CreativeOutletHobbie's Knife & Gear Blog

Sony a6300 Night Lapse Example

2017-03-12T09:44:00.001-07:00

Microtech Socom Delta Initial Review - The Details

2013-04-14T09:26:00.002-07:00

Microtech Socom Delta

Knife Review – Initial Reaction / First 30 Days

Overview

Knife Name / Description	Microtech Socom Delta, S35-VN Stonewash Tanto Blade, Black G-10, PlainEdge
Manufacturer	Microtech
Model Number	MCT16310-W118
Blade Size	3.75 Inches
Overall Length	9 Inches
Steel Type	S35-VN
Clip or Other Feature Metal	Titanium
Weight	4.6 OZ
Country Made	USA
Handle / Scale Material	G10
Lock Type	Frame Lock, with over extension prevention
Manual, assisted, or auto opening	Manual
Tip Position	Tip Up
Lanyard Hole	Yes

Low = Unimpressed, Medium = Minimum standard, just okay, High = Impressed, wow, better than expected.

Criteria	Rating Scale	Answer	Additional Comments

Ergonomics	Low, Medium, High	High	More comfortable than expected
Sharpness Out of the Box	Low, Medium, High	High	Not shaving sharp but nicely sharp. Very strong point.
Blade Play Up or Down	Low, Medium, High	High	None
Noise or Rattling	Low, Medium, High	High	None
Overall Weight	Low, Medium, High	High	Very good for the size of the knife.
Pocket Clip Options	Low, Medium, High	Low	Just one tip up position.
Lock Type and Location	Low, Medium, High	High	Frame lock is well designed, nice to look at, easy to use. You cannot over extend the frame lock.
Ease of Maintenance / Proprietary Hardware	Low, Medium, High	Low	1) Proprietary Microtech screws are used. A special tool is needed or you need to send it to the company. 2) Having a Tanto blade makes the sharpening process slower and more difficult.
Opening comfort	Low, Medium, High	Medium	Larger, flat, and grooved thumb studs are used. The knife appears to need a break in period similar to a Strider in order to make the blade opening faster and more comfortable. Somewhat uncomfortable to push flick up with the thumb so far. I expect this to ease up over time.
Speed of opening	Low, Medium, High	High	High, but see above. Flicking down with gravity and some wrist action of course makes it faster.
Open with one hand?	Low, Medium, High	High	Very Easy
Close with one hand?	Low, Medium, High	High	Very Easy
Detent / Knife Retention	Low, Medium, High	Low	Rated low due to the ability to hold the scales and swing the closed knife down and deploy the blade however, I consider this an extreme scenario unlikely to occur in daily used.
Snagging and Opening Likelihood	Low, Medium, High	High	None occurred at this time. The nature of the flat and wide thumb-stud would indicate it would be hard to snag.
Pocket Clip Tightness (Subjective)	Low, Medium, High	Medium	A little tighter than I prefer, but not as tight as Kershaw. Will likely damage/wear out clothes faster.
Likelihood of Point Damage	Low, Medium, High	Medium	Very defined point, but steel is thicker than most knives featuring this design. Tanto also makes it stronger.

Knife Comparisons	Spyderco Military, Benchmade 710, Microtech Socom Elite, Strider SMF, Sebenza
People friendliness	This is an aggressive looking combat knife. You may not want to brandish it at the neighborhood party to open the cheese whiz.

Financials / Economics of the Knife (Subjective)


Criteria	Rating Scale	Answer	Additional Comments

Does the price fit the perceived value relative to comparable knives	Low, Medium, High	High	For the money
Availability	Low, Medium, High	Medium	As of April 2013, not many online retailers had the plane edge g-10 version. Many serrated versions were available. I expect that this knife will likely have a production release every 3-6 months. Not mass produced, but if you wait you should be able to find it.
Ease of resale	Low, Medium, High	High	I expect that due to the lower production levels and many variations it will be easy to resell the knife.
Worth a premium fee in secondary market?	Low, Medium, High	Low	I don’t consider this a rare, custom, or overly limited knife and therefore wouldn't justify a premium or above retail fee for the knife in the secondary market. Patience.

