Mission 10" MPK-S received

bald1 · Apr 26, 1999

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

I received my long awaited Mission MPK or multi-purpose knife in A2 steel today. I picked the middle of the line length which is 10 3/8" overall. I also opted for a plain non-partially serrated edge and the new aluminum titanium nitride particle vapor deposited coating. This coating is said to be state of the art with improved wear characteristics.

The blade measures 5 5/8" with the bulk of this length sporting a sharpened edge. It is a classic V grind with a deep belly curve which at its widest point measures a width of 1 1/2 inches. This is all out of 1/4" A2 stock. RC is said to be 56 for best balance of flexibility, edge retention, etc. I have no information about heat treating to include any zone tempering or special quenching.

The handle is made of kevlar/hytrel and has a great feel with a fine pebble surface that has a series of grooves on each side. The pommel is shaped conducive for pounding tasks. It is cast or molded to the tang and exhibits virtually no flash from the process. The edge exhibited good grind lines and decent sharpness although, as with 99.9% of knives I receive, not as sharp as I prefer and will make it

! The sheath is an outstanding classic military ambidextrous multi-carry design from Scott Evans of Edge-Works. On the right side of the blade the letters MPKS appear with MISSION underneath. The lettering is in a gold which adds a nice touch to this solid knife.

Some will recall my having acquired a MadDog pATAK2 late last year which I subsequently sold after 9 days of ownership. I sold it because it didn't quite meet my needs. It was slightly smaller than the MPKS at 9.1" overall length and with a 4.9" blade. One of my complaints was that the serrations were poor and the choil design eliminated a good inch and a quarter from having an edge. A 9 inch knife with barely 3.5 inches of combo edge costing $330 simply didn't pass my sanity check. Overall I found insufficient cutting edge to comfortably work with although the handle's ergonomics and overall feel were laudatory.

Well in the MPKS I have what I wanted last year

. A brute of a knife with great handle material and ergonomics. Better yet a blade with sufficient edge, edge geometry, and belly. It too looks to be a mini-pry bar but in a size that suits me much better than the slightly smaller pATAK.

Over the next few weeks I intend to see how the MPKS's A2 steel, AlTiNi coating, handle and sheath perform. But from first impressions, this is a great package for $210! I'll keep ya'll posted!!!!

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-=[Bob]=-

I did NOT escape from the institution! They gave me a day pass!

[This message has been edited by bald1 (edited 26 April 1999).]

Raph · Apr 26, 1999

Bald1:
Did you order from Mission directly? If not, do you know of any internet dealers carrying the MPK?

bald1 · Apr 26, 1999

Raph,

Try Sid Post... he has the 12" version in stock. Not quite sure about the availability of the 10" model (that I have) though.

-=[Bob]=-

Will Kwan · Apr 27, 1999

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your first impression of the MPK.

I don't think A-2 is typically zone hardened, it is probably same hardness throughout. A-2 is quelched in air. At 5 5/8" and flat ground this looks to be a really useful knife. I'm not sure if zone hardening is required for a relatively small knife.

Looking forward to your future adventures.

Will

[This message has been edited by Will Kwan (edited 27 April 1999).]

Cobalt · Apr 27, 1999

Bob, should be a great blade for all around uses. Should also be extremely tough.

Cliff Stamp · Apr 27, 1999

Bob, thanks for the info. You mention grooves on the handle. Which way to they run - lengthwise? One aspect I would be curious about is the cutting edge that the A2 steel takes.

-Cliff

DonL · Apr 27, 1999

Many thanks for your impressions. Sounds like a great knife. Is there anywhere online to find photos of the new Missions in order to see how the different blade lengths affect the visual "balance" of the knife? Mission's website seems to only show the standard length in Ti, unless I missed something somewhere.

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Don LeHue

The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.

bald1 · Apr 27, 1999

Whew! thanks guys

!

Will, thanks for the heat treating sanity check. I simply didn't know what they've done and given my reference to the pATAK2, I wanted to indicate that I was clueless. Your comments make sense and no doubt reflect the real world.

