Brand Spotlight: Microtech Marfione Knives

Marfione Custom Knives is the branch of Microtech Knives founded by Anthony “Tony” Marfione and his wife Susan. The couple created their first knife prototype in 1994, and shortly after released the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) knife. This was the official beginning of Microtech. Brand recognition by the general public quickly followed, due to the exceptional quality of the blades. The business expanded rapidly due to the demand for their product.

Tony developed a reputation for creating one-of-kind custom knives and has become one of the most recognizable names in the industry. His custom knives each feature exceptional craftsmanship, high-quality materials, unique designs and custom high end packaging.

Tony is known for producing tactical automatic knives for use by the military and for knife enthusiasts to add to their collections. Two of their most popular designs are the Out the Front (OTF) and the Double Action automatic knife. Listed below in no particular order are some of their most popular styles.

Ultratech

The Ultratech is the standard OTF knife against which all other OTF brands are measured. The Ultratech uses a sliding thumb control on the side that extends the blade with a quick flick of your thumb. The Ultratech is a classic Microtech style, but was given a new look in 2016 by adding a  contoured handle, giving the knife an ergonomic feel. The blade won Blade Magazine’s "Manufacturing Quality Award" twice.

Tachyon

The Tachyon was first released in 2000 and was the company’s first balisong knife. Since then, Microtech has revamped this knife numerous times. The most recent version, The Tachyon III, went on the market in 2012. The name, Tachyon, stands for the exceptionally smooth and quick manipulation of the blade. A tachyon particle travels at a speed of light, and manipulating this knife evokes that feeling of quickness and unbelievable speed.

LUDT

The LUDT stands for "Large Underwater Demolition Team", a model Anthony developed over 20 years ago. The side opening automatic is a fast firing knife that has become a requirement for many knife enthusiasts including Military and LEO personnel.

Arbiter

The Arbiter is a fixed blade Bowie-style knife introduced into production in 2015. The dual edged knife was designed by Adam Marfione for maximum tactical effectiveness.

SBK

The SBK is a model recently added to the Microtech production line. This fixed blade was created when Sebastian Berenji, a custom knife maker and owner of Borka Blades teamed up with Anthony to design this exquisite Japanese and Persian-inspired fighting knife. A line of  black DLC coated kitchen knives from the duo is set to hit the market around Christmas 2016.

Currahee

The Currahee is a fixed blade designed for the U.S. Special Forces Boat Team more than 20 years ago. This knife is used regularly by the Special Forces, and has proven it can endure most conditions and has surpassed all expectations.

Combat Troodon/Troodon

The combat Troodon is built to have a broad array of uses and was specifically designed for CQC close quarter combat. This makes it specifically popular with military personnel, law enforcement, and first responders. The standard Troodon has a similar design, but is 25% smaller than the Combat Troodon which makes it easier to conceal and carry.

Halo

The Halo is one of their best selling and longest standing OTF knives.  It is specifically known for having a very fast blade deploy. The largest single action OTF on the market, the Halo can puncture with the best of them. It is the hardest firing OTF on the market.

Jagdkommando

The Jagdkommando is named after the Austrian Special Forces Operation Group. There are three sharp edges on this knife, resulting in a deadly point. This knife also comes in a mini model, the Mini Jagdkommando neck knife and is 55% smaller than the original. This makes it much more practical for concealment and daily use. The Microtech Jagdkommando is the only knife banned by the U.N.

UTX-70 and UTX-85

These knives are modeled after the Ultratech, but are significantly reduced in size. The UTX-85 is 85% of the size of the Ultratech, and the UTX-70 is 70% of the size of the Ultratech. The size enables you to easily carry them in your pocket or purse. A very popular choice among Microtech enthusiasts but they are not offered very often.

Star Wars Themed

Recently Microtech began designing Star Wars themed knives. This is an example of one of the many themes you can request for your Marfione custom made knife.

Awards

Throughout the years Microtech and Anthony Marfione have earned numerous accolades. The company is recognized throughout the industry as producing some of the highest quality knives available on the market today. Tony Marfione has been featured in Le Chasseur a l’Arc, honoring his unique Tomahawk blade design.

In 2004 his MTX2 won the "American made knife of the year" award by Blade Magazine.  The MTX2 was also on the cover of Tactical Knives magazine in January of that same year. In 2007 Microtech’s sister company Microtech Small Arms Research (MSAR) created the STG-5.56 weapon. Microtech became the first knife company with a firearms division.

In 2011, they won the "Most Innovative American Design" award at Blade Show for the Select Fire.  In 2012, they won the "American made knife of the year" award for the Socom Delta.

More recently they won both the "Collaboration of the year award" and the "Most Innovative American Design" award for the DOC and DOC KillSwitch.

Summary

Microtech has become the standard that other knife makers strive to emulate. Year after year the company continues to innovate and create some of the best products on the market. Their long standing lifetime warranty continues to evolve and as they get turnaround times dialed in you can expect to see faster returns on warranty work. A Microtech product is not only a guarantee of owning a quality knife, but ultimately will prove to be a great investment in the years to come.