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Knifemaker Spotlight – Mickey Yurco
- Knifemaker Spotlight
- February 18, 2022
Mickey Yurco Profile
Mickey has been a member of the Knifemaker’s Guild since 1989, along with an association with several other knife clubs. He has studied Martial Arts in many systems since 1973 and has ranking in 4 different associations. In 2011, he retired from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office at the rank of Sergeant.
Most of his career was in Patrol, but he also worked Corrections, started a SWAT team for our Dept. in 1995, and was on the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force. At one time or another, Mickey was an operator, team leader, and trainer for the task force. Part of my work assignment was a member of the fugitive task force (which included being sworn in on the U.S. Marshals task force to be able to do wiretaps and make arrests out of state).
Mickey has been on security details for Presidents Clinton, Obama, vice president Biden, John McCain, 2 governors, and other dignitaries.
Like most makers, he started out making hunting and fishing knives. Later, he started making self-defense-based blades. Mickey stated that he was humbled to have Police, military, martial art practitioners, and everyday good guys and gals carry his blades for self-protection. He truly enjoys hearing from customers that depended on his knives to get out of a bad situation. All of Mickey’s blades are numbered and his next knife will be #4034.
This year,I want to concentrate on Japanese blade styles in various forms. Joanne and I were able to tour Japan with my son and his family for a month back in 2019.It is an amazing culture. I also like to make things with historical materials.
A Little About Yurco’s Custom Knives
Among the many products we have from Mickey, some of our favorites are his signature push knife, and his own take on the classic fruit knife.
The push knife appears to be a small, skinner style fixed blade, in a Kydex sheath set up for centerline position carry. And it excels at exactly what it looks like, a stout clip point, great for utility and defense.
How it really stands out though, is due to the handle shape. The teardrop style handle and the way he designed the neck of the knife allows you to grip it in a conventional push dagger style, without having the traditional “T” shaped handle, which could make legal hassles in some locales.
Fruit knives, especially the Victorinox version, have become a kind of underground thing in the edged weapons community over the last few years, and it is really cool to see Mickeys take on this design.
Looking like the offspring of a fruit knife and the old Kershaw Talon 1462st modified, aka the Southern Comfort, this knife is a handy little thing. A slight hawkbill profile, which provides outsized cutting ability for how small it is, and on this particular model, the textured and grooved G10 handle provides a very secure grip.
The handle is also a very neutral one, allowing you to use the major grip styles, hammer/reverse, edge in/out, with ease and comfort, while never feeling like the knife is not being held tightly enough. This particular knife comes with a kydex sheath done in a skull pattern, and for extra security, it includes a “thumb break” to help keep it in place.
As Mickey mentioned, he has had a long time collaboration project with Boker under the Boker Plus line.
Among my favorites is the BackDrop. It is a traditional drop point, satin finish blade, with a very comfortable and secure handle like all of Mickey’s knives, and really showcases the O.S.S influence he brings to his designs with the sheath set up.
The basic sheath is a Kydex sheath with just the right amount of security in it.
But then, there are the attachments for carrying. Mickey invented a Kydex add on a piece he calls a “canoe”, which attaches to the bottom of the sheath, acting like a two-sided pocket hook, allowing you to carry the knife in your front pocket, draw the knife, and the hook catches, leaving the sheath in your pocket.
It also comes with a larger leather “patch” that screws onto the sheath and catching either on your back pocket or the cargo pocket if you carry it there. Also included is a length of ball chain for neck carry.
We also carry other knives from Mr. Yurco, from traditional style tantos, gamblers push daggers, to some of his saps and even a titanium bear claw necklace that looks classy, and can do last-ditch duty if needed.
Thanks for reading, and make sure to check out more of Mickey’s work via our website or Facebook pages.