With my Large Sebenza out for customization (WTC design on handles) I realized that after Chris Reeve buffs it out, my knife will most likely sit in the gun safe and I will take it out twice a year when I wear my tux and omega watch. So I wanted something for my EDC but it had to be as strong as Sebenza but better. I mean I like Sebenza but it just didn’t do it for me. So I looked around and for a while thought about custom Emerson but many people were very happy with their Microtechs. I looked at them but mostly they made automatic switchblades types which really were not what I was after. Automatic knives are illegal. Period. No way around it. How about having an automatic knife that works like regular one but with move of a secret part is a switchblade? Sounds good in theory but not so kosher in practice. Yes my friends I had the same doubts. One part had to suffer in order to make it work both ways. Not true. I ended up getting Microtech Terzuola knife. It works just like a regular knife. It has a decent sized thumb stub to flick it open and it locks solidly in place. Handles are right on the dot comfortable. Now the automatic part… When I got the knife I promised to use it for a day without the automatic deployment. Fun. It was like any other knife I had and with a solid heavy blade it was an easy opener. But I was really curious how the automatic part works. So without reading the manual I tried to open it but I couldn’t. It was just impossible. So finally after reading I found the switch. This part also works great. It deploys the blade with sure snap and locks it securely in place. It is priced about the same what Large Sebenza is so this is not a cheap knife. But this is also not a disposable knife. Like I said before it is an illegal knife in many places but it doesn’t look like one and unless you know this knife there is no way to activate the automatic function. I took a break this weekend and while camping out, kayaking, working on my water skills I used this blade as a regular manual knife. My friends were using it (again) and nobody even suspected it was automatic. At the end of the trip I need to cut of some lines and deployed the knife which brought some attention from few of my friends who after folding it still couldn’t find release mechanism. So if you looking for a change or a conversation EDC piece there you go.



Matt

I've never understood the thinking for, or against automatic and gravity knives. A filipino gangmember once pulled a butterfly knife on me with more theatrics than a Balinese shadow puppet. I stopped him cold with a string of Tagalog verbal abuse and in the window of opportunity brained him with a toilet seat ( legal carry in California.) A collector friend and a local CHP spent an hour trying to master a German FallshirmYaeger( paratrooper) gravity knife. When we finally did, the thing was so dull paracord defeated it under tension. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I think opened tuna cans should be outlawed. I just made a mess of 3 fingers making lunch <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Emerson knifes, equipped with the wave system, are opened as soon as they are out of sheath/pocket.
And they are not automatic

Matt--

You'll like your Microtech. I've carried a SOCOM M/A (manual action) for 2 or 3 yrs now (primary EDC), & it's arguably the finest folder I own (no Sebenza yet, alas!).

You done good!

David

I'm a child of the 50"s, although I was born in 1946.

In the 50's they used to advertise the "Black Beauty" Italian switchblades in all manner of magazines (This was back when you could buy handguns through the mail, and we still had fewer incidents of gun violence than we have today) for about $4.95 plus shipping.. whereas the ones I import and sell cost $45.00 plus shipping.

It is for the most part an impractical knife except for thrusting and penetration of light body armor (It will go through Kevlar(Actually between the threads.) as will many knives with other blade designs) and thick layers of clothing easier than other knives that do not feature the "dagger" or "bayonet" style of blade design.

I don't care that it is impractical for many uses, because to me there is something elegant, beautiful, and sleek in the "fish" outline of the open knife even in the basic black handle design. It was considered a "gangsters" or "hoodlums" weapon and knee jerk politicians in their haste to look good outlawed import of all automatic knives in about 1957. Germany makes some beautiful high quality lever lock automatic knives with standard style blades that suffered the wrath of political idiocy.

As some of you who have read my previous posts know, I import some Italian 4" bayonet style blade stilettoes that have a fingernail grove for "normal" opening and they come with springs that can be installed in those States which allow them and by certain people who are qualified to own them (Mostly military, paramilitary, police, and in some States, one-armed people.).

So far, most of the knives I sell are to Postal workers, and peace officers, although younger peace officers tend to prefer the tanto style blade.

Knife designs are like art, you may not understand their design, function, use, or reasoning for owning them, but you know what you like.

I have kept 4 different handle design knives for myself, and none of them has the spring attached, because it is the knife design that intriques me.

Bountyhunter

What type of sheath do you use to carry that toilet seat around? <img src="images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

The phrase "preferred weapon of gang members" figured prominently in the law banning switchblades. I found it quite interesting that the same phrase was used in the law banning so-called "semi-automatic assault weapons" (since there is no such thing!).

David

I'm just a bit negative on this knife BECAUSE it is so solidly designed, actually. I've found that the very strong deployment spring.. coupled with the ergonomics of your thumb while using the "super secret" switch..makes the knife want to jump out of wet or slippery hands.

So, contrary to what one would think, I use the automatic feature in "unimportant" situations and the thumb button manual mode in situations where to drop the knife would be dangerous (i.e., more dangerous than just the foolish feeling I get when I drop any knife).

I have nothing but positive regard for the edge holding abilities, etc,. however.

I grew up watching my grandfather still shave with a straight razor. I even mastered the skill myself. I just learned sales to California are prohibited on these too. <img src="images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Is it possible that if all we "reasonable" people put on life vests and brought rafts and small dingys with us to the San Andrea fault line and jumped up and down hard enough, we could eliminate most of Californias two-legged nuts by having most of California cleve into the sea?

Bountyhunter