- Joined
- Sep 8, 2002
- Messages
- 1,351
I purchased one of the inner Mammoth ivory (MI) Mnandi's from TNK on Monday and got it today. Horray! The ivory is beautiful, creamy and smooth with just the hint of grain I was hoping for. It is a hair heavier than my other Mnandi, African Blackwood (AB), but only I seem to be able to tell 
(probably because the African Blackwood Mnandi has been my EDC for the last 2 years).
The only design difference seems to be that there is a more definite change in curvature to initiate the "clip" of the clip point blade. On my AB Mnandi there is no transition after the thumb grooves, while on my MI Mnandi, there is a definite bump about halfway along the back of the blade. Not that any of that is a problem.
But... also unlike my AB Mnandi, MI Mnandi seems to be less than perfect. In particular the grinds on the back of the blade aren't perfect. There is a definite asymmetry between the left and right side of the blade. with the transition bevels at the end of the thumb grooves having one side larger than the other. The rounding of the blade on the back doesn't seem to be perfectly even with a subtle flat spot near the beginning of the clip. You can't really tell any of this with a casual examination of the blade. Additionally, the nail nick and the beginning of the grind of the blades differ on the left and right side of the blade. I think I only noticed the differences because I've marvelled at the perfection of my AB Mnandi so many times.
So, my question is: should I send it back to TNK and hope the next one I get is good? Or should I send it to CRK with an explanation that they've sold this Mnandi to a perfectionist seeking kneurotic? Or should I accept these imperfections as part of life and try and get over my knife kneuroses?
(probably because the African Blackwood Mnandi has been my EDC for the last 2 years).The only design difference seems to be that there is a more definite change in curvature to initiate the "clip" of the clip point blade. On my AB Mnandi there is no transition after the thumb grooves, while on my MI Mnandi, there is a definite bump about halfway along the back of the blade. Not that any of that is a problem.
But... also unlike my AB Mnandi, MI Mnandi seems to be less than perfect. In particular the grinds on the back of the blade aren't perfect. There is a definite asymmetry between the left and right side of the blade. with the transition bevels at the end of the thumb grooves having one side larger than the other. The rounding of the blade on the back doesn't seem to be perfectly even with a subtle flat spot near the beginning of the clip. You can't really tell any of this with a casual examination of the blade. Additionally, the nail nick and the beginning of the grind of the blades differ on the left and right side of the blade. I think I only noticed the differences because I've marvelled at the perfection of my AB Mnandi so many times.
So, my question is: should I send it back to TNK and hope the next one I get is good? Or should I send it to CRK with an explanation that they've sold this Mnandi to a perfectionist seeking kneurotic? Or should I accept these imperfections as part of life and try and get over my knife kneuroses?
