Remember the Outdoor Edge Magna?

shootist16

shootist16

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I was going through my collection today and saw one of the Outdoor Edge Magnas. I got the knife out and handled it. What a great knife. Fit and finish were one of the best in its class. Too bad it never took off and got discontinued.
 
As I remember Dennis it was a pretty good reproduction of Kit's model 4, done with Kit's permission, correct?
 
artsig1 said:
As I remember Dennis it was a pretty good reproduction of Kit's model 4, done with Kit's permission, correct?
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That's it. A Carson model 4.
 
Walking Man said:
I think the reason it flopped is because the liner a little on the thin side.
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The liners on the aluminum handled version were a little thin, but the liners on the zytel handled version were nice and thick.
 
The aluminum Outdoor Edge Magna was the best Taiwan-made folder I had ever owned and was probably one of the most underrated folders on the market. It was one heck of a knife. I lost mine after Outdoor Edge discontinued the model, but I sure wish it would come back. Kit and CRKT are you listening? ;)
 
Nice knife. I still have an Outdoor Edge Ralph tanto. I love what they were doing with the recessed pocket clips - they carried fine, and didn't bite your hand at all. The Magna certainly beat the crap out of the CRKT Carsons, IMHO. (Well, OK, no LAWKS and no flipper.)

The best Taiwan made folder I own is a pre-Benchmade Pacific Cutlery Laredo. It's so sweet it almost hurts. There's a tiny drop-off where the cocobolo meets the stainless bolsters, but otherwise the fit and action are literaly custom quality, and the grind is unbelieveable. That knife is absolutely up there with Seki and (sorry, guys!) USA made lockbacks.
 
You are right. I played with mine just the other day. The aluminium version with partial serrations. Great design and very well executed for the price too. Back when I got it, it would fail the spine whack test, so I took it apart and adjusted the liner. That helped some but lockup is still not as solid as a Spyderco or BM liner lock. Would be cool if someone brought it back into production. Preferably with better steel though.
 
So these Magna knives are actually pretty good? A gun store in my area sells some, but I've always thought they were POS imports.
 
Thirteenth Star said:
So these Magna knives are actually pretty good? A gun store in my area sells some, but I've always thought they were POS imports.
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If it is an Outdoor Edge brand then it is good. I am not sure if there is a brand called Magna or not. This Magna is a model produced by Outdoor Edge.

Here is a pic of the aluminum handled model.

magna1.jpg


And here is a pic of the zytel handled model:

oemz10l.jpg


If this gunstore has any please let me know as I would like another.
 
Dennis,
Ah, the memories. Thanks for posting:)
I attached one of mine.
 

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  • Model4GTClip.jpg
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The problem was pretty obvious. Outdoor Edge is known and successful in the hunting knife business. You can find their products in any outdoor store. They were and are unknown in the "tactical" or high tech knife business. They got some designs from Carson, as you know, and from Darrel Ralph. They were good designs and good products that were made in Taiwan. At the time, the whole world was moving to Taiwan, following CRKT's lead, as they are now moving to Red China. These knives lost out to companies better known in the business like CRKT (the Taiwan manufacturing pioneer), Gerber and others who were in Taiwan ahead of them.

CRKT hasn't been very successful at breaking into the hunting knife business either. They've sold Carson M16's by the Jillions but not so many hunting fixed blades. I'd bet Outdoor Edge outsells them handily in this market. It isn't easy to break into a new market where others are better known.
 
I remember how sad it was around 2002 when OE decided to discontinue their more exotic folders and focus on their primary hunting line. They are still active and prosperous the last I heard. They have a Neil Blackwood collaboration hunting knife that is nicely designed. I think it is called the Hybrid Hunter. I don't recall exactly when they closed down their forum here. I guess it was in the last couple years or so.
 
I picked one of these up at a knife show recently. Brand new plain edge with the aluminum handle just like Shootist 16's picture. It is a very nicely made knife. I have no reservations about the strength of the liner. From Kits picture it looks to be a very close copy of the original. Thanks for posting that Kit. One of these days I'm gonna have me a genuine Kit Carson knife to go with my M-16 and Magna.
 
I've still got my plain edge aluminum Magna that I bought directly from Kit when they first came out. Great knife. The recessed clip is great. If I recall correctly, the first run of these knives didn't have Outdoor Edge's name anywhere on it. Mine doesn't.

One knife I wish they would have made was a collaboration with Ray and Ron Appleton called the Cosmos. Ray's knives typically go for $5,000-20,000, so the Cosmos would have been a great way to get an Appleton design for an affordable price. Here's a pic:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4011025&a=30114000&p=60432561
 
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