- Joined
- May 13, 2015
- Messages
- 841
Hi there! After Ive patiently waited for it, I managed to get one of these. Its been a long courting 
, Ive been eyeing this baby since her launch on the market a few years ago, but always considered it way too expensive. Finally I got what I can consider a fair price for a new one on sales and went for it. Ive used this knife for a few weeks now both as EDC and as hiking blade and I just want to share my own impressions, thoughts and few pics, as knife hobbyist and week-end hiker, no expert at all 
.
I learnt the Mike One is a folder from Pohl Forces Euro Ops Division, launched during 2013 and officially presented that year at IWA in Nuremburg (if my actual information are correct). E.O.D. has nothing to do with Explosive Ordnance Disposal but instead indicates a Germany-Italy collaboration. E.O.D. series can be considered premium knives, when it comes both to materials and manufacturing, designed in Germany by Mr. Pohl and manufactured in Italy, by Lionsteel.
Its still big for my EDC preferences, but not huge; at 160 g of weight and around 12 cm length when folded, its really not a brick in the pockets. Also, Spring has come and I start to carry my Maxpedition Fatboy regularly (no more winter jackets with lots of pockets and lighter trousers on) and hiking (or simply running outdoor) is more frequent, so the knife sits more often in some bag/rucksack pockets rather than in my own.
The first impression it conveyed to me was sturdiness. This knife is truly solidly built. The second thing that struck me was the fit & finish: basically perfect. I find the care for details on this piece outstanding; for a production knife (though I would consider this more as a mid-tech) its just amazing.
The Mike One employs the mysterious Niolox steel. I personally never heard of it, until I started to have a crush for this knife. Niolox, is unique in that it incorporates Niobium. To make it simple, what I understood is Nb basically enhances the strength of the steel. Its mainly used in special applications steels. When it comes to knives, its said this element improves the grain refinement and increase the steel hardenability. Niolox its a stainless steel and I like this for my uses. Pohl Force claims its harden up to 59 HRC.
The Mike One sports a beautiful modified drop point profile, with a unique blade pattern. At 5 mm thick and 95 mm long the blade might seem stubby, but its not! A high flat grind produces a fairly keen edge, finished with a secondary bevel. There is a long and narrow swedge along the spine, which gives the blade a sleek look. I think this blade geometry finds a good balance between strength and cutting efficiency. The knife came decently sharp from the factory. It sliced paper nicely but not hairs. It had a good working edge. It looks the secondary bevel was grinded with a preference for edge robustness, therefore a bit too obtuse to make this truly a slicer.
, Ive been eyeing this baby since her launch on the market a few years ago, but always considered it way too expensive. Finally I got what I can consider a fair price for a new one on sales and went for it. Ive used this knife for a few weeks now both as EDC and as hiking blade and I just want to share my own impressions, thoughts and few pics, as knife hobbyist and week-end hiker, no expert at all .I learnt the Mike One is a folder from Pohl Forces Euro Ops Division, launched during 2013 and officially presented that year at IWA in Nuremburg (if my actual information are correct). E.O.D. has nothing to do with Explosive Ordnance Disposal but instead indicates a Germany-Italy collaboration. E.O.D. series can be considered premium knives, when it comes both to materials and manufacturing, designed in Germany by Mr. Pohl and manufactured in Italy, by Lionsteel.
Its still big for my EDC preferences, but not huge; at 160 g of weight and around 12 cm length when folded, its really not a brick in the pockets. Also, Spring has come and I start to carry my Maxpedition Fatboy regularly (no more winter jackets with lots of pockets and lighter trousers on) and hiking (or simply running outdoor) is more frequent, so the knife sits more often in some bag/rucksack pockets rather than in my own
. The first impression it conveyed to me was sturdiness. This knife is truly solidly built. The second thing that struck me was the fit & finish: basically perfect. I find the care for details on this piece outstanding; for a production knife (though I would consider this more as a mid-tech) its just amazing.
The Mike One employs the mysterious
Niolox steel. I personally never heard of it, until I started to have a crush for this knife. Niolox, is unique in that it incorporates Niobium. To make it simple, what I understood is Nb basically enhances the strength of the steel. Its mainly used in special applications steels. When it comes to knives, its said this element improves the grain refinement and increase the steel hardenability. Niolox its a stainless steel and I like this for my uses. Pohl Force claims its harden up to 59 HRC. The Mike One sports a beautiful modified drop point profile, with a unique blade pattern. At 5 mm thick and 95 mm long the blade might seem stubby, but its not! A high flat grind produces a fairly keen edge, finished with a secondary bevel. There is a long and narrow swedge along the spine, which gives the blade a sleek look. I think this blade geometry finds a good balance between strength and cutting efficiency. The knife came decently sharp from the factory. It sliced paper nicely but not hairs. It had a good working edge. It looks the secondary bevel was grinded with a preference for edge robustness, therefore a bit too obtuse to make this truly a slicer.
. Even today, when I consider its break-in period over, the one-hand deployment is not a breeze. Not an effort either, but I wouldnt define it a fluid opening. For its intended use, I can live with this, dont need a ninja-fast deployment, more a Sunday camper one 
. Then I run short of patience and put it through the ChefChoice 120 sacrilege 
