Mcusta Mike Irie Sport 100 Damascus VG-10 Black Micarta Fixed Blade [MC-0232DB]

A compact fixed-blade mini hunting knife designed for maximum control and precision during game processing. Jimping on the spine allows secure thumb placement for detailed tip work, ideal for precise skinning. The ergonomic micarta handle naturally guides the fingers into an optimal working position.

The leather saya and a lanyard hole on the handle ensure safe and practical field carry. Thanks to its stronger construction and larger cutting surface, the knife offers enhanced stability and cutting power for demanding, intensive use.

Compared to the 200 model, the 100 focuses on finesse, control, and detailed work—perfect for hunters who prefer a smaller, more agile knife.

A Mcusta knife makes a meaningful gift for someone special—just remember to include a coin with it.

STEEL:
VG-10 (V for Vanadium, G for "gold" as in "gold standard") is made by Takefu Special Steel Company, a relatively small steel company that around 60 years ago managed to find just the right balance of different elements to create the most popular Japanese knife making steel today. 

The combination of Cr, Mo, and V forms a lot of hard carbides, making the steel abrasion resistant, which translates to long-lasting, smooth sharpness. Heat treated to the hardness of 60-61 HRC.

LAMINATION:
The blade’s core was laminated using the san-mai method to improve its structural integrity and subsequent ability to withstand impacts and prevent chipping. San-mai translates to “three layers” in Japanese, referring to a blade that is composed of a primary, inner layer of harder steel (hagane) and of two secondary, outer layers of softer steel (jigane) that protect the prior.

BLADE FINISH:
The 33-layer Damascus cladding ensures that every knife has a unique pattern on the blade, which makes it one-of-a-kind. The tsuchime finish enhances both structure and visual depth.

HANDLE:
The ergonomic handle naturally guides the fingers into an optimal position, while the leather saya and lanyard hole allow for the use of a colored lanyard, ensuring safe carry and improved visibility in outdoor conditions.

The handle is made of black micarta, a composite material consisting of layers of fabric and resin pressed under high pressure. Micarta is highly resistant to moisture, temperature changes, and mechanical stress, making it an excellent choice for field use and demanding hunting environments.

Its lightly textured surface offers a secure grip even with wet or greasy hands, while still allowing precise control for detailed work with the blade tip. The handle is complemented by a decorative mosaic pin, which adds structural strength as well as a subtle visual accent, highlighting the quality of craftsmanship. The black micarta gives the knife a more tactical, utilitarian character, focused on functionality and reliability.

BLACKSMITH:
Mcusta Zanmai has an interesting (and very high tech) philosophy of knife manufacturing. With their 800-year tradition of making knives, they decided to incorporate traditional knife craftsmanship knowledge into their own custom-made machines. Mcusta is the only knife manufacturer who uses laser machines to cut out the knives, instead of stamping the knives out of the steel sheet. Due to this process, their blades are less susceptible to structural stresses in the steel, making them the most innovative and modern knife maker in Japan.

Handles and pins are milled to the precision of 1/1000mm with their high-quality CNC machines. Every knife is then inspected and assembled by hand. The final (sharp) edge is sharpened by Mcusta's team of master craftsmen to get a very good out-of-the-box sharpness.

Fun fact: Mcusta is a made-up word - a combination of Machine and custom!