North Arm Knives: Lynx and Mallard

[Marbles]

Well, I think North Arm Knives is about to increase prices, their current sale price is what was normal pricing last month. so, I ordered a Lynx and Mallard to try and will turn this thread into a review as I use them.

Specs (as listed unless stated otherwise)

The Lynx
-Overall length 8.5
-Blade length 3.86
-Weight (knife only) 4.7oz with G10 scales, sheath 2.5 oz (my actual weights: knife 4.7 oz, sheath 2.1 oz)
-Spine thickness 0.100
-Full flat grind
-Listed at $189

The Mallard
-Overall length 8.1
-Blade length 3.6
-Weight (knife only) 2.3oz with G10 scales, sheath 1.2 oz (my actual weights: knife 2.4 oz, sheath 1.1 oz)
-Spine thickness 0.060
-Full flat grind
-Listed at $140

These are made in BC, and CNC'd from bar stock.

Both knives are Magnacut steel hardened to 60-62 HRC with G10 handles. North Arm also has carbon scales, this shaves 0.7 oz from the Lynx and 0.36 oz from the Mallard per listed specs.

Most powdered steels are cold work steels and gain nothing from being forged. So being CNC machined does not negatively alter the quality compared to hand made.

First Impressions

Both are well made and finish quality is very good; but neither are knives I would be likely to buy if I looked at them in a store first. The handles are finished smoother than I like, the blades are both about 1/2 inch longer than I like, and the Lynx blade is deeper from spine to edge than I like. No clue if any of those will effect actual use.

The Mallard arrived with a very nice factory edge. The Lynx has an edge that needed to be touched up on a strop. Neither needed to touch a stone to have a very good edge. Other than some high end German kitchen knives, no other knife I have ever bought came with an edge that did not need to touch a stone to be acceptable.

 

[dailyherold]

I have a Mallard on way myself. Have had them on my short list for a long time so happy to finally get one soon!

 

[Lawnboi]

Does anyone have any of these already? I’m eyeballing the 6” fillet knife.

 

[svivian]

Does anyone have any of these already? I’m eyeballing the 6” fillet knife.

The fillet knife is good especially with the magnacut. Unfortunately he’s not making them in the 9” size with magnacut yet.

 

[Lawnboi]

The fillet knife is good especially with the magnacut. Unfortunately he’s not making them in the 9” size with magnacut yet.

Does it have any flex to it?

 

[svivian]

Does it have any flex to it?

Yes more than I expected.

 

[intunegp]

Does anyone have any of these already? I’m eyeballing the 6” fillet knife.

I've got the 6" filet with carbon fiber handles and it is excellent for fish or as a boning knife. Plenty of flex while still being stiff when you need it to. I'd definitely recommend it.

 

[dailyherold]

Got my Mallard in, she's a beauty. Little flex to the blade, great balance and feel. So good in fact I'll probably use in kitchen while not out in the field. Can't just keep it sheathed up, plus the wife will think I got a nice paring knife for kitchen haha.

I also emailed North Arm to add an extra sheath and extra set of scales (orange) to my order. Extra $50 or so but worth it for me.

 

[Marbles]

Updated the OP.

 

[mod7rem]

I live in B.C. so I thought I should own some local knives, so I have both knives. Not much use with either one yet. I was planning on using the Mallard for birds and fish, but only skinned a coyote so far and it felt too long and awkward. Probably the wrong choice for that job.

I used the Lynx to debone and get a Mule deer buck ready to go in my backpack. I’m a big fan of my Grohman #1 knife for this work and originally thought the Lynx was going to be a little too big and cumbersome in comparison, but I was surprised with it. The only thing that wasn’t as smooth as I’d like was making initial skinning cuts. I had a little trouble keeping the knife under the hide. More of a problem with my technique and lack of practice with this knife, but it definitely worked fine for everything else. The handle has flat sides so it’s easy to control blade angle. It felt good carving out the back straps even with the deep blade.

I don’t think it beats the design/ergonomics of the Grohman #1 for deboning big game, but it is a very nice knife.

 

[grahambiel]

Any use with a bloody handle? I like the looks of this but your comment on the smoothness of the handle concerns me a bit

 

[Dented]

I have the small game knife and both filet knives. Had them for years, they travel with me anywhere i go in my kill kit. I've used them on small game, birds, deer, pigs and fish. The 9 inch is great on large fish, all of them perform beautifully as far as I'm concerned. Great edge retention, good grip when bloody or slimy. The flex in the filet knives is amazing. I wish they made a 4 inch long filet knife.

I've got a bunch of knives, I use these all the time. They weren't cheap, but I think they're worth it. Multiple numbers of game cleaned with never a touch up. And then a couple of swipes and the edge is back.

That being said, just like hiking boots, backpacks and women, ya gotta find what works for you. It's a very individual thing. These work for me.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

9” kermode filet knife has been nothing but great. S30V is an easy to work with steel and required only minor touch ups to get it back hair popping sharp. Probably filleted close to 100 salmon this year alone with it.

 

[cowdisciple]

I also have the 9" Kermode. It is indeed great. Very flexy, which I personally like for rib cages and such. I also use the "step-up " fillet from White River Knives extensively. It's stiff and has an offset handle that's great for skinning. This is for SEAK salmon and halibut - I'd get the 6" for freshwater fish.

 

[Marbles]

Any use with a bloody handle? I like the looks of this but your comment on the smoothness of the handle concerns me a bit

Not yet.

 

[rcook10]

Any use with a bloody handle? I like the looks of this but your comment on the smoothness of the handle concerns me a bit

I had a big season with mine and had similar concerns but never had a concerning slip or injury. I do gutless so most of my processing is pretty bloodless anyway. I have considered adding some jimping to the spine and sides of the handles but I haven’t gotten around to it.

 

[Marbles]

The Mallard is pretty good processing fish (cutting out gills and the head off). The hands largely work fine, but become slick with a lot of fish slime, more so than the wood handles on my Rapala filet knives.

I really like my MKC Jackstone and simply have not been grabbing the Lynx. Today I had 5 pigs to slaughter, I did two with the Jackstone, then grabbed the Lynx for one. I did the entire pig with the Lynx, but I really prefer the handle shap of the Jackstone and slightly prefer the Jackstone's blade shape.

The Lynx certainly works, and is not a bad knife, the Jackstone is just better. Though I had to take a grinder to the Jackstone and remove the stupid finger guard, the Lynx needs no modifications.