Microtech Tri-Grip Ultratech Review

Microtech has always been held as a great name in the knife industry. Established in 1994 near Vero Beach, Florida, Microtech has been a powerhouse in the industry. Their mission, “To make the best possible knives.” Anthony Marfione, the founder of Microtech, has an objective to ensure that each customer will receive the best quality knife. Constantly creating durable, quality knives, Microtech has made many knives that will get any job done. Recently, in 2015, the Microtech Ultratech underwent a major upgrade to become what it is today. Initially released in 1999, this knife has been one of the most popular knives offered by Microtech. The Microtech Ultratech is a wonderful knife, and I cannot wait to share all about it.

 

Specs

Before going into the specific details of the Ultratech, listed below is a general overview of what the Ultratech has to offer.

• Product Type: Automatic Double-Action Out The Front
• Overall Length: 8.30″
• Weight: 3.30 oz.
• Handle Length: 4.84″
• Blade Length: 3.46″
• Blade Thickness: 0.125″
• Blade Material: ELMAX
• Blade Edge: Plain
• Blade Style: Duel Edge Dagger
• Blade Finish: Black
• Handle Material: Aluminum
• Handle Color: Black
• Sheath Included: No
• Pocket Clip: Tip-Down
• Glass Breaker Included
• Made in the USA

 

Now for the details of the knife.

 

Blade Steel

The Microtech Ultratech blade is made up of the stainless steel ELMAX made by Bohler-Uddenholm. This is a fairly new steel here in the United States. After arriving in 2009, this steel has grown to be a popular steel that is used by many different companies. A comparable steel to ELMAX would be S30V. Both are powder-made stainless steels. When these two go up against each other, S30V falls short of what ELMAX is capable of doing. With its carbon and chromium composition, it is better able to resist corrosion while being able to hold a good edge as well as being able to sharpen easier. Even when compared to the improved version of S30V, S35VN stainless steel, it still holds superior to it. This steel is a phenomenal steel when compared to any other steel. Most of Microtech’s blades are made of ELMAX. They find it to provide the best balance between corrosion resistance and edge retention. It is a high chromium, vanadium, and molybdenum alloyed steel with the following characteristics: high wear resistance, high compressive strength, corrosion resistant, good dimensional stability.

 

Handle

One of the main things that stick out on the Ultratech is the new textured handle scales. The Tri-Grip was introduced in 2015 and many have fallen in love with it. This new grip is both practical and pleasing to the eye. The texture is comprised of offsetting little triangular pieces with tiny gaps in between them. Holding the Ultratech with the Tri-Grip reassures me that the knife will not fall out of my hand. The other changes that came along in 2015 include changes with the thumb slide, the edges of the handle, the hardware, and the glass breaker (we will talk more about the glass breaker later).  The thumb slide now features an “X” pattern to improve the gripping ability when firing off the knife. Now instead of the three-holed screws on the older Ultratech, the screws are now similar looking to the Tri-Grip triangular pattern. Lastly, the knife features several sections of jimping on the handle for an even more improved grip on the handle.

 

Automatic Out The Front

Automatic knives are a popular choice of knife to purchase and use. They offer many advantages that a typical folder, fixed blade, or even a spring assisted knife do not offer. One benefit to owning an auto is its deployment speed. Some may argue that a spring assisted knife is just as fast as an automatic knife. This is true in many cases, but what makes an automatic knife a better option is the easiness factor to it. With the press of a button or a flick of a switch, the blade will flash open in a blink of an eye. Not only is it quick, but it can be fired off with one hand. Plus, firing off an auto is fun to do. These features come in handy during many circumstances. If one of your hands in a bind or holding an object in need of cutting, an auto can be opened right away with one hand and do its job. Emergency response teams, law enforcement, and military personnel are all constantly faced with tribulation that requires the use of a decent knife. In many high-stress situations, having a knife ready in a blink of an eye using only one hand can help someone else live for one more day. They are different than a traditional knife and bring a new element to the knife industry.

The Microtech Ultratech is an Out the Front (OTF) knife, which has several advantages to it. A practical and safety advantage of owning an OTF is that the blade cannot close on your own fingers. You do not have to interact with the blade while closing it up. Besides that, they can be closed by switching the slide the other direction. Another benefit to using this type of knife is being able to keep the same solid grip from opening the knife to closing it. This is extremely useful if you are cutting something while holding it in one hand. You will not have to set either the object being cut, or the knife down. One of the last advantages of owning an Out the Front is being able to properly operate the knife with gloves on. Some other auto knives have more concealed buttons or other opening mechanisms that make it difficult to open with a glove on. There aren’t too many knives like an Out the Front.

The action on the automatic Ultratech is smooth and quick. There are many different OTF autos on the market that barely meet the standards and characteristics of an OTF knife. All OTF autos have some form of blade movement from side to side. The blades are not as solidly locked into place like a spring assist or typical automatic knife. But with the Ultratech, there is the minimal amount of play. It has a solid lockup for a more secure feel. Microtech has always been known for their quality automatic OTF knives.

