NORTH MOUNTAIN BLADE — COYOTE / YAMAINU
Built for the Hunt. Inspired by Experience.
I grew up hunting in Asia alongside my grandfather. North Mountain Blade has always drawn inspiration from Japanese knife design. But after moving to the United States, I began spending more time with American hunters, sharing our knives and collecting honest feedback from the field.
Knife making is a niche profession. Whenever I go hunting with friends, my work inevitably becomes a topic of conversation. I often bring our latest designs along and let them try the knives in real outdoor conditions.
Over time, I realized something important: traditional Japanese-style tanto blades have their place in tactical applications, but they aren't always ideal for hunting. I wanted to create a knife specifically designed for the demands of field dressing and outdoor cutting.
That's how the COYOTE was born.
A Blade Designed for Hunting
The COYOTE features an S-shaped belly that provides a generous cutting curve, helping the blade glide through hide and meat with less effort. Its drop-point profile offers a controlled, versatile tip for detailed cutting tasks, including working around joints and separating meat from bone.
We chose a 3 mm blade thickness because cutting efficiency matters. Many of our other knives start at 4 mm, but a thinner blade can offer better slicing performance for hunting applications.
Replaceable scalpel-style knives have their advantages, particularly for skinning. However, their narrow blades can be limiting when you need one knife for a broader range of field-processing tasks. The COYOTE is designed to offer greater versatility in a reusable folding format.
The Crossbar Lock — A Design Worth Celebrating
We use a crossbar lock because we believe it is one of the best locking mechanisms available for an everyday outdoor folder.
Special thanks to Benchmade for pioneering and popularizing this iconic locking design. Its ambidextrous operation, intuitive handling, and practical mechanical design have made it a benchmark for modern folding knives.
For the COYOTE, the crossbar lock means convenient operation for both left- and right-handed users, with a mechanism designed for dependable long-term use.
CNC-Machined. Ergonomically Refined.
The handle is not simply a flat slab of material. We use CNC machining to create flowing contours, carefully shaped curves, and a more refined three-dimensional profile.
The result is a handle that looks distinctive, feels comfortable in the hand, and reflects the attention to detail behind our design philosophy.
An ambidextrous pocket clip further supports flexible everyday carry.
Specifications
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Model: COYOTE / YAMAINU
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Overall Length: 201 mm / 7.91 in
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Blade Length: 85 mm / 3.35 in
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Closed Length: 116 mm / 4.57 in
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Blade Thickness: 3 mm / 0.12 in
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Blade Steel: 10Cr15MoV stainless steel
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Hardness: 59–60 HRC
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Handle: G10
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Weight: 125 g / 4.41 oz
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Lock: Crossbar lock
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Pocket Clip: Ambidextrous carry
The 10Cr15MoV blade is heat-treated to 59–60 HRC, providing a practical balance of edge retention, cutting performance, and corrosion resistance for outdoor use.
Six Looks. One Hunting Philosophy.
The COYOTE collection shown here features six handle-and-blade combinations:
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Black G10 with a stonewashed blade
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Mint green G10 with a stonewashed blade
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Black G10 with a stonewashed blade,
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Blue Micarta with a bronze-finished blade
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Green Micarta with a bronze-finished blade
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Carbon-fiber-style handle with a stonewashed blade
Finish and handle details vary by version.
Why COYOTE? Why YAMAINU?
The coyote represents adaptability, agility, and survival. YAMAINU (山犬), meaning “mountain dog,” reflects the Japanese inspiration behind our brand.
From hunting with my grandfather in Asia to spending time with hunters in the American wilderness, this knife represents what I have learned along the way: a good knife should not simply look impressive. It should make sense in the hand and serve a real purpose.
COYOTE / YAMAINU — Japanese-inspired design. American outdoor spirit.
Which version would you choose?
