Mikov rescue knives with swapped blades available

tanto · Post by **tanto** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:25 pm

Hi guys,

I have just received new batch of Mikov rescue knives with swapped blades. The dagger one is the primary blade (right handed) and the rescue blade is the secondary one (left handed). Only 10 pieces were made exclusively for me. Price is the same as the regular ones (108.99 shipped).

David

sonnyboy · Post by **sonnyboy** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 6:00 pm

As per Tanto's email & PM, I have requested one of these with the swapped blades.

sonnyboy · Post by **sonnyboy** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 10:36 pm

Well, looky here...the mailman left a little white packet from Tanto!!!

It made it OK!!! So, let's do a mini-review...

Payment instructions were clear and concise; no problems. Item was shipped and received within 14 days of my sending payment. Nicely packed; window box included.

Shipped with kicker springs separate; the new style double springs...four in all (this is two blades)...They go in easy as pie...

Takes a little getting used to flicking the lever forward to open...This is one of the swapped ones, with the dagger as primary for righties...

Both blades lie centered when closed; the dagger blade is 100% straight extended, the seatbelt cutter is ~99% straight when extended...The dagger is nice and tight both sideways and up-and-down; the seatbelt cutter has a little movement up-and-down (not much)...there is a nice tight fit of the bottom and middle pins; the pivot pin has some daylight showing between the blades and liners (again, not much)...

Nice and hefty; good solid feel to it...I've read that some feel it is big and clunky; I don't feel that way...blade(s) is ~7/8" wide x 3 3/4" long x .102" thick...8 1/2" OAL...the lever folds back flat, but has a slight angle to the end, which combined with a cutout in the scale, facilitates easy/fast opening...and gives a measure of safety...

For those who held off waiting for the swapped blade configuration, don't worry about it...either blade opens easily left or right handed...you're putting pressure on the same two spots, just using the index finger to fire instead of the thumb...

The bolsters look solid, they're not mirror-polished, more like tumble polished...same with the blades...which are nice and sharp...

The blades are stamped "Mikov Stainless", but there is nothing saying what steel it is...Maybe Tanto can tell us...same with the scales...are they yellow ABS??? They look nice...as I mentioned in another post, maybe a set in orange for the bottle opener/dagger double knife would be nice...I'd buy one...

All in all, I like it...I'm completely satisfied, and am already thinking of buying another (maybe 241 NK4 or 241 NK5)...

If I have one complaint (I don't!), it would be that the two blades sit at slightly different levels closed [seatbelt cutter is ~1/16" lower]...this means that closing the seatbelt cutter takes a bit of care, as your fingers hit the dagger blade first and the cutter needs to be pushed in separately (instead of pushing both blades)...

BTW: The "Rescue" script appears only on the seatbelt cutter scale, the dagger scale is blank...

So...Three questions for tanto:

(1) What stainless steel is the blade made of?
(2) What are the scales made of?
(3) What lubricant does Mikov recommend for the pivot(s)?

tanto · Post by **tanto** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:27 pm

Thanks for the review - I should copy it on my web site

. I am glad the knife made it OK.
Just a few remarks. The blades were never meant to be straight with the handle. Not even the dagger blade. The grind used to be different (see my avatar) and the blade was in line with the bottom of the liner (bolster).

Also the blades have to sit the way they do now since they are on the same pivot and they cannot be adjusted separately. You will see what I mean when (if) you put together one of the kits.

1) Steel is DIN 1.4034, AISI 420
2) ABS plastic (exact composition - who knows .. Mikov makes the plastic by itself)
3) The lubricant Miikov uses sucks. I use bike oil and it works OK. But do not use oil too much.

David

sonnyboy · Post by **sonnyboy** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:38 pm

tanto wrote: I am glad the knife made it OK.

And quickly, too!

The blades were never meant to be straight with the handle.

That is not what I was trying to say

...I meant that the two blades do not stick out equally...meaning one blade [the dagger in this case] is higher...and when you are pushing the cutter closed, you need to push it with your fingertips, not just squeeze your fist like you would if they were the same height...

The lubricant Miikov uses sucks.

I'm glad you mentioned that...I flushed the lubricant out with WD-40 just to clean out any abrasive [should there be any] left from polishing [if there is any]...Flicking it a couple dozen times with only WD-40, I was shocked to find both blades starting to freeze up...would only flick out 3/4 way...I put a couple drops of LSA [M-16 lube] on the pivots, and that freed them up...Flicks out OK now...(I suppose that is because the liners and blades are both 420 SS...If the liners were a different composition, or even brass, it would prevent galling)...

I'm going to pick up some BreakFree today...

tanto · Post by **tanto** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:59 pm

Both blades lie centered when closed; the dagger blade is 100% straight extended, the seatbelt cutter is ~99% straight when extended..

I was addressing this issue. At least that is what I understood. Anyway, enjoy your knife!

