Le Porc Heureux

Rough Rider Advertisement:  Due to their acute sense of smell and natural fondness for mushrooms, pigs have traditionally led harvesters in the French countryside to the often elusive delicacy the Truffle, thus inspiring the name of our Mushroom knife, "The Happy Pig". Use it for harvesting or in the kitchen.

Before I begin, I need to disclose I don’t harvest mushrooms in a farm or in the forest.  Take this in mind while reading the review.  (I might, however, test it on the pesky toadstools that pop up in my yard this summer!)

The Mushroom knife is a specialty knife used for harvesting mushrooms. The hawkbill blade is used to to cut the mushroom in the stalk area allowing the mushroom to be removed without damaging the mycelium which is the underground structure considered vital for the environment. The soft bristle brush is used to remove dirt and debris from the mushroom without bruising. (Water is not used because it can cause damage to the mushroom.

My overall opinion of the Le Porc Heureux  knife is it lives up to the usual high quality build of Rough Rider Knives.   The blade opens and closes smoothly with a decent snap.  No blade wobble when open, Overall fit and finish is excellent. 440a is used for the blade which is more than adequate for cutting something as soft as mushrooms.  Rough Rider has used a nice satin finish on all metal parts.  The boar’s hair brush on the end is securely attached and seems soft enough not to damage a mushrooms.

The knife feels very good in the hand.  The lanyard hole is large enough for a key ring and you could easily hook it belt with a snap-link if you like.  However, the overall length is such that the knife will adequately fit in a five inch folding knife pouch if you want to sheath care.

As I mentioned, the knife is a very select tool and as such very few knife makers have bothered to make them.  What I have found is Opinel, Fox, Burgon & Ball, and  Maserin are companies that make  mushroom knives.

- Opinel uses a beechwood handle and “stainless Steel” blade (grade unspecified)

- Fox has a variety of knives with different wood handles as well as G-10 with 420 Stainless blades

- Maserin also uses 420 Stainless and may actually be made by Fox as thay look almost identical

- Burgon & Ball also claims an unspecified stainless blade.

The main difference between the Rough Rider Mushroom knife and all the others is the price. The Rough Rider is $9 while the others range in price from $22-$150!  Considering the knife is used for cutting mushrooms, a better quality steel blade is really not necessary. The Rough Rider the Le Porc Heureux  knife is an elegant knife that is 1/3 the price of the competitors and should be as good at harvesting mushrooms as any other knife of the same design.

I bought the knife as a novelty.  I had never seen one before and knew nothing of the pattern. I think I will find some uses for it in arts and crafts but I’ll also be ready if anyone ever asks me to go mushroom hunting! The knife has inspired me to possibly collect other knives of the mushroom variety or possibly I will add this to my other work knives such as the cotton sampler, filet knife, lettuce knife, grape knifes, etc. 

Rough Rider “Le Porc Heureux” Mushroom Knife. (RR1400)

• Length:  5.25 inches, closed
• Blade:  Hawkbill,  2.75 inches overall (2.5 inch cutting edge)
• Blade Steel:  440A stainless steel. (brushed)
• Handle: Sturdy hardwood handle (unspecified)
• Shield: None – 4 CM black silk screen rule
• Pommel: Boar's hair bristle brush removes dirt and aids in spore dispersion
• Liners & Bolsters:  brushed stainless steel
• Pins:  Brass
• Bail:  N/A  (Lanyard hole for key ring)