How many websites have you explored that claim that their double action OTF (out the front) knives are:

"produced", "manufactured", "hand built to order", or "proudly assembled" in the USA?

Leading you to believe they are USA made?

As the consumer you are being misled and/or lied to.

This includes the big OTF companies, such as; Oregon, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona.. and the list goes on.

As a current or prospective family member of TRENCHTEK, we believe in informing the consumer with as much information as we possibly can, so in the end you can make a confident decision on which tool is the appropriate tool for your needs, and why.

This section is dedicated to providing key components of information other OTF companies exempt from their websites or conversation all together from you...The consumer.

It is our endeavor to enable you to dive deeper into the understanding of the OTF knife industry, so you as the end user can choose the appropriate tool and use it with confidence and knowledge.

Out The Front (OTF)

OTF's are divided by two categories:

SINGLE ACTION

With a push of the trigger, the blade will deploy from the body of the knife.

To retract the blade, it is manually retracted by hand.

DOUBLE ACTION

With a push of the trigger, the blade will deploy from the body of the knife.

With a pull of the trigger, the blade will retract into the body of the knife. (aka full-auto or double action).

We will be concentrating primarily on double action fully automatic OTF's (Out the front) in this section, however; we feel it's important to at least inform you that most single action OTF's eject much stronger than double action, and is more easily made.

We recommend finding one with a safety; and this may be the right tool for you!

Remember: It doesn't have to be our tool...It has to be the right tool

There are less than a handful of companies in the United States that claim their double action OTF's are 100% American made.

This represents much less than 1% of the entire market.

This 1% is broken down into two categories:

BATCH ORDER

This is where a potential customer signs up on a waiting list and often waits several years for their name to come up; in which a double action OTF tool will be made for them to purchase.

Expect to pay $1,800.00 or more...

This is probably closest to "American made" you're going to find.

Note that there is only one, possibly two of these Makers in America so expect to wait quite a long time. Make sure to ask how long they project you will be on a waiting list.

MASS PRODUCTION
For the rest of us; it is called mass production.

One thing to watch out for is companies that claim they make their OTF's (Out The Front) knives alongside their folder knives they make, or fixed blades they make...

While in fact they ARE making their folder knives or fixed blades...

They are actually NOT making their OTF's, but they think they can claim the OTF as their own alongside the other knives on their website, and it can be misleading.

Make sure to read the small print in terms and conditions, warranties, and other sections, you will find the discrepancies yourself.

A perfect example is one company who claims "built to order"

In one section of the website it leads you to believe they are talking about the OTF...

However; when you go into terms and conditions it clearly states it's their folder knives and excludes the OTF.

Yet in the very next paragraph it says to wait and be patient as it takes time to build your knife and in parentheses it states (OTF).

Very misleading to the consumer in our opinion.

As for the other two companies that claim to make their double action OTF on a production line (mass production) here in the USA…

The truth is there are Chinese fingerprints all over their product.

They don't want the consumer to know this but it is the truth.

Japanese designed servos, microchip processors, programs, and machinery are then contracted with China to produce (because China is more than capable to produce more components on a mass level, with equal quality)...

And then an American broker or company wholesales components from China to import into their machines for retail sale.

And then a U.S. knife company buys the machine, or contracts with a machine company to produce their products.

In other words:

Japan designs and creates, then China fulfills the work orders for the rest of the world

All the way down the line.

Don't fool yourself, the quality IS there.

There's no doubt about it.

All one has to do is ask any production company in the United States of America.

Every company in the United States of America has a component of their OTF either built on machinery manufactured overseas, the programs are from overseas, and most often the materials used in their double action OTF's...Overseas.

just because they're designed here doesn't mean they're made here.

just because they're made here doesn't mean they're designed here.

just because they're made here doesn't mean they're made on American designed machinery.

The hard truth is all roads lead to China.

Even the big companies are now admitting their OTF's in portion are being made in China.

