Online knife shops suddenly flooded with Microtech production and models "customs"?

retzius

retzius

Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
1,102
Hello.

Ive noticed lately that many online knife shops are suddenly flooded with Microtechs. Not just Microtechs in general but also with $1000+ "customs" that have a polished blade or something. They used to be somewhat hard to find, maybe to justify the price tag, but now you can find all the models in every blade/handle combo imaginable. Of course the price is still high ;)

This seems odd to me. How can you suddenly pump out a ton of inventory and high value customs? What in your opinion makes a "custom"? Just because the blade finish or handle scale is different than the production model is it now a "custom" worth 3x?

To be fair, I do NOT own a Microtech. I just peruse the "whats new" section of the big online retailers every day and have noticed this alot in the past month. To be honest, it gives me a feeling that Microtech is a strange company :o
 
I think it's silly, but the open market will determine whether or not it's a sound business strategy. :)
 
I know very little about Microtech, other than their Socom Elite was once (two months ago) nearly impossible to find. The 20CV blade-steel was rated, at least by one rather popular YouTube cutting-tester, to be outstanding. It seems that the Socom Elite is once again available, but the blade-steel now appears to be S35VN.
Sonny
 
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I've heard from someone who claims to have worked in the MT factory that Marfione actually has very little to do with the manufacturing of these "customs." They're almost entirely built by his staff, just like any production knife they offer. Maybe they spent a few years making the "customs" look special so they could charge higher prices for them, and now they're able to sell a lot of them at high prices because it really doesn't require that much more attention to detail to make the higher end knives.
 
Sonnydaze said:
I know very little about Microtech, other than their Socom Elite was once (two months ago) nearly impossible to find. The 20CV blade-steel was rated, at least by one rather popular YouTube cutting-tester, to be outstanding. It seems that the Socom Elite is once again available, but the blade-steel now appears to be S35VN.
Sonny
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Long story short, general public perception is as follows: Their knives are generally well made, but their customer care and ethics are both nonexistent. Also sometimes springs break--see prior comment about customer care. Also, they make extensive use of W.T.F.™ fasteners. :D
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Long story short, general public perception is as follows: Their knives are generally well made, but their customer care and ethics are both nonexistent. Also sometimes springs break--see prior comment about customer care. Also, they make extensive use of W.T.F.™ fasteners. :D
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Put this in a stickey and give that man a sandwich!
 
I would look at their so-called customs as equivalent to Benchmade Gold Class. The problem with that is, Microtech used to be known for excellent materials, machining, fit & finish, and so on. What's the big deal making them fitter & better finished. :D

It's known as gilding the lily. Perhaps a necessary pimping when their public relations isn't going to win customers.
 
Microtech stopped making knives for a few years and made rifles.

When the economy took a hit so did their firearms business.

To make money they went back to what the know and started making knives again.

That's why they went away and now they're back.
 
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Esav Benyamin said:
I would look at their so-called customs as equivalent to Benchmade Gold Class. The problem with that is, Microtech used to be known for excellent materials, machining, fit & finish, and so on. What's the big deal making them fitter & better finished. :D

It's known as gilding the lily. Perhaps a necessary pimping when their public relations isn't going to win customers.
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Lipstick on a pig.


Leadfoot
 
pertinux said:
I know it's a typo, but evidently an apt one.

~ P.
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That literally just made me LOL. :D :D :D


retzius said:
LOL, you mean the ones that you can't adjust and leave you S.O.L.? :D

Unless you buy the $200 titanium flamed adjusted wrench?:rolleyes:
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Whoops! I must have meant "expensive" rather than "extensive." :D

I'll admit it, I own a Microtech...but it was before the silliness with the rifle, and also before when their ethical issues started rearing their ugly head. Unless something major changes I don't see myself spending another penny with 'em. I sincerely hope that things DO change, but history tells us just how likely that is. :)
 
worth of any blade is what you are willing to pay for it. If its different by just a polished blade and different handle then it's what you want to spend on a "Custom" version of the production. IMO I would feel better about buying the production and using it versus a "custom" version that is too much for pocket time.
 
That is the only issue I have with some of the custom from MI or the gold class from BM it is hard to justify EDCing a knife of that value.
 
I have 4 Microtech knives in my collection-- Lightfoot LCC, CMTX5-M, mini SOCOM Elite and a UTX70 otf.
The Lightfoot and SOCOM were made in the 90's and the quality is nothing short of superb. I have 2
Sebbies and I think the LCC is a match for either of them; wasn't this about the time MT won the
Blade Manufacturer's Award before the CRK domination? The CMT is possessed of the hated 3-point
screws, but I found a set of bits for them on line for 20 bucks and can adjust things the way I like. The CA
legal UTX70 is more of a novelty knife I suppose, but F&F is excellent. I can't comment on MT customer
service as I have never had a problem that required attention. I know Mr Marfione isn't well liked in the
cutlery community but that means nothing to me.
 
I find it surprising Microtech couldn't sell rifles because of the economy; every other firearm manufacturer is having trouble keeping supply up with the demand out there. Ruger quit taking orders because they were so far behind demand. I have heard S&W did the same thing. Must have been something about the company itself, or the rifle.

Pretty much anything that will shoot most of the times you pull the trigger is being bought nowadays out there, as well as the ammo to feed it.
 
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