Otter Mercator

Surprisingly good quality

+ Very nice action; buttery smooth and not as much spring tension as a Swiss army knife
+ Good, thick, baked-on finish on the handle
+ Sturdy bail that can't fold in and cause the cutting edge of the blade to get dinged in closing (like the Douk Douk's can)
+ Spearpoint blade doesn't look threatening, despite its length
+ Easy to open, even if you have short fingernails
+… read more Solingen-made for under $30; easily the best quality of the peasant knives, even though it is one of the oldest. (1867)
+/- It's a bit long for basic drop-in-the-hip pocket carry; it needs something to keep it vertical, like a self-rigged belt hanger lanyard.
- Edges of the rivets on the back side of the handle are a bit rough
- Corners of the back of the handle, above the lock are a bit sharp

When I first opened this knife, the first impression was that it is a high quality knife. It's made well, with good materials, it's just a no-frills design. It is a very smooth and luxurious action; one would not think it's possible on such an inexpensive knife.

The back lock looks like it could accidentally be unlocked during use, but it can't. It's placed and shaped perfectly. Even with a tight hammer grip (which is inconsistent for how this knife will be used) it does not come unlocked by accident.

The stamped text on the tang of the blade looks like something you'd see on a knife costing over $100; it is deep and clear. Same with the 'MERCATOR - GERMANY' stamped into the spine of the handle. It's pure quality throughout. It only needs a tiny bit of filing on the edges of the rivets and on those top corners of the handle, and it's perfect. (or very careful grinding with a rotary tool and small stone bit)

COMPARED TO:

Douk Douk - The Cat is better in every regard. It has a real back lock instead of an overly-stiff backspring. The action is smoother. The bail is designed better. The fit and finish are better, especially the coating on the handle.

Higonokami - The Mercator is a more complex design, even though it is 30 years older. (10 parts total, instead of 4) The result is that even 150+ years later, it is still practical. The Higonokami CAN be practical, but it has some considerable caveats. (thumb lever becomes a pocket-pecker...)

Opinel #8 - Opinel is better if you intend to use it in a hammer grip, but it has no blade guard and the blade of an Opinel is sharp all the way down. The wood of an Opinel's handle always seems to feel warm in the hand. The original Opinel's handle shape is not as good; that back corner digs into the palm. The Opinel's lock is not automatic, and is very slow to use. To be fair, the Opinel costs half as much, and it's very good for that money. Do yourself a favor though, and get a stainless bladed one, as the wood will eventually retain some moisture, which will cause a carbon blade to rust when it's sitting closed.

I appreciate products that are inexpensive, yet still practical and of high quality. There are fewer and fewer products like this left in the world, and they mostly seem to come from Europe and Japan. (Swiss army knives and economy Toyota cars are other examples)

This is a no-brainer purchase. It's high quality and low price, with a long history. It's also an interesting conversation piece. I don't give 5 stars easily, but this one really earns it.

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Before you buy that cheap Kershaw...

If you’re like me, you’re tired of all the “tactical” stuff, but you’re looking for something sturdier than most traditional folders. Look no further!

The Mercator K55K is super slim and easy to carry in the pocket, locks up super tight with no blade play in any direction, and the blade is surprisingly centered really well! The carbon steel touches up really nicely… read more and I’m starting to get an awesome patina. Stefan Schmalhaus did a great video on the history of this knife on Youtube. The design has remained virtually unchanged for almost 150 years!

I’ll probably purchase more of these in the future! I’ve already got my eye on the copper handle version :)

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Really love this knife

You cannot go wrong with this simple design! I love the history behind it and it's edc-ability. I work in an office setting and this knife sees lots of pocket time considering it's so thin and no one ever even knows it's there. I also got a pocket clip lanyard for it on eBay for those days I'm not at work and want it a little more secure.

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Most compliments ever

This is a great knife....simple and clean.... There is a reason it hasn't changed in over a century.... Whenever I pull it out for use or to show someone, they always assume it is an expensive knife..... especially after you tell them it's history.... Pretty sure this will be my daughters first real pocket knife...

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Classy & Easy to Carry

I really like my Mercator. It reminds me of my beloved Douk-Douk, but it looks cleaner and classier - and it has a back lock. It is super at slicing, and it absolutely disappears in my pocket. The only problem that I had is that the gold paint inlaid into the cat design wore off really quickly. I highly recommend this knife to anyone who likes traditional knives. Solid and Slim!

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You need this knife

I'm, a knife nut with over 100 knives in my collection. This is my go-to EDC knife when I want something without a clip. The action is amazingly smooth even without using the nail-knick and the design is an absolute classic. I own a plethora of Spyderco and Benchmade knives but this knife gets even more pocket time than my Spyderco Delica. This is the perfect knife for both knife… read more nuts and laymen. This design has not changed for nearly 100 years and it shows. You need this knife.

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Best for the money

top quaility easy concealed carry. my favorit etc.

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