Microtech has been synonymous with high-end, precision machined knives since their inception in 1994 in Vero Beach, Florida. They have collaborated with many high-profile knifemakers, and with this more recent release, the D.O.C., they have collaborated with Strider. The D.O.C. feels like an amalgamation of the Strider SMF and Microtech’s design flare for details.
This is a classic. There’s no two ways about it. The Microtech Lightfoot LCC changed the way that we looked at production-custom collaborations and has set the tone and expectations of those in the knife collecting community of what we expect when we see a high-end custom collaboration knife from a high-end production knife company like Microtech. The Lightfoot LCC was the knife that everyone had to have when it came out.
Ladies and Gentleman, what we have here, is a very rare and collectible piece from Microtech. It is a 1999 Vero Beach period Microtech Halo 3 OTF Automatic, one of the legendary knives that put Microtech on the map, and it is in mint condition. I was giddy as a school girl when a friend approached me with the opporunity to procure this fine piece of tactical cutlery history.
Microtech’s popular Ultratech 7 small Dual Action OTF knife is finally reviewed here. I posted a video review of the UT7 on youtube a while back, and have also embedded it at the end of this review for your reference. This is a post Vero Beach period Microtech, and is from the 2006 period, during which production took place in Bradford, Pennsylvania.
Greg Lightfoot is a famous and popular Canadian Knifemaker, member of the Canadian Knifemaker’s Guild, and all ’round cool guy. He lives on a farm in Alberta, and consequently also sells his designs to a select few production knife companies, Microtech being one of them. Microtech produces the Lightfoot LCC in both manual and dual action automatic versions.
This Microtech Kestrel was my first Microtech, and I remember being very excited when I was waiting for it to arrive. This was many years ago when Microtech was not nearly as big as it is now, and the company was still respected by the majority of the people in the knife world. I ordered it online sight unseen like I do most of my knives… and when it came I was blown away by the quality!
This is one of two Microtech Dragonflies I have owned, with the beautifully milled Aluminum handles and smooth stonewashed blade. This one was made during the period when 154CM was unreliable and has the 14-4CrMo steel blade. This specimen has the combo edged blade, which in my opinion is less desirable, however sometimes you can’t be picky when there’s a sale!
More Microtech goodness. The Amphibian is my favourite of the Microtech side-opening automatics. Beautifully machined and finished hard annodized aluminum handles, with 14-4CrMo steel from Latrobe, which is similar to 154CM. I picked this one up a while ago and had drooled over one for a long time before actually getting it. It was one of those knives that caught my eye immediately, and upon receiveing, did not dissapoint. Not even a bit.
This was my first Microtech Automatic knife, and even though it was not expensive, I really cherished it because of the fit and finish that Microtechs have gave it such an appealing look to me. Within a week of purchasing it, a buddy of mine at the Dojo I train at fired it for the first time, and the kick made him drop the knife right onto the concrete, putting several dents into the aluminum of the knife. It was painful moment…
When I first saw the Microtech Dragonfly I really liked it, so when I saw the Greenfly I had to get it. It was a cheaper alternative to the Tachyon that came out earlier, with an aluminum handle instead of Titanium. Microtech excels at machined aluminum handles so I think this model fits with their brand better anyway.
