Knife Review: The Pro-Tech Fish Scale TR-3 Automatic Knife

The Pro-Tech Fish Scale TR-3 Automatic Knife

Pro-Tech’s aesthetic is when the art of modern manufacturing excellence meets old world craftsmanship. This is a family owned knife company that has been building high quality American Made knives since 1998. Each of their knives is a blend of the finest materials available as well as a commitment to craftsmanship. Their knives are built with the most current high-tech manufacturing processes that included CNC Machining, Wire EDM, and Laser Cutting. The high-tech components are assembled and hand fit by dedicated and caring craftsmen and women right in their factory. This means that each of their knives is made in the USA.

They say, “Made in America! Pro-Tech builds some of the finest knives in the world right here in the good old United States. The majority of components for each knife are manufactured inside the Pro-Tech facility. We start with bars of aluminum, billets of hand forged Damascus, sheets of steel and titanium. These premium raw materials are carefully machined, ground, debuted, finished, assembled, sharpened, inspected, and packaged right here under one roof.” This means that they have a quality that you can trust while also feeling patriotic because you are giving fellow Americans a job.

Pro-Tech says, “We manufacture small batches of our knives so that we can take the time to individually hand fit and finish each knife to a level rarely seen in a factory knife.

Our production knife models offer the best design, function, and value of any knife on the market today. Our custom art knives are unique pieces of art. Each of our custom, limited-edition knives is a showpiece of heirloom quality. No matter which of our knives you choose, we are confident that you will be very satisfied with your purchase.

Our selection of knives is ever changing. New designs from collaboration partners, new variations of classic designs, inlay materials, Damascus blade choices, etc. Be sure to check with your favorite Pro-Tech dealer to see what the latest offerings look like.”

Today we are going to be talking about a new arrival at BladeOps, that also happens to be an Exclusive offering for BladeOps: The Pro-Tech Fish Scale TR-3 automatic knife.

The Blade:

The blade on this Pro-Tech is made out of 154CM stainless steel. This is a Crucible Industries steel, which does mean that you can expect a higher quality of steel than from many other manufacturers. Crucible is known for making steel that is specifically for higher end pocket knives such as this one, so when it comes to the characteristics of the steel, you are going to get everything that you want and nearly nothing that you didn’t.

154CM steel is a high-end steel, but it is not the equivalent of a super steel. This steel is known to be an upgraded version of 440C steel. So how did they upgrade the base steel? Well, Crucible added in Molybdenum, which is used to help the steel have high levels of hardness, which translates into a top-notch edge holding ability. Plus, this steel is going to keep the high levels of corrosion resistance that 440C has, even though it does have less Chromium. The Molybdenum really does add quite a bit to the steel.

154CM steel is tough enough for most jobs that you are going to come across. This is great, because normally when a steel is this hard, it is not as tough as many would desire. You get the best of both worlds from 154CM steel.

The blade has been finishes with a DLC stonewash mirror finish. This is a combination of finish. It has first been coated with a Diamond-Like Carbon. This coating is one of the most durable coatings, being known for staying on for the longest periods of time. One of the main drawbacks to most coated blades is that the coating does peel or scratch off after some time. However, the DLC coating is known for not scratching off, due to the extreme hardness of it. This coating is also pitch black, which does cut down on glares and reflections.

The stonewash finish is known for adding an element of texture to the blade. So, instead=o having the sleekest DLC, it is going to be a textured DLC. This makes it look worn and rugged in the best of ways.

Lastly, the mirror finish. This is a bright, clean finish that is known for being incredibly reflective. However, it is also known for being hard to maintain, because of how smooth it is. But, because the three finishes are combined on this knife, resulting in an exclusive version of the TR-3, the mirror finish is not going to be as complicated to maintain.

The result of the combined finishes is one that you aren’t typically going to see. It is durable, strong, yet still bright and nicely textured.

The blade has been carved into a traditional drop point blade shape. This is the most popular blade shape that you can find in the cutlery industry today. This blade style is tough, versatile, and the perfect all-purpose blade and knife for you. The most common place that you are going to find this blade shape is on hunting knives, but you will be able to find them on virtually any style of knife. That being said, the blade style is formed by having the back edge of the blade, which is the unsharpened edge, run straight form the handle to the point in a slow curving manner. The belly of the knife slowly curves upward to meet the lowered point. Because it has a lowered point, you are going to more easily be able to control your cuts and slices, which makes this blade shape ideal if you are going to be doing any tip work or need to be very focused on your task.

