How does Microtech get away with this?

Doesn't a "special" ,i.e. different, formula make a different steel?

4140 v 4340 for instance. A little nickle = much tougher (a a new metal).
 
That's why they're calling it M390MK. Not a lot of details on it so far, just that it's "Same but different"
 
They list what they use on the blades. They’re not sprinkling in 1095 along side M390 or cts204p. Dealers are the ones not updating every single listing because it would be a waste of dang time. 99.9% of people can’t tell the difference in real use.

It’s not like they have a budget line of knives like almost every other company. You know you’re gonna get premium. They rotate between readily available steel that is almost identical aside from the sprinkling in of elmax, which I’ve not seen in the wild recently. Has to be one of the most frivolous threads in awhile. Show me one example of microtech using crap steel and I’ll change my mind.
 
Silent H said:
That's why they're calling it M390MK. Not a lot of details on it so far, just that it's "Same but different"
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Ah. The MK. I understand now. I like M390, so let's see how it turns out. I might buy something if they ever do an ADO with their MK.
 
Jdottinger said:
They list what they use on the blades. They’re not sprinkling in 1095 along side M390 or cts204p. Dealers are the ones not updating every single listing because it would be a waste of dang time. 99.9% of people can’t tell the difference in real use.

It’s not like they have a budget line of knives like almost every other company. You know you’re gonna get premium. They rotate between readily available steel that is almost identical aside from the sprinkling in of elmax, which I’ve not seen in the wild recently. Has to be one of the most frivolous threads in awhile. Show me one example of microtech using crap steel and I’ll change my mind.
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Mostly agree, but it's not the case that they list what they use on all the blades. All the regular run stuff, yes. But a lot of the special edition Star Wars, zombie, etc. don't actually have blade steel indicated anywhere, blade, box, etc. so it's just a best guess with those. I agree it's a good bet it's not 440A on these blades, but I have to say it's odd to have so many models that don't actually specify the steel, and for some reason even for the ones that do vendors often just say "it'll be one of these three but we can't say for sure". I can't think of another brand that gets away with that. Big Microtech fan here btw so clearly I've gotten over it :)
 
Silent H said:
Unlikely, now that they have their own "special" formula of M390 that they're advertising on their new knives at SHOT Show.
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Fine with me, a lot of knives I see in magnacut have a listed hardness of like “60-62” or Simlar
I believe it was supposed to be run at 63-64 to get the most out of it, edge retention wise, which in that regard is similar to S45VN. Only, SXXVN steels don’t need a special HT, they do well at 59-60 to get that same edge retention.
I’d take M390 or S35VN @ 60 over Magnacut @ 60 HRC
 
Docscoot said:
None of the Star Wars models I’ve owned
Show the blade steel, maybe just an aesthetic choice, I’ve not lost any sleep over it but it would be nice if at least the box listed the info!
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Same with my shadow Bravos, but I believe it’s M390. If they used 204P or Elmax they are forgiven…
Charging an extra $150 for the DLC? I can’t forgive them for that, but they still got me lol
 
They get away with it because most buy them including me 😆
All kidding aside Some show the Blade steel some don’t . They always use a premium Steel so I’m not to concerned but I do agree they should list the steel used . If and when it’s sent for service and it’s taken apart the blade steel will be stamped on the blade . At least what I was told when I called and inquired about blade steel on a few of mine . Again their quality of knives and craftsmanship out weighs the negatives as far as mystery blade steel. Mainly because I’ve never seen a MT made with a blade steel I don’t like .
 
TheFactor said:
They get away with it because most buy them including me 😆
All kidding aside Some show the Blade steel some don’t . They always use a premium Steel so I’m not to concerned but I do agree they should list the steel used . If and when it’s sent for service and it’s taken apart the blade steel will be stamped on the blade . At least what I was told when I called and inquired about blade steel on a few of mine . Again their quality of knives and craftsmanship out weighs the negatives as far as mystery blade steel. Mainly because I’ve never seen a MT made with a blade steel I don’t like .
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Good point, I've never taken mine apart so it very well could just be a hidden stamp!
 
I think that only 1 of my 5 Microtech OTF shows the blade steel - a 2021 Blade Show edition in M390.
 
Rather than starting a new thread, I'm reviving this kinda sorta but not "that" old thread to raise another similar question...

I've seen some MT's marked "204" and others marked "204p"

Is this something they did pre-a certain year before changing and adding the "p"?
Even on the microtech site, under the "UTX-85" model link, in the scroll through pics it shows and orange 2018 model only stamped 204, but the main picture of the utx-70 shows a black 2020 model "204p".
Got me intrigued to this phenomenon, and I remembered this thread regarding their blade steels and stamps, (or lack of), and hoped one of you fine folks could chime in?
 
fonedork said:
The steel doesn’t matter, the heat treat is not optimal, they bank on people never using these knives
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To be fair, most large scale production companies' heat treats are not "optimal" for maximizing all the benefits of higher end steels. Most high end steels from the large production brands are run a bit on the softer side of what is optimal, but that doesn't at make them unuseable... My best guess is that it allows for more wiggle room for error when running multiple larger batches. If "optimal" is say, 63rc, and one tries to hit exactly 63 rc (on a larger batch over and over), a bit lower is OK, but there's the risk of over hardening the entire batch, which then runs the risk of having to start over (if caught by qc), or deal with a whole lot of warranty claims down the road... If the same batch though is instead aimed at say 61, there's wiggle room in either direction to still get a fully "useable" blade that an average consumer would never know the difference of say m390 at 60, 61, or 62rc. Hence why most larger production outfits I think shoot for a bit under what is optimal, wheras smaller outfits can go all in for individual or smaller, less frequent runs, with tighter controls over the final process in order to stand apart.
 
Terry M. said:
It’s irrational really. I had a ZT Elmax blade years ago and it had a horrible heat treat and ever since that I’ve not been a fan of Elmax or ZTs
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I have a ZT in s35vn that doesn't hold an edge worth a damn. It would have been easy for me to conclude that s35vn steel is no good, but thankfully I have other blades using that steel and they perform very well. I concluded that it's a ZT thing, not a steel thing.
 
Floatingby said:
I have a ZT in s35vn that doesn't hold an edge worth a damn. It would have been easy for me to conclude that s35vn steel is no good, but thankfully I have other blades using that steel and they perform very well. I concluded that it's a ZT thing, not a steel thing.
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That’s weird. What model is it? Have you resharpened it? I have a 0909, among others, that hold a great edge (especially after the first sharpening)…. Could be a geometry thing too… my 0909 gets pretty thin and slicey near the edge because of the tall blade. A lot of knives will perform much better after a sharpening,
a). To get rid of any burnt edge that was put on by a belt at the factory… and
B.) a lot of times the factory angle is around 23-25°…. Knock it down to around 20° and you’ll get much better performance that way too.
 
Floatingby said:
I have a ZT in s35vn that doesn't hold an edge worth a damn. It would have been easy for me to conclude that s35vn steel is no good, but thankfully I have other blades using that steel and they perform very well. I concluded that it's a ZT thing, not a steel thing.
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Perhaps I should give Elmax another chance. I just can’t seem to get beyond it For some reason. It’s like a mental block. Like I said, irrational
 
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