Stu mitchell survival knife prototype part 3. The desert.

[mr doyle]

A few weeks ago I was asked by Stu if I would like to take his prototype survival knife on my trip to Joshua Tree.

After following the previous tests on the knife I was more than willing to see what it could do within the desert environment where everything is very dry and hard.

What follows is my own personal opinion, but what may not work for me, may indeed work for others. A lot of what is mentioned here may have already been covered before in previous tests so please bear with me.


My first impressions of the knife were that it was very capable of taking a beating and also that it was not like anything I had seen before, but thats certainly no bad thing.

My first concern was with the finger grove. As I have quite a large hands (one in photo is not mine) I found that my main grip was not at all comfortable (see below) and brings the side of the thumb onto the blade which is not ideal. However, the knife lends itself to being held with the thumb resting on ramp of the blade which although a little limiting, was very comfortable. I would remove any kind of finger grove and make the handle all one width which would allow for multiple grips. This is probably the only thing I dislike on the knife, but its such a big thing for me as it effected the usage greatly.
I also found the balance of the knife to be too far back and would prefer it further forward just behind the start of the blade.

The blade shape, grind, width and thickness are spot on and after using the knife everyday for five days, its still fantastically sharp. However, I think an extra inch would make for a much more capable knife, especially in regards to batoning. I used the knife for everything from food prep, to making fire, building a small shelter, and every other cutting chore you can think of.

I really enjoyed using the knife and found that the more I used it, the more I wanted to use it. I certainly do not consider the knife to be a looker, but thats not the issue here. Its a survival knife, and very close to being 'just right'.


Ok, so heres what I would change;

A longer blade of an inch, may be even more (keeping the ergonomics of the blade the same in regards to width, thickness and shape) I would also like a squared off spine for more efficient sparks from a fire steel (I found towards the tip of the blade worked best)
The removal of the finger grove with the same width throughout keeping the flared butt which I really love.
I think the holes in the handle should stay even though I personally find no use for them. Theres just something about them I like.
I have noticed tiny gaps where the bolsters meet the blade. Knowing Stu's standards, they would not of left the shop like this and I am assuming its from the knife bolsters being battered with a rock from an earlier test (not by me). This makes me think that bolts may be better for attachment, rather than five rivets.
I like the idea of the bright orange strips, but think a glow in the dark material would be more beneficial here.
The coating on the blade really doesn't bother me but I think an old school mirror polish would be the business (and of course a shiny blade could be used as a signal mirror). Although I would not like to see the knife looking too pretty as that may discourage people to use it.
I know a lot of people dislike the choil on the blade, but it doesn't really bother me and makes sharpening and stropping a little easier in the field.

So to conclude. I love this knife now and will be sad to send it back to Stu. But I do believe once all the refinements have been made it will really be something.

Hope this all makes sense as I only got back this morning and I feel a little misty....

[mr doyle]

[Stuart Mitchell]

Hi mr d, thanks for that mate, nice little review there and the photos look great...

I'll just mention about those little gaps, I know exactly where you mean, where the scales meet the bolsters on the back of the handle only, not the underside, thing is they are not actually gaps, there's no actual void there, you can't get the tip of a pin to drop in there...

What are they? I dunno, the bolsters have not moved, there would be evidence elsewhere, if a gap had formed there through movement then the opposite corner, front underside, would be a little proud of the tang, all is perfectly flush...

What do I think they are? I think discolouration of some sorts, I think evidence of the knife's long winded and experimental journey through the 'shop, rework, refinish, rework, refinish, the handle must have been blasted with different grits etc about a dozen times...

I don't know what it is mate but there's no physical gap there???

Thanks again fella, it just arrived back safe and sound

[Nightfly]

The knife got covered in greasy soot when I had a play with it. It was very persistent and I believe it left the two black "shadows" on the back, which look like gaps but are not.
My deliberate abuse of the bolsters did not make them move the slightest bit, at least not when it was in my "care".
The spine was sharp enough for me to create sparks comfortably, from any point forward of the bolster. Maybe your firesteel was new and still coated? Either way, it almost always seems to be less effort to create sparks using the tip of the spine, but I find it makes it harder to put the spark on target.
Glad you enjoyed using it, I did too.

[mr doyle]

Hi Stew,
I knew it wasn't your workmanship in question... I would like to state here that this is the toughest knife I have got my mits on. Please let me know when you make another..

[Stuart Mitchell]

Hi Stew,
I knew it wasn't your workmanship in question...

Hi mate, don't worry, I know that

[matt,simmons]

that is a cool knife and looks the busines .
great concept stu and great wite up on its journey so far i need to find the other pats to the test now !
great idea guys

[rockapes51]

is the knife off to anyone else for another test ?
not that i think it needs one lol seems to be a fantastic hard working knife, something that appeals to me greatly.

[Stuart Mitchell]

is the knife off to anyone else for another test ?
not that i think it needs one lol seems to be a fantastic hard working knife, something that appeals to me greatly.

What are you doing tomorrow?

[rockapes51]

I'm free in the morning and in the afternoon iv got to go to meadow hall so I'm in sheffield
did you get the email of the studio shots?

[dazcon]

To be honest, i wasn't overly fond of this knife when i first saw it. The handle seemed a little too long in comparison to the blade and the willow-leaf blade profile just didn't do it for me. Over the weeks i've looked at it here and there and it has grown on me. It is difficult to imagine how a knife will function without getting hands-on, but i can now see some of the potential benefits of the knife's unusual characteristics. The longer handle will have excellent grip and leverage benefits and the blade shape should certainly be great at penetrating. I would have liked a bit of the tang protruding at the pommel though.

Just my honest thoughts,for what they're worth.