Knife designer Paul Munko has a sequel to his Kizer Mystic collab in the works. The Mini Mystic carries more differences than blade size, including a different lock and revamped materials.
The full-size Mystic, named after the famous town in Connecticut, went big indeed with a 3.74-inch cutting edge. At the time, Munko told us that the choice of size came from a dual desire to emulate the look of a harpoon (in a nod to Mystic, CT’s maritime history), and create a universal, highly capable working knife design. It was a premium Kizer release, rendered in REX45, a pretty unusual steel choice for Kizer and, really, the production knife scene in general.
The Mini Mystic brings the blade length down to 3.25 inches – a sweet spot size for most everyday carry-oriented users, and still big enough to carry forward the original’s harpoon look intact. In short (pun intended), the Mini Mystic should be able to handle a wide gamut of chores while being more pocketable and lighter than its big brother. Steel remains TBD, but Munko says that it will be something a bit more wallet-friendly, as part of the Mini Mystic’s remit is to cut down on costs compared to the full-size model. Worth noting is that the Mini Mystic, due to several mechanical considerations, does not have a front flipper tab like the standard Mystic; this one opens with thumb stud only.
Speaking of mechanics, keen-eyed observers will have noted that the lock has also changed. Instead of a frame lock, the Mini Mystic is sporting the Clutch Lock, Kizer’s Axis-like mechanism. In conjunction with a swappable clip, this makes the Mini a totally ambidextrous knife. The Mystic handle design, both in terms of profile and in terms of the “2/3rds scale and bolster” look, has been carried forward on the Mini, but the materials are a bit different. Once again in pursuit of being more cost-conscious, the Mini Mystic prototype forgoes any titanium, with a burlap Micarta scale and Ultem bolster instead.
These are prototypes, so details may change, of course. As for a release, that is still TBD as well; Munko says he hopes to see it drop before the end of 2024.
Knife in Featured Image: Kizer Mini Mystic Prototype
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