Max Knives MKO40 Joker — OTF automatic knife, 90 mm D2 blade, steel clip

Overview

Named the Joker, the MKO40 drives a 90 mm D2 steel blade out through the nose of its black anodised aluminium handle. D2 is a tool steel heavily loaded with carbon and chromium, known for the fineness of its grain; on this 3 mm thick blade it puts real material behind the edge. Closed the knife measures 135 mm, deployed 225 mm. A steel pocket clip is mounted on the handle, and a nylon sheath comes with it.

A steel pocket clip

The clip is the part of a knife you work hardest without ever thinking about it: every draw, every pass over a belt, every rub against a seam flexes it and lets it spring back. That repeated flexing is what decides how long it lasts, and this is where steel earns its place: it returns to shape after giving way, thousands of times over, and keeps the same pinch tension month after month. On the Joker the clip is screwed to the anodised aluminium handle, so it can be removed for cleaning or have its screws retightened once a pocket has seen plenty of use. A knife that gets carried more than it gets used has every reason to hang on firmly.

Technical specifications

The blade is D2 steel, 90 mm long and 3 mm thick. The handle is black anodised aluminium, 135 mm long, and carries a steel pocket clip. Mechanically, the OTF double action pushes the blade out through the nose of the handle and then draws it back inside. The knife measures 225 mm with the blade deployed. A nylon sheath is supplied.

Care

D2 is a semi-stainless steel: it holds a lot of chromium, but not enough to go without a wipe. Dry the blade after any contact with water, fruit or a damp hand, and now and then leave a veil of light oil on it, applied with a cloth and then almost entirely wiped off again. Anodised aluminium washes with warm soapy water and should be dried straight away. As for the clip, take it off once or twice a year, clear out the lint gathered underneath and hand tighten the screws.

Legal notice. Age-restricted item (18+). In France this knife is a Category D item: legal to sell but reserved for adults, with age verification at checkout. Automatic and OTF knives are restricted or prohibited in many countries — the United Kingdom, Germany and several US states among them. It is the buyer's responsibility to check the law that applies where the order is delivered before purchasing.