My original article here: https://practicalscoutcraft.wixsite...r-nessmuk-bushcraft-knife-initial-impressions
Today, I received my new Joker Nessmuk S knife after ordering it over the weekend. I have been looking at this knife since it showed up on Joker's catalog not long ago. The knife makers from Albacete, Spain appear to have crafted another fantastic knife for the outdoors man based on a classic design.
Inspiration for the unique knife design goes back to the 1800's. George "Nessmuk" Sears was a woodsman and ultra-light canoeist who wrote for Forest and Stream in the 1880's and published the book "Woodcraft" in 1884, which is still published today. He learned how to camp, fish, and hunt from a Narragansett Indian as a youth. In Sear's "Woodcraft", he shared a drawing of his edged "trinity" system, which consisted of an axe, pocket knife, and a fixed-blade knife with a large round belly designed for powerful and skillful slicing and cutting. This "Woodcraft" knife design is known as a "Nessmuk" knife. Joker Knives has recently introduced their version of this classic wilderness knife.
I have previously field tested and reviewed the Joker Nomad bushcraft knife after purchasing it over a year ago and have been completely happy with its performance in the wilderness. I anticipate the Joker Nessmuk will perform the tasks it was designed to do based on Joker's reputation for building high quality knives at a very competitive price. I paid around $100 after taxes for the CN132-P model with walnut scales which comes with a ferro rod and loop attached to the sheath. This is a superb value for the custom-like craftsmanship from our friends across the Atlantic. The Joker Nessmuk can also be purchased with birch scales.
Unboxing
The packaging was as one should expect; the box containing the knife had an outer cellophane-like plastic wrapping which ensured I received an untampered knife. Inside the box, the Joker Nessmuk was wrapped in plastic to preserve the knife within the box - a very nice touch. The attention to detail does not end there. The knife had a nice quality certificate attached through the lanyard hole. The certificate reads, "This piece is handmade in Spain with top quality materials".
The Joker Nessmuk I ordered had walnut scales with matching walnut scales on the ferro rod. Just like the Joker Nomad knife, the Nessmuk's scales and ferro scales had a liner between the walnut and the blade. For the Nessmuk, the scale liners are black in color and add an elegant look to this bushcraft knife. The combination of the walnut and black liner gives the Joker Nessmuk an appearance of a tough and rugged yet well-dressed gentlemen in a tuxedo who's not afraid to take off his coat, curl his knuckles, and impose his will on another man.
George Washington "Nessmuk" Sears - (Wikipedia)
Sandvik Steel
While looks go a long way when you are spending hard-earned cash, any knife-man knows you shouldn't judge a knife by its looks. It's all about the steel. The Joker Nessmuk's betting hand goes all-in with Sandvik 14C28N steel. I'm not a chemist or a steel expert, so I rely on information from others who know more than I do when it comes to steel properties and performance.
According to Knifeinformer.com, Sandvik 14C28N is used by Kershaw and is highly corrosion resistant with the addition of nitrogen that makes it "extremely" sharp. You can also checkout the Sandvik website, where they advertise their steel as, "martensitic stainless chromium steel with a chemistry optimized for high quality professional knife applications...a unique combination of properties including, excellent edge performance, very high hardness, and good corrosion resistance". The Joker Nessmuk has a hardness of 58-60 HRC.
Swedish knife maker, Morakniv uses 14C28N in their line of stainless steel knives. If you have ever used a Mora, you know your holding good steel. I believe in crafting the Joker Nessmuk, the Spanish company has figured out you don't have to re-invent the wheel in making a bushcraft knife; use good steel, a proven design, and combine it with a high quality fit and finish.
Fit and Finish
After unboxing this new knife, I was very impressed by the quality of the Joker Nessmuk S. It felt balanced in my hands and was not as heavy as it initially appeared. Don't get me wrong, the knife has a commanding presence in your hand and feels solid.
The fit and finish of the Joker Nessmuk I received was top-notch and I could not find any flaws with the workmanship. Even the walnut used in the scales appeared hand-picked with my scales having nice waves of dark contrasting grain within the brown of this classic hardwood. The scales are held in place with two brass pins and a brass lanyard barrel pin. The scales on this knife are extremely beautiful and silky smooth to the touch.
The scandi grind on the blade is pronounced with no visible imperfections. This type of grind makes the blade edge thin yet strong. While I have not field tested this knife, the design, materials, and grind should make the Joker Nessmuk excel at dressing game, food preparation, and other scoutcraft and woodcraft tasks you will encounter in the wilderness.
Superb Sheath
The craftsmanship of the Joker Nessmuk does not end with the knife itself. There is nothing more I hate than buying a good knife with a crappy sheath, where you end up having to spend more money just to get a decent sheath. Knife manufacturers cut production costs by using cheap materials and horrible workmanship in sheaths. What I have found to love about Joker Knives is the superb quality of their sheaths.
The Joker Nessmuk comes with a brown genuine leather sheath that is double-stitched with two reinforcing eyelet rivets, has a drain hole, and a clean smooth leather edging. The sheath has a leather belt loop attached with three brass rivets and has a D-ring with a removable snap-button leather belt-dangler. This allows you to wear the knife directly on your belt, dangling from your belt for better access while squatting or sitting, or wear it across your body via cordage or webbing from a backpack or other harness.
The specific model I purchased is the CN132-P, which for a few more dollars, comes with a leather ferro rod loop. The ferro rod is not a cheap secondary item made to get more cash from you. The attention to detail is evident in the Joker ferro rod with matching walnut scales and black liner as previously mentioned. I've used these ferro rods in the past with my Joker Nomad and have thrown dragon fire-like sparks using the 90 degree spine Joker bushcraft knives come with. The ferro rod has a shock cord to keep it secure on the sheath until you need to strike a fire.
Final Thoughts
I am excited to take my Joker Nessmuk into the wilderness and field test it. I hope to make a video for my YouTube channel Practical Scoutcraft in the near future to share how it performs where it matters. My initial impressions of this knife is that Joker has replicated their superior craftsmanship found in the Joker Nomad with the Joker Nessmuk S bushcraft knife. While I was unboxing my knife and admiring the Spanish craftsmanship, I felt old woodsman George "Nessmuk" Sears looking down over my shoulder from heaven's wilderness. I do believe he was smiling with a big grin, and winking an eye at this Spanish handmade Nessmuk-inspired knife.
Specifications:
Brand: Joker
Model: Nessmuk S
Reference: CN132-P
Designed and Manufactured in Albacete (Spain)
Steel: Sandvik 14C28N
Hardness: 58 - 60 HRC
Handle: Walnut
Liner: Black
Blade tip: Drop Point
Satin-finished sheet
Blade length: 4.3 in.
Handle size: 4.5 in.
Total length: 8.8 in.
Blade width: 1.4 in.
Blade thickness: 3.5 mm
Weight of the knife: 200 gr
Weight of cover with flint: 130 gr
Total weight: 330 gr
Sheath: Brown leather with belt dangler
Includes ferro rod
Original article on my website here: https://practicalscoutcraft.wixsite...r-nessmuk-bushcraft-knife-initial-impressions
