FeralGentleman
You have an incredible collection
Thanks again, you really went all out!
(I didn’t realize I had failed to “watch” this thread. Fixed. But now I’m in a rush).
This is very helpful.
I do believe that the Trailhand and Mamushi share the same basic handle shape (Chris will have to confirm) and that any differences will be along the lines of differences between two knives of the same model (i.e. the normal variance encountered in knives made individually by hand and partly also governed by the specific materials used).
Your pictures confirm that the handles of your TrailhandMamushi are a touch wider and taper less than my Mamushi.
And this is where, unfortunately, I have to “ding” my particular (otherwise gorgeous) Mamushi: the underside of the handle - esp. where the middle joint of the pinky finger meets the tang - is a little too narrow and “pointed” (at least for my medium hand) creating an instantly noticeable hotspot in the hammer grip. A forward or pinch grip is unaffected by this.
It won’t prevent me from keeping the knife (it’s just too beautiful), but it does make it less of a candidate for longer use.
I also realize that everyone’s hands are different and that even small variations can make a particular knife more/less comfortable to different users.
Still, I did want to provide honest feedback to Chris regarding this portion of the handle on this particular handle shape. I appreciate the taller handle, which provides more lateral support than a traditional broomstick shape in the hammer grip, but it risks being uncomfortable if tapered too aggressively on the underside and towards the butt where it expands.
Otherwise, the wood is both gorgeous to look at and amazing to the touch.
Oyster
encourage me to pull out my Ospreys this morning, put them in my hand, and do some mental comparison. The problem for me is getting overwhelmed with so many exceptional knives. I’ve always said I never started out to become a collector (I wonder if anyone does). And yet here I am with more knives than I ever thought I would own. Even as they are certainly very good investments, I find it difficult to decide which one goes and which one stays, most especially with my Osprey blades. Without purposely trying to circumvent the logical tactile approach to regarding fine knives, I have to say there is something about Chris’s knives that feels completely different to me than anybody else’s. I’m quite certain I could pass a blindfold test to pick them out. Part familiarity part esoterica? Quen Sabè ? I hope to be posting some comparisons of my own soon.
