Mcusta Mike Irie Sport 300 Damascus VG-10 Core Ironwood Fixed Blade [MC-233DI]

A robust fixed hunting knife with an extended front blade section optimized for skinning and trophy game processing. The VG-10 Damascus core delivers exceptional sharpness and durability, while the ergonomic ironwood handle with jimping offers excellent tip control.

The leather saya with a lanyard hole ensures 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.

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 handle is crafted from stabilized ironwood, a dense hardwood prized for its durability and natural resistance to moisture. Ergonomically shaped for a secure grip, it provides excellent control and stability during demanding tasks. A decorative mosaic pin adds a subtle, elegant accent, highlighting the craftsmanship of the knife.

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!