Mantis Knives T5

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.  

Jared West, Mantis Knives OwnerAccording 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 Mantis T5 "Monacoe," while it has the futuristic and stylized appearance that characterizes the entire line, is actually the simplest and most primitive of locking folders.  It's a relatively straight folding frame lock with no pocket clip, perfect for toting in your pocket or dropping in a desk drawer (or tool box, or tackle box).  The three-inch drop point blade tapers to a needle tip and is made of BG-42 ball-bearing steel.  The all-metal handles are of 420J2 for rust resitance.

What at first looks like a dual thumb stud arrangement is actually a pair of blade stops.  The wide slot in the blade is what I use to thumb it open.  It opens smoothly and locks securely with no play.  The frame lock engages the blade tang almost completely, leaving a little room for wear.

Angular as the knife might seem, it is actually quite ergonomic, with thoughtful grooves on the back of the blade and at the rear of the frame.  The blade itself was very sharp out of the box and cut extremely well through a variety of test media.  It did duty as my package knife for a couple of weeks and only needed moderate touch-up work with a diamond hone.

I think everyone should have at least one non-pocket clip knife to carry in a pocket or to keep in their desk.  The T5 is stylish, well-made, and has good fit and finish to complement its futuristic design.  It is unobtrusive without being boring.

That's not easy to do.  >>

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