As we have discussed many times, I'm always looking around for useful little tools I can use on the road but don't require a lot of space. These tools should have some heft and durability, but not carry like a boat anchor. I recently got a blurb from The Knife Center about a new little knife they now sold, and I ordered one. The Mantis "Tough Tony" in the drop-point profile.

I'm not usually a big fan of Mantis knives, but what caught my eye was the alloy. They still list the blade as CPM-440V instead of the modern jargon S60V, a tough high Rc rated knife that takes an edge and keeps it. My wife had a Kershaw Boa, and I think during the entire time she owned it I sharpened it only once.

Since the blade is of a decent alloy, and only 2.375 inches long I felt it would make a great knife for chucking into my possibles bag for on-the-road food preparation or even slicing a steak.

I was wrong, dead wrong.

Oh, the knife is of good quality. The action locks up like a bank vault door. The fit and finish is first rate. But this ain't no penknife. You could build a log cabin with this, or fight your way out of the toughest, drunkest saloon in Sturgis. Durable? I'm now looking for an African gun-bearer to carry this thing for me to coffee shops...

This *little* knife is big. The G-10 grips are slabs, the liners are thick stainless. The entire handle is almost 3/4 inch wide. The blade blank is just a hair short of 1/4 inch thick. In fact, I was amazed how heavy the little box was when I opened the UPS container.

The knife is now taped up and the first pass has been made with a shaping stone to make the bevel uniform. It's already very sharp, and with a little polish it will be spooky sharp. If you're the kind of guy who likes the proportions of a Snickers Bar over a Hershey product, a 1911 over a Glock or Coco over a Victoria Secret model, well then, I have a knife for you.

Well, actually, I don't have it. My company doesn't sell it. Knife Center. 43 bucks. I dare you to break it.

(Pictures later this evening.)

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/MNTMT9R ... ding-knife

Very, very, very sharp. Kind of like Spinner. Amazing small. Amazing deadly. Get one. I think this thing would stop a bullet.

https://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb23 ... 003-27.jpg

now I understand the title of the thread, yeah looks menacing with that mirror finished edge

Ya' know, RK, when people hear the epithet "biker knife" they always assume it must be a 1918 trench knife. My experience is that a Buck 110 is more the common tool. And I prefer the Buck 112.

However, considering modern alloys, G-10 handles, heavy duty liner locks, and ease of carry, I think this little Mantis might be more of the real deal. All you need is two inches of blade to field dress the biggest deer, I could easily cook a whole meal with it, and it's obviously tough enough to provide use during a lost-in-the-woods survival scenario.

No belt sheath, stout pocket clip, delivered to your door.

Since my wife is a leftie, and this knife is designed to be ambi, I switched the pocket clip over to a lefthand pocket mounting. To see if it worked correctly, I opened the knife several times with my left thumb and learned something.

The knife opens easier and functions more smoothly in leftie mode.

This happens sometimes. This knife is a "liner lock." When opened with the right hand your thumb is pushing against the lock and it is sometimes cumbersome to open. Not good in a tight emergency, like in debating the debt ceiling in a dark alley.

When the blade is rotated open with the left thumb, the lateral blade pressure just pushes on the frame, and the movement is easier.

Of course, when my wife sees this the knife is gone. I'm going to have to get another one, switch it over to my own lefthand mode and use it for my own left pocket as a back-up.

Oh, and a pet peeve. I want to add this because this is a very good knife, and your life will be better with something like this knife. That is, you will be better off "in reality."

I have been on many knife forums, and I've had to read far too many issues of TK or Soldier of Fiction Magazine. No matter what a knife is originally designed for, some idiot will want to know 'how good is it for fighting.' In THR forum they actually had to print a stickie demanding that people stop posting "end of the world" scenarios. Guys would boobey-trap an argument--or keep posting ad nauseum--in increasingly graphic and pointless arguments insisting that killing is a legitimate function of every knife.

As a guy working in the cutlery industry this condition both angers and baffles me. The guys who honk the loudest are the least likely to ever get into a serious debate, much less a down and out Bowie knife fight. Muggings can and do happen, knife duels never happen. Period.

This little Mantis is a great knife. However, there is a ton of difference between a legitimate "hard use" knife, like we would carry on a bike trip, and some tarted up anodized whore photographed in an advertisement carried by an actor hitting the beach pretending to be a soaking wet Navy SEAL. This knife deserves better. It deserves your consideration as a fine useful tool.

RK has proffered that HRF should have some form of bikers' barbeque segment here, and I agree. We'll be discussing serious ideas on food, recipes, tricks of the trade and places to buy supplies. I'm looking around now for forks, spoons, knives and culinary items that might work for traveling bikers. I think knives like this Mantis represent that idea, and they need no hype.

I have a knife I carry now but just a few years ago I used to use a "Craftsman" life time warranted buck style antler handles Sears top of the line in 1982 made USA in a leather belt holster. The holster started to wear out and I was afraid I'd loose my knife. Sears no longer offers any thing like this and it has sentimental value, not good for a riding knife.
I bought the 50 caliber smith and wesson clip knife to replace it. All Blade, you can Mac Gyver with this one, prolly not up to the tourists standards but if I loose it or break it, which I doubt cause this thing is hefty, no biggie. Sharp enough to cut through leather and stout enough to Bear Gryll's style chop down trees.
Cost on sale $15, after sale $70... I bought 2 on sale.

Well, I hope not. Otherwise I have to delete the word 'professional' from the sharpener claim.

You can, however, improve on any edge by the correct stones and a little study. I would rather have clients claim they "cut themselves" as opposed to that they cannot cut anything.

Now, a knife we use in our cooking segments might have to be held to higher standards.

I think you run what ya brung, most of the guys I know already have knives... If it will cut meat/leather it works/qualifies. You on the other hand will have a superb tool designed for an eternity of hard use, more power to ya bro. If sears still made / sold that buck style knife I'd have 2 of them instead....
The one I have now is "MORE" than qualified to cut meat.

Overall, it doesn't surprise me among my circle of friends. Their bikes run efficiently, their guns are clean, and their knives are sharp.

However, when I set up at Gander Mountain it was quite common to find a guy with a new Weatherby and dull nine-dollar knife.

Additionally, since I have access to a wide variety of knives--and I buy first run knives to test as mules--I am sometimes the first kid on my block to have the new toy. In fact, I ordered the Mantis the first time it was offered for sale.