Microtech Ultratech ZBP D/E Shadow Out the Front Knife

The Microtech Ultratech ZBP (Zero Blade Play) embodies all of Microtech's recent achievements. And like the densely packed gunpowder in a bullet casing fires a round thousands of feet, the densely packed features in this knife propel the OTF world into the future.

Let's get right to the star of the show: the Ultratech ZBP has zero blade play. Those familiar with OTFs know how rare that is on double-action models; it's rare because it's so difficult to implement. But Microtech has done a fantastic job with their Zero Stop mechanism, which is user-serviceable, not bulky, and reliable. It functions by wedging the blade against the chassis via a cone-like component that has been precision-tuned to the exact right position.

Microtech has been making many upgrades to its OTFs in recent months, and all of those upgrades made it into the Gen 3 Ultratech:

• The Dual Fuel Drivetrain (a double spring system) reduces the force required to push the X-Button slide.
• The Crud Cutter (machined grooves under the slide) reduces friction and breaks down lint and grit for consistently smooth operation.
• Microtech's proprietary Bohler M390MK blade steel, which boasts high carbon content for improved edge retention.

The new Ultratech further distinguishes itself from its predecessor with improved gimping, a slightly wider handle, a slightly longer and wider blade, a lower-profile glass breaker that's integrated into the handle, a wider thumb slide, a titanium pocket clip with a silica carbide ball, and Torx hardware. As with Microtech's other Gen III OTFs, a lanyard hole runs through the large base screw that secures the pocket clip, and the pocket clip is reversible for left-handed users. The knife's blade and handle thickness match that of the former iteration.