A Review of The Microtech Ultratech Out the Front Knife Line

Here at Blade Ops, we provide all sorts of useful information to help you choose the right blade for you – and the Microtech Ultratech line is no exception. We reviewed this blade to see how it stacks up against the others, what the pros and cons are, and what consumers themselves are saying! Read on to find out all there is to know about the Microtech, and who knows? Perhaps it will be the your very next knife purchase!

Introducing the Microtech Ultratech Out The Front Knife Line

About the Brand

Microtech Knives was formed in 1994 with the sole purpose of manufacturing the best knives possible. They have a whole range of other knives that all focus on quality, as well as a reasonably extensive research and development commitment that helps them to grow and change regularly. They pay incredible attention to the testing process to ensure every blade is of the best possible quality. The OTF Ultratech first came into existence in 1999 – and it was of such good design that they still make them today!

Microtech has a reputation as a stable, reliable brand in the industry. One of their proudest features is that 95% of all of the materials used in the manufacturing of their blades are made in America. Their knives are all built here in the USA.

Pro Tip: An Out, The Front Knife, is a pocket-sized knife that holds the blade sheathed inside the handle. When a button or slider is activated, the blade will pop 'out the front' of the handle.

About the Blades

The Microtech Ultratech is what the brand themselves refer to as their 'flagship' model of out the front knife. What this means to you and I is that this model was one of their first creations. That's not to say that this range of knives isn't regularly updated with their latest technology; but rather that the overall design of the knife is of such a reliably good design that they have used the original model again and again to create better and better knives.

A general description of this knife type is a better than standard out the front knife with a dual mechanism that allows the blade to pop in and pop out. As any knife aficionado will know a lesser quality OTF knife will often be a single action, meaning they will fire with a push button but will need to be manually reset. The dual action spring means the firing mechanism pops, either way, allowing for full control with minimum fuss.

Ultratech knives have what Microtech describe as a chassis handle; an accurate description since the handle contains the blade when at rest in much the same way as a chassis houses an engine. What we love best about these knives is that every single one is different – all unique. They machine the blades out of different materials, in different shapes and with various technologies applied. They make them in different colors, in different styles, as collector's items, and as tools. Several times in a year they will introduce limited edition models, change a line entirely or discontinue certain features.

Is the Microtech Ultratech a great knife to use? We'll find out in a moment. What we can tell you right now is that they're not only well made, high-quality knives – they are also highly collectible. A claim that not every knife manufacturer can make.

Pro Tip: OTF knives aren't legal in every state. Some states have to carry restrictions or do not allow this weapon to be concealed. To find out if this applies to you visit the American Knife & Tool Association and search the lists. Most states DO allow automatic knives to be carried and/or owned – but please do your own research for your place of residence.

Different Features of the Microtech Ultratech Knife Line

So, we mentioned above that this is a highly versatile line that is frequently updating and growing. We wanted to pick out a few of the features within the scope that you can shop and choose from to customize your blade.

Colors

Let's start with an easy one. Here at Blade Ops we stock and supply the majority of the Microtech Ultratech color range. You can find these high tech pocket knives in red, pink, light or dark blue, orange, turquoise, purple, black, gray, beige, violet or zombie – not technically a color but still an option. There are various shades of each color available, but we can reassure you that the color you choose will have no impact on the quality of the knife.

There are also blade colors – not just handle colors. From the black blade of the copper model to the stonewashed blade of the orange Tanto model, you have a lot from which to choose. Other options include a mirror blade for high shine, a satin blade for silky sleek smoothness, a shimmering bronze blade and an apocalyptic stonewash version just to be on the safe side. When it comes to the Ultratech knife series, there is an awful lot from which to choose!

Shapes

Unlike the color of the blade, the shape of it will determine how useful it might be to you. Like the colors, however, the Ultratech range includes many different shapes and style to suit various tasks. These are as follows:

The Tanto Blade: A single edge with an angled tip designed initially with a sharp point that would pierce armor. A fighting weapon conceptualized in ancient Japan, the Tanto is famous for those. You can read all about the fascinating history of the Tanto blade courtesy of Top Survival Weapons.

