The Amtacblades.com Magnus is the newest release from Bill Rapier, lead instructor of American Tactical Shooting Instruction. This is the second blade designed for inside the waistband (IWB) everyday carry (EDC), the first was the Northman, which I will compare the Magnus to, as well as others further on in this initial impression.
The Magnus was designed to be worn IWB, opposite of your pistol (so if you carry your pistol on the right side, traditional 3:00 o'clock or AIWB, you'd carry it 9-9:30, edge forward) and is much larger than the Northman, which was designed to be carried in your pocket sheath. Both blades share a very similar pedigree and are not only designed for real-world application in a combative role, but also to meet and exceed any utility requirements a blade may need to meet.
The Magnus comes with a firesheath which features an integrated ferro rod and a folding compartment to store needed items (such as handcuff keys, vaseline soaked cotton balls, money, or anything else you believe you may need.
The firesheath features a Discreet Concepts clip and dual tensioning screws to customize your preferred retention. You can get an audible "click" if that's what you would prefer when resheathing the Magnus.
On the standard Magnus version (non-sterile), you get a blade which is marked with the company name and the blade name.
The standard version is individually serialized and features the steel type used for the Magnus, CPM20CV (*.PDF).
The Magnus package comes with a full-size training blade and training sheath.
The training sheath features the amtacblades logo
The full-size training Magnus blade is also labeled as the live blade Magnus.
The full-size training Magnus blade.
So how does the Magnus compare to other blades in the industry?
Northman - Headhunterblades Kryptos Dagger - Magnus
Northman - Headhunterblades Dirty Blade - Magnus
Northman - Headhunterblades Rat Blade - Magnus
Northman - KA-BAR LE TDI Serrated - Magnus
Northman - Schultzbladeworks Dexter - Magnus
Northman - Schultzbladeworks Sinister - Magnus
Northman - Schultzbladeworks Crane's Beak - Magnus
Northman - Schultzbladeworks Fledgling - Magnus
As you can see the Magnus is a substantial blade with a very specific design. The handle of the Magnus is very comfortable and it's got a very good profile which was developed through many iterations of testing.
