Review MCusta large Nami

[miso2]

Well, I just posted my review of Kizer Feist, but I also got another knife a few weeks earlier.
It is the large Nami model (wave) from MCusta!

The specs

  Overall length:              195 mm (7.68”)
  Closed length:               112 mm (4.41”)
  Blade Length:                85 mm (3.35”)
  Blade thickness:             2.55 mm (0.100”)
  Edge thickness:              0.4 mm (0.016”)
  Edge angle:                  ~18 DPS
  Blade material:              VG10 (layered)
  Blade grind:                 Flat grind
  Handle thickness:            8.5 mm (0.33”)
  Handle material:             Stainless steel (420J2)
  Weight:                      120 g (4.23 oz)
  Lock type:                   Frame lock
  Deployment method:           Thumb stud
  Pivot type:                  Plastic washers (Nylatron?)

Good:
Smooth action.
Blade material.
The look.
Lock bar tension.

Not so good:
Blade grind.
Thick edge.
Poor access to the lock bar.
Tip-down carry only.
Uneven placement of the thumb studs/stop pins.
Slippery handle texture.
Steel handle instead of Ti.
Disassembly unfriendly (free spinning pivot w/heavy thread locker).

 

[miso2]

It is a pretty knife.
Particularly, the blade looks great.

However, the knife would benefit from taller and deeper flat grind for better performance.

The action on plastic washers, probably Nylatron washers, is very very smooth.
The washers are very thin, though.
(Disassembly was painful, as the free-spinning pivot had heavy thread locker. I had to use superglue to secure it, even after using a torch. Not recommended.)


The steel handle slabs are textured with a wavy pattern.
It doesn't help much to make the handle grippy when wet.
I think the Tsuchi (hammer) model would be better.

One interesting touch is the exposed blade tang, which is ground to make it angled.
This would probably help the knife not catching pocket fabric when pulled out.


Fit and finish are OK, but not perfect.
Particularly, the thumb studs, which function as the stop pins, should be better placed.
(There is another stop pin inside for the closed position)
On mine, only one of them contacts with the scale.
Very disappointing.

Overall, it is a good knife for less than $100, which I paid in Japan.
But it is probably not worth $150~200, at the price range in the US market.