Mantis Knives MT3
Review by Phil Elmore
It was in early 2007 when The Martialist first took note of Mantis Knives, a brand that seemed to appear out of nowhere in dealer catalogs and knife magazine advertisements. Contacting a real, live human being through the company's website proved surprisingly easy. We are therefore happy, after a year of living and working with these knives, to present long-term reviews of this company's blades.
According to Jared West, owner of Mantis Knives, the company was
founded in late 2005 and debuted at the 2006 SHOT Show. "The
Mantis Logo came to me before the name did," Jared told me. "I
was sitting in an International Business class at the Hilton Business
School at L.M.U. in 2001. I was taking notes, and this logo just
hit me, so I scribbled it down. I revised it a couple of
times. Now it's the logo that you see on every Mantis Knives box
that ships out of our Anaheim Hills headquarters."
That headquarters is a 10,000 square foot facility in Orange County,
California. Some of the knives in the Mantis line are made in the
United States, while others are assembled in Taiwan from US-made
materials (sent by Mantis from Crucible and other sources). The
result is a line of affordable knives of decent quality for the money,
including the only brand of knives officially sanctioned by the United
States Catfish Anglers Tournament Series. "We're the only company
they endorse," Jared states. "We're [also] the only knife
company in the world to offer S30V stainless steel on a folder for less
than $100.00 [USD]."
Jared carries his own company's MK1 model when "hucking boxes and
working in the shop or warehouse." While out on the town, dressed
nicely, or in formal meetings, he carries "my MT2SC. It's slim,
lightweight, and elegant." Price, performance, and style are what
set his company apart from others, according to Jared. "Put our
knives to the test," he urges. "They endure. Every Mantis
knife has a unique, post-modern, industrial look to it. Ever
since I was young, I've been into strange angles and structures in
architecture and design. If I were to design a building, it would
look an awful lot like the Getty Center in Los Angels, or maybe even
the Walt Disny Concert Hall."
At just 27 years old, Jared is a young entrepreneur who seems eager to
take on a competitive and often politically charged industry.
Mantis' blade materials range from stainless steels like 420HC to more
rugged alloys like BG42 and 154CM. Handle materials also range
from unusual metal designs to more conventional G10 and carbon fiber
slabs.
The MT3 "Classik" is Mantis Knives' all-around pocket-carry folder, a lightweight, plastic-handled daily duty knife. It's just seven inches long with a three-inch blade of 420HC steel, making it perfect for easy pocket toting (and legal in most areas, though of course your local laws will vary).
I have to admit that I was not terribly impressed when I first picked it up. It felt light and reminded me of so many of the plastic-handled folders on the market. I put it in my pocket, expecting to have to come up with something diplomatic to say about it, preparing myself for disappiontment.
Boy, was I wrong. That knife sat in my pocket and got used day in, day out, for all the million and one chores I use a folding knife to do. It cut open packages. It stripped small branches. It cut through plastic blister packs. It pried open the occasional metal circuit breaker box, though of course that was a wildly stupid thing to use it for. And do you know, that little knife just kept on taking everything I put it through...?
It's been said that to write at length is easy, while to write with meaning and brevity is much more difficult. It has also been said that to simplify a martial art is the true test of one's martial skill. So it is with knives. To do something well and to do it in a subtle, efficient package is a test of one's craft. The MT3 is remarkably simple, yet just feels good. There's nothing remarkable about it, on the surface; it's a little partially serrated knife with a liner lock and a plastic handle. But it feels great in my hand, performs all cutting tasks asked of it, continues to lock up decently after long-term use, and looks unassuming as it sits in my pocket.
The pocket clip, mounted to the pivot, shifts a tiny bit, and there is very slight play the blade when locked open on my sample. These are well within acceptable tolerances for a knife of this type and design. The liner lock engages the blade tang fully and all the way to the left out of the box, leaving room for wear. My sample was acceptably sharp from the package and was easy to resharpen with a diamond rod (which is what I normally use).
The knife slips in and out of the pocket easily. I sometimes wish the pocket clip were larger, but there are limits to the size of clip that looks and feels proper on a knife of this size. Pocket clip tension was good. The knife is so light that you'll forget you're carrying it until you need it, which is to be expected. There's a lanyard hole through the handle if you're into that kind of thing. The MT3 is configured for right-hand, tip-down carry only and would make a nice little money clip knife if you're a southpaw.
The Mantis MT3 is inexpensive, simple, and functional. This, to me, is the most complimentary combination of adjectives one can bestow on any pocket folder. Mine continues to see duty in my pocket on and off and I am happier with it than I am with some knives I own costing three times as much.
That's a bargain in any market. >>