MKM Mercury Knives Malga 6 Multi-Tool Folding Knife

Still too much in doubt to buy one. Would love to see some pictures as well!
 
Alright guys, I've spent some more time with the Malga 6. Here are some photos and I'll write a little review as well.

I'm a admittedly a tinker. I can't help but to mess around with my stuff until it's as perfect as I think it can be. Right out of the box, the Malga 6 is very nice. You can see my previous posts in this thread to know that I had no initial complaints about the fit and finish of this tool. A less nit-picky person could take it out of the box and put it directly into their EDC rotation. However, there were a few things I wanted to change. First off, I put a new edge on the blade (which I typically do to most knives I buy). The factory edge was pretty good. It shaved arm hairs ok but it was a little toothy for my liking and the grind was a little uneven near the very tip. The next thing I didn't like was that the blade sat a tiny bit proud in the closed position. I filed the kick and took care of that problem. Lastly, I felt that the action was a little soft and so I decided to take a peek under the hood to see if I could tighten stuff up. This is where I received a surprise. Based on a interview I had watched between a vendor and a spokesman for MKM, I thought that just the scales were removable and that the tools themselves were pinned. Well, upon removing the scales, I found that while the corkscrew and reamer are indeed pinned through the frame, the other tools are all attached via adjustable pivot pins! Not only did that make it easy for me to tighten up the action to my liking, but it also opens the door to easy tool customization if/when MKM releases other models in this line. I also wouldn't be surprised if some Victorinox tools could be switched in/out with minimal modification.

All in all, I think the Malga 6 will be staying in my pocket for the foreseeable future! However, I think the big hesitation with this model is over whether or not it's worth the price. In my opinion, it absolutely is! What other multitool of this style boasts premium handle scales, premium blade steel, and adjustable pivot pins for around $100? Seriously though if there is another that meets this criteria please let me know so I can buy one of those as well!

Edit: Forgot to mention that the blade is pinchable :D
 
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Great write up and photos Corvus! Your review has me leaning very close to picking one up now, thanks. Looking to see if there are any labor day deals on one.
 
Any updates for the owners of this knife? COVID YouTube reviews got me with this one! :D
 
Would anyone who's bought one like to contribute some pictures?
I’m interested in hearing how useful they’ve proven to be when compared to previously carried Victorinox SAKs. Have any owners switched back to their Vics? Was the M390 blade and micarta scales worth the price hike?
 
People: it's overpriced!
Also people: orders 250 dollar custom scales for SAK. :D
 
Alright guys, I've spent some more time with the Malga 6. Here are some photos and I'll write a little review as well.

I'm a admittedly a tinker. I can't help but to mess around with my stuff until it's as perfect as I think it can be. Right out of the box, the Malga 6 is very nice. You can see my previous posts in this thread to know that I had no initial complaints about the fit and finish of this tool. A less nit-picky person could take it out of the box and put it directly into their EDC rotation. However, there were a few things I wanted to change. First off, I put a new edge on the blade (which I typically do to most knives I buy). The factory edge was pretty good. It shaved arm hairs ok but it was a little toothy for my liking and the grind was a little uneven near the very tip. The next thing I didn't like was that the blade sat a tiny bit proud in the closed position. I filed the kick and took care of that problem. Lastly, I felt that the action was a little soft and so I decided to take a peek under the hood to see if I could tighten stuff up. This is where I received a surprise. Based on a interview I had watched between a vendor and a spokesman for MKM, I thought that just the scales were removable and that the tools themselves were pinned. Well, upon removing the scales, I found that while the corkscrew and reamer are indeed pinned through the frame, the other tools are all attached via adjustable pivot pins! Not only did that make it easy for me to tighten up the action to my liking, but it also opens the door to easy tool customization if/when MKM releases other models in this line. I also wouldn't be surprised if some Victorinox tools could be switched in/out with minimal modification.

All in all, I think the Malga 6 will be staying in my pocket for the foreseeable future! However, I think the big hesitation with this model is over whether or not it's worth the price. In my opinion, it absolutely is! What other multitool of this style boasts premium handle scales, premium blade steel, and adjustable pivot pins for around $100? Seriously though if there is another that meets this criteria please let me know so I can buy one of those as well!

