Shopping for a new OTF

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On the extreme cheap end, a Taiwan Lightning is about 40 bucks. To me no inbetween that and a Microtech for the quality and money. I'd take a Microtech or Guardian Tactical anyday over the benchmade but it's more of a personal preference.

Buy once cry once. Get a good one and you will appreciate it.
 
When Colorado lifted the prohibition on switchblades, I went out and bought a Phaeton. It's okay, but honestly, I'm not sure it was worth it.

If you want nothing but a small edge for cutting only, which is fast to get out and put away, it may be worth it. But anything that stays on the blade when it's retracted ends up inside the body and can get into the mechanics. I half way wonder if a gravity knife would be a better way to go.

Best letter opener I've ever owned though.
 
I got one (Benchmade INFIDEL) and it is a very fine knife, just to see what the hullabaloo was about.

Benchmade-Infidel-OD-Green-DLC-Exclusive-BHQ-81491-er.jpg

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Benchmade-Infidel-OTF-Automatic--81491

But, Honestly, this Kizer is also a very fine knife at 1/3 the price. I wanted to buy American and there are some very fine blades made here but this one checked all my boxes. It is definitely an upper-tier non-custom knife to rival the semi-customs. Great fit and finish, attention to detail, durable, smooth, sharp and fast opening frame lock with the flipper. Also very corrosion-resistant which is my main requirement. The flipper is very fast.

20190731_222538.jpg

KIZER Knives Ki5466A1 - CPM-S35VN Stainless Steel - Titanium Handle:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B076GXMLKF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Armored farmer said:
Are there any good alternatives? I'm thinking $200 max.
Click to expand...
$240 will get you a Microtech UTX-85, which, as the name implies, is an 85% scale version of their very popular Ultratech. That's the least expensive, reliable alternative I can find. However, $20 more will get you a full size Ultratech. Check BHQ frequently - More popular colors, and options like single edge blades, tend to sell quickly when they get batches in from Microtech.
 
Like most, good quality auto blades really got my interest up... until I thought about it a bit and decided that they're not for me... With a bit of training and practice you can open most locking blade folders pretty darned quickly when needed - and all with one hand. An ordinary locking blade folder has one other attribute that isn't very obvious - and that is unless someone sees how you open and employ it they don't tend to notice it the way everyone does an automatic....

And in street terms I'd rather not be carrying an automatic if at all possible since it marks the one holding it for a bit of extra attention....
I'm not doing anything exciting (if I can help it...) but the lessons learned in that world make me want to keep as low a profile as possible -while still being fully able to defend myself with a blade if it comes to that...
 
When it comes to auto knives, to me, Microtech is top of the line. Save a little longer, spend a little more, and get an Ultratech.

I carried a smaller version, UTX-70, for years with no problems or malfunctions. Made a fine light and small gentleman's pocket knife.
 
The benchmade have a more lethargic deployment, looser tolerances, and that the ratio of blade to handle is off.

Microtech has it down on all these things. They are great blades, worth it is beholden to the owner but I find them worth every penny for what you get. They are also moving to produce now in 204p, I love the m390 also.
 
That UTX 85 Se has it all going for me, and $248 is a good deal. Just wondering about the Houge new ones , a little bigger same price. They are all ready into 2 ND gen it seems.
I got one of these, it is single action but really comes out hard and locks super tight. Had it 4 years or so. I don't sit there and fire it but keep it handy .
https://www.bladehq.com/item--Asheville-Steel-Paragon-PARA-XD--78133.
 
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Just got the S&W M&P OTF in the mail today ($37 on Amazon).

It is a decent knife, some very small play in the blade but mainly it is a 2-handed opening and closing. It has a 'safety' to open which is optional to use but if you use it it is 2-handed to open. And it is a single action so 2-handed to close. It does have a glass breaker.

It is more neat looking than practical. Might be a good replacement for my Gerber box-cutter tho.

I have a couple of other under $40 OTF's coming in and we'll see how they are. Nothing to compare to my Kizer ^^^ tho.

Update #1:

Oh, just figured out how to open it one handed using the safety, kinda slow and wouldn't want to have to do it under high stress but it's doable, for example if your other hand is occupied.

Update #2:

After playing with it some more I like it, going to add it to my EDC.
 
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