Max Knives MK145 — Ball Bearing Folding Knife, 95 mm Black Blade

Overview

The MK145 is a large folder, 226 mm open and 135 mm closed, built around a 95 mm drop point blade in 3Cr13 steel with a black finish and a 3 mm spine. Its aluminium handle keeps the weight in check: 197 g for that size puts it forty grams under the MK140 even though it is the longer knife. The lock is a liner lock, and the knife carries a glass-breaker point along with a belt cutter. But what really separates it from the rest of the series happens at the pivot, on a handful of steel balls.

The ball bearing pivot

On most folders the blade turns between two washers that rub, more or less smoothly depending on the material. The MK145 replaces that flat contact with a ball bearing race: small steel balls run in a cage on either side of the pivot, and the blade rolls instead of sliding. Friction drops, the blade swings out on a short push of the thumb, and closing takes no effort once the lock is pushed aside. It is mechanics you can feel: the movement stays even from one end of the arc to the other, with no tight spot along the way.

Technical specifications

Drop point blade in 3Cr13 stainless steel, black finish, plain edge, 95 mm long and 3 mm thick. Aluminium handle measuring 135 mm, which is the closed length of the knife; overall open length 226 mm. Pivot running on a ball bearing race. Liner lock mechanism. Glass-breaker point and belt cutter built into the knife. Weight 197 g.

Care

A bearing pivot mostly asks for cleanliness: pocket dust and sand are its only real enemies, because they settle between the balls and their cage. Rinse under clean water after dirty work, blow the water out with compressed air, then dry. Use a light oil and use it sparingly — a heavy oil would slow the bearing rather than help it. Dry the blade after any contact with moisture, and sharpen at a constant angle, following the original profile of the edge.

Legal notice. Carrying a knife in public without a legitimate reason is an offence in France and in most European countries. Check the law that applies where the order is delivered before purchasing.