Edit: Forgot to mention that the blade is pinchable :D
I'd be very interested in how easy it is to swap tools with a SAK. For example to add this blade to a SAK.
 
A M390 SAK would be amazing though I see a few issues here, first and foremost being the cost of the donor knife. Secondly the pivot sizes are quite a bit larger and more off center (saw in the Nick Shabazz video) which actually lends itself to more hardware options but ads more machining and fitting cost. A $100 for an M390 blade plus fitting makes for a very expensive SAK.
 
A M390 SAK would be amazing though I see a few issues here, first and foremost being the cost of the donor knife. Secondly the pivot sizes are quite a bit larger and more off center (saw in the Nick Shabazz video) which actually lends itself to more hardware options but ads more machining and fitting cost. A $100 for an M390 blade plus fitting makes for a very expensive SAK.
Ignoring machining costs you couldn't really buy a M390 single blade knife for under $100. Having a blade like that with all the other advantages of a SAK might well be worth the price. The fitting is where the price would get out of the realm of reasonable perhaps.
 
I found one review on it on KnifeCenter.

Not Impressed
Conceptually, I love this knife—a Swiss Army Knife with M390 steel and micarta scales. I also love that it’s bigger and feels better in hand than the typical Victorinox. Unfortunately, the execution is lacking. Fit and finish are beyond sloppy. The micarta scales don’t align with the liners; the grind on liners, back springs, and tools (other than the blade) is rough and unrefined; walk and talk is soft; and, worst of all, the two end pivots are comprised of free-spinning tubes with screws on both ends that make it nearly impossible to remove the scales without the entire knife coming apart (and reassembly is a real challenge). It looks and feels like a $50 knife but costs twice as much. Concept: A+ Materials: A Design: C- Fit and Finish: D Overall Impression: C
 
20210222_173921~2.jpg Picked up one of these. Price aside, I definitely prefer it over my old red plastic Wenger Nomad SAK. Out of the box, the micarta has less texture than say the micarta on a Giant Mouse Riv (pictured on the right) but perhaps it will roughen up with use. The fork is a bit small and I wish it were pinchable instead of having a nail nick, but otherwise ok. The shortness of the fork, combined with its distal taper, allows it to nest in the space created by the distal taper of the main blade, reducing the overall knife thickness. I thought the stonewashed M390 blade came quite sharp but I probably have lower standards than some ;). I view it as a user knife so not too particular. 20210222_171518~2.jpg
 
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View attachment 1515039 Picked up one of these. Price aside, I definitely prefer it over my old red plastic Wenger Nomad SAK. Out of the box, the micarta has less texture than say the micarta on a Giant Mouse Riv (pictured on the right) but perhaps it will roughen up with use. The fork is a bit small and I wish it were pinchable instead of having a nail nick, but otherwise ok. The shortness of the fork, combined with its distal taper, allows it to nest in the space created by the distal taper of the main blade, reducing the overall knife thickness. I thought the stonewashed M390 blade came quite sharp but I probably have lower standards than some ;). I view it as a user knife so not too particular. View attachment 1515038
How would you describe the fit and finish in light of the post above yours?
 
How would you describe the fit and finish in light of the post above yours?
I would agree that the fit and finish are not perfect. The coloration of the micarta is somewhat uneven. There is a cutout for the thumb in the scale (see picture) which is intended to make it easier to open the corkscrew, which I find not particularly pretty. The grind is not amazing. The walk and talk are fine for me but I can see that some might prefer a more snappy action. Overall, I'm willing to overlook some of these cosmetic flaws for the added functionality of the multiple tools and upgraded steel. The knife also feels light for a multitool. Ps. Although I nitpicked about the fork, I actually do enjoy having it, and might have skipped over the knife if it didn't have one (ymmv). Perhaps one should compare it with another knife with a fork, the GEC beer & sausage knife, which is arguably a lot prettier but has less functionality and lower grade steel, and goes for $117 new. 20210223_003328~2.jpg
 
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Hello guys
I never handled an MKM MALGA 6 but it's in my wishlist, so i'm pretty sure Mercury Cut build this multitool, and following the link above you can see other similar-to-sak knoves maybe useful to implememt something in the Malga.
Regards

https://www.mercurycut.it/en/category/74/serie_913_plastica.html


orvus Corax, post: 19994291, member: 469203"]Alright guys, I've spent some more time with the Malga 6. Here are some photos and I'll write a little review as well.

