A Microtech MSI in Sangria, and the Size Warning That Comes With It

Microtech's MSI occupies an odd spot in the catalog: a manual folding knife from a company best known for out-the-front automatics. A recent r/knives NKD post from user burntdrifter17 shows one in the Sangria finish, bought after a long stretch of wanting one and a good deal on the color.

The owner's reaction covers both halves of the MSI experience. He calls the color wild and says he loves it, then notes that this was the first one he had seen in person and that it is definitely large. That size is the most common surprise with the MSI. It is a full-size folder, and photos tend to understate how much handle it takes up.

The color is the second part. Microtech has been unusually aggressive about finishes, and Sangria is one of the louder options in a lineup that also includes more restrained black and earth tones. For buyers who want a knife that does not look like every other black folder, that is a feature rather than a flaw.

The practical guidance for anyone shopping the MSI is to handle one or at least check the dimensions carefully before ordering. The design and the lock are well regarded; the size is not for everyone.

A good deal on a finish you actually like is the right reason to buy one — as long as you know what you are getting.

There is also a practical consequence to buying on color. Microtech rotates finishes frequently, and a popular one can disappear from the catalog while the black versions stay available indefinitely. Buyers who wait for a discount on a specific color often find that the discount never comes and the color is gone. When the deal and the finish line up, taking it is usually the right call — as long as the size is what you want.