Stuart Mitchell "Deval Bushcrafter", a try

[martineden]

Hi all, today I want to give a try to the Stu Mitchell “Deval Bushcrafter” (the name is from the maker, S. Mitchell, and the designer of the knife, J. Deval)


I’m hiking through the hills, and it’s very cold (-4°C), but the landscape it’s just awesome


The Mitchell “Deval Bushcrafter” is a beautiful knife, the blade length is 112 mm, the OAL is 236 mm, the blade thickness is 4,0 mm


Both the designer and the maker done a great job on the handle, which is a masterpiece


My Mitchell “Deval Bushcrafter” has a nice and very practical kydex sheath


The knife handled, is really comfortable in the hand


Now I need some woods, let’s cut a 50 mm diameter branch


It was pretty easy, due to the great cutting efficiency of the knife and the good handle.

I’ll do a tent peg whit the thinner part of the branch







Using the thickets piece of the branch, I’ll do a walking stick



In half an hour (including time for the pics) of work whit the Mitcheel “Deval Bushcrafter”, I made a tent peg, a fork (good for a pot hanger i.e.) and a walking stick


Score:
- Cutting efficiency 9,5/10
- Handle comfort: 9,0/10 (I used gloves, I’ll give a try whit bare hands in future)
Final score: 18,5/20


Conclusions: the Mitchell “Deval Bushcrafter” is a great all-around knife

I can’t actually find a defect on it, it’s an all-around knife almost perfect, at least for me. I found the carbon fiber handle pretty slippery, but due to the great shape that’s was not an issue. As a bushcraft knife is perfect just as it is, for survival I would like to see a version whit a partial serration on the blade and the handle a bit grippier, but that’s all. My congrats to Stuart and Jonathan for the great job on this knife.

Ciao,
Alfredo

 

[machineage]

Man,that's a really sweet knife. Great blade design and nice contours. I might have to put that one on my have to need list....

 

[zcd]

Very nice looking knife, you seldom see CF on this type of blade. Thanks for the pics / review

 

[Marcelo Cantu]

That is a gorgeous knife. If I may ask, how long did you have to wait to receive your order?

 

[Mistwalker]

Hello Alfredo, nice knife. I remember when stu and J got together on this design a while back. I really like the blade profile and the handle looks comfortable, it's currently the only UK made bushcraft knife left on my to get list. When I priced it I thought it a little high, but the tapered tang, along with the usual higher UK pricing helps explain that so I'm glad for your close up pictures. It really looks nice. I've talked to both on another forum quite a bit over the last few years, and the last time I saw the one J was carrying he was liking the flat grind more and more, and that's the configuration I'm drawn to, though I do like that the scandi grind on the that knife is a higher grind than others I have gotten from the UK. Thanks for the review.

 

[Nightfly]

Here's a few more variations on a theme. Two of these (the DI handled one and the bottom CF handled one) started life with high scandi grinds. They were reground to full flat by Stu.
Perhaps I can organize a play with one for you Mistwalker.

 

[martineden]

Thanks to all of you for the comments.

@Marcelo: mine is a second hand, mint condition but second hand, so I can't help you on this. Just ask to Stuart Mitchell, is a great guy to bussiness to http://www.stuartmitchellknives.com/

@Mistwalker: thanks man. I'm a fan of the scandi grind so I'm fine whit my Deval Bushcrafter, anyway both J Deval and Stuart Mitchell said me they are fine more with the flat grind. I guess you can't go wrong whit both actually.

@Nightfly: what an amazing bunch! I really would like give a try to a Deval Bushcrafter flat grind in future, hope for this. I'm envious of your knives mate Hope too for one of your beautiful reviews!

 

[Mistwalker]

Here's a few more variations on a theme. Two of these (the DI handled one and the bottom CF handled one) started life with high scandi grinds. They were reground to full flat by Stu.
Perhaps I can organize a play with one for you Mistwalker.

Thanks, I really need to revisit the Deval idea again. The second and third ones down are really something. We may need to talk about this more.

@Mistwalker: thanks man. I'm a fan of the scandi grind so I'm fine whit my Deval Bushcrafter, anyway both J Deval and Stuart Mitchell said me they are fine more with the flat grind. I guess you can't go wrong whit both actually.

Yeah, it caught me by surprise when J said he was leaning more to the flat grind, but man that design sure looks sweet in a flat grind. Looks sweet in both really, but I love the lines in the flat grinds Nightfly is showing off!

 

[LG&M]

Thanks for the look. I like the whole package. The blade shape with the small humpback looks useful.

 

[Nightfly]

Sorry to hijack your thread Alfredo, but thought this might be of interest..
This one was made by Stuart Mitchell as well, it is loosely based on a Deval blade and the handle shape is very much influenced by Andy Roy's ergonomics (at my own request).
The knife is a bit posh for heavy duty (the scales are giraffe bone) but it will eventually smell the great outdoors....

 

[martineden]

Sorry to hijack your thread Alfredo, but thought this might be of interest..
This one was made by Stuart Mitchell as well, it is loosely based on a Deval blade and the handle shape is very much influenced by Andy Roy's ergonomics (at my own request).
The knife is a bit posh for heavy duty (the scales are giraffe bone) but it will eventually smell the great outdoors....

You're welcome! Great looking knife!!
Alfredo