David

sonnyboy · Post by **sonnyboy** » Fri Oct 21, 2005 3:07 pm

tanto wrote:Both blades lie centered when closed; the dagger blade is 100% straight extended, the seatbelt cutter is ~99% straight when extended..

I was addressing this issue. At least that is what I understood.

Let me be very clear: I am delighted with the quality of this knife. The overall fit and finish as well as craftmanship are outstanding. Honesty requires an objective view; so I've noted *any* discrepancies from perfect (which we all know is unobtainable).

(I have several Maniago knives which are farther from the Ideal than this Mikov and are still cherished.)

Anyway, enjoy your knife!

David

I am hoping I never have to use this knife...

sonnyboy · Post by **sonnyboy** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:23 pm

Tanto -

You seem to have excellent relations with the Mikov people...And I was interested in the write-up on your site(s)...Any chance of a more in-depth write-up (maybe with pics) of the Mikov manufacturing facility??? Kind of a "plant tour"???

sonnyboy · Post by **sonnyboy** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:55 pm

Also, if I may make a suggestion...On the knives with the shroud/seatbelt cutter blade at least...I would like to see an eye for a lanyard...so that the knife can be pulled out of a pocket or sheath with one hand...this could be a simple lengthening of one of the liners, with a hole...or a ring incorporated into the bottom pin...or even a hollow pin...

I had to carry a shroud cutting knife as part of my duties in the USAF...A Camillus MC-1, as issued to aircrewmen...Unfortunately, it is a POS; poorly designed, sloppily made...government contract - "lowest bidder"...but required by regulations...

The Mikov "Rescue" knives [with shroud/seatbelt cutter] would be a good addition to the tools of any loadmaster, jumpmaster, parachute rigger, cargo handler, or paratrooper...but a lanyard loop would be a "must have"...(Aircrew flight suits even have a special pocket for the shroud cutter knife, with lanyard attachment)...You don't want to lose it in an emergency...

By eyeballing this knife, I can see there is enough space at the end of the blades to drill a hole through one or both outer scales & liners and run a piece of parachute cord through it, to attach it to a belt or eyelet...

If it was me, I'd extend the bottom of the center liner [on 2-blade knives] a quarter inch or so, with a 1/8" hole...

This would let you pull on the lanyard, slip your hand down the cord to the knife, and have it in firing position with only one hand...while you hold on with the other...

tanto · Post by **tanto** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:16 am

sonnyboy wrote:Tanto -

You seem to have excellent relations with the Mikov people...And I was interested in the write-up on your site(s)...Any chance of a more in-depth write-up (maybe with pics) of the Mikov manufacturing facility??? Kind of a "plant tour"???

Check here:

http://www.talkblade.info/viewtopic.php ... ight=visit

and here:

http://www.talkblade.info/viewtopic.php ... ight=visit

As for the lanyard hole - I will talk to them. teh NH3 model has it so I do not see why the other two could not.

David

tanto · Post by **tanto** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:22 am

sonnyboy wrote:
I am hoping I never have to use this knife...

You can always use the straight blade.. and the rescue blade to cut rope, any kind of fabric... not just seat belts

David

sonnyboy · Post by **sonnyboy** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:16 pm

tanto wrote:
sonnyboy wrote:...Any chance of a..."plant tour"???
Check here:

http://www.talkblade.info/viewtopic.php ... ight=visit

and here:

http://www.talkblade.info/viewtopic.php ... ight=visit

As for the lanyard hole - I will talk to them. teh NH3 model has it so I do not see why the other two could not.

David

Awesome pics!!!

And beautiful country...wish I could visit...

Mr Trojan's first auto looks like it would be a winner if put back in production!

The pic of the blade cut from a circle of metal...that looks awful wasteful...one blade from all that steel??? Is it stamped, lasered, or wire-EDM'd from that plate???

I'll have to look at that NH3 more closely...That one is available as a kit, is it not???

sonnyboy · Post by **sonnyboy** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:02 pm

tanto wrote:As for the lanyard hole - I will talk to them. The NH3 model has it so I do not see why the other two could not.

I had noticed that [the NH3 "spike"], but thought it was retractable (I can see something that looks like you would push on it with your finger to shoot something out the end)...

...Is that "spike" with the hole the "glass breaker"???...

It looks like they extended the [thicker] spacer rather than the middle liner...

tanto · Post by **tanto** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:44 am

...Is that "spike" with the hole the "glass breaker"???... - yes

It looks like they extended the [thicker] spacer rather than the middle liner - it is an insert between liners

tanto · Post by **tanto** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:49 am

sonnyboy wrote: The pic of the blade cut from a circle of metal...that looks awful wasteful...one blade from all that steel??? Is it stamped, lasered, or wire-EDM'd from that plate???

?? That is the press block - the blade is stamped from a metal sheath ...