By John Markwell
Contributing Editor
Like many outdoor folks, we have had a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife of one sort or another close to hand for the better part of our life.
We have also used their economical paring knives in the kitchen for years and consider them one of the world’s great knife bargains. At the 2020 SHOT show the Swiss knife maker debuted a couple of fixed blade outdoor knives. The larger of the two, the Outdoor Master Large, is a general-purpose Bushcraft style knife. However, it was the smaller Outdoor Master Mic S that really caught our eye. During “Wool Vest Season” we have often taken to carrying a small EDC fixed blade knife instead of our normal folder in a belt pouch. The Outdoor Master Mic S is a perfect fit for this application.
Made under contract by Muela in Spain, the OM Mic S is crafted from 1.4116 stainless steel. The 2.8-inch blade is a drop point design with a Scandi grind and a full tang. The Scandi grind is very popular with the Bushcraft crowd being a very strong bladed design. For general use it is a good utilitarian blade grind.
Although we’ve found thinner grinds to be more efficient when it comes to food prep, for general day to day cutting chores the Scandi grind serves well and makes for a very stout blade. Right out of the box the edge was pretty sharp and required only a minor touch-up to bring it to a shaving standard.
The handle scales, atop red liners, are a nice blue/black Micarta. Secured by two stainless rivets, the Micarta handle feels good in the hand although its’ smooth texture is a bit on the slick side when wet. We took a small rat-tail file to area of the the scales where our thumb rides when the knife is used both upright and when inverted. The small grooves we cut provide a bit more traction for the thumb under pressure (see the photo). To prevent loss, there is a hole for attachment of a lanyard.
The Outdoor Master Mic S comes sheathed in black Kydex. Weighing just .8 ounce, the sheath is usable with the Blade-Tech Tec-Lok belt mounts. Although this would increase the weight and bulk considerably it’s an option for those looking to belt carry this handy little knife.
Our solution for belt carry is the attachment of a leather loop from an old IWB holster. Rigged in this manner the weight/bulk gain is negligible and the sheathed knife carries nicely between belt and pants just behind our spare mag pouch on our left side at about 8:40. As it comes from the package the sheath is rigged with red para cord and a cord lock that would allow it to be set up for belt carry with minimum bulk. This little EDC blade is also more than suitable for carry as a neck knife and the sheath would easily adapt to that mode of use. The hollow rivets also allow for other options for attachment to other gear (like a pack strap or fanny pack). A bit of elastic and some creativity could also set the sheath up for ankle carry if concealment was a concern.
Weighing 3 ounces and measuring 6.1 inches overall the Outdoor Master Mic S is a small, lightweight and compact workhorse capable of tackling most day to day cutting chores as well as doing light Bushcraft work if required. Using the OM Mic S with its’ small handle one relies more on technique and the keenness of the edge than the application of brute force cutting action. Gripping the knife for the application of real power to the edge is pretty difficult and our grooving of the scales worked pretty well when we needed to apply pressure to the cutting edge.
We have been using the OM Mic S for about a month as this is written and have found it serves well as an EDC knife. The edge holding ability of the little blade is very good and the only required maintenance was an occasional touch up on a ceramic sharpener. From some food prep to opening the mail, cutting twine on hay bales and whittling a couple of fuzz sticks for fire starting, this little fixed blade from Victorinox serves as well as any folder in the EDC role. For a truly light weight companion that is capable of tackling daily cutting chores, the Outdoor Master Mic S is a great addition to ones’ EDC load out. For the weight conscious outdoorsman, the OM Mic S would also make a nice addition to one’s kit and would add negligible weight to a hunter’s pack. Available where ever Victorinox knives are sold, the Outdoor Master Mic S retails for a very reasonable $119.
