Pro-Tech was started by Dave Wattenberg about five years ago to make high quality switchblade knives. When he was a youngster, he would work weekends at his father’s cutlery shop to pay for knives and other items he wanted from the inventory. However, he was never allowed to take home any switchblades. Today, he has his revenge: he makes his own switchblades, and his dad sells them at the store.

What draws customers to Pro-Tech is the extremely high quality of manufacture and, on the fancier models, their innovative decoration. Many of Pro-Tech’s models have quite a following among police and military professionals around the world. In addition, their automatic knives are popular among people with disabling physical problems, like amputations or arthritis, that need a knife that they can open easily and quickly with one hand.

If a professional fisherman gets accidentally entangled in a net when it is going overboard, they have seconds to cut themselves free or be dragged into the deep blue sea. Since they are often wearing gloves and their hands are numbed with cold, many have selected reliable high quality switchblades like the Pro-Tech models as the best solution for their survival.

Many people think that switchblade knives are illegal. If you are interested in purchasing a Pro-Tech switchblade, contact the company and they will generally be able to tell you the legal situation for your state and what dealers to contact to buy one of their knives.

Pro-Tech Knives manufactures their knives in batches so that they can individually hand fit and finish each knife. Their production models offer some of the best quality of fit and function available on the automatic knife market. Their custom and limited edition pieces are heirloom quality, highly prized by collectors.

Most of the Pro-Tech automatic knives use a constant force coil spring action. Most are fired by simply pushing a button. The Magic model, a personal favorite of mine, features a hidden scale release firing mechanism designed by Mike “Whiskers” Allen, a top custom automatic knife maker.

Pro-Tech has a variety of models ranging from their tiny little Runt and Stinger with blades under 2 inches in length to their 3.5 inch blade Tactical Response III and 4-inch blade “Godfather.” The latter is styled somewhat like an Italian stiletto, hence the name. There is even a highly functional, good-looking, manual opening folder called the Harkins ATAC for those who live where switchblades are not allowed.

Pro-Tech has some fine custom-made items. The Ultimate Custom Godfather features a solid titanium frame that has been mirror polished, anodized “ice” blue, has four inlays of presentation grade Gold Lip mother of pearl, and has been hand engraved by Bruce Shaw. The blade is hand finished Devin Thomas “fireball” Damascus. It is truly piece of art.

One of Pro-Tech’s dealers, Heritage Collectibles of Reno, Nevada, (775) 825-4817, sets up at the SCI Convention so that you can inspect the Pro-Tech knives in person.