What happened to all the Microtech Fans????

W

War Eagle

Joined
Jan 7, 2005
Messages
325
I know that knife fads change and people move on to the new "IT" knife but what happened to all the Microtech fans? A couple of years ago, it seems to me, that there were a lot more discusions surrounding Microtech knives. I admit that I stopped carring my one Microtech knife, an LCC, for a few years but lately I've been playing with it and started carring it again so I thought that I would bring up a tread about Microtech knives. How many people still carry and use a Microtech knife on a regular basis?
The only reason I stopped carring mine was because it is a little bit heavier of a knife than I usually like to carry. Although, it is a great knife. I was made in Sept. of 2000 and is #3266. It has a black blade and plain edge. It is also a M/A. So lets hear it, which Microtech do you carry? Thanks.
 
The problem with MT is the majority of their knives are autos and there are states that don't allow them. Autos & DAs are mainly for LEO/military. Their socom/socom elites, LCC were the talk of the town but I have not seen anything as popular recently. MT quality is still regarded as top of the line for production but their prices are steep. The other knife manufacturers are offering more knife for the dollar these days and there are so many new collaborations to choose from.

Aside from the mini socom elite, what else is affordable and manual action from MT?




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Well, "affordable" is a pretty subjective term... but just about every one of MT's side opening autos is availible in a manual-only configuration if you search hard enough... usually for $60-80 less than it's auto, or dual action kin (so $90-190 or so).

I'm shopping for a Chameleon (CMTX5) dual action right now, and I've been running into a bunch of the manual models for around $150-175. While shopping I've seen pretty much every one except for the Terzuola, the older LLC Lightfoot style like you have.
 
Big fan of their OTF auto's but not much else. Liked the LCC but I'm a lefty and that knife was heavy for its size so I sold it. Alot of their designs are downright ugly and I think that's the reason you don't hear much about them anymore.
 
In the last 2 months I've briefly owned an LCC D/A and a Combat Talon 2 ground by Walther Brend himself. Both autos, both illegal for me to own, but I traded/sold both for nice profits. Both were awesome, perfect knives, but the expense and the fact that I could get screwed for owning one are good deterrents for me.
 
I love my MT's. Currently I have: UTX70
UMS (one red and one blue)
Halo II
Dragonfly
Soon I'll have: CMTX5 MA
MTX2 DA
 
2 years ago i got my first MT, it was a camo mini socom elite automatic. initially i liked it very much, but it had blade-play and i got tired of lubing the pivot each time (one thing i dislike in automatics, is that they require constant care, lots of cleaning and oiling).

right now though i find myself yearning for an OTF from microtech. will probably get one once i have the money, scarab most likely. it's too bad they're so expensive (relatively?).

btw, can someone confirm my assumption that an OTF is more likely to remain operative than a side-opener, if you don't oil it that much? my brother has a cheapo OTF, like $10 and 15 years old, and it still works without any maintenance, yet it has seen tremendous use and abuse.....

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I think Microtech is still just as popular as ever, but you just need to be in the right circle. They really don't produce knives for the mass market, as they specialize in autos. If you check over in forums that specialize in autos, such as the Automatic forum here, you will find they still have a following.

Microtech makes a great knife, and autos are fun. The only problem is that they are illegal in most states, and they are expensive. So that means that the average knife buyer will find a better value in a utility knife from many other companies. They will also fiind a knife that won't get them in jail or fined if they are caught with it.
 
yeah MT makes great knives, although they focus heavily on autos. The main thing is that their non-autos, while being good knives, are not worth the $130 for a 154CM liner-lock. There is better value elsewhere.
 
As someone who is a MT fan, I will say that their quality has slipped in the last year or 2, as well, they turned off a lot of people by doing 2 things, first, they reissued a lot of the original designs, like the HALO2 and CT, which screwed those people who had originals that were worth twice what they are now because of the reissues.

Second, and more importantly, their customer service, about a year ago, become next to nonexistant, at one point, they were actually telling people they couldn't send their broken knives in, and I have not yet heard that things have improved much on that front. You cAn now at least send it in, but, who knows when you'll get it back, there are endless horror stories.

