MKC Speedgoat Knife

BKhunter

WKR
Joined
Oct 13, 2016
Messages
374
Location
New York
Hey All,

Was looking at this knife but not really sure about the cord handle. Two things, one if it gets worn out or comes undone, it seems like a pretty expensive knife to have to repair and I can see this happening at a moment which would not be great. Secondly, once you use the knife I feel like it would start smelling and be annoying to get clean again each time. Anyone use this knife and have any feedback? TIA.

BK
 
Joined
Jun 11, 2021
Messages
12
When it comes to ultralight gear, there is always some give and take. Although the paracord can provide some comfort when handling the knife, you give up some comfort to reduce weight. The paracord can also be used for multiple purposes beyond the obvious use on the handle. MKC also has a deal where you can send in your knife (you cover postage) and they will refinish your edge and tie new paracord on the handle then ship it back to you (they pay postage) for no cost besides the initial postage.
Ultimately, the knife is designed to reduce the weight of the knife by trimming the handle.
Best of luck!
 
Joined
Mar 4, 2014
Messages
2,180
I have a few knives with para cord wraps. I soak the handle in ice water with hydrogen peroxide and then dry. No issues with grime or stink.
But scales are better in my opinion.
 

Novashooter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 14, 2023
Messages
286
There is a time and a place for paracord handles, but I would never buy one that way. Certainly not on a $200+ knife. Are you even saving more than 1 ounce of weight? Skeletonized knives at least save some bulk along with weight. There are lots of better ways to carry small amounts of paracord. You can easily weave a bunch up in a lanyard. You can make a small donut for a pack. Weave it into a small pouch.

On the plus side, if that paracord handle ever fails, it's just paracord. You can replace the cord for next to no cost. I really doubt it is going to fail without notice, paracord is tough stuff. I've had a wrap of it as a neck guard on my small camp axe for years and it has not even started fraying. Even if the paracord failed, your knife would still be usable. I do think cleanliness would be a problem. I'm sure a soak as camelcluch does would disinfect it, but why do that? Just buy a knife with real handles. I don't own an MKC knife, but the blackfoot 2.0 appears identical to the speedgoat, except with a good set of composite handles. Says g-10, never tried it. Appears to be a fiberglass version of micarta.
 

intunegp

WKR
Joined
Sep 28, 2021
Messages
636
Just ordered a Magnacut Speedgoat for my upcoming hunts. I've been eyeballing them and especially for the price it is my favorite combination of size and steel on the market. I'm not necessarily a fan of the paracord handle but will likely use it until it gets too funky for me. At that point I'll probably whip up some carbon fiber or G10 scales.
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
1,981
They have a lifetime sharping program..they will replace the paracord when you send it in. They also have video on how to replace it yourself. I always like extra cord on hand...and I can rewrap it...not really an issue for me.
 

intunegp

WKR
Joined
Sep 28, 2021
Messages
636
They have a lifetime sharping program..they will replace the paracord when you send it in. They also have video on how to replace it yourself. I always like extra cord on hand...and I can rewrap it...not really an issue for me.

I'm a knife nerd so I prefer to handle sharpening myself. It's great that companies offer sharpening services, but they all use belts/power tools. If they're not careful (many aren't) and go too fast, this overheats the edge and the performance of the steel is hindered until it's sharpened back a couple times manually. I can re-wrap too and have done cord handles on a few of my knives, but at this point I'd rather make a template, order a sheet of material, and make a permanent set of lightweight/removable scales.
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2014
Messages
1,736
Location
Boundary Co. Idaho
I own a SpeedGoat. Was the perfect blend of blade shape and function. I have NOT used it. Opted for a classic Buck 113 last week to work on an antelope.

In short....you're over thinking it. It's an ultralight knife. It's simply very good for what it's supposed to be. Break down a critter and get you back to the truck. It's not designed at a knife to break down multiple critters. Mass process critters at home, etc. You can....but not the intent.

If the paracord gets shitty and funky....shit can it. He has a video on how to wrap it yourself. It's maybe .39 cents to wrap it again? We get MILES of Paracord for free. I'd be happy to send you several yards of it for the cost of the stamps.

Let it go.

One thing to note...the knife is SUPER thin. Not hard to see why they're sharp and easy to keep sharp. Uber thin blade stock.

I asked Josh about Magna before I bought mine when they first dropped. I would rather of had Magna.

But I think there is a TON of Pros to move away from super premium steels. ReSharpening is a major pain in the ass. Much to be said for a softer steel and more frequent touch ups. Your working edge will be much more keen than settling for 75% of premium. Why not run 90% more the majority of the work?
 

