Review Knives for people on a budget #2

[Pete1977]

The next budget knife I am going to review is the MTech Evolution Tactical Fixed Blade. I bought this knife for $18.19 shipped. It is a little pricier than the knife I reviewed in Part 1 and for the extra $6.00 the difference in fit and finish is quite noticeable.

The blade is sharp- not sharp enough to shave hair but it easily slices paper. The 8CR13 blade is robust, with a full flat grind, drop point and Tinite coating.

The grip scales are “nylon fiber” affixed with torx screws. One scale on this knife is slightly loose out of the box.

The knife is 10” OAL with a 5” blade, full tang and comes with a ballistic nylon sheath with multiple attachment points and carry options.

It is comfortable to hold in multiple grip styles and fit and finish is excellent for a sub $20 made in China knife. There is a small finger choil and the grind is fairly even.

My one complaint is the lower end of the guard is sharp and using this knife without gloves may be uncomfortable.

For someone who is not knowledgeable about knives or is not in a position to spend a lot of money, or someone who just needs a fixed blade knife for hunting or camping this is a viable option on first impression.

The knife is weighty and is fairly thick at the spine. If i get out to the woods to continue work on my surveillance lean-to I will bring this knife and put it through its paces.

My initial impression is that this knife is a solid offering by a company that is known for mass production of low end knives. However for some people MTech or other similar brands are all they may be able to afford or care to buy due to aesthetics or price point.

I am not clear whether 8CR13 and 8CR13MoV are the same steel and haven’t used this knife or tested its edge retention yet. Hopefully I can get it into the woods and put it to work.

Now for the photos.

Comparison with a SOG Seal Pup

The knife with its sheath.

8CR13 steel

The Nylon Fiber handle showing “Easy Grip Ridges” and torx screw fasteners. The left scale was loose out of the box.

There is an oblong slit for a lanyard and the nylon sheath comes with a length of black paracord attached.

After using the knife I will tighten the torx screw to see if it takes the play out of the loose handle scale and smooth out the sharp edges on the guard but I intend to first use the knife “as-is” out of the box.

 

[Chronovore]

Yes, 8Cr13 and 8Cr13Mov are the same thing. It is a common budget steel. It tends to have better edge retention than lower-numbered members of that series but also tends to be noticeably worse than 9Cr18Mov, 14C28N, D2, etc. As far as I can tell, 8Cr14Mov is just 8Cr13Mov with better quality control on the ingredients. This is the price range where 8Cr13 and 8Cr14 still represent a good deal.

I don't know if MTech actually makes anything. They've been around for a long time, at least since before I knew about specific Chinese manufacturers or could buy knives directly from China. I'm guessing that their business model has been to rebrand and distribute inexpensive Chinese-made knives. Their recent foray into nicer budget knives seems to just be rebranded CH knives.

 

[Pete1977]

I didn’t get a chance to really use this knife, the one day I got out to the blind i mainly only needed my hatchet. I do need to go check on it to make sure it is still standing after these last couple of storms so I may get a chance to test it out. Work also got busy for a while and I very very rarely carry a fixed blade of that size on the job.

I have found depending on the manufacturer that 8CR is a decent work steel. It takes a very sharp edge and holds a working edge long enough for any realistic, reasonable knife chores. It is easy to resharpen in the field if it is severely blunted or damaged. I have found it on par with Buck’s treatment of 420HC but more prone to chipping than deformation and much more prone to rust. I use a coated blade now whenever possible in 8CR.
My only real experience with 8CR has been over a decade of using Spyderco and Byrd knives where it is done well and is an excellent all around steel for those on a budget or who simply don’t want to spend over $50 on a knife.

 

[catspa]

I’m curious about your surveillance lean-to.

Parker

 

[Pete1977]

I’m curious about your surveillance lean-to.

Parker

I have not been able to get out to it for the last month. I built it for some shelter to observe a wide expanse of marsh for illegal shellfishing activity.
We have had consistently high winds and one severe winter storm since i was last there so I am not sure it is still standing.
It was constructed entirely of deadfall and natural materials so that if it did collapse or was abandoned no plastics or other pollutants would be left. I used jute twine and manila rope and harvested all of the wood from dead cedar, oak and juniper trees.

 

[catspa]

Nice. I had access to a tree stand on private property that overlooked a south sloping wooded hillside. I never hunted there, but sometimes I’d climb up before dawn and watch the sunrise light up the forest. I always found it interesting and refreshing.

Parker