MKC vs Eastmans?

[Big Sky Guy]

I own two of the mkc. The speedgoat and mini speedgoat. I paid full price for one and about half from someone on here for the other. I thought it would be a great knife for breaking down an animal but wasn’t a huge fan.

As @Gerald Martin said, the parachord gets nasty. I replaced it after a season. Not slick but disgusting, even though most of it washed out with hot water.

I now keep it on the shoulder strap of my pack. Quick access for worst case scenario situations, maybe cutting an apple, and I use it on the knees when processing so I don’t mess up my other knife.

All that to say the the MKC is overpriced in my book but I carry it hunting all the time. Just not my go to for processing. Use the cheapo victorinox flex for that.

Shoulder strap is where I keep my fixed blade, an ESEE Izula. Made in USA, weighs practically nothing and is under $100. Same as you I only use it for “hard” cuts around joints or extracting teeth. I use my Gerber vital for the majority of deboning. It doesn’t come with the paracord wrap, but they give instructions for it with the knife.

I also carry a Benchmade bugout carbon in my bino harness but rarely use it because it was alike $250 on sale and was a birthday gift from my wife.

 

[Tmbrgost]

MKC has a knife company is just meh. They do make some cool shirt logo designs though. Maybe they should do drops on those instead .

I have the Big Sky MagnaCut from Cudaway and like the size along with the edge it keeps. Small Montana company without the “bro” vibe!

Knives

Cudaway

cudaway.com

It’s the most expensive knife I have by a long shot. Probably never spend that $$ amount again because the cheap knives I have hold an edge just as long and in most cases are more comfortable. My wife is always asking, “Do you really need another knife?” My answer is always Yes!

 

[rjthehunter]

Lets be honest, MKC is wildly overpriced. I looked at them one time and laughed and closed the web page. You can get a knife with the same steel at 1/2 the cost.

I'll give it to MKC. Their marketing team is good to convince so many people their knives are far superior to anything else on the market.

 

[2rocky]

Creating controversy IS a marketing strategy.....

 

[nrpate05]

I've got the mini speedgoat and it is sweet. In the sheath it fits perfectly in the side pouch of my bino harness and is barely noticeable. I carry another knife for processing, but have used it in place of a replaceable blade knife. It obviously doesn't have the same razor sharp quality, but is certainly more durable. I don't know of many knives like it.

 

[2rocky]

I don't much care about what kind of knife a hunter carries. What I do care is that he (or she) can put and maintain a good edge on it. If someone whips out an 8-12 inch steel and a commercial skinner like this (Dexter Russell or Victornox) :

I know they've taken the hide off more than a few critters already.

If they have a handle like this for a scalpel blade, they are usually pretty well qualified to cape a deer.

If they start showing off the fancy steel and bevel pattern and exotic hardwood of their custom knife, I may need to show them how to gut their animal...


This Fall I had the pleasure of guiding a couple guys who have a hunt booking company and one of them comes from a commercial meat processing background. He led us through a breakdown of two elk that we finished in no more than two hours. It's the skill , not the tool...

 

[Whiskey Freak]

I can’t wait for the MKC X Eastmans collab. Spotburner Magnacut 1.0.

 

[Jnasa]

I can understand his frustration but not sure if he has any ground to stand. It is obvious they are making it look like MKC even the orange in black common with them. If any of us had a company and someone copied a product like they we’d likely take issue.

As others stated paracord handles suck. You can’t really get them clean and they get gross. I wanted a MKC knife but couldn’t get over the sticker shock.

 

[TheTone]

I wonder if the same shop is laser cutting them? That would make it a little funnier

 

[Khunter]

Shoulder strap is where I keep my fixed blade, an ESEE Izula. Made in USA, weighs practically nothing and is under $100. Same as you I only use it for “hard” cuts around joints or extracting teeth. I use my Gerber vital for the majority of deboning. It doesn’t come with the paracord wrap, but they give instructions for it with the knife.

I also carry a Benchmade bugout carbon in my bino harness but rarely use it because it was alike $250 on sale and was a birthday gift from my wife.

You guys are prepared for sudden hand to hand combat so there is that. And the blade stays close to your jugular for which I am unsure of the benefit when you take a tumble and it comes loose. As with loaded guns there is no such thing as an unloaded gun as relates to safe handling. Just curious why any hunter would want or think they need a knife hanging next to their neck for quick access?

 

[Big Sky Guy]

You guys are prepared for sudden hand to hand combat so there is that. And the blade stays close to your jugular for which I am unsure of the benefit when you take a tumble and it comes loose. As with loaded guns there is no such thing as an unloaded gun as relates to safe handling. Just curious why any hunter would want or think they need a knife hanging next to their neck for quick access?



View attachment 395996

View attachment 395997

Genuinely curious where would be the safest place, and still maintain access (so not in my pack, which is definitively the safest place), in your opinion?

Carry on chest, could get stabbed in the lung/heart area between a rib, hip or leg - femoral artery. I have to literally yank on that thing to get it to come out, not saying your scenario is impossible but in that scenario I see it nearly equal chance I get stabbed in the arm, leg, face, pelvis etc. as I would be tumbling. I don't think that sheath cold break unless I fell off a 100' cliff and landed on it, in which case I'm likely (and probably hopefully) dead. It's out of the way of everything else. On my hip belt the risk is much great to have it get caught on something and pulled out, on shoulder strap that's never been an issue.

Same thing for carrying any weapon, there is always going to be some risk of self injury no matter where/how you carry it.