Spuds

FNG
Joined
Sep 5, 2023
Messages
20
I had a speed goat and sold it to buy a stoned goat. The stoned goat held its edge for field dressing half an elk so far, no fatigue using it. I love this knife.

I sold the speed goat simply because it was too small for what I intended to use it for. It held an edge really well and was super light though. Worth buying if it fits your requirements.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

intunegp

WKR
Joined
Sep 28, 2021
Messages
636
Just got my Speedgoat in yesterday so I thought I'd share some initial impressions. I've been a knife fanatic for the past 20 years or so and have bought, used, and sold thousands upon thousands of dollars of high end knives. The folder in my pocket today runs in the ~$800 ballpark. Not bragging, just giving some background. Knives are a hobby I've spent a lot of time and money experiencing. Some of the nitpicks I make might go unnoticed by someone who's never had more than a Buck or Gerber.

I love the size, profile, and weight. It is exactly what I was hoping for and I think it will be a great performer. For a box with a big warning about how sharp the knife is, I wasn't too impressed with the factory edge. I've seen better but I've also seen worse. Thankfully the bevels look even and I don't think it will take much to turn it into a razor. It fits in the sheath great, but I'm glad the tension is adjustable because it came super tight and I wouldn't have wanted to fight it that hard every time. The clip is...a clip. A big bulky one made of a folded over piece of kydex. It will work but I'd like to seem them redesign this or at least offer options for soft loops, an Ulticlip, a Tek Lok, etc. The sheath weighs as much if not more than the knife itself so I feel something more minimalistic would be appropriate.

My complaints are pretty much all with finishing. While MKC doesn't list a specification for the finish, it would be considered a polished/mirror stonewash. That said, both sides of the blade have circular swirl patterns that stand out from the otherwise irregular finish. Running the length of the spine there are visible striations that appear to be leftover from the blank being plasma/laser cut. It would appear, at least on my example, that they are having blanks cut extremely close to finish dimensions and not leaving enough material to grind away the rough cuts completely. As far as the swirls, it's just a matter of not finishing a polishing progression fully.

The imperfections are far from deal breakers and definitely don't impact the functionality of the knife, and I'm excited to test it on my upcoming elk/deer hunt if I'm fortunate enough to do some quartering. Being a $225 knife from a company started by a master bladesmith, I expected a little more refinement. I understand they're still transitioning from a "drop" business model to having knives in stock, but I hope the QC isn't slipping as a result of increased production. At the end of the day I'm happy with my purchase and would recommend it to anyone interested in their designs.
 

jbwright

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Jan 12, 2020
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SE USA
FWIW. I love knives but I know diddly squat about what makes a really good one, but just have spent time with a couple benchmade's (triage and hidden canyon hunter).

I own a Stoned Goat from MKC and I like this knife simply for the fact it's pretty darn easy to get to work sharp. I bought a worksharp stone and a leather strop and have learned how to sharpen over the last year or so. I'm not in love with the paracord handle, as I found out first hand last day of the '22 season cleaning a buck that the paracord handle soaked in blood is pretty annoying to clean/handle when half way through quartering. But i'll take the tip above and soak in peroxide/cold water in the future.

I think the handle is easier to work/more comfortable to cut up an animal with the cordage, rather than just the skeletonized handle. Just my thought. And the paracord is easy to retie.

In hindsight, I would probably pick a different knife w/good edge geometry. The new whitetail knife looks like it may be more of a functional knife than the Stoned Goat, to me at least. But that price tag is tough right now!!
 

ktm450

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 17, 2020
Messages
172
I have used the following MKC knives on a lot of game:

Stonewall Skinner
Speedgoat
Stoned Goat
Jackstone (Not on game yet)

I also hated the idea of paracord and had never had a para knife before. The Speedgoat worked surprisingly well and I was pleasantly surprised. I generally like knives that have more belly and less of a dramatic point. I found the paracord cleaned up really well in warm water with some oxyclean. I also like how light and flat they are. I also totally understand we are talking fractions of ounces, but they feel noticeably more nimble.

I am constantly impressed with the blade geometry and edge retention. I boned out an entire elk this year with the Stonedgoat and was also very impressed. when it got really gooey I missed having a tang and had to be very cautious about slipping up the blade.

With luck, the Jackstone should be the best of the bunch and addresses some of my preferences with hunting knives. Above all, they are great blades and the company is stellar (and local for me).
 

Oakman

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 3, 2021
Messages
187
Location
Michigan
How often the knife becomes available? It’s sold out and no other place have it.
 

Tater86

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
214
Location
Pennsylvania
How often the knife becomes available? It’s sold out and no other place have it.
The release one knife a week, but you never know which knife they are releasing. They are attempting to get the speedgoat in stock on a daily basis, so it should come back in in the not so distance future.
 
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