Mantis MK-3vXB "Encore" and M-vX steel?

S

SubDisease

Joined
Apr 18, 2011
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So, after looking everywhere on the internet for a karambit that would come out of the pocket deployed under 100$ and I ran into this knife and Mantis, so I went ahead and got it. I haven't seen a review of this knife at all and now I've heard Mantis has a bad rap in the forums.

The whole reason I got this knife (or carry a karambit around) is for last-ditch self defense. (I'm comfortable with one and received training.)

Although now I'm beginning to realize it's more eye-candy, but the lock does seem like it'll
hold up to what I need it for. It's not like a mugger will wear wooden planks or armor for clothing. And if it does fail (very unlikely for what its use is) it's not slicing my fingers.

Anybody have better suggestions for an affordable karambit that has something similar to the "wave" feature? And based on one thread I've searched for seems like nobody knows what M-vX steel is, this was back in '09 it's '11 maybe somebody knows a bit of info on it?
 
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SubDisease said:
seems like nobody knows what M-vX steel is,
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It's a name made up by Mantis so they can use whatever they want.

Since they've been caught in the past blatantly lying about the alloy they used, I'd take whatever they say as questionable at best.
 
SubDisease said:
So, after looking everywhere on the internet for a karambit that would come out of the pocket deployed under 100$ and I ran into this knife and Mantis, so I went ahead and got it. I haven't seen a review of this knife at all and now I've heard Mantis has a bad rap in the forums. Because the company kind of blows, they make psychadelic looking junk, and not cutting tools. Mall ninjary is a good term

The whole reason I got this knife (or carry a karambit around) is for last-ditch self defense. (I'm comfortable with one and received training.) Good luck with that
Although now I'm beginning to realize it's more eye-candy, but the lock does seem like it'll
hold up to what I need it for. It's not like a mugger will wear wooden planks or armor for clothing. And if it does fail (very unlikely for what its use is) it's not slicing my fingers. Just what kind of eye candy? I guess beauty lies in the eye of the beerholder. You are correct, it is not likely that a mugger will run up on you with wooden clogs. Nowadays they pack pistols and do not necessarily need to get close to you. It's what I always tell people that think that a knife is mightier than a handgun. You cut someone and things can escalate quicly to attempted murder and all flavors of various alphabet felonies. Not to mention lawsuits.

Anybody have better suggestions for an affordable karambit that has something similar to the "wave" feature? And based on one thread I've searched for seems like nobody knows what M-vX steel is, this was back in '09 it's '11 maybe somebody knows a bit of info on it?
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My advice would be to either rethink your strategy or retrain using a conventional fixed or folding knife if your budgetary constraint is $100. I think Blackhawk! makes a karambit or some sort, lots more quality than mantis. Just my $.02
 
RevDevil said:
My advice would be to either rethink your strategy or retrain using a conventional fixed or folding knife if your budgetary constraint is $100. I think Blackhawk! makes a karambit or some sort, lots more quality than mantis. Just my $.02
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Thanks for your input! Thing is I can't carry a gun myself, and I'm not going to get into a situation where I would even have to use it, or where the mugger will be standing that far away, and if for some reason that does happen tough shit for me I let myself walk into that I wasn't aware of my surroundings. I'm not going to play the "what if 44 ninjas" game but yeah, if it does come to deploying it, it won't be for a threat display, and the fight isn't going to be a fencing match, it's going to be up close and personal assuming I'm shot dead by that time. Can't plan for everything but my strategy here is to avoid it all together, and if not I still have an option at least. I've trained with conventional knives too but stabbing is more fatal than slashing, then again everything is fatal, every fighting system is fatal, it's just a matter of how. If you don't mind me asking what's your opinion on conventional versus curved knives?
 
Mantis knives should be fine for your extreme operator tactical fatal self-defense training uses. :rolleyes:

If you want a half decent knife that you'll actually use, however, you'd be well served by looking elsewhere.
 
Dorito Monk said:
Mantis knives should be fine for your extreme operator tactical fatal self-defense training uses. :rolleyes:

If you want a half decent knife that you'll actually use, however, you'd be well served by looking elsewhere.
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heheh the way you phrased that makes it seem like I'm going to go and start making cold steel-esque videos to promote something like "Rex-fu" to use on terrorists :p

but yeah I'm starting to see this as a bad investment in the long run =\
 
return the one you got and get the mantis midnight karambit instead, these ones are framelocks that are pretty strong, this would serve your needs much better.

