Knifemaker Spotlight

Microtech Signature Series

One of the good things about being a direct dealer for so many knife brands is the opportunity to get some limited edition or rare knives to bring to our market. And this is true with Microtech more than almost any other company.

Microtech has their Core Series of knives, and they are all constructed from some of the highest quality materials available. Blade steels, handle materials, even the proprietary hardware, are the best around

And then they take it one step further.

The Signature Series is a Microtech ready for both the battlefield and the opera at the same time. Sometimes, a Signature Series is a limited edition theme, such as the Star Wars or Momento Mori line up, including the ever popular Mandalorian color pattern. Sometimes, they use the Signature Series to re-introduce an older model, such as when they brought the sterile Makora back to market.

By far, the most striking members of the Signature Series are the Damascus steel options. If you take the normal frame of say, an Ultratech, make the handle scales out of great materials like carbon fiber, and top it off with a beautiful Damascus blade, you really have a beautiful knife that is just as at home in a display case as it is clipped to duty uniform pants or serving down range.

Another part of the Signature Series is a regular Core Series, but with differing handles, like the ladder or step side Ultratechs, which adds a bit more security to the grip. This is also where Microtech will do different coatings and color ways. One of my favorites we have in stock now is the Combat Troodon with the Coyote Ceracoat camo pattern, which gives it an overall very tactical look, while still standing out from the all black all the time that has become kind of a standard.

In closing, Microtech Core Series knives are the gold standard in the industry, bringing a lot of innovation, and raising the bar for the industry as a whole. And by having the Signature Series, they raise the expectation for what a production knife can be. It is a perfect halfway point between regular production (Core Series), and high end custom (Marfione Custom Knives), and brings some very beautiful knives to market at a very reasonable price point, while allowing some good experimentation with new technologies that will make their way into the entire production knife field.

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Microtech Knives & Station 9 Knives

In this latest blog post, we wanted to shine a light on some new products we have received recently. We have carried both brands previously, and now a whole new product line up we recently picked up.

Of course we carry the OTF models, like the new Makora, with its sterile blade, a new Star Wars themed Exocets, and some new colors in the Ultratech line up. But, we’ve also got the Borka Blades/Microtech collaborations; the Stitch, in both plain edge and fully serrated, as well as the SBD, which is the first Microtech fixed blade we’ve carried. All of it is really good stuff.

Our new product line comes to us from Bozeman, MT by way of Europe. Knifemaker Tony Lopes and combatives/survival instructor Vol West have teamed up to create Stati9n USA (Station 9), which is a product line for survival in austere environments and combatives situations. It is a relatively new brand, which seemed to be a big hit at the last Blade Show, and limited in offerings, but what they offer is superb. From the big WW1 inspired Partisan, good for fighting, camping and hunting, the #3 Knuckles based on an Austro-Hungarian design, or the Fred Perrin inspired #5 Scorpion, a pikal ready LaGriffe style blade also suited for field use, I see a lot of good use and success from this brand growing and offering more good, mission oriented product.

Microtech Knives
Station 9 Knives
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Knife Maker Spotlight – Fred Perrin

Our very first blog post here was on French knifemaker Fred Perrin, which you can find here: Fred Perrin article. So I guess this could be considered a throwback. The reason for the throwback is because we just received a new shipment of knives from Fred, some old favorites, some new things, and some new twists on a few classics.

 

If you’re looking for an affordable, comfortable, easy to carry small fixed blade, you’d be hard pressed to do better than these knives here. The Peeler, Fruit Knife, and Pocket Tanto are compact, come with a well fitted kydex sheath, and have a level of finish normally associated with a more expensive knife. The Peeler has a two finger handle, which includes a lanyard hole, if you wish to add one, and a nice, shallow hawkbill style curve to its blade. Great for utility use, and as a concealable hide away defensive knife. The Fruit Knife has a coffin shaped handle that presents neutral, so you can use it in any grip style you wish, and a more aggressive curve on the short blade. Next we have the Pocket Tanto, which, as its name implies, has an American Tanto style blade on a three finger handle, and is beefy enough to handle just about anything you need such a small fixed blade to do.