The truth is the big OTF companies have always been manufacturing this way...And they know it.

More importantly at TRENCHTEK we believe it's time you; as the consumer, know it.

IT'S THE NATURE OF THE KNIFE:

Double action OTF's were never invented and designed in or by the USA.

OTF's were originally designed and implemented as eating utensils for military overseas; by people overseas.

Since then, there has only been one nation that clearly steps above all other nations in the world when it comes to producing and designing OTF knives:

China.

Their tolerance levels are superior.

Their CNC machine programs are superior.

The length of time they've been machining these tools are superior.

Even their materials are superior.

If you think China doesn't produce better steel, zinc, titanium, or aluminum than America, then you are stuck in the China of 40+ years ago.

No longer are the days of sweatshops with little kids running around.. People being forced to work.

China is like any other industrial first- world country today when it comes to the workforce:

8-hour workdays, 40-hour work weeks, weekends off, age limitations, healthcare, and a living wage are a few of the modern practices China brings to its industrial revolution.

At TRENCHTEK, this was one of the key deciding factors as we searched for the finest product to call our own;not only does the product have to be superior, there must be harmony between the product and the makers.

The company we chose provides all employees with 8-hour work days, 40 hour work weeks, 2 days off a week, a living wage, clean, safe, and reliable working conditions, and healthcare provided to all employees.

All employees are a minimum age of 16. (To give you a comparative example; we have States here in America that the Federal minimum age to work LABOR is 9 years old!!)

At TRENCHTEK we challenge the other big companies to tell us if not only do they know where they are sourcing from; to include the city and even the manufacturers physical location, but did they ever even consider the working conditions and the environment and materials used?

Did any of these companies consider from the moment an employee woke up to the minute the end user gets the product into their hand.. Is this a fair practice for all involved?

At TRENCHTEK we did! and we do!

Even if they are using the highest qualities available on Earth; it costs way less than even $20 per piece to produce (mass-production).

And then the end user goes out and pays $350 to $800 or much much more.

Is it the composition of the materials?

The composition of the material used is just that; a COMPOSITION.

That means it is uniform anywhere in the world... So why are the companies grossly inflating the price of their product?

Steel is steel.. whatever grade of steel it is that means it's THAT grade of steel... regardless if you live in China or the USA or anywhere else.

This goes for steel, super steel, aluminum, titanium, zinc, etc.

The material is given a grade because it meets a minimum threshold standard, so we consider the consumer to question:

“Why am I paying 50 times the price it cost to make this OTF?”

(yes you are buying the same knife material, quality, and craftsmanship, with the same thresholds; but you're just paying 10 times more than everyone else on the average retail level).

For pride?

I can understand the end-user's side for pride,however; for the company, the math is clearly GREED.

At TRENCHTEK, we are not proud of greed.

As of 2023, we place our tool's price point to the end-user BELOW the average retail level.

The average company places their retail price point to the end-user between 8-12 times (or more) their total cost per tool (mass production).

The companies that claim to be 100% American made, place their retail price point to the end-user between 35-50 times (or more) their total cost per tool.

At TRENCHTEK, we place our retail price point to the end-user at 5.8-6 times our total cost per tool!

It is worthy noting that TRENCHTEK also pays MORE than the average company for each of our tool's total cost, and we STILL provide the end-user a LOWER price point than theirs!

Period.

We believe in "functionality" over "finish".

Another area a handful of OTF companies are trying to mislead the consumer, is in the products "finish".

The company will pay less than $5 in cerakote gun paint (including labor to do so per piece!) and then claim it as their own, or custom. Be aware of such companies' price points. Are they raising the price an extra $50, to $150 or more? In ADDITION to the initial value of the knife? Now driving the total cost of the OTF upward to the sum of $150 to $250 or in some cases; much, much more?!

Because of $5 worth of finish and labor?

At TRENCHTEK we believe this can be misleading to the consumer. So please just be cautious and aware of these practices.

We believe in "functionality" over "finish".

