Protech Malibu -- Excellent MANUAL Buttonlock Flipper!

[@DoctorFrunkey]

EDIT: The first Protech manual buttonlock was the Cambria model. I apologize for the inaccuracy. This is (as I say in the video) their 3rd manual buttonlock, including the FFKW/Drop Mordax.

[@akapabs108]

I own the Protech Cambria with the burl wood inlay and I absolutely love it! Thanks for a better look of the Malibu and what the production version of this knife really looks like. I look forward to purchasing it.. I really like Protech great company/products but due to anti-auto laws haven't' gotten to purchase many of their knives.. this model solves that problem.

[@lgen626]

One of the most well spoken knife reviewers out here.

[@crudmuffins2828]

I’ve always wanted a well made button lock flipper In this size. Mordax and freeman were to big for me, but this is perfect

[@q50fromcincy24]

Can't wait. I have 3 protech auto's. Adore each of them. Was finally able to place an order for a Malibu today. I'm as giddy as a school boy.

[@az_sun__1787]

I LOVE, LOVE Protech's button lock flippers! They are soooo smooth and action is phenomenal! I must say my Protech Cambria is my favorite. But this model is amazing as well... Devil's in the details... and just so clean. Thanks Doc! Keep up the great vids!

[@cavedog1279]

What an absolutely perfect knife, in every regard. If you've ever taken apart a manual flipper Protech, you'll notice that the detent is effectively determined by the strength of the spring. It would be nice to see them offer alternative options on spring strength to have perhaps a little stiffer detent, without detracting from the free-swing close. That clip is perfection.

[@michaelrogers9029]

Beautiful knife! The only Protech I own is a manual action blacked out TR4. I love a manual button lock.

[@RealLockheedMartin]

There aren't enough manual button locks.

[@liquidcobra1450]

A new video from the doctor always makes it a good day.

[@jvf_t4r59]

Just got mine! Absolutely love it! Nice review too

[@dtomknivesandgear6635]

This is very impressive. I have to check this thing out. Thanks for showing us brother.

[@eltordo61]

love the blade shape, steel, blade ratio, overall design... excellent knife!

[@richardhouse8364]

Great review as always - think I need to add one of these as I really like the practicality of a well done button lock flipper. I'd like to see what their variants will look like!

[@markcase7892]

Excellent review Doc.

[@CapFlipGaming]

Absolutely buying this.

[@CapFlipGaming]

Update: I got the reverse tanto version with black handles. It's absolutely perfect. Nicest production knife for the price and style. It's a great flipper!

[@patrickdougan4066]

Doc, you talked me into it. Just bought mine today. I'm very excited to get it.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Good choice

[@lgen626]

Awesome review! Thank you for posting.

[@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney]

Man, if this thing was about 3 1/4” closed, I’d buy at least two tomorrow. I hope Pro-Tech will make another couple manual button locks soon in a couple other sizes. I think I’ll get one of these for when I need to dress presentably, but 90% of the time I carry a Leatherman Free P4 in my main pants pocket, and therefore need my dedicated knife to fit comfortably in my watch pocket. This knife, with like a 2 1/2- 2 3/4” blade in a 3 1/4” handle would be my perfect forever knife. My favorite pocketknife of all time is the Para 3, of which I own three (S30V, S110V, and Maxamet), but they’re way too big for my watch pocket now that I carry my Leatherman daily. I’ve been carrying a Pro-Tech Sprint for about a year, which is a FANTASTIC knife that I’m extremely impressed with, but a bit tiny and I honestly prefer a manual. Here’s hoping Pro-Tech expands their manual flipper line!

[@jonduncansakurawallknifegarden]

Great looking knife and I’m into the idea of the button lock. Very very cool.

[@matthewy5996]

Awesome review! Thank you for the feedback and thoughts! Excited to see what people think! It’s gonna be a winner for sure

[@hamiltonborden2400]

Great review! Looking forward to getting this in hand!

[@uckBayNguyen]

I'm a Spyderco guy but this knife would have it's place in the collection box

[@sethgilm]

Great, and now I want one

[@franksalem8580]

Protech also made a limited edition TR4 for the Minuteman Watch Company which was a manual thumb stud knife with a buttonlock.. There were only 40 made. I own both this knife and the Cambria.

[@tungsten_kirbide]

Great video, I’m sold.

[@yomamaknives8906]

14:25 a bounce off the stop pin!

[@charlestitus8736]

Always like me some button lock

[@SmolStufff]

I really want protech to make a button lock flipper similar to the newport. I would buy that instantly. This one looks really good though. I also think that this method of locking a knife is a far more elegant solution than frame or liner locks.

[@tonydavis5053]

I’ll get one of these instead of the TRM Atom

[@alkokenbalz4078]

Allen Elishewitz makes some really nice button locks.... as does Brian Tighe. I’d like to see more of the button locks.

[@markcollier9279]

Protech makes really nice stuff. I love there autos.

[@franksalem8580]

Protech released the Cambria in 2017 which was a manual flipper and a buttonlock.

[@FreedomExperiment]

Not bad. Why steel and not ceramic bearings though?

[@nathannettik455]

Maybe I wasn't clear with my first comment. I was thinking of a cartridge style insert in which the blade, pivot, lock and stop were captured. Then that could be placed in a carbon fiber handle or any other material for that matter.

[@RooiRus]

LOVE IT!!!

[@tallica4life81]

I love the button lock flipper. I just bought another zt so I’m cashed out. I got the zt0393glcf with plans on modding it. 💵 🔥

[@MichaelE.Douroux]

Newbie to the knife community and learning a lot from your channel. In terms of all around utility for this particular knife, would you recommend the Wharncliffe or Reverse Tanto? Thanks!

