Drop Point Maverick: Initial Impressions

Mistwalker

Mistwalker

Gold Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2007
Messages
19,025
I have liked the look and feel of the Maverick handle since Andy released the design. It seats in my hand really well, it offers a very secure but comfortable purchase, and felt like it would offer excellent blade control in use. In my younger life, back in the: farming trapping and serious hunting days, I could have gotten full benefit from the Maverick as it was originally released. With the up-swept trailing point and LOTS of belly, combined with the ergonomics of this handle, it would have been great for processing game and small livestock. I do hope to get back to that lifestyle in the future, and will try to pick one up if and when I do.

Then Andy released the drop point version, and I knew I could definitely get full benefit from this model. It's a great size and shape for a field knife, and I love the handle contours.

9.jpg


1.jpg


2.jpg


3.jpg




When I stopped for lunch today, I decided to give the Maverick a go, and see how it handled this type of cutting. I am very happy with the performance. I was able to manage very thin apple slices, impressive for a blade 5/32" thick.

4.jpg


5.jpg


6.jpg





But as I suspected originally, where this model really excels for me is in the whittling and carving tasks. The handle offers excellent blade control. It made quick work of whittling some nice curls in some seasoned hickory. I'll have to try a few other things with it next time I'm out.

7.jpg


8.jpg




***EDIT***

I used the DPM in the mushroom and bacon experiment earlier. I like this handle for use with greasy hands :) The experiment didn't turn out too bad. I sort of wish I had used a better camera and more light on the end result instead of the phone. But I haven't picked up the plates and serving bowl and such I will use on the final shot. It was just an experiment with the recipe...

4.jpg


5.jpg


8.jpg


9.jpg


10.jpg


11.jpg


.

.
 
Last edited:
Beautiful knife Brian. I can understand why you like as much as you do given my positive experience with a couple so far. It is a model that deserves more respect and attention than it gets.

Great photos as usual. I love the Shirley Temple curls you get on your fuzz sticks.

Phil
 
Nice DPM Brian! Thanks for sharing your impressions, and wonderful pics. :)
 
Comprehensivist said:
Beautiful knife Brian. I can understand why you like as much as you do given my positive experience with a couple so far. It is a model that deserves more respect and attention than it gets.

Great photos as usual. I love the Shirley Temple curls you get on your fuzz sticks.

Phil
Click to expand...


Thanks Phil. I really like the way the contours of the handle seat in my hand in a standard overhand grip. I like how the lower swell wedges and provides traction for the fore and index fingers for a secure purchase when doing more powerful cuts to remove a lot of material while whittling and carving. I also like how the upper and lower swells combine to give you leverage and great edge control while whittling. That control really helps with the Shirley Temple curls :) The tapered tang gives it a near perfect neutral balance, which I really like in a working knife.


gusbuster said:
Nice DPM Brian! Thanks for sharing your impressions, and wonderful pics. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Gus. The evergreen burlap one there at the shop was really nice too, but I was just really drawn to the dyed maple. I think it's beautiful.


Scotcha said:
Nice knife, lunch and pics as usual Brian
Click to expand...

Thanks Abe, glad you enjoyed the post :)
 
Uncle_P said:
Great post. The apple slices - nice thin slices - very cool.
Click to expand...

Thanks Preston. Yeah, autumn is upon us again, so I am practicing my thin slicing. It will soon be fresh smoked bacon over a campfire time again, and I have about 8 pounds of slabs of smoked bacon in the freezer :D
 
I really like the DPM. I still have a user that I keep with me. Phil has seen it. The butt end is pretty tore up from beer bottles though. LOL. The grip on that knife is still one of my best. I don't know of another knife that locks into your hand as well.
 
Fiddleback said:
I really like the DPM. I still have a user that I keep with me. Phil has seen it. The butt end is pretty tore up from beer bottles though. LOL. The grip on that knife is still one of my best. I don't know of another knife that locks into your hand as well.
Click to expand...

I agree. It really does lock in nice and secure. Very solid purchase that offers excellent blade and edge control. It's a pleasure to cut with, and cuts very well. I was envisioning it with a longer swedged blade and while I really wouldn't need that, I do like the vision :)
 
Fiddleback said:
The butt end is pretty tore up from beer bottles though.
Click to expand...

Why not just use the spine on the blade like a civilized person Andy? :p ;) Works with everything from folders (not the most delicate ones) to Camp knives and since the blade is so much harder than the steel in the bottle caps it doesn't even scratch the blade.
 
NoFair said:
Why not just use the spine on the blade like a civilized person Andy? :p ;) Works with everything from folders (not the most delicate ones) to Camp knives and since the blade is so much harder than the steel in the bottle caps it doesn't even scratch the blade.
Click to expand...

Andy is an impatient beer drinker. When you use flat steel the cap sometimes slips when you've had a few, and it can take two or sometimes even three tries to get the cap off. With the wood and micarta handles, the little points on the cap dig in a bit and the cap pops off pretty much consistently every time :D Besides, he can fix the handles if he does too much damage, plus he doesn't get to carry any one model for too long anyway because he has to test and tweak all the new models as he comes out with them :)
 
If you can't use the blade then you've had to much beer is mostly the rule around here ;)
 
NoFair said:
If you can't use the blade then you've had to much beer is mostly the rule around here ;)
Click to expand...

LOL, at the Blade show the rule is, there is no such thing as too much beer, just too much bleeding from using the wrong opener for current conditions :D
 
Just picked up a nice hunk of fresh bone-in bacon, some fresh portabellas, and a couple of small potatoes for my lunch tomorrow. This should be fun :)
 
Tekton said:
Beautiful DPM as well, I'm waiting for the right one to come up myself.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this maple is something else. There was a TT Evergreen burlap one there also, and another one or two in different materials. I was just really drawn to this one for what I am working on.
 
We have a great deal on one right now do to a slight scratch that occurred at the shop. Here is a copy of the post I put in the dealer section! This is a stunning knife!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We made a custom kydex sheath for this knife in house and went through extra special steps to make sure we did not scratch the blade during making the sheath. We thought it was a great addition to go with such a stunning knife. So today I screwed up and hit the blade to my pocket clip while cleaning the knife in the shop. Due to my mess up we have discounted this stunning knife. Get it today at:

http://www.usamadeblade.com/Fiddleback-Forge_c23.htm

https://flic.kr/p/M7eQDn https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/

https://flic.kr/p/M7eQKe https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/

Thank you as always for looking!

Scott (Whitty) Whittington
scott@usamadeblade.com
 
whitty said:
We have a great deal on one right now do to a slight scratch that occurred at the shop. Here is a copy of the post I put in the dealer section! This is a stunning knife!
Click to expand...

Ok, first off I have no problem with you adding this in here. BUT **clears throat** if you get to bust my balls in your photography thread over my "too-professional" photography, then I get to bust your's in my Drop Point Maverick thread over you not knowing your Fiddleback models :D

You see, what you have there is a Drop Point Renegade

These here are Drop Point Mavericks. See the difference? ;) :p :D

Drop%20Point%20Maverick.jpg


.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top