As a general rule, the Microtech Ultratech Tanto blade is a strong pocketknife that has a good point and flat grind. The blade shape means there is extra strength and metal near the tip – so anyone looking for an excellent knife for stabbing into hard materials and absorbing the impact should look towards one of these models.

The Dagger Blade: The dagger blade has dual sharp edges a very sharp point that is thinner at the end than the Tanto blade.

The dagger blade is not the thickest and shouldn't be used to stab hard surfaces. A dagger blade is best for cutting and slicing. It is one of the most popular styles based on it's overall look. It just seems a classic OTF knife features a dagger blade.

Drop Point Blade: The drop point features a single edge with a thicker spine made for cutting and slicing. The single edge is one of the favorites for those who plan on daily carry.

Combo Edge: Any of the different blade styles can be found with a combo edge. This means the first third or so of the blade is serrated and the rest maintains a plain edge. Some people prefer the best of both worlds, and the combo edge provides this. The beauty of the Ultratech combo blade is that it can do both the sawing and the cutting tasks and is multipurpose in that it combines all functions into one handy blade.

Specifications of the Microtech Ultratech

The typical length of an Ultratech blade is 3.35 inches, with the combined blade and handle size at 8.36 inches. It weighs 3.5 oz, and the handle will be made from 6061 T6. This material is an aluminum alloy that has been in use since the early 1930s. It is one of the most widely used general purpose alloys around Microtech choose it presumably because it has a very high tensile strength. The high tensile strength makes it great for balancing a blade and adding a little toughness to make it last.

The most common Microtech Ultratech knives at the moment are made from Elmax steel. Second, to that, they also make them in M390 steel, and as of early 2019, they are now using CTS 204 P for their blades instead.

Performance of the Microtech Ultratech Range

What we all want to know is how these knives perform in terms of blade specs. What are the hardness and toughness like? Are they wear and corrosion resistant? How well do they keep an edge? Well, it all depends on what material from which your blade is made. Since most of them are made from Elmax steel, we examined those knives for our review.

Hardness

The Ultratech knife with Elmax steel sits at between 57 and 59 on the Rockwell Scale (Hardness Testers) meaning that it will endure years of abuse and still retain its shape. In terms of durability, this is excellent news, in terms of resharpening it can be a bit difficult to do without the proper equipment. Elmax steel has 1.7 % carbon content, which is exceptionally high for a knife blade. Carbon makes the metal brittle and hard, so the manufacturers added silicon and molybdenum to take out the brittleness.

Toughness

These knives are remarkably sturdy – although toughness will vary with blade shape. Daggers are notoriously easier to break than a tanto blade is because it is much more likely that stress will be placed on the wrong part of the thin tip of the blade. These are knives that have been built to last with blade steel that can handle decades of heavy use with proper care and maintenance.

Wear Resistance

Both the aluminum-based handle and the Elmax steel blade are metals that you can easily still be enjoying in many years. If you keep them clean and engage in regular knife maintenance, then a Microtech Ultratech knife will last a lifetime. The Ultratech is tough with a high level of stability that won't see your knife wearing out or breaking down.

Pro Tip: If you need to know more about proper blade maintenance, then make right now the time that you learn. Visit our blog on taking care of your knife and make the most of your final choice of blade.

Corrosion Resistance

The Microtech Ultratech uses only premium steels that have an excellent range for corrosion resistance.

Edge Retention

Elmax steel was developed as an improvement over old alloys in terms of edge retention. Consumers report having weeks or even months of heavy, uninterrupted use with a sharp edge. The problem with this blade steel is not in the ability to keep the edge, but in the ability resharpen it when the time comes. Many users take advantage of Microtech’s offer to resharpen and retune your knife for the lifetime of the blade—to take advantage of this offer you typically only need to pay a nominal fee to cover shipping charges.

The Microtech Ultratech Knife – Is It Worth It?

The key takeaways from this range are that it is highly durable, very stable, well balanced, and long-lasting. This is one of our favorite out the front knife lines currently available on the market. In fact, every single employee at BladeOps owns at least one Microtech Out the Front and most days several of us are carrying ours because we love them so much.

If you haven’t picked one up yet, we say get your Ultratech today, you won't regret it.