Can anyone identify this one?

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ILikeStilettos
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Can anyone identify this one?

Post by ILikeStilettos »

Saw this on FB, is it real?
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Can anyone identify this one?

Post by Bill DeShivs »

It's the Microtech "Masterpiece", I believe it was called.
Marfione made it. The guards don't work as guards, but they DO fold into the handle.
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mick17
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Re: Can anyone identify this one?

Post by mick17 »

These are really cool
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ILikeStilettos
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Re: Can anyone identify this one?

Post by ILikeStilettos »

Bill DeShivs wrote:It's the Microtech "Masterpiece", I believe it was called.
Marfione made it. The guards don't work as guards, but they DO fold into the handle.
Thanks, Bill, that's exactly what I needed.
Dave Sause
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"And you're telling me this because, somehow, I look like I give a shit?"

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Belmont800
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Re: Can anyone identify this one?

Post by Belmont800 »

mick17 wrote:These are really cool

Man, o man, that IS cool!! :shock: :shock:
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JimBrown257
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Re: Can anyone identify this one?

Post by JimBrown257 »

I've seen a few pics of these but I've never seen one for sale or in anyone's collection. They must not have made very many of them.
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omega
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Re: Can anyone identify this one?

Post by omega »

The Microtech Masterpiece was written up in The Newsletter, vol 6, no 1. Here's the link to that write-up with photos:

http://www.marfionecustomknives.com/images/mag5.pdf - there's some additional close-ups of that knife in The Newsletter write-up.

I've been trying to source one of these for the past year or so with zero luck. Not that I could afford one, but I am curious about the retail price. I've checked all the usual suspects: PVK, Arizona Custom Knives, etc.. and there's no indication that this knife exists anywhere, except as a proto locked in Anthony Marfione's safe.

A microtech rep identified as Wayne Seidell apparently shared the photos with The Newsletter, so if this is someone's grail knife, Seidell seems to be a starting point for the search. I suppose TizzyBea would know where to find a clone.
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JimBrown257
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Re: Can anyone identify this one?

Post by JimBrown257 »

I can't find a single video of one in action.
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omega
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Re: Can anyone identify this one?

Post by omega »

JimBrown257 wrote:I can't find a single video of one in action.
Me either and I looked everywhere online.

This knife was mentioned on that "other" forum.

A user there stated that it dates to 1997, with 2 additional variants being released by 2004. I think that info is suspect, considering Microtech was only founded in 1994, with the Marfione customs appearing much later. Here's why: Microtech made alot of noise when they released various models, especially during their early years. There simply was no mention of the Masterpiece model - ever. This knife uses the same sort of cocking mechanism as the Halo and the Nemises models, only in the case of the Masterpiece, it seems to be much more refined, leading me to believe that the Masterpiece was a later knife. Microtech hasn't built much with bovine horn or MOP scales like what is depicted in the two examples of the Masterpiece.

All this is pointing heavily to the Masterpiece being made only as protos. I don't think I have ever seen one in the marketplace. Outrageous claims of a $10K MSRP have surfaced, but again, this is likely more someone's guess rather than reality.

If someone is going to the Blade Show next month, it would be worthwhile to swing by Microtech's exibit and ask them about the history of this piece.
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Can anyone identify this one?

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Those dates are reasonably correct. I saw the original knife at the Blade Show.
The knife was never a production item.
Tony Marfione has been building one-off knives for quite some time.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
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Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
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