MANMK.jpg
 
SubDisease said:
Thanks for your input! Thing is I can't carry a gun myself, and I'm not going to get into a situation where I would even have to use it, or where the mugger will be standing that far away, and if for some reason that does happen tough shit for me I let myself walk into that I wasn't aware of my surroundings. I'm not going to play the "what if 44 ninjas" game but yeah, if it does come to deploying it, it won't be for a threat display, and the fight isn't going to be a fencing match, it's going to be up close and personal assuming I'm shot dead by that time. Can't plan for everything but my strategy here is to avoid it all together, and if not I still have an option at least. I've trained with conventional knives too but stabbing is more fatal than slashing, then again everything is fatal, every fighting system is fatal, it's just a matter of how. If you don't mind me asking what's your opinion on conventional versus curved knives?
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My thoughts on conventional vs curved are mostly formed from what I've seen and read from those that teach. Michael Janich provides excellent instruction. Just like any skill set, the knowledge gained from variety might prove more beneficial. Curved blades are excellent for pulling cuts and trapping limbs. That is enough to deter most anyone. But the same can be done with a conventional blade shape. In addition to slashing and ultimately stabbing and other movements. God forbid something happens and the weqpon aspect was needed. But anything is possible I guess.
 
I think cold steel would be the lesser of two evils in the "tactical" knife options, though I don't believe they make a karambit folder. Though I personally try to avoid knives whose sole purpose is as a weapon, at least visually speaking. However, I definitely like the fact that the hole keeps the knife firmly in your hand and have been hoping for more fixed blades with such a design.
 
I previously e-mailed Jared about the steel when it was advertised as being a High speed steel. It took a few back and forth e-mails, and Jared was very nice but all I could get from him about the steel is that it's similar to D2, as he put it.

Yes, he tried to recruit me for his militia stating members can order knives in their steel choices in some cases.

:)
 
Zip tie mod.... it works great on my quartermaster "BA Barakus" I wear it backwards and it deploys from the pocket in a reverse grip wonderfully..., zip ties only cost a buck for a dozen so u can put more cash into steel quality.... I zip tie mod all my spydercos too.....
 
I think a Karambit is something you graduate to after years of being really really into knife fighting training.
It's like a specialists tool.
It's not something that 99.999% of people, and I'm talking knife enthusiasts, would want to EDC, even for emergency defense.
When you whip it out to take down some cardboard boxes, people's reaction (rightly) is going to be "wtf...?" >_>
Especially if it's some crazy-lookin bio-hazard tactical zombie warfare Klingon blade.

CA has gotten A LOT more relaxed when it comes to CCW permits being issued.
If defense is your main concern, look into a CCW pistol.

But so far, from what I've read in this thread, and given your choice of badass weaponry, I would guess you're probably not of age :P
And if that's the case, and you're determined to EDC a knife, I would suggest forgetting the "eye candy" and look for something 180 degrees the opposite, a nice, subtle, hardly noticeable 3" that will serve you well in the mundane daily cutting tasks you'll ACTUALLY be using it for.
 
Rasco said:
I think a Karambit is something you graduate to after years of being really really into knife fighting training.
It's like a specialists tool.
It's not something that 99.999% of people, and I'm talking knife enthusiasts, would want to EDC, even for emergency defense.
When you whip it out to take down some cardboard boxes, people's reaction (rightly) is going to be "wtf...?" >_>
Especially if it's some crazy-lookin bio-hazard tactical zombie warfare Klingon blade.

CA has gotten A LOT more relaxed when it comes to CCW permits being issued.
If defense is your main concern, look into a CCW pistol.

But so far, from what I've read in this thread, and given your choice of badass weaponry, I would guess you're probably not of age :P
And if that's the case, and you're determined to EDC a knife, I would suggest forgetting the "eye candy" and look for something 180 degrees the opposite, a nice, subtle, hardly noticeable 3" that will serve you well in the mundane daily cutting tasks you'll ACTUALLY be using it for.
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c'mon fellas. the guy asked for advice about what karambit he should get if the one he ordered is a POS (it is, BTW). Our opinions about the use is irrelevant and we just come accross as condescending know it all snobs. Now that being said I have never thought of using a karambit so I really am useless in this discussion. The only reason I opened this thread was because I thought "what fool is actually purchasing a Mantis?".... awww dammit!! Now I'm a hypocrite. :foot:
 
I would LOVE to see a true metallurgical analysis of all of the steel used by Mantis. I know their "440V" is a crock of poop, and I highly doubt their Mv-X or whatever is a real improvement on D2.
 
Shao said:
M-vX is AUS-4, maybe AUS-6.
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Got anything to back this claim? I've had no luck finding out what M-vX's composition is.

I've used it and while it nowhere near a properly done 440C or D2 per Jared's words, it wasn't absolute shit like AUS-4. A decent HT'ed AUS-6 or 440A may be more on par.
 
Does it really matter for a "last-ditch self defense" knife like the OP asked about (years ago :))?

I never quite got that whole thing. Its like "I would have survived the attack if the carbides in my Mantis were smaller." or "Curses! Done in by a Rockwell hardness below 60!"

"Edge retention" is my personal favorite. :confused:
 
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