Following Freds appreciation for all things WWII/OSS inspired, he sent us his Mini-Pic, and the new Mini-Slasher. Both are extremely minimalist claw type blades, with a big nod towards the OSS Tire Slashers. Both are shipped with kydex sheaths, and are perfect for covert carry.

Over the last few years, Fred has started doing some collaborations with other people in the knife world, and we have two of the latest.

In conjunction with Michael Janich of Martial Blade Craft, or MBC, they have produced the Confusion. The Confusion has the trademark Wharncliffe blade that Mr. Janich advocates, this is an aggressive, short but thick defensive knife perfectly suited for the urban environment. Along with the wharncliffe blade, the Confusion has a unique pistol shaped handle that reduces the overall length while still being fully functional, but also allowing deployment as a push knife if you’d like to use it that way. Available in both 440C stainless or in titanium, a kydex sheath, and a nice padded pouch, this limited edition knife does a great job.

The next collaboration we received is the Griffed, from Fred and custom knife maker Ed Schempp. This knife is all the good things about a LaGriffe, but bigger. It has a hybrid blade that looks like a recurve spear point, the trademark Perrin fingerhole, and a large pistol grip handle with nice finger grooves, and micarta handle scales. The sheath carries and presents the knife in the same manner as a snubby revolver, so the drawstroke will be familiar. All the corners are nicely chamfered and rounded to provide great comfort, even during long term use. As with all of the LaGriffe family, the Griffed is ready for both defense and utility use.

And, speaking of the LaGriffe family, ours in-store has expanded. First, there has been a change in the regular LaGriffe production. Instead of being chisel ground, the new models are V ground on both sides. There is also more variety in this supply. Skeletonized black, titanium, the black LaGriffe with nice thick G10 scales, and the new Shorty, in black, which has G10 scaled handles similar to the LeShark, but a wharncliffe style blade closer to the size of the Griffe.

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Knifemaker Spotlight – Mickey Yurco

Mickey Yurco Profile

Mickey has been a member of the Knifemaker’s Guild since 1989, along with an association with several other knife clubs. He has studied Martial Arts in many systems since 1973 and has ranking in 4 different associations. In 2011, he retired from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office at the rank of Sergeant.

Most of his career was in Patrol, but he also worked Corrections, started a SWAT team for our Dept. in 1995, and was on the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force. At one time or another, Mickey was an operator, team leader, and trainer for the task force. Part of my work assignment was a member of the fugitive task force (which included being sworn in on the U.S. Marshals task force to be able to do wiretaps and make arrests out of state).

Mickey has been on security details for Presidents Clinton, Obama, vice president Biden, John McCain, 2 governors, and other dignitaries.

Like most makers, he started out making hunting and fishing knives. Later, he started making self-defense-based blades. Mickey stated that he was humbled to have Police, military, martial art practitioners, and everyday good guys and gals carry his blades for self-protection. He truly enjoys hearing from customers that depended on his knives to get out of a bad situation. All of Mickey’s blades are numbered and his next knife will be #4034. 

This year,I want to concentrate on Japanese blade styles in various forms. Joanne and I were able to tour Japan with my son and his family for a month back in 2019.It is an amazing culture. I also like to make things with historical materials. 

A Little About Yurco’s Custom Knives

Among the many products we have from Mickey, some of our favorites are his signature push knife, and his own take on the classic fruit knife.

The push knife appears to be a small, skinner style fixed blade, in a Kydex sheath set up for centerline position carry. And it excels at exactly what it looks like, a stout clip point, great for utility and defense.

How it really stands out though, is due to the handle shape. The teardrop style handle and the way he designed the neck of the knife allows you to grip it in a conventional push dagger style, without having the traditional “T” shaped handle, which could make legal hassles in some locales.

Fruit knives, especially the Victorinox version, have become a kind of underground thing in the edged weapons community over the last few years, and it is really cool to see Mickeys take on this design.

Looking like the offspring of a fruit knife and the old Kershaw Talon 1462st modified, aka the Southern Comfort, this knife is a handy little thing. A slight hawkbill profile, which provides outsized cutting ability for how small it is, and on this particular model, the textured and grooved G10 handle provides a very secure grip.

