Douk-Douk or Mercator k55k?

Just learned that Jaguar is making a Mercator knockoff, nearly identical, don't think it will be news to anyone here that the Solingen version is vastly superior.
Wonder how long it'll be before Cold Steel comes up with an "improved version".
 
I own 4 Douk-Douk. Excellent carbon steel. They will take a face shaving edge. As with all carbon steel you have to keep them clean & oiled or they will discolor & rust. Well made, nice Turkish Clip, thin & pocket friendly,,, and the price is right! Great knives. Buy several.
 
Guys<

I've owned both and favor the Douk. I do agree the large is a little too large and the small is nice but I wish it was a touch bigger. They will last a lifetime cost little to own and always perform for you. Like others have said look at the opinel they are another great low cost knife that will perform. Can't go wrong with any all will make a long time friend.

Joe
 
Bruuno2 said:
where'd ypu buy the douk douk from?
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Hi Brunno2,

If you look back through the thread you will see that two sites were listed as having Douk Douks for sale: Garretwade.com and edcdepot.com. Also, word to the wise, people don't take too kindly about resurrecting old threads around here. I got called out for it awhile ago--although frankly I feel sometimes it's a better idea than clogging up the forum with multiple threads discussing the same subject.

hope this helps,
davide
 
I can't vouch for the mercator, but I EDC a douk douk. It's a great slicer and takes an amazing edge. Mine has held a hair whittling edge and I would definetly recommend it.
 
I have both the Mercator and Douk Douk.
The Douk Douk does get a finer sharper edge, although with a little work, I can get the Mercator quite sharp. Why I prefer the Mercator is a nail nick and great lock back. :thumbup:
 
I don't have a Mercator, but I have several Douk Douks. I posted several comparison pictures a while back for one of the other forums. Not sure if I posted them here or not.
I have four of them; two large (4 inch) and one small regular Douks (3 inch), and one large (4 inch) 'Squirrel'. All of my Douks have carbon blades. They sharpen up easily with most anything, strop to a frightening edge on cardboard, paperback books, edge of a mug, whatever. The blades are somewhat soft, but cut very well.

I have often carried one of the large Douk Douk out with me to dinner as an ESK (Emergency Steak Knife). I don't much like the chromed handle of the squirrel, but it is pretty hard for anybody to get uptight about a pocket knife with a cartoon squirrel on the handle, and the large SAK-style spearpoint blade is very useful (rather like having a 4 inch paring knife in your pocket). I don't carry either of them as much as I used to since I got my RAT-1.

The small Douk Douk cuts great but closing it always makes me nervous due to the combination of strong spring, sharp blade and not a lot of handle to hang onto to keep my fingertips out of the way. If it was 3 1/3 - 3 1/2 inches (proportionally sized up) I would like it a lot more I think.

Group shot:
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Alox Solo EZ-opener vs. small Douk Douk vs Sodbuster Jr.:
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Thickness comparison of the same three:
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Three Douk Douks; small, large, large 'Squirrel' model:
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I have a small Douk-Douk like the one pictured above. I think it's a great little knife. It's very easy to sharpen and it disappears into your pocket. They have a very simple design but they are very well made. Mine has a healthy backspring and the blade is perfectly centered in the handle. I have not handled either the larger Douk-douk or the Mercator.
 
The douk-douk is so ugly that one can't help but love its uniqueness. The Merkator is nice if you want something locking, but the douk-douk is a no-frills cutter with an easy-to-sharpen blade. Gotta love it.
 
YayILikePie said:
The douk-douk is so ugly that one can't help but love its uniqueness.
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Eye of the beholder I guess... the Douk-douk's look is part of why I love 'em... they have a kind of 19th century aesthetic to them. The thin metal handle may not appeal to some... but carry one in your pocket for a while, and you may not want to go back to anything bulkier.
 
C.S. Graves said:
Eye of the beholder I guess... the Douk-douk's look is part of why I love 'em... they have a kind of 19th century aesthetic to them. The thin metal handle may not appeal to some... but carry one in your pocket for a while, and you may not want to go back to anything bulkier.
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Oh, don't get me wrong. I don't mean that I don't like the design. I just think that the blade shape looks a little strange. I'd love to get my hands on a Douk-Douk cause I've heard they cut incredibly well and sharpen up nice and easy, but I'm waiting on it. I actually like the feel of metal handles; cool to the touch yet comfortable.
 
My Douk Douk is indeed one of my best cutters, amazing in fact. The Mercator is also a great classic with an incredible lock. We knife knuts should have them both.
FYI, since there is some confusion about Mercator in earlier posts, I bought mine straight from the German manufacturer here.
A sister product to the Mercator is also a must for us: a classic hand made German "anchor" knife .
 
Tom, I had six until my son's and a friend or two recieved them as gifts, now only two ;) Note to self :Must buy more :p
Worldknives, is where I picked mine up, great knives for edc
 
YayILikePie said:
Oh, don't get me wrong. I don't mean that I don't like the design. I just think that the blade shape looks a little strange. I'd love to get my hands on a Douk-Douk cause I've heard they cut incredibly well and sharpen up nice and easy, but I'm waiting on it. I actually like the feel of metal handles; cool to the touch yet comfortable.
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One thing with the Douks is they're not always sharp out of the box. I had one that I gifted to a cousin after spending a goodly amount of time putting a serviceable edge on it. Not sure why that one gave me so much more trouble than the rest of 'em. :confused:
 
One thing that hasn't been mentioned.

I like the Mercator for the locking mechanism, but it has one thing I do not like in a knife. When the blade closes it is stopped by the tip hitting a plastic piece in the handle. The Douk Douk is stopped by that little protuberance at the heal of the blade, as it should be in a folder.

I like to keep a carbon steel blade nice and sharp and the tip hitting that plastic piece every time you close it will fold and dull it.
 
davek14 said:
I like to keep a carbon steel blade nice and sharp and the tip hitting that plastic piece every time you close it will fold and dull it.
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I close all my slipjoints by holding the blade all the way into the handle, slowly.
 
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