I'm certainly open to learning and correction, but to me this is not an unsafe way to carry. Similar thought did cross my mind before I handled the knife and sheath, but the amount of force to get that knife to come out is so substantial that thought was immediately relieved.

 

[Randy11]

I own two of the mkc. The speedgoat and mini speedgoat. I paid full price for one and about half from someone on here for the other. I thought it would be a great knife for breaking down an animal but wasn’t a huge fan.

As @Gerald Martin said, the parachord gets nasty. I replaced it after a season. Not slick but disgusting, even though most of it washed out with hot water.

I now keep it on the shoulder strap of my pack. Quick access for worst case scenario situations, maybe cutting an apple, and I use it on the knees when processing so I don’t mess up my other knife.

All that to say the the MKC is overpriced in my book but I carry it hunting all the time. Just not my go to for processing. Use the cheapo victorinox flex for that. View attachment 395943

FFS, we get it. You're "quirky".

 

[NDGuy]

View attachment 395976 I know they've taken the hide off more than a few critters already.

If they have a handle like this for a scalpel blade, they are usually pretty well qualified to cape a deer.
View attachment 395977
If they start showing off the fancy steel and bevel pattern and exotic hardwood of their custom knife, I may need to show them how to gut their animal...

Life is way too short for knives that look like something a meth cook would have in their kitchen..

 

[Laszlo Cravensworth]

The artificial scarcity strategy drives me nuts with these companies. Whip the fanboys into a lather for the next drop so you can sell $200 knives for $400

 

[Dsnow9]

You guys are prepared for sudden hand to hand combat so there is that. And the blade stays close to your jugular for which I am unsure of the benefit when you take a tumble and it comes loose. As with loaded guns there is no such thing as an unloaded gun as relates to safe handling. Just curious why any hunter would want or think they need a knife hanging next to their neck for quick access?



View attachment 395996

View attachment 395997

It’s way safer than piling a pickup truck loads worth of stuff onto an atv….

 

[Dsnow9]

FFS, we get it. You're "quirky".

That’s a nice way to put it!

 

[Khunter]

Genuinely curious where would be the safest place, and still maintain access (so not in my pack, which is definitively the safest place), in your opinion?

Carry on chest, could get stabbed in the lung/heart area between a rib, hip or leg - femoral artery. I have to literally yank on that thing to get it to come out, not saying your scenario is impossible but in that scenario I see it nearly equal chance I get stabbed in the arm, leg, face, pelvis etc. as I would be tumbling. I don't think that sheath cold break unless I fell off a 100' cliff and landed on it, in which case I'm likely (and probably hopefully) dead. It's out of the way of everything else. On my hip belt the risk is much great to have it get caught on something and pulled out, on shoulder strap that's never been an issue.

Same thing for carrying any weapon, there is always going to be some risk of self injury no matter where/how you carry it.

I'm certainly open to learning and correction, but to me this is not an unsafe way to carry. Similar thought did cross my mind before I handled the knife and sheath, but the amount of force to get that knife to come out is so substantial that thought was immediately relieved.

No correction or learning needed. To each his own, just commenting on what I observed. The question is WHY do you need fast access for a blade you say only use for cutting joints and teeth. Not seeing any need for access outside a pack when you will be pulling out all manner of stuff already when a critter is down. Have not needed or carried a fixed blade on my person or in pack anywhere while out hunting in 10 years at least and skinned out and cut lots of joints ( and teeth) in that time with a folding scalpel type knife. I guess I honestly wonder more about why a guy creates reasons for more strap on gear than necessary. I just try to have less not more hanging off of me so I am not covered in crappola. So it was the ick factor of unnecessary strap on crap that caught my eye first. Then got to thinking about placement by neck.

A long way around to answering your question by saying 'you could leave the fixed blade knife in the truck or at camp and carry a smaller/sharper fully capable folding scalpel type that does everything including joints/teeth/head removal.' Barring that ask yourself why you think you need quick access and adjust or not accordingly.

 

[Khunter]

It’s way safer than piling a pickup truck loads worth of stuff onto an atv….

LOL.

 

[Dsnow9]

No correction or learning needed. To each his own, just commenting on what I observed. The question is WHY do you need fast access for a blade you say only use for cutting joints and teeth. Not seeing any need for access outside a pack when you will be pulling out all manner of stuff already when a critter is down. Have not needed or carried a fixed blade on my person or in pack anywhere while out hunting in 10 years at least and skinned out and cut lots of joints ( and teeth) in that time with a folding scalpel type knife. I guess I honestly wonder more about why a guy creates reasons for more strap on gear than necessary. I just try to have less not more hanging off of me so I am not covered in crappola. So it was the ick factor of unnecessary strap on crap that caught my eye first. Then got to thinking about placement by neck.

A long way around to answering your question by saying 'you could leave the fixed blade knife in the truck or at camp and carry a smaller/sharper fully capable folding scalpel type that does everything including joints/teeth/head removal.' Barring that ask yourself why you think you need quick access and adjust or not accordingly.

Oh come on…. Maybe you could use a knife like that to cut straps off of the gear pinning you down under your flipped atv…

Also, lions and tiger and bears!

 

[Gulf of America]

This place is getting chippy these days. No snow during hunting season got a lot of people feeling some kinda way.

Edit to add: I'm here for it. Deleted all other social media, don't have time to watch teen dramas on netflix, and work with a bunch of middle-aged engineers, so this is as good a source as any.