The Multi Purpose Knife (MPK) by Mission Knives, the U.S. Navy SEAL's pick for one of the two knives they will use on the job. Nick North, who works with Group 1's research, development, test and evaluation unit appeared especially sold on the MPK's cutting ability. "It takes an edge and holds and edge well, which surprised everybody, " he noted.

Titanium that cuts most materials like stainless steel has been a pipe dream - until now. At least that would seem to be the opinion of the Navy SEALs who have selected the Multi Purpose Knife (MPK) as their new scuba / utility knife.

Along with SOG Specialty Knifes' ST2SS (see last issue for more on it), the MPK by Mission Knives was approved after the exhaustive testing of 14 knife entrants by the SEALs, according to CPO Nick North of the Naval Special Warfare Group 1 in Coronado, California. Tests involved each knife's blade, handle and sheath and included but were not limited to cutting 3-inch line and shielded electrical cable, being burned with an oxyacytelene torch for five seconds on each side, being soaked in gasoline for 10-minute intervals, and seeing how many pounds of pressure the blades would take until they broke. The knife systems were rated for handling, balance, weight, hammering, prying, chipping and other characteristics and in diving, field and parachute operations (for more on the tests, see last issue's SEAL knife story).

"One U.S. Navy SEAL says the MPK titanium blade from Mission Knives takes and holds an edge like stainless. If so, the MPK could change knives forever."

The titanium of Mission Knives' MPK withstood the grueling SEAL tests better than the ATS-34 stainless steel blade of the company's SCU model. The MPK should be available to the public in June of this year.

North, who works with Group 1's research, development, test and evaluation unit, appeared especially sold on the MPK's cutting ability. "It takes an edge and holds an edge well, which surprised everybody," he noted. Add titaniums superior corrosion resistance and non-magnetic signature, and the MPK seems tailor- made for the SEALs' underwater needs

"Titanium won't corrode in my lifetime," North noted, "and it has a very low or non-magnetic signature," A non-magnetic signature means titanium is exactly that: non-magnetic. "If you're around a mine that is magnetically detonated and you have a magnetic signature sufficient to detonate it, you have a major problem," North understated. "Whatever we can get to lower the signature will make the situation more survivable, and a big hunk of steel won't do that."

	(Above) The MPK's edge is V-ground with partial serrations. Rick Schultz said the SEALs prefer the V-grind because it makes the blade thicker and thus more suitable for prying than a hollow grind.
(Left) According to one SEAL who tested the MPK's sheath: "The sheath held up fine and is a hard case, which is mandatory. The opening for the loops is fine. I tried a variety of belts and (the sheath) fit all of them."

Though titanium is used for a blade material by some diving knife companies, such blades had never seemed to perform so well both in and out of the water as the MPK did in the SEAL test. Moreover, titanium is notorious for being difficult to harden enough to take and hold an edge, and perhaps being even more difficult to grind. What is the MPK's secret?