 

Blade Style

The dagger blade on the Ultratech is double-edged and is best used for stabbing or thrusting. It has two sharp edges which allows the knife cut in on both sides. The main use for dagger blades is in self-defense close combat situations. However, it is not the strongest of blades and can break against hard surfaces. An advantage of the dagger blade style is that it is thin and has a sharp point which provides a piercing ability. Some disadvantages of the dagger are that its tip is fragile, and there is no real “belly” on the blade for slicing.

 

Glass Breaker

Many knives do not include a glass breaker. This sets this knife apart from many other knives, making it more special. It is just another tool in your pocket for your convenience. It may not be used every day like the blade, but there are those situations that arise that need this feature. Situations such as: helping someone trapped in a car, a fire in a home or office building, or escaping from a locked vehicle, would benefit from a glass breaker. Some argue that the blade will suffice in breaking glass. This isn’t always the case. Glass breakers are thick, and pack a punch to penetrate the glass.

The old glass breaker on the Ultratech was a fine pointed tip. Now the tip on the newer model is broader and has a ball bearing for the tip. Having a broader tip is said to be better when breaking glass.

 

Field Test

To help demonstrate to you as a potential owner of this awesome Ultratech, there were a series of tests that this knife underwent to demonstrate its power and usefulness as a tool. Some common things that are cut using a knife are paper, cardboard, paracord, and plastic.

Paper, being generally thin, was cut easily with the Ultratech. It was smooth as butter, as they say. The paper was in shreds when I was done. However, the test continued by stacking multiple layers of paper on top of another to be cut. Even then the paper was cut easily. Letters won’t stand a chance up against the Ultratech.

Up next was the cardboard test. The Ultratech faced a little more opposition when trying to cut the cardboard. See, the blade style makes the knife a great penetrating tool, but not so much a slicing tool. The knife was easily able to penetrate the cardboard, but when it came to slicing it, it had a more difficult time. But it still cut well. The cuts were clean and it got the job done.

Paracord was next to test the ability of the Ultratech. Normally serrated edges cut rope and paracord much easier than a plain edge. But the Ultratech has a razor sharp edge that was able to cut through the paracord easily. I foresee no problems using the Ultratech to cut through anything similar to rope or paracord.

The last test is cutting plastic. There are all sorts of plastic materials that get cut daily. You have tape that is sealing up your package containing your new knife. There is the bothersome oyster packaging that is impossible to open without a knife. And you have your typical food packages that are sealed in a plastic container or bag. The Ultratech has no problem when it comes to cutting these different plastics. The easiest, of course, was cutting through the tape. The most difficult to cut through was the oyster packaging. It was very similar to the cardboard test. It penetrated well, but it took more effort to slice through the rest of the thicker plastic.

From the tests conducted, the Ultratech is able to cut through many materials with ease. It is ready to face any obstacle that comes when carrying the knife every day.

 

Everyday Carry

When looking to get a new knife, there are a few items to look at to confirm it will be a good everyday carry. Those items include the following: its carry depth, its weight, its thickness and width, and its appearance.

Carry Depth

The Ultratech is comfortable to carry, both in your hand and in your pocket. When closed, the knife is close to 5 inches long. A typically comfortable carry knife is anywhere between three and a half to 5 inches long when closed. The Ultratech barely fits within that range. The biggest things I ask myself are will the knife fit in my pant pocket, and will it fall out of my pocket? The Ultratech is deep enough that it shouldn’t fall out of your pocket.

Weight

One of the more important aspects to consider when choosing an everyday carry is its weight. It is the worst feeling to have to carry heavy objects in your pocket, no matter what it is. A good knife weight ranges anywhere from as little as 3.0 ounces to 5.0 ounces. The Ultratech fits right into the beginning of this range. It weighs 3.30 ounces. It is quite small for its size. When holding it, it feels decently well.

Thickness and Width

When carrying a knife around all the time in your pocket, there is a limited amount of space available in your pocket. A good everyday carry knife should be comfortable to carry and easy to handle. The Ultratech is an inch wide at its thickest point. This knife is very thin in term of width. Its thickness, however, is thicker than many other knives.  We’re talking over half an inch thick. In theory, the Ultratech won’t take up too much pocket real-estate.

Appearance

I wouldn’t worry too much about how it looks. Sure it’s got to look tough, but what really matters is if it will do the job. But really, though, it looks impressive. You and others will love to look at, and use the Ultratech.

 

Conclusion

The Ultratech is one of the most popular knives out there. And for good reason too. The knife is solid, and it is intended to work hard. The new and improved Ultratech will for sure impress. You will not be disappointed with this knife. I love this Microtech knife. Grab yours today.