Max Knives MKO44 — OTF automatic knife, 440C blade, 13 mm thick handle

Overview

What strikes you about the MKO44 is the bulk of its handle: 130 mm long, 13 mm thick, in aluminium, for 178 g all told. The blade it houses is 440C steel, double-edged, 85 mm long and 2.5 mm thick; it leaves through the nose of the handle, OTF double action, and takes the knife out to 215 mm. Fittings include a belt clip and a glass breaker drilled for a lanyard, and the knife travels in a Cordura sheath.

Thirteen millimetres of handle thickness

On a folding knife the blade lies back against the handle and needs no more than a slot. An OTF works differently: it has to house the entire blade along its full length, plus the rail that guides it and the spring that drives it, all inside the handle. That architecture takes room, and here you read it in the stated 13 mm of thickness. In the hand this is not a constraint but a grip: the fingers find a rounded body to wrap rather than a plate to pinch, the handle stays holdable with gloves on, and 178 g spread over 130 mm give the knife a footing that does not shift while the hand works. An OTF handle is as much a housing as a grip.

Technical specifications

Aluminium handle 130 mm long and 13 mm thick; 440C steel blade with a double edge, 85 mm long and 2.5 mm thick; 215 mm overall with the blade out. The knife is an OTF double action. It carries a belt clip and, at the butt of the handle, a glass breaker drilled for a lanyard to pass through. Its weight comes to 178 g. Delivery includes a Cordura sheath.

Care

A thick handle is also a hollow one: it is the blade housing that needs to stay clean, so blow it out through the nose of the handle with the knife pointed down rather than pushing anything inside. One drop of oil on the rail, no more, and the travel stays even. 440C should be dried after any contact with water and is perfectly happy stored away from damp. Finally, run a cloth around the inside of the Cordura sheath: the fabric holds on to the dust the handle brings back from the field.

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.