One of the other benefits of the lowered tip is that it is also a broad tip. This is the characteristic of the knife that gives the drop point blade style its famous strength. This strong tip is also what allows you to take on such a wide variety of tasks.

One of the other great features of this blade style is that it sports such a big belly, which is used when you are slicing. The majority of tasks that you will be completing day to day involve slicing, so the big belly with definitely be worth it.

The drop point blade shape really only has one disadvantage, which is that because it has such a broad tip, you do lose out on much of your piercing capabilities. The drop point does miss out on many of the piercing capabilities, but you are left with so much more strength. When it comes to these two blade shapes, you just have to decide if you would rather have piercing capabilities or strength.

The Handle:

The handle has been made out of 6061-T6 aluminum that was anodized black.

Aluminum makes a great option for a knife handle material because of its various qualities. The aluminum is tough, corrosion resistant, and lightweight. With a larger knife like this one, the lightweight aspect of the aluminum is going to be a big advantage. In fact, aluminum is known as low-density metal. This means that it is not going to weigh too much. It won’t weight you down and you will be able to take this tactical knife with you in the field without having to worry about weight or size. But, the lack of weight is not going to take away any of the toughness. A low-density metal is going to still provide you with the heft that you feel like you need to confidently rely on this Pro-Tech.

Aluminum is also incredibly corrosion resistant, which does mean that the knife is going to be as low maintenance as possible. This is not prone to rusting and really all of the maintenance that it requires is wiping the handle down and making sure that it is dry after each use. 6061-T6 aluminum is the aluminum alloy that has the highest yield resistance. This means that it is going to be the toughest, most durable, and most corrosion resistant alloy out of any aluminum handle.

Of course, aluminum does have a few disadvantages. The first is that it has high conductive properties. This means that in cold environments, the aluminum is going to feel even colder. In many environments, this actually does not affect the usage whatsoever. However, in extra-cold or tumultuous environments, you may want to keep in mind that the handle can feel bitter at some time. The other disadvantage is that aluminum is prone to getting scratched.

The handle on this has been anodized black. Not only does the anodization process provide a sleek color, it also increases the toughness and durability of the aluminum. The anodization makes the handle stronger and even decreases the chance of it getting scratched—which is one of the biggest disadvantages when it comes to aluminum handles. The anodization process will affectively prolong the life of the handle.

Part of the exclusivity of this knife is that the handle does have a fish scale pattern etched into it. These etchings are going to increase the texture that you have, which will in turn, increase the grip that you have on this knife. It also adds a unique look that you aren’t going to find on other knives.

The shape of the handle is simple, which adds to the elegance of it. There is a row of jimping on the spine of the knife at both ends. This will increase your hold on the knife, allowing you to feel more confident as you use it. The belly side of the handle also sports a row of jimping near the butt of the handle. There is a finger groove that will add comfort as well as grip.

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip has been anodized black to match the rest of the handle. It is kept in place by three black screws, which match all of the hardware on the knife. This is a longer pocket clip, so it will stay securely inside of your pocket as you go about your day-to-day activities.

The Mechanism:

This is an automatic knife, which does mean that it is not going to be legal in all states. There are a strict set of laws in the United States that make automatic knives illegal. It is your responsibility as the user to know your local knife laws. BladeOps is not the responsible party.

Barring the legality concerns, automatic knives are going to be the quickest to bring into play. They open fast and smooth, ensuring that you have the blade deployed at a moment’s notice.

The Specs:

The blade on this version of the TR-3 measures at 3.5 inches long with a handle that measures in at 4.5 inches long. This means that when the blade has been deployed, the overall length of the knife is going to come in at 8 inches long. This is a standard size for a pocketknife, especially one that you will be able to use every day. The knife weighs in at 3.6 ounces, which again, is a great weight for a knife that you plan on suing every day. This Pro-Tech was proudly made in the United States of America.

Conclusion:

This automatic knife features a black anodized aircraft-grade aluminum handle "fish scale" pattern and a drop point style blade, complete with compound grind, in a DLC stonewash mirror finish.

The Pro-Tech Tactical Response, or TR Series, is the bread and butter of the Pro-Tech side-open automatic line-up. The TR-3 is one of Pro-Tech's most popular models and for good reason--from the 3.5" blade size to the slender profile that is really easy to carry.

This exclusive knife is currently in stock. However, it is a limited run, with only 50 units having been made. If you want this knife you should secure yours now by clicking here.