The handle is also a very neutral one, allowing you to use the major grip styles, hammer/reverse, edge in/out, with ease and comfort, while never feeling like the knife is not being held tightly enough. This particular knife comes with a kydex sheath done in a skull pattern, and for extra security, it includes a “thumb break” to help keep it in place.

As Mickey mentioned, he has had a long time collaboration project with Boker under the Boker Plus line.

Among my favorites is the BackDrop. It is a traditional drop point, satin finish blade, with a very comfortable and secure handle like all of Mickey’s knives, and really showcases the O.S.S influence he brings to his designs with the sheath set up. 

The basic sheath is a Kydex sheath with just the right amount of security in it.

But then, there are the attachments for carrying. Mickey invented a Kydex add on a piece he calls a “canoe”, which attaches to the bottom of the sheath, acting like a two-sided pocket hook, allowing you to carry the knife in your front pocket, draw the knife, and the hook catches, leaving the sheath in your pocket.

It also comes with a larger leather “patch” that screws onto the sheath and catching either on your back pocket or the cargo pocket if you carry it there. Also included is a length of ball chain for neck carry.

We also carry other knives from Mr. Yurco, from traditional style tantos, gamblers push daggers, to some of his saps and even a titanium bear claw necklace that looks classy, and can do last-ditch duty if needed.

Thanks for reading, and make sure to check out more of Mickey’s work via our website or Facebook pages.

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Knifemaker Spotlight

Fred Perrin

 

Fred Perrin, the knife user’s knife maker, has been a fixture in both the custom knife world, as well as the production knife world for decades, and in many forms. He has been referred to as the most controversial knife maker and knife writer in France, and his knife reviews have helped numerous people choose the right knife for them, as well as providing some much-needed humor in the tactical knife realm. One of my all-time favorite articles Mr. Perrin wrote was “I Love My Shovel”, a review on the Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel, and it definitely helped me decide to buy one at the time.

Most people in the American tactical knife arena first became aware of Fred Perrin through the LaGriffe knife, which was first a custom, handmade knife from Fred’s workshop in France, and then became a production knife by Emerson Knives, Inc, which still produces their version to this day. Hands down, I still think the LaGriffe is the perfect urban self-defense/utility knife, no matter which version you have, custom or production. I do have to say, the custom versions have a different feel, and Fred really has a rustic/tribal vibe to his custom work. He has also had several successful collaborations with Spyderco, including the Street Bowie, Street Beat, and the first folding knife collaboration he’s done, the PPT. Word has it that soon, there will be another fixed blade collaboration between Spyderco and Fred hitting the market.

“There are no tactical knives, just tactical minds” – Fred Perrin

As mentioned, Mr. Perrin tends to make tactical knives, and other self-defense-oriented tools, while maintaining a sense of art and creativity about what he makes. He does this by understanding what an EDC/self-defense tool needs to function. As one of the most in-demand instructors for government and military in Europe, he also gets feedback from real hardcore end-users, to better understand and make improvements, which is important when that tool is trusted to save your life or complete a mission. He is also influenced by his own military service, and years of real-world experience in violence, as well as training in martial arts, including pentjak silat and old school, street style savate.

Several years ago, Mr. Perrin started working with a French company, Max Knives, to make production versions of his most popular models, so more people could access good tools, without the wait time always associated with custom knife makers. Through Max Knives, there are several versions of the LaGriffe, the La Shark, Tri-folder, several of his Bowie models, as well as throwing knives, daggers, push knives, and other, limited production runs of special products, all of which are priced at a very good point, making them a great value in the self-defense world. We are proud to carry his production knives in our store, as they are very high quality for a very reasonable price point.

One of the primary issues with any custom knife, but especially with Fred’s knives, is supply. Coming from Europe, shipping, customs departments, and currency exchange rates can take a long time. Also, for many years, Perrins production knives were only available online or sold at higher prices through secondary distributors. Luckily, at CEBLADES, we have a long-time relationship with Fred, which allows us to import directly from Mr. Perrin, and bring the product line at more affordable pricing while being able to maintain a decent stock level.

 

 

 

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