Moki, Mcusta, Al Mar and other Seki Made Knives

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Fri Oct 19, 2018 8:19 pm

Got my order from JKD today, it came early. This is a bird and trout knife from Moki. Wooden handles w/ MOP and Abalone accents. Very solid feeling. Next time I go fishing for bluegill I intend to use this and see how good it works, been needing a new knife for that task anyway.
This was only 77 dollars, which I think is a bargain for the quality and craftsmanship.
The last knife was one they threw in free. It’s a small Higo no Kami knife. Not sure why the bell, I have a feeling it might be considered good luck.
Will post the other two that I got in the coming days.
SSk

Ivoryman · Post by **Ivoryman** » Fri Oct 19, 2018 9:02 pm

Stumbled onto a new thread, didn't know it was out here, learn something every day here as usual. I loved every Seki made I've had. Have three. Here are a couple faves. Red G. Sakai Bird and Trout. Amber Stag Bone Moki Kronos.

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Fri Oct 19, 2018 10:36 pm

Ivoryman wrote:Stumbled onto a new thread, didn't know it was out here, learn something every day here as usual. I loved every Seki made I've had. Have three. Here are a couple faves. Red G. Sakai Bird and Trout. Amber Stag Bone Moki Kronos.

Glad you found this, it wasn’t started that long ago. I have not seen that bird and trout knife before. It’s beautiful. The Kronos is a classic Moki and they are all over top beautiful.
Thanks for posting, especially that b&t.
SSk

Quick Steel · Post by **Quick Steel** » Fri Oct 19, 2018 11:51 pm

SSk, I think your little bell is to scare away bad spirits.

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 1:22 am

Quick Steel wrote:SSk, I think your little bell is to scare away bad spirits.

QS, that was what I was thinking. Either chase away bad spirits or to bring good luck, which is 6 of 1 half dozen of the other.
That little knife is not a high quality. But it will work and it is sharp. Would make for a good pocket carry. Or my wife could use it for sowing cutting threads.
SSk

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 2:49 pm

Quick Steel wrote:SSk, I think your little bell is to scare away bad spirits.

QS, I got this Mcusta yesterday. It does not look like the photo at the bottom from the website. I contacted JKD and they said that it was change at the factory after the photos were taken. They will take it back or they are offering me 20 dollars refund off the purchase price I paid. Not sure what I am going to do. It’s such a great knife and I like the way this looks but I really wanted that slick black Micarta.
Any one know how to dye this Micarta permanently?
It’s a stout knife and is razor sharp. This is not a delicate knife, it could be used for some very heavy tasks. Locks up tight and is easy to open and close.
SSk

kootenay joe · Post by **kootenay joe** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 3:01 pm

It does not speak to you like the slick black knife does. Send it back. It is not the knife you wanted. The $20 just side tracks your focus. Don't get side tracked for a mere $20.
What did you pay for it ?
Is Mcusta on par with Moki ?
kj

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 3:33 pm

[quote="kootenay joe"]It does not speak to you like the slick black knife does. Send it back. It is not the knife you wanted. The $20 just side tracks your focus. Don't get side tracked for a mere $20.
What did you pay for it ?
Is Mcusta on

KJ, I would say they are on par w/ Moki. This was 290. That’s a lot for a knife that’s less than expected. I kind of feel the same way, that I shouldn’t settle. If they were offering 50, that would change my calculus. But for 20, I don’t think so, unless there is an easy way to dye this?
I appreciate the input. It is a heck of a knife. They have other models in w/ different handles, I might exchange it for one of those.
Thanks,
SSk

robbobus · Post by **robbobus** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 5:19 pm

I am inclined to agree with kj, if it's not the right one ship it back on their dime. That said its a nice looking knife in its own right. Rit dye would change it black, not sure if it would be glossy tho. I died a set of Ritter handles from orange to brown and worked fine but mine is a mat finish.

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 8:34 pm

robbobus wrote:I am inclined to agree with kj, if it's not the right one ship it back on their dime. That said its a nice looking knife in its own right. Rit dye would change it black, not sure if it would be glossy tho. I died a set of Ritter handles from orange to brown and worked fine but mine is a mat finish.

I think the consensus is to send it back. Looking at the photos again I see what I wanted. This is okay but it’s not what I wanted. I will have to see if there is another Mcusta that I could get instead. Knife shopping again, life is so rough.
SSk

robbobus · Post by **robbobus** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 9:36 pm

This is my favourite Mcusta, the Bamboo it is called if memory serves. Cocabolo handles, damascus bolster, VG10 blade, beautiful even sharp grind, rounded blade spine, hammered pocket clip, centered blade, solid lockup - every aspect of this knife has been considered,they even include a belt sheath

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 10:24 pm

robbobus wrote:This is my favourite Mcusta, the Bamboo it is called if memory serves. Cocabolo handles, damascus bolster, VG10 blade, beautiful even sharp grind, rounded blade spine, hammered pocket clip, centered blade, solid lockup - every aspect of this knife has been considered,they even include a belt sheathMVIMG_20181020_122708.jpgMVIMG_20181020_122624.jpgMVIMG_20181020_122614.jpgMVIMG_20181020_122633.jpgMVIMG_20181020_122639.jpgMVIMG_20181020_122649.jpg

