Knives By Nuge Wicket XL Signature Series #1

by Nick Italiano

Tom Nugent owner and sole knife maker of Knives by Nuge, is approaching the one year anniversary of being a full-time knife maker. While he has been making knives for a few years, he left his job as a police officer in early 2023 to pursue his passion of making high quality knives with a purpose driven design that just beg to be used. Over the last year we’ve seen vast modifications to existing designs and the introduction of new designs such as the wildly popular Wicket XL. While all his knives are excellent, today we are going to look at a very special new line: the Knives by Nuge Signature Series . The concept behind the signature series knives is to create one-off or small batches of  knives, that are completely hand made and offer labor and time intensive features and finishes that you will rarely find on his regular runs. Tom is planning on offering Signature Series Knives across multiple models in his lineup. Today, we are looking at the very first in the line, the Wicket XL Signature Series #1.

The Wicket XL

Before we dive into the details of the Signature Series, let’s take a look at the other variants of the Wicket XL that are out there; being one of Knives by Nuge most popular models there is a ton of variety in this line. All variants are 6.5 inches overall with a 3-inch blade.The XL comes in 2 different blade grinds, a thin and super slicey Full Flat Grind and a robust Scandi Grind. Where the real variation comes in is the handle materials and finishes.

The most basic model is from the Primitive series which features a epoxy jute wrap handle and a forge scale blade finish, other variants of the primitive series see a blasted full flat grind with jute wrap and hande and there is currently a variant of the primitive series with bolt on g10 handle scales in the prototype phase. Some of the more premium versions feature Micarta scales with flared copper or brass tubes for excellent mechanical handle retention and a touch of class. The pursuit line features hunting and fishing oriented XL’s with g10 handles and colored cerakote blades. There are even variants in prototype phase which feature classic wood handle scales.

With so much variety in the line-up it’s hard not to find a Wicket XL that fits your taste and budget. The addition of the Signature Series brings a new level of premium to the line and is definitely something that would appeal to collectors and those who just want something that is a truly unique custom knife.

Signature Series Wicket XL #1 Features

This Signature Series Wicket XL has the same overall length and blade length of any other XL and it features a laser sharp full flat grind blade. Beyond that we start to see some very different features. For starters the blade has a gorgeous hand satin finish that is really stunning. The reverse side of the blade has Tom’s signature laser engraved, the spine is laser engraved with “signature series #1.” These small touches make a big impact as there is no question of the unique nature of the knife.

The handle scales really shows the unique and premium nature of this knife. For starters, the high polish micarta scales have hand sculpted contours, giving it more of that classic “coke bottle” shape. The handles have neon green pins and tubes, and there are matching neon green handle liners rounding out the look. 

Fit and Finish

In my experience with every knife that comes from Knives by Nuge, fit and finish is a definite priority. Tom takes a lot of pride in his finished product and it shows in every knife he produces. The Signature Series really kicks it up a notch; every little detail is painstakingly well executed from the handle contouring to the hand sanded satin blade. The time and effort that went into producing this piece is clearly apparent when handling the knife and looking over the features.

The Full Flat Grind Nitro-V blade is expertly done and is hair splitting sharp. The custom made Nuge-dex (kydex) sheath is very well done and fit perfectly to the knife. The addition of stand offs in this sheath makes the blade deploy easily and return to place easily with a very satisfying click. The retention is excellent, with absolutely no rattle whatsoever.

Final Thoughts

Normally, when I write about knives, I include a section of how they felt in use, but I will be honest, I don’t plan on using this knife. I have a few other Wicket XL’s that I do use on a regular basis, and they are incredible Knives! You can read about one of them in this article. Simply stated, the Wicket XL Signature Series #1 is a work or art that I have no doubt is also an excellent cutting tool! There are more Signature Series models coming from Knives by Nuge, so if you’re looking to add a truly unique one of a kind knife to your collection or user rotation, keep an eye on Knives by Nuge’s social media and sign up for his newsletter.