Addictions.....

- Lostin

The Microtechs look right at home in that display! Awesome.

Btw where do you guys get these display cases. I need one like the one pictured.

This is the Display Cube, and the taller one with more shelves is called the Countertop. Craigslist is the best bet for price. eBay has been commanding 4x the price for 10 years now, so that makes it much more expensive. For some reason people are calling them X-metal cases, but we've theorized that it's just a case of title keyword spamming that ended up being adopted as the official name, but they're just the original run of the metal case after the cardboard ones of the 90's and before the Spline or the 2.0 rolled steel black cases.

Ok thanks for all the info guys. Still new and learning. So, is eBay basically the only place to get them? Is there anyway to buy them from a vault or something?

In truth, they can't be legally sold. Flip them over and there's a sticker stating that they are property of Oakley and must be returned when a store no longer uses them. Stores didn't really buy them, as they received cases based on their volume. So if they in turn took money for them, they were selling property that wasn't their.

However many smaller OPD's stopped carrying Oakley, or went out of business, and Oakley didn't enforce the return of these heavy cases since the freight charges would be more then the scrap metal value, so they've become sort of grey-market items.

The easiest and cheapest way to get display items is to befriend your local dealers. If they like you, they'll throw cases your way or offer you one for a low price. The 1.0 display cases (including the cube and countertops) are very much still available in backrooms from older dealers.

You guys are a plethora of info. Didn't realize all the legality issues that were involved in getting someone to sell a display case. I'll be on the look out for one, and I'll be checking our those eBay links. Thanks all.

It used to be the Oakley lawyers would get eBay to pull auctions that sold display cases. They've softened their stance quite a bit in the last 15 years, to the point where you can bring those actual display items to collector events without even a second look.

15 years ago they were in active use. I bet if someone brought a 4.0 it may raise a few eyebrows.

Mostly likely. But then again there were a lot of 3.0/3.1 stuff on eBay when they were the standard issue cases, and Oakley didn't stop those. I'm hoping they just realize the hassle may not be worth their time.

True, and that's the whole reason they're out there to begin with. It costs too much to figure out what to do with them once deployed an no longer needed.

Anyhow, on my wishlist is the Microtech Tachyon II, which of course is out of stock now:



I'd like to get an auto at some point, but haven't really narrowed down the choices.

Anyhow, on my wishlist is the Microtech Tachyon II, which of course is out of stock now:



I'd like to get an auto at some point, but haven't really narrowed down the choices. - Dann

Tachyon II is a great knife. I don't think they will be back in stock. It was a bladeHQ exclusive for a limited run. Secondary market would be the place to check. Microholics is a great Microtech specific forum with a great bunch of folks to check with. Of course the original Tachyon is regarded as a better knife. Think in terms of Pit Boss vs Pit Boss II.

Gotcha. Just one of those things where you want to save vs charge, but by the time you get around to collecting enough, it's gone.

That's the nature of communities, sometimes information gets passed around, and even things you thought were settled years ago, take on new meanings or definitions, and you wonder how it suddenly changed. I know I try my best, but I'm not always right, so usually Oak corrects me, but research always falls back on the same tried and truth methods. Primary sources trump word-of-mouth, documentation is even better, or when all else fails, find the answer with the fewest assumptions.

Microholics, interesting. Will look into that. I am a beginner with this. The information I have been able to gleam from page after page of misinformation and opinons, is limited and often is not from informed individuals. The Cube is of the vintage of Xmetal and that is how I found it. - Lostin

I don't mean to step on any toes by mentioning other forums here, so I apologize if that may be taboo. I've collected Microtechs far longer than I have Oakley's so I'm pretty well versed in them. If I can help in that world, just message me. Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread either.

No taboos. There aren't really any hard fast rules here, just be excellent to each other.

True, and that's the whole reason they're out there to begin with. It costs too much to figure out what to do with them once deployed an no longer needed. - Dann

Plus, once people pay dear money for the phased-out display cases, they have to buy a ton more Oakley stuff to fill 'em! I'd say that lawyers standing down goes hand in hand with Oakley's increased focus on community marketing. All of this is great news for the Oakley faithful!

That's the truth. Get a new display case and somehow its already full.

I'm a big knife fan as well. I've been on a bit of an Emerson kick recently, but I own knives from; Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw, Emerson, Gerber, ESEE, and a couple customs.


I would definitely love an auto, but they're illegal in my state. I'd get a Microtech Halo and a Benchmade Auto Stryker.

I actually need to let a few folders go, I've got a couple lined up and I need to make some cash to buy them.

Slingshots and BB Guns are illegal here, but it doesn't stop most people. Small states mean close borders.

I'm a big knife fan as well. I've been on a bit of an Emerson kick recently, but I own knives from; Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw, Emerson, Gerber, ESEE, and a couple customs.


I would definitely love an auto, but they're illegal in my state. I'd get a Microtech Halo and a Benchmade Auto Stryker.

I actually need to let a few folders go, I've got a couple lined up and I need to make some cash to buy them. - Rustpot

Autos are illegal to carry in most states, but not usually illegal to own. I think Texas just passed a law stating you can actually carry them here. The rule used to be that they were illegal to carry, unless you were active military or law enforcement, but you were always able to own and collect them. Now you can actually carry them. Most of my collection is Microtechs and Balisongs.

Automatics or "switch-blades" as most laws refer to them are illegal to own in;
Colorado
Delaware
Washington D.C.
Hawaii
Illinois
Louisiana
Maine
Michigan
Minnesota
Montana
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York (specific license)
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

Maryland and Ohio also do not allow the sale, but do allow the ownership.

Just a few

Love the look of Damascus blades. Do they have any drawbacks