Microtech Exodus, a One-Year Single Action OTF From July 2001
The Microtech Exodus had a very short production run, essentially limited to a single year: 2001. Its handle reads 07/2001, from Microtech’s classic Vero Beach era. It is a single action out the front automatic, and it locks open with an internal liner lock rather than the usual OTF mechanism.
It is complete and in excellent condition, with the original box, sheath and factory paperwork. Collectors of early Vero Beach Microtech may also know the 1996 Microtech Chameleon D/A, another piece from the company’s first decade.
Microtech Knives and Anthony Marfione
Anthony L. Marfione and Susan Marfione founded Microtech Knives in Vero Beach, Florida, in 1994. They started out of an apartment. Anthony’s goal was to build the best possible knives, with the tightest tolerances and the finest materials available. He turned to aerospace grade machining to get there, and that precision quickly set Microtech apart.
Before Microtech, collectors largely saw OTF knives as fragile novelties. Marfione engineered mechanisms that were robust, reliable and fast, and Microtech became the name in OTF automatics. Its single action OTFs, the HALO and the Exodus, became known for strong lock up and their charging handles. Later, the dual action Ultratech, Combat Troodon and Dirac cemented the legacy.
Marfione also founded Marfione Custom Knives to push his own designs further, and he now works alongside his son, Sean. The Marfione Custom Sigil shows that custom side. Dew Hara, another maker we carry, trained under Marfione; see our Dew Hara Custom Knives page.
Microtech is now headquartered in Western North Carolina, with facilities in Fletcher and Mills River and a manufacturing hub in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Every component is still machined and assembled in the United States. Even so, the early Vero Beach knives remain a distinct chapter for collectors.
How the Microtech Exodus Single Action OTF Works
An OTF knife fires its blade straight out of the front of the handle. Single action means the button fires the blade automatically, but closing it takes a separate step by hand. A dual action OTF, by contrast, fires and retracts from the same switch.
On this Microtech Exodus, a concentric-circle push button on the face of the handle fires the blade. Below it, a sliding safety switch shows F in the fire position and S in the safe position. Once the blade is out, an internal leaf-spring liner lock wedges it open, and on this knife the lock engages with no blade play.
To close it, you disengage the lock and pull back the offset, angled, milled charging handle at the rear. That charging handle carries the engraving EXODUS, the Microtech logo, © 2001 ALM and PATENT PENDING. ALM stands for Anthony L. Marfione, and collectors specifically hunt for the stamp. For a modern dual action OTF to compare, see the Microtech Scarab II Gen III.
The 154-CM Tanto Blade
The blade is 154-CM Stainless Steel with a Boron Carbide finish, ground as a single-edged tanto. It carries a two-tone finish, with satin flats against darker, matte grinds. Microtech milled a short fuller into the flat. The blade measures 3.625 inches, and the knife runs 8.5 inches open.
The Aluminum handle is hard anodized 6061 in black, with milled grooves along both edges. Collectors often call early 2000s Microtech automatics the golden era of the company’s manufacturing, known for tight tolerances, hand fitting and robust mechanisms. The Medford Merc-1 OTF runs a 154CM blade in a newer OTF design.
Condition and What Is Included With This Microtech Exodus
This Microtech Exodus is in excellent condition, with no signs of blemishes or wear. It fires crisply, and the lock engages with no play. It came from a collector who was selling his collection piece by piece. See how we grade every knife before listing it.
Finding an Exodus complete with its original box, sheath and factory paperwork is difficult, and this one has all of it.
- Microtech Exodus single action OTF, dated 07/2001
- Original Microtech box, labeled EXODUS BLACK PLAIN (P/N 300415) on one end
- Original Microtech nylon sheath with the yellow Microtech oval patch
- Limited lifetime warranty card
- Original instructions for charging and firing the single action OTF
- Warranty registration postcard
Microtech Exodus Specifications
The date comes from the engraving on the handle, the part number from the original box label, and the designer mark from the charging handle. It sits among our other automatic knives.