I still love my older Ultratechs, HALOS, CT's, and a few others, I think at one time, MT was making, along with Chris Reeve, the finest production knife available, I'm not sure that's still true, I have seen too many factory defects lately, and things like blade play and other issues to hold them in the high regard I once did. It's a shame, some of their designs are amazing, especially the older ones like the HALOS and CT's/Nemis

But, I will say this, I'm not sure the prices are that out of line, when you can buy a NIB mini SOCOM auto from a dealer for around $120, manuals for less, or even a UMS, a ful size suto with a large S30V blade for maybe $150, doesn't seem all that high to me for what you're getting. Sure, the DA autos are more, but covert bolster releases are not exactly a cheap knife to make, and DA OTF's are just too cool to sell cheap, and you can still find NIB UTs for around $250-$275 if you look. Desert Knife Works Sand Sharks sell for what, $500? And frankly, I think they suck.

I hope they get their act together, but it doesnt seem likely IMO as Tony seems to be drowning in a spiraling whirlpool of self destruction. With great genius, often comes great character flaws.
 
I carry a Microtech Socom Elite manual action (since autos are illegal to carry in Texas) and love it, it's done everything I need a EDC knife to do. I've also picked up a mini Socom elite manual action for the wife, great little knife for just over $100.
 
I live in Indiana, which is a pretty conservative place, and I still can't have autos. And like has been said earlier, can't be a fan of a company whose knives aren't legal for me to buy, even if I could afford them.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Like I said I just hadn't heard a lot about many Microtechs lately and was wondering if there was a reason or if they just kind of feel out of favor. I didn't really think about the auto problem. I noticed that they had a lot of different autos but never really thought about that as a factor that would rule out a lot of customers. I can see where it would though.
I like the one example of the brand that I have but I don't know anyone else personaly who ownes one. Mine is almost perfect. I don't have any complaints about it. Other than the weight. :D

Megalobyte, thanks for the heads up on the customer service because I was thinking of getting a new Microtech, the Terzuola D/A, but I may not now. I hate to hear that about such a good company.
 
my Scarab Executive goes with me everywhere. i do occasionally take out my user LCC D/A too.
 
I'm very satisfied with mine, an Amphibian and an LCC that the very generous ErikD sent me as a contest prize. I carry them all the time and just love 'em. Although I only paid for one of 'em, I'd say they're worth their fairly steep price.
 
madcap_magician said:
I live in Indiana, which is a pretty conservative place, and I still can't have autos. And like has been said earlier, can't be a fan of a company whose knives aren't legal for me to buy, even if I could afford them.
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Quit crying. Butchie
 
The knives came with a pamplet about how the MT founders found Jesus and how Jesus leads to a fulfilled life.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, but maybe when/if I send in the knife for repairs I'll put a Jewish pamplet in there. I mean, as long as we are telling each other all about our religions. :p
 
I'm relatively new to the Microtech scene but I love the few I own. The last one I purchased will definitely not be my last...
 
Will P. said:
The knives came with a pamplet about how the MT founders found Jesus and how Jesus leads to a fulfilled life.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, but maybe when/if I send in the knife for repairs I'll put a Jewish pamplet in there. I mean, as long as we are telling each other all about our religions. :p
Click to expand...

LOL! :D Are atheists allowed to own Microtechs? I hope so. I have a BUNCH! :D

I actually let most of my Microtechs go a couple times except for a couple LUDTs which is my favorite. Then I accidently FELL INTO some of the REALLY GOOD CLASSIC ones through trades - I don't know - people just kept offering me them as trades and they just happened to be the older, more desireable ones so I just ran with it...

I'm having them all converted to tip-up carry too! :p

Now I've got a couple of older large SOCOMS, LCC, Kestral, 1 each of the LUDT styles, Amphibian, mini SOCOM in Anopeen, UDT in Anopeen, mini UDT, UT6. Today I got an old Satin-finish Manual Vector in the mail. I've just been VERY Microtech Lucky lately. Maybe it's a (ahem) sign from God. :D
 
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