Ironic, I was just looking at this on JKD website. I had narrowed my replacement choices to this model and 3 others. Still trying to decide. But those pictures make me lean very heavily toward that one. I was looking at this model w/ ebony wood handles.
This is very nice. I really like this knife.
I also was looking at the Mcusta customs, WOW! I missed the boat on those. Here are three that they had. You would have to be quick to get these. Aren’t they stunning? This first one especially.
Thanks for posting this.
SSk

Ivoryman · Post by **Ivoryman** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 10:27 pm

Moki Glory.

Quick Steel · Post by **Quick Steel** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 10:59 pm

robbobus, You have a wonderful example of the knife makers art. I think that virtually all, certainly most, of the knives appearing in this thread should be considered true art.

kootenay joe · Post by **kootenay joe** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:51 am

Quote: "This is okay but it’s not what I wanted"
And it never will be. For $290 you must get what you want.
I have found that knives i take an instant like to, i never tire of. An equally fine knife that i had to talk myself into, never became one i bonded with.
Knives are like that and we are like that too.
Only buy what truly speaks to you and be happy to just admire the rest.
kj

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:10 pm

kootenay joe wrote:Quote: "This is okay but it’s not what I wanted"
And it never will be. For $290 you must get what you want.
I have found that knives i take an instant like to, i never tire of. An equally fine knife that i had to talk myself into, never became one i bonded with.
Knives are like that and we are like that too.
Only buy what truly speaks to you and be happy to just admire the rest.
kj

KJ, Well said. I decided, I’m sending it back. I love Moki and wanted to try Mcusta. After looking over all the Mcusta knives on JKD I realized that they only make knives that would be considered tactical. Funny I never noticed this before. That gives them a lot more room to be artist on the handles and bolsters. That is making this a tough choice.
Here is what I have narrowed it down to, these five pictured and the one that Robbobus posted earlier. My only hesitation w/ that is that it isn’t a Damascus blade. Damascus is something that Mcusta is famous for, so having one of their knives w/ Damascus is a factor. On Robbobus’s the bolster is Damascus, and that’s pretty cool in my book.
Thanks Roland.
SSk

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:16 pm

Ivoryman wrote:Moki Glory.

Ivoryman, That is a beauty. It has all the statements that a Moki makes, so classical Moki. I like the wooden handles, I assume it to be Chinese Quince from the appareance, but there are some others that look similar to Quince?
Moki does wooden handles right, they always look incredible.
Thanks
SSk

Montanaman · Post by **Montanaman** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 12:21 pm

I owned one like in the bottom pic with Quince wood. It was a good knife with no real issues. Only thing I can think of was the lock bar was starting to move all the way to the other side after a few years. I gave it to a friend and he still carries it.

robbobus · Post by **robbobus** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:34 pm

Sharpnshinyknives wrote: Here is what I have narrowed it down to, these five pictured and the one that Robbobus posted earlier. My only hesitation w/ that is that it isn’t a Damascus blade. Damascus is something that Mcusta is famous for, so having one of their knives w/ Damascus is a factor. On Robbobus’s the bolster is Damascus, and that’s pretty cool in my book.
Thanks Roland.
SSk

MC-0145 is the model number if my Mcusta. I have seen a fellow years ago take the damascus clad blade from a ditMC model and it slid right in. I'm not one for mods anymore, but it was quite stunning.

jerryd6818 · Post by **jerryd6818** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:03 pm

Not as fancy or as high dollar as what y'all are showing but they were made in Seki. Both are very well made.

S2K · Post by **S2K** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:07 pm

While it's to JKD's credit to respond the way they did, bad on them for shipping out something other than what they displayed, putting it on the buyer to sort it out. My $0.02.

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:35 pm

jerryd6818 wrote:Not as fancy or as high dollar as what y'all are showing but they were made in Seki. Both are very well made.

Jerry, That stag one is a beaut. Didn’t realize that Coleman had knives made in Japan back in the day.
SSk

Sharpnshinyknives · Post by **Sharpnshinyknives** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:39 pm

S2K wrote:While it's to JKD's credit to respond the way they did, bad on them for shipping out something other than what they displayed, putting it on the buyer to sort it out. My $0.02.

I agree. I have dealt w/ them for such a long time now that I don’t think it was intentional at all. They have always been great to deal w/. This is the first time I have ever had an issue. But it does make me a little leary of buying another black Micarta knife.
SSk

S2K · Post by **S2K** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:42 pm

That's good to hear SSK, random error then.

outkast · Post by **outkast** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:59 pm

Bought the MCUSTA Tsuchi Bushi myself awhile back and not Seki but Al-Mar designs got the Nemesis Mar Private Reserve MPR-1 from my Dad for Christmas. Looks like Nemesis knives has released 3 patterns now. https://www.nemesis-knives.com/mpr-series/