Otf vs auto for daily use

Weasipoint

Weasipoint

Gold Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
572
hello everyone
I've been looking at these forums for over a year now as I got more serious about knife collecting. I really just want to say thank you to everyone here for all the great info and posts, reading these has saved me from making several purchases I would have regretted. My knowledge has grown and id like to get more involved in the discussions. I apologize now if I break any posting rules, its not intentional and I will learn.
My question is for daily use would a microtech LUDT or a Otf like the utx-85 be better? I dont do heavy work but do use my blades daily. Went to look at both and the salesman said the OTF is known to get dirty and the action starts to stick so its not as reliable. I prefer the style of the otf but at the price, id prefer one i know will work everyime I take it out.
Thank you for any help and look forward to future conversations!!

Collection so far-
Zt 095bw
Zt0561
Medford slim midi
Benchmade Osborne
Spyderco police full serated
Vintage puma stock
Puma pounce
Early century pradel
 
OTF’s are undoubtedly super fun to open and close, but I personally prefer the LUDT for day-to-day tasks, primarily because it’s just a more useful blade size and shape, and super thin behind the edge. The LUDT also carries very well because it is light and slim in the pocket. As the mechanism is much simpler, you also won’t have to worry about as much maintenance, if that’s a concern.
 
While not a Microtech guy, I really love OTF's. As long as you clean any residue off the blade when you're done, you shouldn't have a problem. But that goes with most knives.
 
Wow I actually can't believe the otf can take that much of a beating , that was another concern I had is that with the mechanism, they seemed fragile. Evidently that is not the case. Im embarrassed to say but I only recently started oiling and doing regular maintenance so was a little afraid of keeping up with the otf, just liked the style.
 
Side opening autos are fun, but honestly for practical daily use, I find certain manuals more convenient, in particular the AXIS lock (unassisted) by Benchmade and similar. The AXIS lock is every bit as easy to close with one hand as it is to open, and in fact the only thing IMO that comes close to it would be a double-action OTF auto. Sure, most modern manual knives aren't all that inconvenient to close one handed, such as frame/liner locks, mid/back locks, Spyderco's Compression lock, etc. Side opening autos are possibly the least convenient of the "modern" knives to close one handed, as it'd require pushing the blade against something like your leg or the table/counter or whatever.

I EDC'd a Microtech Scarab for a good while. I mainly sold it because I was short on rent money and I never replaced it because my interest in autos waned and I had personal issues with Microtech.
 
With you being new here, there is a simple BladeForum mathematical equation when dealing with a situation like this...looking at A and B...A+B...which equals- buy both!

I had a similiar thought last year and started looking at autos and i bought an ultratech and protech tr3 and am glad I did. I'm enjoying both a great deal!
 
If you have to use it around someone who isn’t a “knife person,” an OTF will definitely draw more attention. A side-opening automatic can be opened slowly by using your other hand as a brake. When I carry my OTF in the office, I keep an SAK around to avoid any awkwardness.
 
If reliability is your concern, get the LUDT. I have had three OTF knives fail to open on me multiple times... it’s bound to happen eventually. I have never had an auto fail.

My personal opinion is that OTFs are a novelty item. The torture tests on YouTube mean nothing to me, because the fact is the auto will do all that plus more.
 
Thank you all for the advice, seems like maintenance is really a deciding factor. Since i only recently got more consistent with the cleanings, and am still not very good at it, I did pick up an ludt. Only complaint I have is its a little small for me, im 6'5. Its day 1 and I like the feel, just wish it was a little bigger
 
I EDC'd a Microtech DA OTF for a little while and I would not carry an OTF again as my primary knife. My personal opinion is that they are expensive for what you get, finicky, difficult to keep clean, and difficult to service, but I am biased towards knives that I can quickly detail strip, clean, and reassemble on my own, and OTFs are about as far away from that as you get. The MUDT/LUDT is an extremely solid design and it features a very useful blade shape with great geometry.
 
