My initial examination was a combination of both good and bad. The action was snappy, and the lock-up was tight without a hint of wobble in any direction. To test the ease of replacing the spring I also purchased a spare, and I removed and re-assembled both springs to check for ease of installation, fit and operation.
Both springs were very tight for the final 1/8 inch. A gentle tap with the plastic end of a Lyman firearms assembly hammer (which I use as a tinkers' mallet) easily seated both springs into position. The test firings were flawless after each replacement.
From there, things got a tad rough, and 'rough' is the operative word.
The blade rests perfectly straight when folded into the handle. When opened, the blade twists slightly to the left when positioned with the edge down. Admittedly it's slight, and you have to sight down the spine to see it. It's common in many handmade stilettos and entry-level priced Japanese kitchen knives. Disappointing, but no biggee.
There was a yellow brittle glue which had seeped out from under the stag where the edges were not a perfect fit to the frame chassis.
The bevel, sharpness, and blade alloy were one mess.
The edge was dull, poorly formed with an obtuse angle for the bevel. Granted, I didn't expect a keen edge on a dagger. Most are dull, and designed more for thrusting. However, this bevel was irregular front to back and left to right with numerous flat spots on the edge where the planes never met to begin with.
I decided to simply use an Edge Pro to straighten and hone the edge, and as you can see, the polishing produced a gummy, muddy swarf which usually signifies a lower quality stainless alloy. It seemed to produce copious amounts of "squid ink" on the stone which actually ran off the press onto the counter top and then onto the floor.
It took five grades of stones, three grades of polishing papers and two grades of paste to produce an edge which sliced "twice and twain." That's jargon we use to describe an edge sharp enough to cleanly slice through newsprint both along the side and then the top edge against both bias' of the paper.
Now don't get me wrong. I think the knife is a tough, sturdy example of a working knife with a blade of a realistic length. As with any test example, I'm going to carry it for several days/weeks and cut a variety of items. I'm not the kind of test abuser who pries open paint cans or runs over the knife with a truck. However I will slice every/any item I need while doing my normal chores.
For that I expect the Mikov to work just fine. I believe that the edge will require a few touch-ups, and I can see areas which could benefit from additional polishing. For example, the first 1/4 inch of the left-hand side of the bevel near the ricasso is still a tad rough and narrower than the bevel on the rest of the knife. I do sharpen with a lighter hand, and I remove metal slowly. The condition will improve over time with a few more light sharpenings.
For 89 USD delivered, tax and shipping included, the Mikov is a good value. I have a left-handed, clip point model with a yellow handle arriving later this week for my wife.
........A2
