Monday, September 29, 2014

€99 Euro Fixed Blades: Handground Mytuko Mini 2014 Prototypes

It's been a while since I posted anything here but I have been busy in the shop. So let's get things rolling with a new idea I have called €99 Fixed Blades.

I will be making short runs of hand ground, fixed blade knives – most of them design tests and prototypes – which I will be offering for sale at €99 each for sales shipping outside the European Union. EU buyers will have to pony up the 19% German sales tax, making their total €117.81 – still pretty darn reasonable. At today's exchange rate €99 is around $125!

This price is for the knife alone, without a sheath. In some cases I will be offering sheaths at an additional charge but since experience shows a lot of folks like to make their own sheath, this will give everybody that option. Shipping to you is extra, €7 inside Germany and €12.50 to most of the rest of the world.

Generally, once the initial few knives are sold, they will not be made in the same configuration again. The designs which find favour with customers may come back in a short production run. I'm doing this to help me gauge demand and get some feedback from folks who actually lay out the money to buy a knife and get some experience with it. Obviously, at €99 I will not be getting rich but then, in the last 15 years of making knives and grips, I haven't gotten rich either, so why change a running system? Exactly.

Knife only, no Sheath: €117.81 for EU sales (€99 for sales shipping outside the EU)
Shipping extra: €7 within Germany, €12.50 to Most of the Rest of the World
NOTE: Each knife comes with a Wilkins Knives Soft PVC Logo patch!

Shoot me an email if you'd like to purchase one! kevin@wilkins.de

First Up: The new Mytuko Mini 2014

The original Mytuko Mini is one of the most successful fixed blades I have ever offered. Buyers like the small size, low price and versatility of the design. Folks use these in the kitchen, take 'em camping and tote 'em around in pockets and backpacks.

A few folks asked for a version with a tad more grip and touch wider blade to keep even chunky fingers further away from the sharp cutting edge. Well, here ya go!

Actually, there are two slightly different versions, differing only in the width of the blade forward of the finger cutout. Form A has the narrower blade while Form B's blade is about 2mm wider (less than 1/8"). Here's a drawing with the dimensions:



More Specs for all the Mytuko Mini 2014s:
All the Mytuko Mini 2014 knives are double hollow ground by me in my shop from 4.5mm German 1.2379 (D2) high carbon tool steel at HRC 59-60. Some have a totally acid washed finish for a matt grey surface while others have acid washed then given a belt-satin finished grind. 1.2379 is not stainless, so care must be takes to avoid surface rust, however this steel is famous for its cutting performance. All knives have a 6mm thong hole, on knives with wooden grips the thong hole is lined with brass tubing.

The Knives for Sale:

Form A, Knife 1 (narrower blade)
Grips of Swimming Pool Green G11

Form A, Knife 2 (narrower blade, false edge)
pic has a lot of drama, knife has the same blade shape as the others, just with a polished false edge
Grips of Swimming Pool Green G11

Form B (wider blade), Knife 3 with satin finished grind  &  Knife 4 acid washed grey all over
Both with grips of American Walnut, oiled. I have a couple of each of these!



Here's a shot with a HTevolution to show the size difference. The new Mytuko Mini 2014 is only a few mm longer than the original, but it sits in the hand like a much larger knife.