EverydayCommentary: Monterey Bay Mini Old Guard Review

H. Clay Aalders
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Ray Laconico’s designs are everywhere. Its probably easier to list the companies he HASN’T worked with than those that he has (Benchmade, Spyderco what are you two waiting for?). Over and over again he has produced nice blades that are some slight variant on a few forms. They are simple designs, with clean lines, and nice blade shapes. The most Laconico of all his knives though, is the Old Guard design—a straightforward thumb stud knife with a drop point blade. But like all Laconico’s its simplicity is not a deletion of things, but instead work with a foundational form over and over again until it is both simple and functional. When the Old Guard was released in a mini form I was intrigued. Time and again I would arrive too late to the site to score one. Then last fall the stars aligned and I got one not just in ZDP-189, a favorite steel of mine, but also in yellow linen micarta. Its a knife as beautiful as it is simple AND, unlike with other chase blades these days, it is a tremendous value. If you like knives, you will like the Mini Old Guard. This is a great knife, but I am genuinely interested in seeing how well it can score on the scoring system.

Classic lines, but somehow so classic as to seem unremarkable to me.  I really like Laconico’s Kizer Ursa Minor and Artisan Centauri, but this one leaves me flat.

Anyone else get a similar vibe?

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H. Clay Aalders

H. Clay Aalders is a lifelong edged tool user. He spent the past 20 years as a woodworker and fishing guide in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Tennessee. While guiding in Idaho, Clay worked part-time writing for a local newspaper, and upon moving to Tennessee began writing for the blog The Truth About Knives - spending his last 5 years there as Managing Editor. His background is in fixed-blade hunting and bushcraft knives, but has jumped into the world of vintage slipjoint collecting with both feet since coming to work at Knife Magazine. Clay’s primary role is as Digital Editor, curating and creating new content for our website and blog, as well as maintaining the Knife Magazine social media accounts (FB/IG: @theknifemag, Twitter: @knifemagazine). He is also a contributor and Associate Editor of the print magazine.

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4 Responses

  1. i enjoy his reviews. phophor bronze= peanut butter, assumptions.
    for some reason (i can’t imagine) he doesn’t allow my comments to post, so i frequent much less than previously. but goofy ass crap from china gets through.

    Reply

  2. One more time on “yellow-handled knives” . . . I have a Camillus “Yella Jaket 715” in its original box (some wear on box); knife is in excellent condition (never sharpened . . . no signs of use). Small lockback that would ride nicely in a fifth pocket . . . Cute enough to impress all genders. If you like “yella”; then it’s yours. (I will pay postage!).

    *Note: I am in the process of reducing my inventory of knives. Many of my slip-joints are new in the box (NIB): Case, Buck, et al. Some of the slip-joints are “not in the box” (NITB) and are in excellent condition: Case, Buck et al. A few of my slip-joints are “NITB” and are good-excellent condition: Uncle Henry 285UH, Western U.S.A. W65, Remington (modern era).

    Of course, I have a number of “Made in the USA” fixed blades: GERBER, TOPS, Spartan Blades and a few made in countries friendly to America, e.g. HELLE “Tamagami” and “Arv” . . . New in Tube (NIT) . . . Norwegian Hocky Humor!

    Customs: Steve Nuckels, “Moran Foundation”, Tim Potier-MS/ABS; John Hege-JS/ABS; Casey Brown-JS/ABS; Ed White II, “Moran Foundation” antler-handled Nicholson-file; Sid Barnhart “Moran Foundation”

    Contact: rickyhockensmith(at)gmail.com (I will send you photos)

    Reply

  3. All valid points Hocky. It’s a nice enough looking knife, but nothing exciting. None of the various scores he gives it square with his valid criticisms. The blade is his favorite size, shape and steel. But the grinds….The handle is yellow! But the material is hardly new, or all that expensive. The clip leaves a lot to be desired, and he thinks $215 (retail 300) is a bargain! Now I realize that four decade high inflation has increased knife prices, often from 35-60% in a year, but it’s no bargain.

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  4. “Ho – Hummm . . .”, . . . from the git-go, “Monterey” sent Sculimbrene a lemon and I am not talking vintage-looking yellow paper micarta. Fans of Laconico will buy his knives at any price. I appreciate his design approach to keeping a knife simple in form and function. This “Old Guard” has notable flaws that Sculimbrene points out in clear language. He makes quite a few comparisons to worthy competitors: Bugout, Dragonfly 2, Neutron 2 et al.

    “Ho – Humm-mm”.

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