Other Notable Comments:

- Blade Knife of the Year Award Winner

- Be sure to double check the exact model of the knife that you are buying. It comes in multiple steels, scales, colors, and blade edge types.

- This is more of a tactical or military looking knife vs. a utility use knife.

Conclusion

- Very high quality knife for the money. While it is an expensive knife, Microtech did a good job with the overall quality. If you like knives with a little flair or just want to try a Microtech this is a good one to get.

The Youtube Video:

Ads to support my ventures:

Zero Tolerance 750 Review

2012-08-25T11:27:00.001-07:00

Kershaw Burst Review

2012-08-25T11:24:00.003-07:00

Kershaw Burst Review

First the video:

Overall Recommendation: Buy if your looking for a low cost knife.

Where to buy:

Amazon: Kershaw Burst Speedsafe Knife

Benchmade 940 Long-Term Update

2012-07-21T09:59:00.001-07:00

Buck Vantage Pro Knife Review

2012-03-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

Buck Vantage Pro Knife Review

Comments:

-Also known as Buck Vantage TM Pro. TM is trademark but it is not being accurately used on some websites and search engines.
- Liner lock with oval hole opening or optional flipper opening.

-Steel is made from S30v, which is a very nice high end steel usually found on much more expensive knives.

-The steel heat treatment is the "Bos" key treatment, which is recognized as high quality.

-The handle scales are made out of G 10 and they feature a "CNC" style. This is a smooth contoured G10 that you do not often see of low to mid-priced knives. A version of the Strider knives feature a "CC" g10 which is the same as this.

-The knife is made in the USA.

-The lock mechanism is a liner lock. I would have like to have seen the liner lock a bit larger due to safety issue. The very first time I opened the knife it did not "lock" in place. Not a great first impression. Make sure you hear the final click of the lock before you use the knife. When the knife is brand new open and close it several times to break it in and visually inspect the lock before use.
-The pocket clip is reversible and it is a tip up carry design.

Best Uses:

- EDC, daily carry.
- Opening packages, groceries, random household tasks.

Collectors Viewpoint

-High volume production knife.

-Not rare or hard to find in 2012.

-No expectation of increased value overtime.

-Fun for a collection to represent a modern version of a historic American knife manufacturer.

Specs:

- Blade length is a 3 1/4 inch drop point or 8.3 cm.

-Close length is 4 3/8 inch or 11.1 cm.

-Weight 4 oz or 113.9 grams
-Liner lock with oval hole opening or optional flipper opening.

Recommendation:

-Good value for the money. Recommended buy in this price range.

Places to buy:

Benchmade Adamas Comparison

2012-01-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

Benchmade 275 Adamas Knife Unboxing

2012-01-06T20:25:00.000-08:00

Benchmade 275 Adamas and my color commentary.

Old Knife Collection Part 3 - Buck or Buck Clone?

2012-01-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

My Vacation EDC Updated

2011-12-31T15:51:00.000-08:00

Old Knife Collection Part 2 - Schrade Knife

2011-12-31T09:39:00.000-08:00

Part 2 in my old knife collection series.

Help me build my vacation EDC?

2011-12-21T15:07:00.000-08:00

Unboxing of a...

2011-11-10T21:52:00.000-08:00

STRIDER SLCC .190 S35VN TIGER STRIPED

2011-11-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

STRIDER SLCC .190 S35VN TIGER STRIPED

Microtech Socom Elite Review

2011-10-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

Leatherman Wingman Initial Review

2011-10-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

XM-18 Show and Tell Series

2011-08-18T16:14:00.000-07:00

Chris Reeve Knife Show and Tell

2011-08-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

Small Sebenza vs PT Strider

2011-08-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

Today's Use

2011-07-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

My large micarta Sebenza go some use today through throwing away several boxes. Its always the weekly chore in the eco friendly state that I live. All cardboard needs to be recycled and cutting ridiculously large boxes down to fit into small trash cans must be done. I support it and I get to play with my fancy tools! That still doesnt explain why companies ship goods in boxes that are 12 times the size of the actual product.

