Mcusta Yoroi San Mai Manual Knife Seki Japan MC-37C

I have had my eye on this knife for several years. it is a wonderful genteman's knife, finely-crafted. It has two stand-out qualities: The first is the layered San Mai blade, with the cutting edge in VG-10. That steel can take a killer edge, and this knife came hair-popping sharp right out of the box. While I can hone it slightly better with a Wicked Edge system, I plan to leave things alone for now. But the layered blade is quite striking, and the illustration above does not do it justice. The second is the handle, which is made of Damascus steel. It has a pleasant, solid, and hefty feel. The basket-weave diamond cut-outs contrasted with the square holes in the liner lock, result in an interesting visual interplay. The pivot screw and thumb studs have a nice dark blue anodized finish that contrasts nicely with the handle. The knife is well-centered and opens smoothly on teflon washers. I cannot flick open this knife, and its action is similar to another Mcusta I purchased a year ago. Then and now, I don't really see this as a drawback, particularly in a gentleman's knife. The liner lock is of relatively thin metal stock. It engages somewhat early, particularly when gently opening the knife. However, if you push the thumb stud smartly through the end of the opening stroke, the liner fully engages the blade tang, but no extra. I see this as an advantage for promoting long-term wear-in. Also, the carrying pouch is of a different design, with attractive navy and gold patterns, and with gold tassel ties. I like it better than the one in the illustration above, but it isn't engineered for pocket or belt carry. It is a gratifying part of the presentation experience when opening the box. This knife is not an inexpensive item, but most definitely an elegant gift and well worth the investment.