There's a mix of people who do and don't like the Schrade and Smith & Wesson knives by BTI Tools (formerly Taylor Cutlery). I think the M.A.G.I.C. design yields a pretty durable spring design that outlives Kershaw by a much longer lifespan. A lot of the complaints though come from the switch becoming stiff or something breaks and the switch moves...but the blade doesn't engage...here's my explanation and fix to that.
The Short Answer:
Check your pivot screw for looseness or put Loctite Blue on the pivot screw to permanently fix blade play development.
The Long Answer:
The M.A.G.I.C. system's switch is built off a steel washer in the pivot system with a 'L' shaped arm at the end. This kind of reminds one of the LAWKS design by CRKT but a longer reach. This 'L' shape is what grabs under the blade base and generates pull to throw the blade out under constant spring pressure. If the pivot screw loosens enough that arm is grabbing less of the blade base, It still works but you'll notice the switch takes a little more pressure to engage and over time this pressure increases as more pivot screw looseness develops. If you don't keep an eye on blade play development you'll bend the 'L' arm into an 'I' shape and render the washer/switch functionless. You can still deploy the blade via pressing the thumb-studs.
A co-worker was looking at my old Taiwan made Smith & Wesson Black Ops that is 8 years old and all scratched up and has the M.A.G.I.C. system...the engagement switch/washer still works flawlessly. He asked me if the Amazon reviews were just lies to bash anything imported considering mine still worked well at it's age, and a lot of negative reviews mentioned that switch. I left the conversation at it's pretty dramatized by people who are the just the average knife consumer without mechanical knowledge. Non-observant people who think things come on a silver platter and everything will be perfect and never need adjustment.
The Short Answer:
Check your pivot screw for looseness or put Loctite Blue on the pivot screw to permanently fix blade play development.
The Long Answer:
The M.A.G.I.C. system's switch is built off a steel washer in the pivot system with a 'L' shaped arm at the end. This kind of reminds one of the LAWKS design by CRKT but a longer reach. This 'L' shape is what grabs under the blade base and generates pull to throw the blade out under constant spring pressure. If the pivot screw loosens enough that arm is grabbing less of the blade base, It still works but you'll notice the switch takes a little more pressure to engage and over time this pressure increases as more pivot screw looseness develops. If you don't keep an eye on blade play development you'll bend the 'L' arm into an 'I' shape and render the washer/switch functionless. You can still deploy the blade via pressing the thumb-studs.
A co-worker was looking at my old Taiwan made Smith & Wesson Black Ops that is 8 years old and all scratched up and has the M.A.G.I.C. system...the engagement switch/washer still works flawlessly. He asked me if the Amazon reviews were just lies to bash anything imported considering mine still worked well at it's age, and a lot of negative reviews mentioned that switch. I left the conversation at it's pretty dramatized by people who are the just the average knife consumer without mechanical knowledge. Non-observant people who think things come on a silver platter and everything will be perfect and never need adjustment.