Midget:
The handle on the MPC is not grippy. It is smooth, soft to the touch, no hard sharp corners, feels like a glove in the hand.
They are not textured.
They provide traction through their design parameters. The knife is heavy in the hand, you'll need a stronger grip than normal, not strong, just stronger to be able to hold the weight [mine is 8.3 oz's I believe which is 1/2 pound of folder ].
The deeper cutout valleys at the blade end of the handle are great at securing a positive grip on the knife when the fingers are wrapped around it in a normal sabre grip. In reverse grip the fingers still find the deep vally recesses naturally.
I've handed mine off to quite a few. None have mentioned anything about it being slippery, and in fact I never thought to look at the issue as it has not been brought to my attention through handling it for daily for a few weeks.
This knife exudes reassuring, so much so that it merits a few comments here.
If you can find a tougher folding knife out in the market, I would request you let me know here right away so that I may buy it. In 17+ years with quasi and tactical folders, in sharpening over 10,000 of others knives in less time than that, I haven't seen anything equal to strength in the lock. The secondary crossbolt lock makes it a straight knife for all intents and purposes when engaged.
Here's an interesting idea I've toyed with for quite some time from handling many folders with defense in mind.
My SnG is a rugged knife, it will handle much abuse and keep on rocking. It is lightweight and made from strong materials that are put together well making for a very good defensive/survival folder. I like it, I carry it daily until the SMF arrives soon, then it will be replaced as the EDC defensive blade.
My MPC from ER is carried daily as well. It is there for me if I need a folding crowbar, a sharp edge, a device to break thick glass, or to stab through most everything. It is heavy as folders go.
I have found that for the most part with only a few exceptions most people hold their knife too loose in a defensive position. In classes, many trainers are knocked from the hands of students and one has to learn to hold the knife tightly enough to prevent the opponent from banging it out of your hand.
The lighter knives suffer more faults here than the heavier knives, size being about equal. The hand feels the light weight and can move it effortlessly around and can tend to bring one to hold it thusly defensively.
The heavier folders need to be gripped tighter due to the extra weight. The hand feels the weight, weighs what is needed to secure it in the hand and naturally grips the knife harder, just to hold it securely.
Visual, and physical ques of this in the classes, experiencing the difference in my own grips between lighter and heavier folders, one might conclude that all things being equal, the heavier knife will be harder to dislodge from the opponents hands because he is naturally gripping it tighter to begin with.
Could become a tactical advantage and put to use. Knowing this, picking a folder that meets other requirements you have and the heavier knife in that equation and decision making process, you could cut the odds in your favor. When the brainfade happens for real, the off chance you chose the heavier knife and had a tighter grip on it could tip the balance, all other outside sources being equal.
As far as I am concerned I carry two very rugged folders. They are not inexpensive. They are both made of rugged materials, though different in their designs.
In a real world bad day, and I mean a real bad day the likes of 9-11 or something similair, I know the ER MPC will do anything my strongest straight knives would do. It's the go to when the chips are really down and lives, yours and others, hang in the balance.
It has the glass breaker, I may really need that one day. I bet it will break more than glass. It can physically be made into a straight blade with the crossbolt lock engaged, and with it all the advantages incurred on them over folders. Prying, cutting/sawing and they even have a spot on the spine of the blade to punch or hammer the blade through hard objects like an axe.
If you find a folder out there that does all that and has a stronger lock, please let me know.
The world is a dangerous place. I carry a surefire everyday while out of the house with fresh batteries. With this and the ER MPC, if I have any chance of surviving by use of a knife, the MPC will do the job required. The light is comfort and good to be able to see what you may need to do to extricate yourself from the mess you find yourself in.
As to how it will feel when used in extreme cold over any real length of time, I have no clue. My guess would be it does not feel as cold as steel to the hand, but certainly not as comfortable as kraton.
Oh ya, did I mention this is one strong knife?
Brownie