Cobalt (Dennis), yup! This puppy is built very tough and looks to be a great field/utility knife. My smaller Talonite blades will still cover field kitchen and internal game dressing duties much as my HI khukuri and BK&T Brute are the choppers on station

!

Cliff, the grooves are of the classic horizontal pattern Mission has used on their folders. Very functional. By the way, the kelvar/hytrel handle material has a really unusual feel. You'd swear it gives a bit but there is no way. Very tough yet warm and ergonomic. No lanyard hole though.

I ended up using my Edge-Pro Apex-1 to put a razor edge on the entire cutting surface. As with many designs that have a contiguous edge running into a flaired choil, the transition area tends to lift the hone leaving that last 1/2 inch or more (in this case over an inch) rather dull. I fixed that. The angle used matched the factory's pretty close and was 22 to 24 degrees per side. I normally like a much shallower angle, say 15 to 19 degrees per side but that fits thinner stock blades. This one is culled from 1/4 inch stock and the angles used seem to fit it quite well so far.

Don, Spark did post a picture among the SHOT Show stuff but it was a wide angle shot of the Mission display case showing all 3 sizes. I'll shoot a digital photo and see what can be done about making it available. Aside from visuals, be advised that this one balances on your index finger position right behind the handle's lower guard. Not sure of the overall weight... I'd guess in the 8 to 9 ounce range. Feels very quick in the hand.

-=[Bob]=-

[This message has been edited by bald1 (edited 27 April 1999).]

bald1 · Apr 28, 1999

Guys,

I've sent the 5 of you a jpeg of the knife and sheath. Dennis, I keep hearing AOL strips mime files so i don't know if it'll make it through. All I've done is insert it in a Netscape prepared e-mail document.

-=[Bob]=-

Raph · Apr 29, 1999

Wow!!! Amazing pic. Looks like you have plenty of handle to grab onto. I'll be awaiting your post on the knife's performance in the field

BTW, how easily does the A2 blade seem to rust?

DonL · Apr 29, 1999

I thanked Bob via private e-mail, but just want to add: What a beautiful knife. Nice handle to blade length ratio, sweep, or belly, simply looks awesome. Can't get ove the viaual "balance". Thanks for the pic, Bob, gives me something to stare at and save my pennies and nickels and dimes for!

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Don LeHue

The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.

Cliff Stamp · Apr 30, 1999

Here is the picture :

Very nice looking knife. The handle looks interesting and of course the blade geometry is a winner. I have to stop reading these forums - that looks to be another Mission knife I am going to have to get from Sid Post. I just can't figure out on the A2 or the Ti version (12" length model).

Anyone know if Mission plans to make a larger MPK say with a 10" Ti blade? Would that be practical given the amount that Ti tends to flex?

-Cliff

Cliff Stamp · Apr 30, 1999

For comparasion here is a pATAK (from CFK&T):

While I can understand the obvious advantages of the different material Mission uses giving as more secure grip as described in the above posts, and I like the cut outs as well in the MPK's handle, it does look like to me that the basic geometery of the MD handle is superior.

Basically what I am seeing that I like is the swell of the handle (the curvature) and the deep index finger cutout on the MD. The Mission seems a little square. For those who have handled both and prefer the ergonomics of the Mission what are your opinions on these aspects?

-Cliff

Cobalt · Apr 30, 1999

Bob, for some reason, if it does not come as a jpeg, or bmp, I won't be able to open. It's the wonderfull world of AOL. They convert the others to an unuseable format. So thanks to Cliff, I can see it. Very nice knife and looks very well finished. The grip is exactly like my Ti-MPK grip.

Mission is on a roll.

NamViet Vo · Apr 30, 1999

If Maddog increases the grip size by 14% and roughs up the surface a little bit more then I say we would have a definative winner. The MPK handle fits my bare hand better and the Maddog handle fits my glove hand better.

I recently got a hold of a Pachmayr hunting knife and I really like the handle. The handle material is the same stuff that Pachmayr uses in their handgun grips. The blade is flat ground 440c drop point. The sheath is also made out of the same handle material. I like this knife so much I bought twelve more.

Cliff Stamp · May 1, 1999

NamViet Vo :

If Maddog increases the grip size by 14% and roughs up the surface a little bit more then I say we would have a definative winner.

