- Pro-Tech Runt 5 · Wharncliffe1.96″ blade · 2.09 oz · ~0.9″ tall
Pro-Tech Runt 5
The Pro-Tech Runt 5 is a 1.96" wharncliffe folder in CPM MagnaCut, flat ground. The handle is Aluminum, secured by a button lock. Automatic — sub-2in blade; restricted in some US states — check your state and local law before carrying. It is the shortest-bladed of the 61 EDC folders here, at 1.96".
Automatic — sub-2in blade; restricted in some US states. Knife law varies by state, county and city — check yours before carrying.
- Blade
- 1.96″
- Weight
- 2.09 oz
- Steel
- CPM MagnaCut
- Price band
- Premium
Everyday carry in pocket-knife-restricted areas
We don’t have a verified retailer link for this knife yet. We only link products we have confirmed resolve to the right item — here’s why.
Specifications
Manufacturer-published figures, cross-checked against bladehq, smkw.
- Blade length
- 1.96″
- Blade shape
- Wharncliffe
- Grind
- Flat
- Steel
- CPM MagnaCut
- Overall length
- 5.13″
- Closed length
- 3.33″
- Weight
- 2.09 oz
- Lock
- Button Lock
- Deployment
- Automatic
- Handle material
- Aluminum
- Country of origin
- USA
Why a wharncliffe
A straight edge with a spine that tapers to the tip in a straight or near-straight line. The whole edge contacts a flat surface at once, so it cuts cardboard and rope on a bench better than any curved blade, and the fine tip is excellent for detail work.
Every wharncliffe here →About CPM MagnaCut
The current answer to “why must I choose?” — near-tool-steel toughness with better corrosion resistance than S30V. The default recommendation for a hunting fixed blade that lives in a wet sheath.
1-5 is a relative ranking drawn from published composition and hardness, not a lab measurement. Higher is better on every axis, and no steel is a 5 across the board — edge retention and toughness pull against each other. All CPM MagnaCut knives
What owners say
Drawn from 53 owner discussions of the Pro-Tech Runt 5 since 2024. The opinions are theirs. The specifications above come from the maker.
What owners like
- The spring fires hard: one owner says the action beats every auto they have handled including their other Pro-Techs, a California owner finds their Benchmade Partial Immunity less snappy, and new owners call it crazy strong and insanely snappy, one saying it almost jumped out of their hand the first time.
- Build quality draws praise: one owner reports no blade play and a rock-solid lock, and another with a 20CV version says the tolerances are tight.
- MagnaCut in daily carry impressed one owner who mainly carries Pro-Techs, citing edge retention, corrosion resistance and easy sharpening, and another used their MagnaCut Runt as a boxcutter through a wet day without trouble.
- At 1.96 in of blade and 2.09 oz it fits a jeans coin pocket, one owner says it is small enough not to look threatening, and another in a country where carrying knives is legal but unusual carries it because it will not intimidate people.
- Owners in California carry it as an automatic because the blade is under 2 in, and one paired it with a Partial Immunity as their only two California-legal autos.
- Despite the size, an owner with large hands gets a full three-finger grip, and they find the flat grind still slices adequately for utility-knife chores.
- It becomes the auto people actually use: one owner with plenty of automatics says it is the only one they carry often, and another says it replaced their Kershaw Launch 4.
What owners flag
- That snap catches people out: one owner says you need a firm grip or it can easily jump out of your hand, another warns not to hand it to someone unfamiliar with Pro-Tech springs, and a new owner says theirs almost jumped out of their hand the first time.
- The button can fail: one owner's limited-run custom stuck with the button depressed after five openings, and the dealer sent them its only other copy.
- The blade is thick for its length: one former owner wished it were thinner or hollow ground to slice better, and another remarks on how thick the blade is.
- The MagnaCut edge can disappoint out of the box: one owner had to reshape the factory edge, and another's chipped badly and went dull after cutting bark from a branch.
- Utility is narrow: one owner of four Pro-Techs says the shape, especially the reverse tanto, cannot really poke and only cuts downward, and another user judges the handle too small.
- Automatic-knife laws limit who can carry one: people in Connecticut and New York say they cannot legally carry one, and the New York one can use an automatic only while fishing.
Under 2 in of blade on an automatic is a big part of the Runt 5's appeal: it fits a coin pocket, looks unthreatening, and in California it is a legal auto, one of the only two in one owner's house alongside a Benchmade Partial Immunity. Owners use it for utility-knife chores and box cutting rather than hard work, and one grocery stocker ran a 20CV version for tape and cardboard before moving on to other knives.
Five openings into their limited-run custom, one owner's button stuck down, and the dealer replaced it with its only other copy; one other user was confident Pro-Tech would make it right. Otherwise the reports are about the spring, which one owner calls unmatched by any auto they have handled and which can throw the knife out of an unprepared hand. One MagnaCut owner praises edge retention and corrosion resistance, while another chipped their factory edge on bark and one former owner wished the thick blade were slicier.
Shoppers weigh it against the Spyderco PM2 and Autonomy 2, the Chaves TAK and a Lil Native. A self-described Spyderco user calls their Runt fantastic and has become a Pro-Tech buyer for autos, whereas one fan of the Runt and Malibu still chose Spyderco after two Pro-Tech button-lock warranty claims. Brass versions are hard to find, and one shopper looking for a textured brass Runt was contacted by a scammer using photos lifted from a retailer's site.
How strong is the Runt 5's spring compared with other autos?
One owner says its action is unmatched by any auto they have handled, including their other Pro-Techs, and a Benchmade Partial Immunity owner found theirs less snappy. Use a firm grip: that owner says it can easily jump out of your hand, and a new owner says theirs almost did the first time they pushed the button.
Is the Runt 5 legal to carry in California?
California owners say it is legal there because automatics with blades under 2 in are allowed, and the Runt's blade is 1.96 in. Knife users in Connecticut and New York say their rules stop them carrying it, so check your own state first.
Which Runt 5 versions come in MagnaCut?
In 2024 one owner said they picked the reverse tanto partly for its MagnaCut steel, and another user took that to mean only the reverse tanto was MagnaCut. Later examples include a MagnaCut Runt that is not the reverse tanto, a 20CV version and a Damascus version, so check the steel on the specific listing.
Does the MagnaCut Runt 5 chip?
One owner's super-sharp factory edge chipped and went dull after cutting bark from a branch. Another, who mainly carries MagnaCut Pro-Techs, had to reshape their Runt's factory edge; since then they say it has cut through a variety of materials and keeps asking for more.
What if the Runt 5's button sticks?
One owner's new custom stuck with the button depressed after five openings; the dealer sent them its only other copy, and they expect the dealer to handle the warranty claim. Suggestions included lint or a burr, turning the button with a thumb in case its spring was binding, and Pro-Tech's warranty service.
What do people pay for a Runt 5?
One owner paid $150 for a MagnaCut Runt at a local shop in 2025 and another paid $175 for the last one on a dealer's site in 2026, and in 2024 one shopper found a new MagnaCut Runt for $125. Brass versions are hard to come by.
Features
- Automatic
- Button Lock
- Flat grind
- Under 2.5 oz
- Made in USA
- Stainless blade
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