M-1 Folder Review: How Good Is This Folder?

The M-1 Folding Pocketknife From MECHFORCE Takes A Licking And Keeps On Cutting No Matter What’s In Front Of It.

Most people don’t like carrying a thick knife. They already have enough stuff without a bulky folder blocking access to the other goodies in their pockets.

I really like the blade thinness of the M-1 folder by MECHFORCE. Add a deep-set pocket clip and the M-1 is low profile when attached to the lip of your pocket. Meanwhile, the handle feels great. 

The blade is a classic drop-point shape and cuts like … well, let’s see!

M-1 Folder Takes On Paper And More

Twenty-pound bond copy paper is the first way to test the factory edge. The M-1 sliced the stationery smoothly and quickly. I put a few nicks in my fingernail by moving too slow. I could hear every slice in the paper. Very sharp!

On to double-walled cardboard. The blade bound a tad at the bottom of the cut and during withdrawal. The thicker slice is where I noticed the binding. Thinner slices were not a challenge. It sliced the cardboard fast overall.

I used some plastic board for the next medium. The M-1 sailed through every slice. It was easy to control the width of the cut. I like the shape of this handle a lot. It really gives me control with my sidewinder cutting style.

The M-1 bit into 8-ounce leather and did so with gusto. I could hear the aggressive sounds of the edge biting through the material—this is very addictive to do as you crunch away. The knife would excel at skinning game.

I did some skiving to check the control of the depth of the cut. There were no issues whatsoever on the leather—super thin cuttings every time. The flat grind really helped in cut-depth control.

Pushing The M-1 Folder

Next up: half-inch sisal rope—time to use more pressure on the M-1. The knife wore my wrist out after 250 crunching cuts. It still had more bite but I was done for the day on rope cutting. The knife gave me no hot spots and I found zero sharp areas on the handle. It was very comfortable with pressure cutting. Excellent work, MECHFORCE!

To give the edge a heavy workout, I grabbed an old whitetail antler and gave it 30 whacks. I expected to see a few small chips in the edge but none showed. The edge was still sharp with no snags, sure signs of tough steel and excellent heat treatment.

I switched back to slicing 20-pound bond paper to see if the edge was still field ready. It sliced cleanly throughout to the end of the testing.

The M-1 comes with a maintenance kit that includes how-to instructions, two sets of replacement adhesive strips, take-down wrench and a bandage. It’s well thought out.

Final Thoughts

Not much to say here—maybe add some skateboard tape inserts for a no-slip grip. The M-1 is a high-performance knife that takes a licking and keeps on cutting. It makes a great pocket addition.

MECHFORCE warrants against defects in materials as long as the knife has not been abused. For more information contact MECHFORCE, Dept. BL10, 437 Hidden Valley Rd., Penn Valley, PA 19072  info@mechforce-usa.com, mechforce.com.

M-1 Folder Knife Specs

Knife style: Flipper folder

Blade length: 3.5 inches

Blade steel: M390 stainless

Blade thickness at thickest: ⅛ inches

Blade grind: Full flat

Blade finish: Matte

Blade pattern: Drop point

Handle frame: 6Al4V titanium

Handle inserts: Mars Valley carbon fiber

Pocket clip: Deep set

Lock: Framelock

Weight: 5 ounces

Closed length: 4-11/16 inches

Knife to know: Features hidden-screw design

Country of origin: Partially made in the USA

MSRP: $385

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