[@121dodgers]

Oh man, show me more colors. Even just, Red. Blue. Green. ... Its strangely reminiscent of a BM940. Likes all day. Thanks for sharing!

[@DoctorFrunkey]

It will be available in blue soon! I'll see if they can make a green run!

[@kenmarapese9085]

Looking forward to the release of this one, I dig Protech.

[@mattpignato9763]

Pvk has some!

[@kenmarapese9085]

@@mattpignato9763 Thank you

[@mpower4life]

brooke Pignato no they don’t

[@mattpignato9763]

@@mpower4life did... out of stock now.

[@mattpignato9763]

@@mpower4life sourhern edges has a total of 4 now. 2 blue 2 black.

[@IvanJoel]

Do you know who is going to get the limited mirror finished run? I thought BladeHQ was going to get it since it had mirror finish on their website but they replaced it with satin and stonewash when they came out. That mirror one at shot show was nice!

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Send them an email or IG DM

[@Kris_Stiletto]

Love it! If I can find a good deal on one; I will be getting one. Peace, Stiletto :-)

[@IAMAMMAFAN]

Sold!

[@mr.e9017]

I believe Protech refers to your model as wharncliffe. And the other current model as reverse tanto

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Good to know. I was just using my understanding of blade shapes.

[@kennethtape3362]

Doc, great video 😊👌 just one thing, I know that this has nothing to do with the video but I just want to know if swapping out the clip for a deep pocket on my newly acquired para 3 is going to give me any problems getting the screws out without stripping them? I've heard some stories about permanent loctite and the para 3 and want to know if this is the case for the clip screws? Once again, thanks for the video 👍

[@DoctorFrunkey]

I have done dozens of clip swaps on Spydies, esp P3's. The screws are good to go. Just use a good T6 torx bit and slow but strong rotational force. Make sure to push into the screw head a bit to prevent slipping. Spyderco changed to less aggressive loctite in the last 3 years or so. Shouldn't be an issue at all!

[@DoctorFrunkey]

It can help if you heat up the screws first, this will loosen any loctite. I recommend using a hairdryer for a minute or so. Some knifemakers boil the knife!

[@nathannettik455]

Would love to see this knife in carbon fiber with hardened inserts at the stress/wear points.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

It has a hardened stop pin!

[@sharamkh]

Thickness BTE? Hollow grind?

[@DoctorFrunkey]

It is a flat grind. Very slicey.

[@sharamkh]

Doctor Frunkey Thanks for answering! Will they make a variant with hollow grind? It seems like it on BladeHQ’s website. www.bladehq.com/item--Protech-Malibu-Plunge-Lock-Flipper--106831

[@DoctorFrunkey]

@@sharamkh as I understand, this platform is modular, and will likely have various blade shapes and types.

[@thomon95]

First manual button lock

[@franksalem8580]

Not.

[@leerulescity]

Wasn't the protech cambria their first manual button lock flipper?

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Yes I was wrong! My bad!

[@blackadder1966]

Why doesn't anyone use a zt for size comparison? 0450 instead of para 3. By all means para 2 for size comparison, I love my para 3 but the 0450 is slimmer and preferred small knife.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

I just dont have a 0450 on hand

[@DirtyGingy]

The only reason I was into the design was the swedge on the prototype. Also, protech has been selling a manual button lock flipper since 2018 called cambria.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Thanks for the info. As I mentioned, this is the 3rd buttonlock manual they've done.

[@Emozisbit]

Doctor Frunkey yeah but you did say this was the first on there own. Which as said above is not true.

[@verbageddon]

I've heard three reviews/first impressions that have claimed their Malibu was the first shipped out.

[@JohnC29]

They made the Cambria earlier.

[@DoctorFrunkey]

Yes correct. The third theyve made. Cambria, Mordax, Malibu.

[@Etherealdegradation]

Does anyone know when the mirror finish ones drop?

[@tokeuspocus5086]

I spoke to protech on Instagram and It sounds like not for a long time, the mirror finish edition actually already launched as a consumer prototype for $500 MSRP back a few months ago. Heres exactly what they said. "We will have some some time in the future. To mirror polish a blade, it must be hand ground & then hand polished. This essentially makes it a fully custom blade, & it's therefore priced at one. The only model with the mirror polished hand ground blades were the first prototype models, whose MSRP was $500 due to those blades. The reverse tanto will be stonewashed or 2-tone stonewashed with satin flats. We unfortunately just don't have any blades to send out for mirror polishing an this time. Most custom maker's will not polish high carbide steels like 20cv, so we have to send out 154cm blades - this is due to how they finish. High carbide steels take hours to polish each blade, & the cost is crazy. so the issue is that we have no 154cm blades. We cannot simply cut a few, as they must be done in groups of several hundred. Once we run some more in the future, we will send them out & offer them again. Though it might be awhile before that can happen."

[@thomon95]

Protech Cambria was first for them

[@RealLockheedMartin]

Different colors, please! I don't want another black knife.

[@corporalpunish6089]

Comes in blue too

[@jean-louisdessoudes1310]

Bonjour, Vous nous montrez jamais l'alignement de la lame dans le manche et vous ne prenez jamais le manche dans votre main, cela nous permettrai de voir la position des doigts sur le manche donc le confort Et la tenue dans la main. Cordialement

[@thamuz72]

dude who cares !! you are not a collector anymore , you lost your reviewing rights :P but seriously, nice flic and a quite interesting knife, take care and hope all is right with you Doctor Frunkenstein xD

[@DoctorFrunkey]

I'm still gonna knife! Haha

[@Obliticus]

Pretty damn cool knife, but I could never afford it. I'd catch hell from the wife if I even thought of spending anything close to $100 on a knife, lol :\

[@journeyman6752]

Feels like cheap crap like the green 940 BM