- Maker: Microtech Knives, Vero Beach, Florida
- Designer: Anthony L. Marfione
- Model: Exodus
- Part number: 300415 (EXODUS BLACK PLAIN)
- Date made: July 2001, engraved 07/2001 on the handle
- Markings: Charging handle engraved EXODUS, Microtech logo, © 2001 ALM, PATENT PENDING
- Country of origin: USA
- Overall length: 8.5 in
- Blade length: 3.625 in
- Closed length: 5 in
- Weight: 4.1 oz
- Blade steel: 154-CM
- Blade finish: Boron Carbide, two-tone (satin flats, darker matte grinds)
- Blade profile: Tanto with a short fuller
- Edge: Plain, single edge
- Action: Single action out the front (OTF) automatic
- Deployment: Push button with sliding safety switch (F and S)
- Lock: Internal leaf-spring liner lock
- Closing: Disengage the lock, then pull back the charging handle
- Handle: Hard anodized 6061 Aluminum, black
- Pocket clip: None
- Condition: Excellent, fires crisply, no blade play
- SKU: 00232-MT-EXODUS-154CM-TANTO-20010701
- Included: Original box, nylon sheath, warranty card, firing instructions, warranty registration postcard
Video Description
This is the Microtech Exodus single action OTF, dated July 2001 and in excellent condition. Microtech made the Exodus for essentially a single year, 2001, in Vero Beach, Florida. The 3.625 inch tanto blade is 154-CM with a Boron Carbide finish, two-tone with satin flats and darker grinds. The handle is black hard anodized 6061 Aluminum.
A concentric-circle button fires the blade, and a sliding safety shows F and S. An internal leaf-spring liner lock holds it open. To close it, release the lock and pull back the charging handle, engraved © 2001 ALM. Overall length is 8.5 inches, closed length is 5 inches, and it weighs 4.1 ounces. It comes complete with its box, sheath and papers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a single action OTF knife?
An OTF, or out the front, knife fires its blade straight out of the front of the handle. A single action OTF fires automatically, but you retract it by hand. On the Exodus, you release the internal liner lock and pull back the charging handle at the rear to close it.
How rare is the Microtech Exodus?
Very. The Exodus had a very short production run, essentially limited to 2001. Collector records show handle dates only within that year, such as April, June, July and August 2001. That makes it a one-year release from Microtech’s Vero Beach era, and this one is dated July 2001.
What does ALM mean on the charging handle?
ALM stands for Anthony L. Marfione, who founded Microtech and designed the Exodus. The charging handle reads © 2001 ALM and PATENT PENDING, along with EXODUS and the Microtech logo. Collectors specifically look for the ALM stamp because it ties the knife to his design period.
How does the Exodus differ from the Microtech HALO?
Both are single action OTFs with charging handles. The Exodus, however, locks open with an internal leaf-spring liner lock that wedges the blade in place. To close it, you push that lock aside and then pull back the charging handle.
Is this Microtech Exodus complete?
Yes. It comes with the original Microtech box, labeled EXODUS BLACK PLAIN (P/N 300415), and the original nylon sheath. The original warranty card, the firing instructions and the warranty registration postcard are all included as well.
Is an OTF automatic legal to own?
It depends on where you live. Laws on automatic knives vary by state, county and city, so check your own before ordering. The Automatic Knife Legal Notice at the end of this listing points to current state-by-state information.
Does We Buy Knife Collections actively support the broader knife enthusiast community?
Yes. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, We Buy Knife Collections is a curator and purveyor of fine custom made folding and fixed-blade knives. We are dedicated to the high-end custom knife community and we support knife rights advocacy.
Following our commitment upgrade in April 2026, we are proud to hold an AKTI Premier Membership, supporting the American Knife & Tool Institute’s vital advocacy and lobbying for knife owners, makers, and the future of the industry.
Buy This Microtech Exodus
We inspected this Microtech Exodus and described it as it is: excellent, complete and dated July 2001. See more on our Microtech Knives page. If you are refining a collection of your own, we also buy knife collections.
Automatic Knife Legal Notice
This is an automatic knife. Laws governing purchase, possession, and carry vary by state, county, and municipality.
The buyer must know and follow the laws that apply where they live before ordering. We do not give legal advice. For current state-by-state information, consult the American Knife and Tool Institute.
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