So the MPK's handle is thicker than the pATAK's, that is excellent. As for the slickness of the MD I agree. It could be a little rougher.

I like this knife so much I bought twelve more.

Given some of the information you have posted before Nam, you buying 12 of the same knife is not that much of a statement.

I remember when you posted about your modified MD folder you said something like you had a half dozen or so spares of the smaller fixed blades (Mongoose or Wombat I think) lying around.

-Cliff

bald1 · Apr 30, 1999

Cliff et al:

The picture of the MPKS handle is deceiving. It is not squarded off and flat at all. Granted it doesn't have the sweeping flair of the MD handle but it does indeed have a slight palm swell and a flaired out pommel. Both are very good ergonomically. But from my knothole the Mission will "fit" more folks and holds than the MD. The texture of the kelvar/hydrel has to be felt to be appreciated too.. its not really tacky but there is a grabby feel to it which is totally absent in the G11 MadDog handles.

Hope this helps.

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-=[Bob]=-

I did NOT escape from the institution! They gave me a day pass!

Sid Post · Apr 30, 1999

In one of my conversations with John at Mission, he stated that they arrived at this handle design after sending knives to military folks all over the globe. The grip they arrived at is the one that worked best from their trials. I will note that guys in the jungles had complained about losing the skin with surfaces that were too rough and guys in colder environments wanted a roughed up surface to hang onto the knife while using it. The resulting grip really needs to be felt to be appreciated.

The pictures make it look sort of flat and square but, it has gentle curves in all the right places to fit the vast majority of hands very well and I have no doubt that the gooves will not be overly aggressive on skin and have enough grip to not slip with gloves on or when coated with something slippery.

I will note that I own a Mad Dog DSU2 but, everytime I open the gun safe, the knife I look for is an A-2 MPK. These are tremendous knives at a very good price point for people who really seriously use knives. If a soldier needs a good knife and does not insist on a hollow handle such as the CRK One Pieces which I have had good success with, I will be pushing them to look at the Mission knives - specifically the A-2 versions unless the special properties of the Ti knives are required.

Sid

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Sid Post
--------
I am a dealer for and stock:
Mission Knives & Tools, Inc.,
Tactical OPS USA from Idaho Falls, ID,
Chris Reeve Knives,
the Krill Lamp from Kriana Corp.,
Underwater Kinetics flashlights and,
Streamlight Flashlights,
with other fine products being added as they are found and time allows

Please call me at 940-241-1291

Will Kwan · May 2, 1999

Cliff, as you know I have the Mad Dog ATAK2 and YFA3. The finger index on the ATAK2 fits everyone I have handed the knife to.

I can not say the same about the YFA3 the handle is shorter and the finger index radius a bit too tight.

I suspect I will prefere the MPK handle for a blade length less than 6" over equivalent MD handle (unless MD mades larger handles for his sub. 6"). Waiting for my MPK A-2 (12") to confirm.

Bob how did you find sharping A-2 compared to MD O-1?

Will

bald1 · May 2, 1999

Will,

You'll note that I left out any sharpness or sharpening reference to that pATAK2 I had. Why? It was dull as a doorknob when I got it. Understand that it was undoubtedly a fluke getting out of MD's shop that way but nonetheless...

Anyhow you ask about comparing sharpening between the pATAK2 and the MPKS. I reprofiled both and haven't had a need to resharpen the MPKS yet....sold the pATAK2 before it needed anything too. So in all honesty I can't directly comment on how quickly an edge comes back. I can say that both knives took the expected and comparable amount of elbow grease to reprofile. They're both made of tough steel that has been properly heat treated.

I do prefer the AlTiNi to hard chrome though, no question. Just haven't had anywhere near the field time to compare the AlTiNi coating to other coatings I have on my knives. The plain TiNi on my Elishewitz shows the 5 years of abuse with scratches and fading. So far all the AlTiNi has done is pick up ultrafine particles from stuff I've used the knife on.

I sent Cliff a jpeg of the 12" MPKS with a request that he post a link here. It looks very similar to the Ti MPK.

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-=[Bob]=-

I did NOT escape from the institution! They gave me a day pass!