Yuna Mini-hard

jesseaction

jesseaction

Joined
Jun 6, 2009
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****EDIT: Could someone please post (or email me - jesseaction at hotmail dot com) a picture of a mini-hard compared to either a PT or Caly 3 (or failing those, one of the blades here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=719155)? I'm trying to figure out if the Mini-hard (small choil) handle will be long enough from choil to tip of handle, so it would be really awesome if the picture could show the knives with choil side of the handles touching, with the choils aligned. It looks like the usable handle length is roughly the same as a PT, but if it is smaller I may have to look at getting a bigger version. The PT is very comfortable, but I wouldn't want to go smaller. Huge thanks to anyone who can help! ****


Hey guys (and girls, if you are out there..:))

Does anyone have any experience with the Yuna Knives Mini-Hard?

http://www.yunaknives.com/s0103/index.php?pgid=0042

They look so awesome! Not just beautiful, but extremely ergonomic, tough, and useful. I'm especially interested to hear comparisons to Sebenza's and Striders since they appear similar and I have a little experience with those two. How is the fit and finish, and how do they feel in the hand when being used? I'm asking since I very well look into buying myself one in several months as a present for finishing something big. I know Yuna knives get mentioned from time to time around here, but I've never seen one on the exchange. Is that because they are so awesome no one will give theirs up? Anyone have pictures they can share to keep the rest of us salivating? Thanks! :thumbup::thumbup:Jesse

PS - Are Yuna knives considered customs?
 
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I do not own one , yet.

I have seen the posts of pretty much every knife they have made and posted on BF and all them look beautiful , the buyers reviews were quite positive !

If you get one be sure to share your thoughts , Yuna makes some nice looking blades.


Tostig
 
I have Yuna Mini-Hard. Absolutely love it.
I it very difficult to compare Yuna to Sebenza. They are way too different.
To a Strider? Still very different, but closer. Take Mini Hard and Strider PT. Blade length is about the same, but otherwise there is not too much in common. Yuna is bigger, heavier, feels stronger. One thing I can tell you is that Yuna's 3" blade feels more like a 3.5". Awesome folder.

I have compared Yuna to a Hinderer in the past. Here is a copy:

I used to own both XM-18 and Yuna mini hard 2. Yuna is still with me, but I have sold XM-18 not long time ago. Both are big and heavy knives. Both are tough knives.

With blades that are 4mm thick they are great for the hard use. Yuna's laminated ZDP-189, hollow grind and great blade geometry is probably a better cutter ("probably" here, because I never had to cut stuff for 3 hours straight, and if I had a job like this, I would use something other than either of those knives). Yuna has strong tip, but XM-18 has even thicker, stronger tip, so it is better for prying.

XM-18 has more of a "general" sculpted handle, Yuna has more curves to fit the hand. I feel that my yuna was designed for a bit bigger hand than mine (I have small hands), but it still fits nicely. Same with the reverse grip.

I really like Hinderer's thumbstuds (blade stops). They are easier to use than Yuna's. Yuna's should be considered more of a blade stop. As thumbstuds they are very difficult to use for opening, kind of like studs on Strider. Flipper on the other hand on yuna is very nice. I like it a lot more than the one on Hinderer.
*** Addition: Yuna's thumbstuds are rounded and right next to the handle, so as I have said before, opening the blade just using thumbstuds is not very comfortable. But if you need to open up the blade slowly, it is easy and comfortable to do. Start opening with the index finger on a flipper, then continue with thumb on the thumbstud. Very nice and smooth action.

Interesting thing is that thumbstuds on Yuna EQ-2 look the same, but they work great on that folder. I think it might have something to do with a much lighter blade ***

Blade retention on Yuna is much better. I could open Hinderer's blade simply by shaking it a bit. Yuna's stay closed even if I try really hard to open it using gravity alone. I prefer Yuna's way, it is safer, and it presents less problems with ignorant people in uniform.

Hinderer's lock is thicker, Yuna's is like on a Stider. You can actually ask Yun to put a thicker titanium, if you desire.

With Hinderer you have a choice of standard scale colors. With Yuna, there is a bigger selection. You can have one or two tone G10 over titanium, you can have bolster area with a different color, you can have both sides as a solid titanium piece. I like the heat coloring on yuna's handle.

I love Hinderer's pocket clip. Not too high, not too low, up or down carry, looks good too. Yuna's clip is nice, not too high or too low, but you can't reverse it (I like tip down carry).

I have chosen Yuna over XM, because I liked the looks, I liked the feel of it. It suits my needs and uses better. And I liked the way yuna was made. Something about being handmade all the way, using just very simple tools, makes this one special. I probably will pick up XM-18 again when the rush is over, but not as a replacement for yuna, but rather as an addition to the collection.

In the end it really comes down to individual likes and dislikes. Choose what is better for you.

P1050453.jpg
 
I have a mini hard and it is a beast of a knife! I've chopped with it like a axe kind of, and had no problems. He's great to deal with too. The best CS by a custom maker I have ever had. I also have two of the EQs and they are very good for EDC. I take some pics when I get home if I remember too.Good steel HTed and Tempered just right, good ergos,top notch materials, good balance, reasonably priced, toughness of the charts(tougher than striders IMO),great cs, handmade and I could go on and on. The only thing is that the mini hard weighs over 5oz so it might be a little too heavy for some to EDC eventhough I did EDC for a while. I think they're great knives.
 