I’ve carried an Ultratech, combat troodon and Dirac EDC alternating, but the UT is 4 years old and has been carried 75%of the time and I have never had any issues all three have been solid knives and are very easy to clean. Lube and maintain.
 
I have a large farm and when it comes to dusty and dirty conditions, this occupation rates one of the highest. We have been planting for the last couple of months, cutting open bags of seed and fertilizer is One of the most abusive use of a blade. I’ve been carrying a UTX85 for 4 years and it works flawlessly. I’m also a gun dealer/gunsmith with 35 yrs experience. I have found that half of the time when people bring in an auto gun not working, it’s dirty and dry. The same goes MT OTF. If it’s not clean and dry(No oil) it won’t work. About once every two to three months I saturate it with Remoil and then blow it out with an air compressor, regular maintenance . No problems. Buy one with confidence! Durability, believe that video. As far as the old debate of OTS vs OTF, I see no difference except personal preference. I’m also a collector and have 47 MTs of all shapes and sizes and and have carried most at one time or another. I prefer to carry the UTX85 because it doesn’t fill up my pocket and I can still get my hand it my pocket(I have monster sized hands) Great knives
 
Sted1201 said:
I have a large farm and when it comes to dusty and dirty conditions, this occupation rates one of the highest. We have been planting for the last couple of months, cutting open bags of seed and fertilizer is One of the most abusive use of a blade. I’ve been carrying a UTX85 for 4 years and it works flawlessly. I’m also a gun dealer/gunsmith with 35 yrs experience. I have found that half of the time when people bring in an auto gun not working, it’s dirty and dry. The same goes MT OTF. If it’s not clean and dry(No oil) it won’t work. About once every two to three months I saturate it with Remoil and then blow it out with an air compressor, regular maintenance . No problems. Buy one with confidence! Durability, believe that video. As far as the old debate of OTS vs OTF, I see no difference except personal preference. I’m also a collector and have 47 MTs of all shapes and sizes and and have carried most at one time or another. I prefer to carry the UTX85 because it doesn’t fill up my pocket and I can still get my hand it my pocket(I have monster sized hands) Great knives
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I agree with most of what you said, however blowing out with a compressor will still leave a lot of oil residue inside the mechanism which is actually necessary. Just blowing out the oil will not remove it all. If they run bone dry you will have problems.
 
I have had many more problems with side opening automatics. Bouncing off stop pin is not a reassuring feeling. It's also very unsafe. Whereas an out the front failing to open will not put your fingers in jeopardy.
 
I use a Microtech LUDT on a regular basis and I couldn’t be any more pleased with it. Their M390 steel is great. However, I’ve tried using their otf knives for regular tasks but I wouldn’t advise it. The way the blade locks open and the inner workings of those knives (their different models) are not ideal for regular knife chores, at least that’s in my experience. But I’m sure there are others with more experience and better knowledge than mine.
 
Yo Mama said:
I have had many more problems with side opening automatics. Bouncing off stop pin is not a reassuring feeling.
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I don’t have much experience with autos, is this more common in larger blades with more inertia? The only auto in my modest collection is a Launch 12 and so far it’s been 100% reliable.
 
rpn said:
With you being new here, there is a simple BladeForum mathematical equation when dealing with a situation like this...looking at A and B...A+B...which equals- buy both!

I had a similiar thought last year and started looking at autos and i bought an ultratech and protech tr3 and am glad I did. I'm enjoying both a great deal!
Click to expand...

LOL, yes that damned equation.

It can also be expressed as "A+B = Wallet - $"

But it's usually how I solve my "which one" problems.
 
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Lee D said:
I don’t have much experience with autos, is this more common in larger blades with more inertia? The only auto in my modest collection is a Launch 12 and so far it’s been 100% reliable.
Click to expand...

Happened with multiple protech models, tr3 and tr4 (2 of them). In a firm grasp it would bounce off the stop pin. Protech was not able to fix. They did offer a replacement or refund each time. I ended up with keeping a godson and a godfather that work fine. Even the boker Kalashnikov has been perfect.
 
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