Background: I’m a geologist by profession and manage a Geotech testing laboratory. Being formally trained in the sciences and working in a laboratory has given me an unhealthy love of details and seeing how well things work. I’m very fortunate to be able to shoot a few deer on private land, over the last 2 years I have become proficient at gutting and processing fallow and red deer. (The average for 2022 to date is 1.1 deer per month)
Just over a year ago I asked @viper to make me a knife. I had been using a folding Gerber Moment or a fixed blade Bacho to good effect but decided having a “nice knife” would be worthwhile.
After a discussion with Viper around what I intended to use the knife for I settled on the Mamba shape blade in 1084 high carbon steel. For handle design the brief was “everything hunting is blaze orange or tactical green, something shocking please”.
Getting photo updates as the build progressed was very cool and quite exciting.
The final product is fantastically sharp and comes in a heavy-duty leather sheath. The handle is very comfortable and naturally sits in your hand. The material doesn’t feel cold in hand for more than a second or two, not something you think about until it’s -5° C and even the creek is frozen solid.
Attachment 207366
Attachment 207367
Left to right, Gerber Moment folder, Bacho fixed blade, Medusa Knives Mamba.
For use in the field, I found the shape of the tip a bit odd initially. I had been used to more of a drop point and shorter blade. I mentioned this to Viper who very diplomatically suggested I learn how to drive the new knife before thinking about getting the blade shape modified. Turns out he knows better than me. With some adjustments to my gutting technique and being more mobile with my grip it’s a fantastic shape. Getting the hang of moving your hand up to hold the back of the blade rather than keeping fixed to the handle gives you a lot more control and different options when gutting an animal on a funny angle up the hill.
The length of blade and rather straight shape of the mamba is perfect for animals ranging in size from sheep up to red stags. Easy to cut windpipe and around the anus before opening the cavity up to drop the intestines out. I have found inside the body cavity to cut the diaphragm I need to choak up the blade grip.
For skinning animals while they are hanging it’s ok but it’s not a skinning knife nor does it pretend to be.
I did use it to butcher a fallow spiker, mostly because I could. It did the job just fine, I’m happier using a boning knife but that’s a specialist shape for a specialist job. If I only had one knife, then the Mamba would happily do the job.
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Top, Boning knife removing back steak. Bottom, Mamba knife removing back steak.
The high carbon steel holds an edge and takes a couple of wipes on a steel to bring back to tip top condition. I don’t run my field knife at a razor edge, about a 30-degree angle for sharpening. Plus or minus however accurate my hands are that day. I helped to butcher 15 sheep one weekend and cutting the neck through the fleece to drain the animal was a hard on the blade as expected. Required a quick dust up on the steel every 2 animals. Deer hair isn’t so abrasive on the cutting edge I’ve found. To cut the throat, remove head and gut, I’ve found 3 deer is the practical limit before giving the blade a quick steel to sharpen.
I did make the mistake of leaving the knife in the leather sheath after getting back from one trip and the tip got a heavy layer of oxide on it. Needed to sharpen with a steel on the tip before getting used again. That’s purely me learning how to look after high carbon steel though. I will clean tools after use (including my rock hammer) but I also expect tools to do their job (i.e beating the shit of out rocks to see if there’s anything interesting inside. Usually there’s just more rock)
In summary; fantastic knife!
Expensive? Yes.
Worth it? Yes.
Would recommend if you’re looking for a high-quality knife that will last a life time.
Attachment 207370
My butchery knife set, Top to bottom:
Green River Buffalo Skinner with DIY handle, Victorinox boning knife, Medusa Mamba
