After Spyderco Military: Microtech Socom or Whaleshark?

Joined
Sep 15, 2011
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378
Hello,

I love my Military. Great slicer. Very convenient handle.

What would you recommend next? I'm looking right know at Socom Elite/Delta or Whaleshark as similar knives. How would you rate similarities, any comparisons are welcome.

Thanks a lot!
 
Better to look over Microtech and spent your bucks on something quality. \

Op: expect a lot of worthless answers like that.

My MT preferences go thusly: Socom Elite over Whaleshark, Socom Delta over Elite. They're all fine knives but the only one I currently own is the Delta. The Whaleshark just wasn't right in the hand for me. A little skinny. The Elite was great and I loved it, but I always wished it didn't have aluminum handles and that it was tip up- enter the Delta. G10 and tip up, the sub frame lock was a bonus.
 
Better to look over Microtech and spent your bucks on something quality. \

Have you every owned a Mircrotech. Whats wrong with them? Have you owned an Emerson, Strider, DPX?

I really enjoy the Whaleshark. Fits in my hand great and it is great F+F
 
I have a socom old school and a whaleshark, for a slicer I would use the socom and as a tough use blade I would go for the whale. That being said I carry a Para military more then either microtech.
 
I'm used to own Socom Elite and Ultratech Stonewash, they are absolutely overprice. The Socom Elite handle feel like some cheap plastic, even my Para2 seems to has better F&F at 1/3 price. Not to mention poor quality liner lock which made minor blade play out of box. Several knife collector which i known IRL also faced the same story. Microtech knife is just a joke.
 
I have a Microtech Whaleshark in CTS-204P (bead blasted, unfortunately) and it's my absolute favorite knife, bar none. People will bandwagon hate on Microtech all day, and while their practices are in no way admirable, they do make a fantastic knife. In my hands, the Whaleshark is incredibly ergonomic and for once, the choil is actually a very useful addition. The fit and finish on mine is perfect; the bearing system is incredibly smooth to the point where it barely requires a press of the finger for it to flip open.

That being said, the Socom is a much more conventional design that will probably appeal to more people. I doubt the ergonomics are as hit or miss as the Whaleshark's are, but there is a certain coolness to the Whaleshark that the Socom Elite definitely lacks.
 
Handled a whaleshark at a gunshow, was quite disappointed, had noticeable side to side play and was not a smooth opener at all.
 
Handled a whaleshark at a gunshow, was quite disappointed, had noticeable side to side play and was not a smooth opener at all.

Yea, but there's no telling how many people fondled it and yanked on it or what else. I have handled more Whalesharks than I can remember trying to talk myself into one and with 1 exception they were flawless- and that 1 just had a tight detent.
 
I'm used to own Socom Elite and Ultratech Stonewash, they are absolutely overprice. The Socom Elite handle feel like some cheap plastic, even my Para2 seems to has better F&F at 1/3 price. Not to mention poor quality liner lock which made minor blade play out of box. Several knife collector which i known IRL also faced the same story. Microtech knife is just a joke.

The socom elite has an aluminum handle so I am calling b.s. on you right now. My experiences with my Socom Elite are that it has excellent fit and finish with a fantastic action due to the ball bearings. Please post a picture of your plastic handled Elite so we can see it. There may be reasons not to like Microtech but this one seems like it may be a troll.
 
Microtech makes a fantastic product. Are they over priced? Maybe, but they aren't too bad if you consider Strider, Emersons or other low production manufacturers. Do they have bad customer service? Probably....I hope I never find out. Do they have shady business practices? It seems that they do...

Do they make great knives...YES! Their heat treatments are great and their designs are attractive. Some people hate the owner and company and I do not blame them...but from the specimen I own...they are great.
 
The socom elite has an aluminum handle so I am calling b.s. on you right now. My experiences with my Socom Elite are that it has excellent fit and finish with a fantastic action due to the ball bearings. Please post a picture of your plastic handled Elite so we can see it. There may be reasons not to like Microtech but this one seems like it may be a troll.

Not the handle itself but the rubber(or plastic?) inlay which made the knife look cheap and feel like some kid knife toy.

I have nothing against Microtech and I also like the design of them, they just have to improve their manufacturing quality by ALOT since right now its so poor.
 
Thank you very much for your great replies.
Probably I need to handle both of them, though my Military was a blind date and it come up nicely.
 
I have not tried a Socom but I would like to.

Other options in the 4" range would be the Spyderco Manix 2 XL and the Benchmade 710. And actually I have a Benchmade 890 that I like.
 
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