While all of our tools are outfitted with a rubberized baked-on paint finish; it is not the finish that is bringing home the paycheck at the end of the day.. It is the functionality of the tool.

(and besides we recommend saving $150 or more and supporting your local powder coating shop by taking in one of our TRENCHTEK tools and having it finished with a professional cerakote paint job of any color you can imagine... Not only is THAT "custom", but the cost is SIGNIFICANTLY less).

Yes.. TRENCHTEK does NOT void your warranty if you ever choose to apply a new finish.. It's your tool. USE IT.

It has taken years to get all of these components into place but that's the extra effort we will go to source only the finest product and atmosphere for everybody involved from scratch, to the end-user!

John Wick ruined it for all of us!

SAFETY:

As the consumer you have a choice:

You can believe the other companies who talk you into believing such things as: they "built" a "secondary safety" into their knives, so if an object obstructs the blade before it is fully extended and locked into place; the blade will come off track and won't penetrate you or an object…

Or

You can choose TRENCHTEK, who is not afraid to let you know that NOBODY invented the "safety", it's just spring mathematical inertia. There is just simply not enough pressure coming out of the knife handle to let the blade go through an object until it is fully extended and locked in place.

Note: There has never been a double action OTF knife made that will penetrate an object when you place the handle up against the object and deploy the blade. Ever. Not in the private sector nor in the public sector.

THAT IS SIMPLY THE MOVIES. (John Wick ruined it for all of us LOL).

TRIGGER PLACEMENT

One of the most important factors to consider when researching the proper OTF tool for your needs is trigger placement.

There are two kinds of trigger placement on an OTF:

FRONT LOADER

On a front loader OTF, the pocket clip is on the back side of the tool, and the trigger is positioned on the front side of the tool.

This is a permanent fixture. (they are not reversible).

While a left-handed user may utilize a spear point blade; Note: The name or brand of the company who made the tool, any model name, and graphics on the blade itself will appear upside down and backwards, not only to the end-user who is holding the tool; but to anyone who sees the tool as well.

As for any single-edged blade; this tool will NOT be possible to utilize left-handed.

SIDE LOADER

On a side loader OTF, the trigger is positioned on the spine of the tool.

The advantage of a side loader versus a front loader, is that the side loader is completely ambidextrous.

If you happen to be left-handed you can switch the pocket clip to the opposite side of the tool, enabling you to draw the tool from your pocket appropriately, and activate it appropriately. (you cannot do this with a front loader)

Also consider that many of our clients are law enforcement or tactical experts; and prefer to keep their right or left hand (their "primary" hand) available to control their firearm, and they utilize their "secondary" hand to control such items as flashlights or other tools including OTFs.

We believe that this is something to strongly consider before choosing the appropriate tool for your needs. (you don't want to invest in a front loader if you're left handed, just to find out you can't even use it appropriately).

We hope this helps.

This is the kind of information TRENCHTEK strives to inform the consumer.

You don't have to choose our product, We simply ask you to be aware of the product you choose.

We are about facts. Not fiction.

We are about putting principles equal with the product.

We are about TRUTH THROUGH TRANSPARENCY.


THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS

Do you as the end user want to be lied to, misled, or uninformed?

Or do you as the end user want to be empowered with more accuracy, transparent data, and truth?

At TRENCHTEK, these are the values we bring to your table.

We believe in our precision tool being made by the professionals.. Let's leave the professional work to the professionals..(China)

Or you can opt for a tool made by a state that demands the end-user to fork over 35-50 times MORE than the total cost it initially took for them to produce.

The point is:

It's a small world and getting smaller every day.. We need to realize that we're all in this together, and that research and information is far more available today for you; THE CONSUMER, than anytime in history.

At TRENCHTEK, we take all the worry out of the product. (that's our job).

Your job is to be assured you chose the right tool, and to get out there and use it!

We are Truth through Transparency.

We are TRENCHTEK:

BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE TRENCHES WITH YOU!