I'm a admittedly a tinker. I can't help but to mess around with my stuff until it's as perfect as I think it can be. Right out of the box, the Malga 6 is very nice. You can see my previous posts in this thread to know that I had no initial complaints about the fit and finish of this tool. A less nit-picky person could take it out of the box and put it directly into their EDC rotation. However, there were a few things I wanted to change. First off, I put a new edge on the blade (which I typically do to most knives I buy). The factory edge was pretty good. It shaved arm hairs ok but it was a little toothy for my liking and the grind was a little uneven near the very tip. The next thing I didn't like was that the blade sat a tiny bit proud in the closed position. I filed the kick and took care of that problem. Lastly, I felt that the action was a little soft and so I decided to take a peek under the hood to see if I could tighten stuff up. This is where I received a surprise. Based on a interview I had watched between a vendor and a spokesman for MKM, I thought that just the scales were removable and that the tools themselves were pinned. Well, upon removing the scales, I found that while the corkscrew and reamer are indeed pinned through the frame, the other tools are all attached via adjustable pivot pins! Not only did that make it easy for me to tighten up the action to my liking, but it also opens the door to easy tool customization if/when MKM releases other models in this line. I also wouldn't be surprised if some Victorinox tools could be switched in/out with minimal modification.

All in all, I think the Malga 6 will be staying in my pocket for the foreseeable future! However, I think the big hesitation with this model is over whether or not it's worth the price. In my opinion, it absolutely is! What other multitool of this style boasts premium handle scales, premium blade steel, and adjustable pivot pins for around $100? Seriously though if there is another that meets this criteria please let me know so I can buy one of those as well!

Edit: Forgot to mention that the blade is pinchable :D[/QUOTE]
 
Hello guys
I never handled an MKM MALGA 6 but it's in my wishlist, so i'm pretty sure Mercury Cut build this multitool, and following the link above you can see other similar-to-sak knoves maybe useful to implememt something in the Malga.
Regards

https://www.mercurycut.it/en/category/74/serie_913_plastica.html


orvus Corax, post: 19994291, member: 469203"]Alright guys, I've spent some more time with the Malga 6. Here are some photos and I'll write a little review as well.

I'm a admittedly a tinker. I can't help but to mess around with my stuff until it's as perfect as I think it can be. Right out of the box, the Malga 6 is very nice. You can see my previous posts in this thread to know that I had no initial complaints about the fit and finish of this tool. A less nit-picky person could take it out of the box and put it directly into their EDC rotation. However, there were a few things I wanted to change. First off, I put a new edge on the blade (which I typically do to most knives I buy). The factory edge was pretty good. It shaved arm hairs ok but it was a little toothy for my liking and the grind was a little uneven near the very tip. The next thing I didn't like was that the blade sat a tiny bit proud in the closed position. I filed the kick and took care of that problem. Lastly, I felt that the action was a little soft and so I decided to take a peek under the hood to see if I could tighten stuff up. This is where I received a surprise. Based on a interview I had watched between a vendor and a spokesman for MKM, I thought that just the scales were removable and that the tools themselves were pinned. Well, upon removing the scales, I found that while the corkscrew and reamer are indeed pinned through the frame, the other tools are all attached via adjustable pivot pins! Not only did that make it easy for me to tighten up the action to my liking, but it also opens the door to easy tool customization if/when MKM releases other models in this line. I also wouldn't be surprised if some Victorinox tools could be switched in/out with minimal modification.

All in all, I think the Malga 6 will be staying in my pocket for the foreseeable future! However, I think the big hesitation with this model is over whether or not it's worth the price. In my opinion, it absolutely is! What other multitool of this style boasts premium handle scales, premium blade steel, and adjustable pivot pins for around $100? Seriously though if there is another that meets this criteria please let me know so I can buy one of those as well!

Edit: Forgot to mention that the blade is pinchable :D
[/QUOTE]
Thanks. Aluminum alloy liners would explain why the Malga feels so light.
 
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