den.  

Finishen är en halvblank satin

I praktiken upplevs inte kniven som särskilt tjock bakom eggen trots allt. Det är riktigt sympatiskt att slakta stora kartonger och skära i andra dylika material med Hero. Detsamma gäller snabba snitt i plastmaterial och liknande. Även i trä biter eggen relativt bra och här är det andra områden som gör att den här kniven inte är optimal för den sortens arbete. 

Jag noterade även att kniven vid blandad kökstjänst gör sig bäst till olika varianter av fågel, fisk och kött. Därför är jag benägen att tro att det här breda bladet med sin rejäla buk är en förträfflig fällbar jaktkniv. 

Handtag

Hero är en kniv med ett väl tilltaget handtag. Det är 12,8 cm långt totalt. Av det är tillgänglig greppyta bakom fingerskyddet 10,5 cm vilket räcker till för de flesta händer. Särskilt som utformningen av handtagets avslutning möjliggjör att lillfingret kan glida bakåt vilket är bra om man t ex bär handskar och behöver mer utrymme. 

Handtaget är dessutom hela 36 mm högt som mest och ytterligare någon millimeter mer vid fingerskyddet. Det bidrar till att det fyller handen väl trots att det är relativt tunt. 

Skollorna kan fås i ett flertal olika material. På bilden syns G10

Att kniven inte är ännu tyngre beror på att en hel del av den är gjort av titan. Det gäller själva ramen, clipet och bolstret. Ja och sedan den lilla dekorativa färgklicken som kragen kring pivotskruven utgör. Materialet i ramen är troligen skälet till att den inte är lättad invändigt. En sådan åtgärd hade inte bidragit mycket till att minska vikten men hade försämrat styrkan. Däremot är back spacern som även clipet fäster i gjort av stål liksom låsarmen. 

Balanspunkten återfinns strax bakom bolstret. Inte helt ovanligt när det gäller den här typen av konstruktion. De tenderar att vara lite baktunga. 

På grund av konstruktionen är ryggen sluten. På insidan kan den skarpögde läsa "Made by MIKITA"

Utöver titanbolstret består sidorna av ett par stycken fint behandlade bitar G10. De är som sagt mjukt rundade och det ger även en struktur som påminner om hur trä ser ut. De olika lagren blottas när materialet slipas vilket påminner om ådring. 

Sidorna är skruvade på plats med T6-skruvar. Vanligen uppskattar jag inte så små skruvar i knivar ämnade att demonteras. Lock back-knivar är emellertid inte det så i det här fallet är det är irrelevant. Pivotskruven är ett par storlekar större och kan justeras med en mejsel avsedd för T8-or. 

Det är framförallt  i sabelgrepp som handtaget på Hero kommer till sin rätt

Handtaget är som sagt stort nog för att användas även med handskar. Hero är emellertid bekväm att arbeta med även utan sådana. Det rejäla handtaget inbjuder att ta i med och då använder jag företrädesvis hammargrepp. Särskilt när jag skall skära i trä eller tälja. Kniven fungerar bra i det sammanhanget men är inte perfekt. För det hade faktiskt krävts att handtaget hade varit grövre, framförallt över nacken. Dessutom så är partiet kring lillfingret både för tunt och något för kantigt för att var optimalt i det hänseendet. Där uppstår tryck när kniven pivoterar i handen vid tungt arbete. 

Så Hero kan sägas vara en kniv avsedd för mellantungt skärande om ni förstår vad jag menar. Det leder gärna till ett sabelgrepp med tummen på bladryggen. Då känns plötsligt allt perfekt! Fingrarna faller på plats på ett mycket naturligtvis och inga "hot spots" känns, inte ens clipet. 

Även i övriga grepp är Hero lättarbetad. Det gäller t ex när ett pekfinger läggs på bladet eller när kniven hålls i nypan. Där kan dock påpekas att tumknopparna kunde befunnit sig närmare handtaget. De är inte ivägen men man får ta dem i beaktande. Vid omvänt grepp som när  man täljer mot sig märks det att greppet är vinklat i relation till handtaget vilket påverkar arbetet. 

Öppning och lås

Bladet på Hero kan lirkas ut på två vis. Endera väljer du två händer och nyper kring den rejäla portion blad som finns tillgängligt eller så använder du de dubbelsidiga tumknopparna. I vilket fall är det här en kniv du öppnar lugnt och kontrollerat. Låskonstruktionen och designen är inte avsedd för att kniven skall agera stresskula i tv-soffan. I det här fallet öppnar du din kniv, skär vad som skall skäras och stoppar undan den igen.

Med det sagt är gången mycket mjuk och det märks att det är en kvalitetskniv på sättet bladet svänger fritt när låset släppts helt. Men visst, en stor del av det kan tillskrivas kombinationen av ett tungt blad och kullager. 

Tumknopparna är lätta att komma åt och biter bra i tummen, nästan för bra

Tumknopparna verkar dessvärre vara en direktimport från en annan kvalitetskniv. De är ovanligt lika de som hittas på en Sebenza. Det är inget att eftersträva. De här pyramidformade tumknopparna anser jag vara för vassa. Men för all del, de fungerar mycket bra i det här fallet. Det breda bladet gör nämligen att hävstången blir rejäl och kurvan för tummen blir naturlig. Av samma skäl är knopparna mycket lätta att "hitta" när tummen sträcker sig efter dem. 

Låset är en stabil back lock som med sin korta låsarm även kan kallas mid lock

I den här knivens natur ingår på något vis att det här skall vara en back lock även om placeringen på låset gör att det kan räknas till vad som ibland omnämns som en mid lock. Därtill en solid och kraftig sådan. Låsarmen greppar med pondus och bladet sitter stabilt. Det rör sig inte det minsta, inte i sidled i alla fall men upp- och ner kan man ana mer än känna att bladet kan röra sig, vilket är fallet med nittionio procent av alla back locks. Här är det så lite att det knappt förnimmas men känslan finns där. 

