Mantis Brand?

[jedikniht7]

was just curious if mantis knives were any good? I have seen them around here an there online and some of the models "look cool" specially the kerambit models and a kneck knife called the picker 2. Has anyone here had any experience with this brand?

[dete]

was just curious if mantis knives were any good? I have seen them around here an there online and some of the models "look cool" specially the kerambit models and a kneck knife called the picker 2. Has anyone here had any experience with this brand?

not directly, but I had my eye on them for a while now, and they seem to get good reviews.

[Agent Starling]

I have the karambit MK-1 and I quite like this little beastie. :) It is smaller than other karambits I have handled and has a smaller sized ring, so that's another plus. YMMV :D

Agent Starling

[Dr. Snubnose]

Mantis makes a decent product..I own about 5 of them...The Karambit is nice, built pretty solid... but I gave it away as I'm not a big karambit fan...but I have the other four knives and they are good and well made...the sheaths are another story on their fixed blades...the knives rattle and are loose inside the kydex on all of them....so they don't have the sheath making process down pat...I have had some other sheaths made for them as I do like the knives.....Doc:D

[nathan310]

I also had the karambit and gave it away. It felt uncomfortable in my hand and the whole handle is just metal no g10 or handle material on it. Plus I thought it was kind of goofy looking.

[Piet.S]

I don't care for them.
It appears to me that the designs are all about ''looking cool''.
Not a very importent feature if you want to make a good knife IMHO.

[224477]

To me, their stuff looks like a pure "wannabe operator" and "mall ninja" crap. They are using good materials for some of their stuff, but the design is, imo, not anything a skilled guy would take for a service. The presentation of the company and "militia" stuff jsut underlines it.

[Jay_Ev]

Right now my interests are mostly Spyderco. There are currently too many Spydercos that I want and this is preventing me from branching out & trying other brands.

Jay

[Dr. Snubnose]

To me, their stuff looks like a pure "wannabe operator" and "mall ninja" crap. They are using good materials for some of their stuff, but the design is, imo, not anything a skilled guy would take for a service. The presentation of the company and "militia" stuff jsut underlines it.

Sorry to disagree with you Jano, but the knives are far from mall ninja crap to use your expression...Not everything can be of Spyderco quality, but I do consider myself to be a skilled guy, and would not feel at a disadvantage carrying a Mantis Brand knife....if needed to be brought into service it would serve you well...and to be perfectly honest a few of their fixed blade models knives which I own I would consider them to be better made then some of the Spyderco's I have seen and handled....That being said I will repeat that their sheaths are made like crap...but fancy to look at, but not very functional....In my dealings with Mantis Company Representatives I am most disappointed, and I would not trust them to do what they say they would do for anything....Just to let you know I'm not a fan of the company by any means....however the truth is they make a decent knife, functionally, and tactically, credit must be given where credit is do...I do carry one or two on occasion as an EDC and I am very happy with them (cept for the sheaths, and customer care service). I don't think it's fair to judge a knife by how it might look...I learned this lesson by buying a Spyderco Spin (from how it looked in the pics)....what a big mistake....Put it in your hand, carry it, put it through the paces a knife should go through ...then make a judgment based on the feedback that particular knife gives you....I have handled many a mall ninja knife but Mantis Brand knives are not that by any stretch of the imagination......Doc:D

[Piet.S]

.In my dealings with Mantis Company Representatives I am most disappointed, and I would not trust them to do what they say they would do for anything....

Do you care to explain or would you rather not?

[The Deacon]

Posted this a year ago, have not changed my opinion.


To me, whether the knives themselves are good, bad, or indifferent is immaterial. The fact that they use the Spyderhole, which I am certain they do not have permission to do, on two of their models is reason enough for me to consider any and all of their knives as things I would not want in my home.

[224477]

Doc., fine by me, I have checked the ones available over here and thats not a kind of stuff I would be willing to pay for, but the more people, the more opinions! :) Take care buddy!

[Dr. Snubnose]

Do you care to explain or would you rather not?

Piet: Lets keep the footprints shiny...Doc:D

[stonyman]

Hello everyone. I remember a year or two ago, I tested one of their fixed karambits for a student of mine. I remembered it being a solid piece, but the ergos were not the best for me. Each time I wacked a hard medium, I yelped with joy!:rolleyes: That product did not score to high with me. Now last year, I handled one of their conventional blades, cannot remember the name, but hey I remember saying "hey you can do a lot worse for this price. I think it was under $35.00.

I think we all can learn a thing or two about product looks. Until you get something in hand, you are just spitting in the wind. Take care all and God Bless!:D

[Piet.S]

Piet: Lets keep the footprints shiny...Doc:D

Yes Doc, you're right.
Nuf said.

[spyderknut]

I have expressed my opinion before as well. I also got to "meet" the owner a couple of years ago at Blade staying in the same hotel. It was surprising to me how unwilling this father and son team were to chat to knife knuts about what was then a brand-new line. Frankly, that limited interaction swayed me enough that I have never been interested in holding a Mantis, much less buying one.

It is hard to compete with the simple, purposeful, sharp bargains that :spyder: s are, especially when they are backed by such nice folks as Sal & crew.

If I want something that looks like a Klingon warrior would carry it, I'll take a Gill Hibben/United Cutlery piece.

Of course, I prefer reliability and edge holding. Funtion and ergonomics over style at a fair price. That's why I am here. That's why I love Spyderco.