Cut Test - June 2011

2011-06-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

I did a knife cardboard cut test today with a video to be uploaded soon, but here is what I tested:

1) ESEE 3

2) Byrd Cara Cara

3) SOG Trident

4) Strider SNG

5) Spyederco Paramilitary 2 - CF s90v

6) Sebenza

7) Ontario Rat 1

Which do you think did the best at cutting cardboard?

Benchmade 710 Knife

2011-06-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

The Benchmade 710 is an iconic folder for Benchmade. Its popular due to long blade size, and unique recurve blade shape. At the same time the handle isn't extra long. People refer to this knife as a tactical knife. I would consider it a good field knife for the military or overall outdoor use when a fixed blade isn't practical.

It has the standard Benchmade Axis lock which is always good.and then standard g-10 handles. G-10 texturing can vary between manufacturers. I consider this texturing very good. Its rough enough to give good grip but isn't to rough to rip up clothing.

This isn't the knife to cut open the top covering of a wine bottle. The long blade and 3.9 inches is unwieldy for small precise cutting. This is the knife to use for recycling day if your standing in front of 10 cardboard boxes.

Overall and depending on your needs I recommend this knife.

Specs from the manufacturer:
Blade Length: 3.90"
Blade Thickness: 0.115"
Handle Thickness: 0.480"
Blade Material: D2 Tool Steel
Blade Hardness: 60-62HRC
Blade Style: Modified Clip-Point; Ambidextrous Dual Thumb Studs
Weight: 4.50oz.

Here it is in the second column top right as compared to other Benchmade knives.

Hiking gear with the intent of photography

2011-05-31T15:01:00.000-07:00

This is typically my gear for hiking and photos. Let me know if you have questions.

ESEE 3 Fixed Blade Update May 2011

2011-05-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

I like this knife a lot. I barely use fixed blades but this one is getting some hand time for around the house duties, etc. Don't laugh I'm a city slicker.

Anyway check out my video regarding some rust that has easily developed on the knife.

Leatherman Charge TTi - 2 years later.

2011-05-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

This is one of my most popular videos ever for some reason. But I thought I would share with the group again and talk about this multi-tool a year or so later.

This is still a great multi-tool. I consider it a premium multi-tool and is probably the only multi tool that I know of that uses S30v as a blade steel. That is my favorite steel if you didn't know. This MT is still a little bit large and heavy to carry in your pocket but it is good for weekend work or in cargo pants, etc. The blade is really sweet looking and in function.

After more than 2 years later it is still working properly, no rust on the blade, no broken parts. Quality is still high and maintenance was low. It didn't have high use, but it was used.

The stuff I do like about it.

--Its high end. Its fun to have your collection.

--Love the titanium and steel. Titanium is the same stuff the SR71 Black Bird is made of (nerd alert). Other high end knives are also made of this, such as the sebenza and the striders.

-Blade is ultra sharp

-Good shape / design of the tool.

-The locks work just fine and the blade can be used one handed. Open and close.

-The fit and finish is better than the other Leatherman's.

-The grip and point of the pliers is better than most MT's.

Stuff I don't like:

- It occasionally pinches me when using the pliers. Let me repeat this that it occasionally pinches me when using it.. This sucks and is one of the reasons it isn't always my first choice. Ouch!!

- Having the separate screw bits kind of useless. You will never have them with you. If you do have them with you then you probably have normal screw drivers with you as well.

-It was expensive relative to its peers.

Alternative buys of the same or similar quality:

Recommendation: Victorinox SwissTool Spirit. - The knife doesn't have a point but the overall MT is as high quality or actually better in quality fit and finish wise, but not materials.

Overall recommendation after 2 years: Still a "recommend" buy for those that don't mind spending just a little more. You might consider wearing gloves for heavy use though.