Utöver det kan konstateras att låsarmen likt bladryggen är mjukt rundad på så vis att de utgör en enhet. Att släppa låset känns naturligt, det är nog inte många som inte kan hantera en back lock. Här underlättas förfarandet av räfflor av lite skarpare snitt än de som återfinns vid bladbasen. Kraften som krävs för att pressa ned låset är välmodulerad vilket gör låset lätthanterat. 

Att bära

Ni vet vad jag kommer säga under den här rubriken. En kniv kan inte vara bäst på allt och oftast finns en direkt koppling mellan bärkomfort och ergonomi samt bladlängd. En stor kniv är sällan lika smidig i fickan som en liten. Det här är som sagt en stabil pjäs vilket avspeglar sig i både vikt och yttermått. Naturligtvis påverkar det hur den här kniven upplevs i fickan. 

Men i det här fallet finns flera förlåtande egenskaper. En sådan är hur pass tunn Hero är. Tjockleken är som mest 1,6 cm och det måttet tas på mitten av skollorna vilket måste påpekas eftersom handtaget är kraftigt välvt. Det gör att yttermåtten känns mindre i fickan. 

Clipet är tämligen väl tilltaget med utmärkt funktion

Vikten är det som märks mest i mitt tycke. Mycket beroende på att det varit sommar och i ett par tunnare shorts känns de 178 grammen rejält. De tynger ned fickan på ett påtagligt vis.  

I fickan är Hero diskret trots sin storlek

Något som bidrar till att underlätta bärandet är emellertid det eminenta clipet. Gjort i titan och av "fold over" typ gör det att kniven sitter djupt ned i fickan. Dessutom är det designat så att bakänden är mjukt rundad så den inte trycker mot handen vid sabelgrepp. I andra fattningar sticker bakänden av handtaget och därmed clipet ut utanför handen och orsakar inga problem alls. 

Clipet är fäst i bakänden av handtaget med två stycken skruvar av samma typ och storlek som håller skollorna på plats. Det kan skiftas mellan höger och vänster sida efter behov och smak. 

Den lätt blästrade titanytan är genombruten av MKMs logotyp i form av tre stiliserade bergstoppar. Tjockleken är tilltagen nog för att ge god spänst och rampen räcker till allt utom de allra tjockaste jacktygerna. Detsamma gäller utrymmet under clipet. 

Sammanfattningsvis

Hero var inte en helt lätt kniv att recensera. Det är nämligen inte en given EDC-kniv. Därtill är den i mitt tycke något för stor eller snarare för stabil och därmed tung. Då återstår att betrakta det som en fällbar friluftskniv. Men inte heller där dominerar den helt. Handtaget är inte det bästa för att använda att skära i trä med, i alla fall inte utan handskar. Det är sett ur mitt perspektiv ett litet tillkortakommande. 

Men det är trots allt där jag vill placera den. Utomhus, på utflykten, campingen eller varför inte jaktturen. För det visar sig att det här bladet som i mångt och mycket påminner om ett flåblad är riktigt bra till att hantera allehanda kött med. Det briljerar även i människotillverkade material som kartong och plast och liknande. 

Så användningsområdet slår jag fast till friluftsliv med undantag för "bushcraft" eller täljande samt eventuellt en synnerligen rejäl daglig kompanjon.

Konkurrenterna är knivar som exempelvis ZT 0220, Lionsteel TM1 och Victorinox Hunter Pro

Förutom den substantiella vikten är nämligen Hero även försedd med en robust egg och en solid spets. Bladet har mycket stål bakom eggen, kanske till och med lite för mycket faktiskt. Den kunde dessutom ha härdats lite hårdare. Mitt råd till MKM är att i framtiden våga lita på stålet i högre utsträckning. 

Om du gillar synnerligen stabila knivar kan Hero kanske fungera som EDC-alternativ

Som allt jag kommit i kontakt med från MKM så här långt är Hero mycket välbyggd. Förutom att det avspeglar sig i materialvalen och hur den är byggd så märks det på omsorgen om detaljerna. Finishen på bladet är suverän och alla kanter och hörn är slipade och rundade. Kvalitén återspeglas bland annat i den väl rundade bladryggen som sedan fortsätter i en lika väl rundad låsarm som sedan övergår i en back spacer.

Att det lagts ned tid på kniven syns även på saker som kragen kring pivot-skruven, hur väl räfflorna på låsarmen är utförda och de välvda handtagssidorna. 

MKM Hero trivs absolut bäst utomhus som en kraftig friluftskniv eller kanske jaktkniv

En bonus är att MKM Hero med sina dubbelsidiga tumknoppar, back lock samt ett flyttbart clip är helt ambidextriös till alla vänsterhäntas fromma. 

I övrigt är det en kniv med en uttalad estetik som är robust och väl anpassad för det mesta i friluftsväg, förutom att tälja till en träsked då. Så söker du det i en kniv utrustad med topprankade material och som är riktigt välkonstruerad då är det här en kniv för dig. Har du bestämt dig för att införskaffa en Hero så kostar den i skrivande stund ca 349€.

Maniago Knife Makers

Specifikation:

Längd utfälld: 214 mm

Längd hopfälld: 128 mm

Vikt: 178 g (vägd av  mig, uppgiven 175 g)

Bladlängd: 88 mm

Godstjocklek: 4 mm

Bladstål: Böhler M390

Handtag: titan/G10

Lås: back lock

Producerad av: Mikita, tillverkad i Italien

/ J - looking out for a Hero

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre