Buying Guides, Reviews
Product Review: Willumsen Copenhagen Maddog
Aug
If you’re looking for a compact carry that is easy to access just when you need it then the Willumsen Copenhagen Maddog might just be what you are looking for.
Mikkel Willumsen is well known for his urban tactical knife designs and this knife has all the hallmarks of another great Willumsen design.
Specification wise it has a good mix of quality materials. The knife is a one piece, full tang AUS-8 steel affair with a paracord wrapped handle.
Some people aren’t keen on wrapped handles, but for this type of tool it makes sense. Paracord itself has so many uses in a survival situation, having some on hand is ideal. Also, you can re-wrap this handle if you like with any of the myriad colours of paracord available. This gives you the opportunity to make it unique to your own style.
The blade is made from AUS-8 steel which is a good quality Japanese steel with good corrosion resistance. It takes an edge really well and is easy to sharpen. This makes it the steel of choice for a knife designed to be a compact survival/trekking knife.
The knife has jimping on both edges of the blade for extra grip and control. However, it’s the large index finger hole that really makes a difference. Placing the index finger through this hole and your thumb on the top edge jimping gives a feeling of stability and control that is undeniably effective.
Carrying the whetstones/hones etc. required for sharpening some high end steel knives would just not be practical in the field.
If you’re travelling light you want to be able to take the most effective and efficient kit and a knife that is easy to maintain fits the bill nicely.
The Kydex sheath included with the Willumsen Maddog is a tough affair. The blade fits snugly with no movement once it has snapped into the sheath with a satisfying clunk.
The belt loop is reversible so the knife could be attached at either side of the body. The sheath is designed as a horizontal carry, which makes a lot of sense for such a compact fixed knife blade – accessibility is key to a knife like this.
I love how this knife feels in the hand – the dual jimping and large index finger hole makes gives complete control of the chunky blade. Your fingers can be far enough forward for control, without the danger of slippage onto the knife edge.
This makes it ideal for all sorts of tasks from cutting and slicing to really fine work. In the hand you just feel in complete control, like the knife is an extension of the hand itself.
The only thing I wasn’t too keen on is that when you pull the knife from the sheath, there is a bit of movement in the paracord wrap. It’s not a massive issue by any means but definitely worth mentioning.
Despite this minor flaw, I can’t say I’ve ever held a knife which gave me such a feeling of control over the blade.
It really feels like part of your hand, which is an excellent quality for a knife designed for survival situations.
If you bought this knife, there would be no regrets. I must admit I’m sorely tempted to get one of these for my collection.
The knife is available in two different colourways – Midnight and Stone Black.
This is yet another triumph of design, form and function from Mikkel Willumsen. The control you have with this blade is amazing and it is both light and compact enough to become an absolute must have if you’re out trekking. I’d be stoked to have this clipped to my belt in a survival situation – it’s the kind of knife that could literally save your life.