I bought a Hard 1 (not Mini) and the quality was outstanding. It was the sharpest edge I've received from anyone. I no longer have the Hard 1 because I had to sell it for personal reasons, but I plan on getting a Mini Hard 1 to keep for good this year. I'm worried that Yun's prices are going to go up soon. There are so many great knife makers out there that are beyond the common man's reach either due to price and/or availability. Yun is one of the few makers that are of that caliber but still has some time to take orders.

Here's my old Hard 1:

2.jpg
 
I'm glad I stumbled into this thread... I am in the process of ironing out a purchase from Yun. The experience has been incredible so far and the glowing comments here make me excited that the product will be just as good. I have tried Hinderer, Strider and CRK and found them all lacking... I think the soul that Yun puts into hand making his knives is gonna set it apart.

Jesse, if you need any questions answered or want to speak to Yun for your self, email him, he seems to be very gracious with his time and will answer all your questions.

Hopefully, in 6 months or so I can tell you all about the actual knives...:o:D
 
Thanks for the information (and pictures!) guys, it certainly makes me all the more interested. It is amazing to imagine Yun making them all by hand, but he sounds so devoted, excited, and humble in his approach to knife making that I guess he just goes to work and makes it happen. There is probably a lesson there for all of us.

A couple more questions.. how do the mini series blades feel in the hand? I'm more drawn to the regular choil versions because of how much cutting edge you lose with the large-choil versions; but I'd want to make sure my L-size hands (not bear-size mind) would still have some room. Actually...is Yun willing to work with the customer on geometric aspects of the knife? It looks like the knives vary slightly from picture to picture.

Does anyone have any knife-in-hand pictures that they could share? The comparison pics from effer and Kaizen are AWESOME and greatly appreciated. :thumbup:

PS - I had the thought as I was posting the thread that requesting a comparison to Sebenza's was a bit silly, but the Strider one must be good, and the Hinderer probably even more so. I absolutely love the choil feel of a Strider PT considering how much blade it gives you in such a small package. My hand fits a PT very well, so long as my fingers don't need breathing room. One more thing.. does he work from Thailand? Gotta love it even more if so.
 
I have a Mini Hard 2, and well as 2 EQ-2's. Yuna's work is phenomenal. The 3 knives that I have from Yun are the 3 sharpest knives that I own. My Mini Hard 2 feels like it is a part of your hand; it just melts right in there. Sorry, I don't have any in hand pix.
YunaOpen-4copy.jpg
 
T.K.C. said:
I have a Mini Hard 2, and well as 2 EQ-2's. Yuna's work is phenomenal. The 3 knives that I have from Yun are the 3 sharpest knives that I own. My Mini Hard 2 feels like it is a part of your hand; it just melts right in there. Sorry, I don't have any in hand pix.
YunaOpen-4copy.jpg
Click to expand...

Hey TKC, do you have the regular or large choil version? Either way, is there enough room for all your fingers on the main handle, or do you get the urge to try to use the choil? Another guy I've been chatting with said that his index finger feels a bit cramped in the main finger choil.
 
SteelSnob,

Which is more comfortable for you, gripping with the finger choil or without it? Thanks for the pics. I plan on getting a similar model sometime this year.
 
Hey awesome pics, thanks! It looks like the large choil adds a lot. Do you think you lose too much cutting edge?
 
I have the EQ2 from yuna. Like many here, i had great experiences with Yun. He communicates very well and answers questions promptly.

I found the EQII to be very ergonomic and comfortable. I wouldnt call it a sebenza as it is a very different knife. It is a custom which just is different than a reeve. I love my seb and I love my Yuna, but for different reasons.
I dont think you would be unhappy with any purchase from Yun. G'Luck
 
The finger choil grip is the most comfortable, but the other grip is pretty comfortable and gives me more reach so I use it more.

And I think if I were to buy another MH I would get the small choil because I would prefer more blade.
 
Handle is very comfortable. I have small hands, but I'm pretty sure that handle will be good for large hands as well. SteelSnob posted excellent pictures, and you can see there is enough real estate there.
The weight balance on my Yuna (small choil mini hard 2) is right on the index finger behind the blade and feels great.
 
jesseaction said:
Hey TKC, do you have the regular or large choil version? Either way, is there enough room for all your fingers on the main handle, or do you get the urge to try to use the choil? Another guy I've been chatting with said that his index finger feels a bit cramped in the main finger choil.
Click to expand...
I have the regular choil version. Yes, there is plenty of room for my fingers on the main handle.
 
very cool, thanks for the info guys. One more thing...how do they carry in your pocket? I usually clip to my right front with only a little protruding. And do you other guys have any trouble opening with the thumbstud? I find a Strider PT to be a little tough because the stud is used as a blade stop too, but I'm getting used to it.

Maybe I'll have to send Yun an email here soon... :cool:
 
Mine carries GREAT in the pocket!! I do not have any trouble opening any of my Yuna's.
 
I sent the man an email. I also found a thread somewhere on the web where a guy used his new MH to cut through a bunch of bundled clad wire, then some thicker wire, then a can of soup, then the knife broke the cutting board so he stopped but showed how the blade still shaved no problem. Yun sounded interested in the tests and responded with some pictures of himself stabbing one of his knives through a couple of inches of wall. Hah! It sounds like these knives are tough as nails...hardened steel and titanium nails. Extremely sharp hardened steel and titanium nails.. :cool:
 
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