Max Knives MKO46DT — OTF automatic knife, 90 mm double-edge stainless blade

Overview

Two letters are all that separate this version from the previous one: DT, for a blade that carries two edges rather than one. The rest keeps the same format — stainless steel, a 90 mm blade, a 140 mm aluminium handle, 230 mm once the blade is out through the nose of the handle, OTF double action. You also find the glass breaker at the butt of the handle, the reversible clip that mounts on whichever side you want, and the nylon sheath that travels with the knife.

Three steels in the same family of automatics

The automatics in this series are not all cut from the same metal: three steel names keep coming back. Stainless steel, the choice on this MKO46DT, owes its name to a chromium content high enough to form a protective layer at the surface: it is the easiest to live with, the one that forgives being put away damp. The 440C found on other references is stainless too, but richer in carbon and therefore harder once heat treated. D2, finally, is a semi-stainless tool steel whose chromium mostly goes into forming carbides through the body of the metal; it appreciates a regular cloth in return for its tight grain. Three different compromises between hardness and easy upkeep.

Technical specifications

This 90 mm stainless steel blade is ground with a double edge. The handle is aluminium and measures 140 mm; open, the knife runs to 230 mm. It works as an OTF double action, the blade leaving and returning through the nose of the handle. The handle carries a glass breaker and a reversible clip. A nylon sheath is supplied with the knife.

Care

This stainless blade asks for very little: a dry cloth on both faces after use, and a wash in warm water when it has met salt or acid. Mind how you hold it while cleaning, since both edges cut: take it by the flat, never by the sides. The rail inside the handle appreciates a drop of light oil two or three times a year. As for the nylon sheath, shake it out regularly, since sand gathering inside will eventually score the sides of the handle.

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.