Miguel Nieto Knives FIGHTER Folder

Miguel Nieto SL FIGHTER Lock back Folder

The FIGHTER features KATEX composite scales, developed by Miguel Nieto SL  R & D

Featured Knife: Miguel Nieto SL FIGHTER   Lock back folder. Available with KATEX phenolic composite scales with a compressive strength of approximately 19 MPa (190Kg/cm²), and 12C27 martensitic stainless alloy blade. The Fighter measures 18.5cm in total length and a weight of 123grams or 4.3Oz.

12C27 Alloy blade, a well rounded quality blade steel for folders such as the FIGHTER, which is hardened to give a HRC of 60.

 Simplicity of function, means less things to go wrong, with a proven locking design, Aesthetics are not compromised, from being constrained to “flat surfaces” commonly found on “liner lock designed folders. 

Beautiful but functional spine design

The FIGHTER features a great stainless steel, 12C27, hardened to HRC60. According to Sandvik (the Inventor of this alloy) 12C27 has: "excellent edge performance" characteristics. Sandvik also say that the 12C27 of today has far tighter compositional characteristics than it did when it came out in the early 60's.

Unlike liner locks or Frame-lock folders, a Lock Back knife is truly ambidextrous with regard to opening and closing.  

Lock back knives such as this Miguel Nieto FIGHTER are
basically more resistant to the accidental ingression of mud and or sand jamming the locking mechanism.   Side liners are in full contact with the tang unlike washers on liner locks. There will be less wear on the lock back mechanism over time compared with a liner lock mode of action. 

The blade when closed, is held tightly by the lock spring 

Inside detail of the locking spring

(this may not be the case with other locking systems. This makes it much safer in regards to accidental opening occurring when carrying or if the knife was subjected to a sudden jolt. Lock back knives can not simply be “flicked open” and this might be regarded as better from a legal EDC standpoint. 

The FIGHTER has a comfortable design and comes in a range of cool colours.
Cons???: two handed opening. (Never been an issue!).


Soon to follow my video field review of this large 9.5cm long blade Lock Back Folder, the FIGHTER.

The Miguel Nieto FIGHTER Lock Back Folder at home in the outdoors

Miguel Nieto WARFARE 1 SURVIVAL KNIFE

Warfare 1  fixed blade full tang Katex handle

The Warfare 1 is a 160mm FULL TANG knife marketed under the banner of "survival knives". It's made by Miguel Nieto SL, a Spanish company which has been manufacturing quality knives since 1957. 

NOW when I see the term "survival knife" it really draws my critical attention.

Let's look at this large knife and see if it fits the name of "Survival Knife"

The blade steel is DIN 1.4116 Vanadium Stainless steel otherwise known as X50CrMoV15. In plain English this means a Carbon content of approximately 0.5%, Cr 15%, Mo 0.15% and V 0.5%.

A high hardness can be achieved of: HRC 55-57. In my experience this is more than hard enough for a field knife.

This is great as it means no fancy diamond sharpeners are required to field sharpen this knife. Too high a HRC is not a great idea for a "survival knife". Try sharpening your 62 HRC on a river stone LOL! This means you must definitely take a sharpening device of some sort with you.

The Vanadium makes the alloy tough, exactly what one wants for a knife labeled "survival" as it means the blade should be, all things being equal, be able to take a pounding and that's exactly what I did to this knife of 160mm blade length and 5mm wide.
The Warfare1 has a great pointy business end. Perfect for penetrating cutting. A fuller helps to lighten the blade and there is a swedge. There is an acute angle to the spine and I could easily strike a fire steel anywhere along the blade spine. 

Residual oxides (easily rubbed off with fingers) shown where a fire steel was struck against the upper guard. The two guard holes can also be used to bend wire for all sorts of tasks.

On that note the upper guard is a perfect place to strike a fire steel as this puts the blade facing away from the user.

Wire cutter notch easily handles standard barbed wire

Big thick spine and wire cutter notch

                       

KATEX is being used a the handle material

The R &D department of Miguel Nieto have developed their proprietary type of micarta, which they call KATEX.

It has the following properties: resists temperatures up to 133C, compressive strength of 190Kg/cm² 

Carry System

Multi-carry position scabbard with detachable firesteel pouch. The scabbard can be mounted either vertically or horizontally. The entire scabbard with knife can be removed from the belt mount without removing the belt mount. There is a leather tie down (brown thong) when you are on the RUN!. Shown also is a depression for a bow drill. This is a great idea although I'd like to see it on the other scale so that the blade edge faces away from you when in use.

Cutting Ability

Hollow ground knives by geometry should cut much better than a flat grind, simply because the area behind the cutting edge is thinner and thus poses less drag resistance through materials. Stay tuned for the upcoming field review on BushCampingTools.