1 CRK Knife For 1 Year!

Glock Guy said:
Yep, it's still a thing.

I stopped posting after I made it on my THIRD attempt, but I would love to see others post pics and stories about their experience.

Best of luck to you @CO_EDC !
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Sweet, I will report back when I get the knife and start the challenge. I sold off part of my collection to fund the Sebenza, like you said, I want to simplify things and stop worrying about what to carry. I've already settled on a flash light and multitool for EVERY DAY. It's been that way for about 6 months but the knife part is hard!
 
I am jumping in! Sold off most of my knives, just have 1 more to sell. I just picked up this Small 31 today brand new locally. This is my 2nd small 31, and like 7th CRK. I just keep coming back after trying the latest and greatest for some reason. Two cool thing about this one is that:

1) Its the S45VN! Not that it mattered that much, just a perk.

2) Its dated August 9th, 2021, and my birthday is August 8th (August 8th this year was a Sunday, so I don't think anything was coming out fo the CRK factory on my bday). We also just adopted our first cat this year, Aug. 9th, 2021. Lastly, I bought it today, which is my dads birthday (he passed away when I was 12, I'm 30 now) and he is the OG dude who got me into knives. Always carried them, and in his retirement days, started making fixed blades as a hobby and selling them at fishing shows.

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I'm excited to start but it will have to wait a month or 2. Got my first CRK, a new-to-me Small Sebenza 31 but it came with a bent washer. I sent it off for spa treatment and new washers. Should be like a new knife when I get it back but the wait might just kill me. Had it in hand for all of an hour before shipping it to CRK.
 
I wasn't actually aware this was a challenge, but I had inadvertently started this about 10 months ago and have some progress pictures from posting on other threads here! haha
ehCbrD2l.jpg

10 months ago, brand new

XutnFPbl.jpg

After about 6 months of carrying every day

Wn06fNQl.jpg

Current, 10months in to daily carry/use

I love this knife and certainly don't baby it. Having a dedicated left handed knife has been something I've always wanted and I don't think I can go back to anything else.
 
Getting ready to start the journey again. Found a NIB large 21 lefty insingo with carbon fiber inserts. The 21 micarta insingo has been a constant companion for a year and a half and is an awesome knife. I decided to put the new cf knife in my pocket and go for it.cfseb (2).jpg
 
CHNeal said:
Hello all. My first post in a bit over a year…Ive had a carbon fiber Mnandi and only a carbon fiber Mnandi in my pocket for 365 days in a row!
This knife was never officially announced as my attempt but it was a year ago today that it was returned to me from the local PD after it had been stolen from the front seat of my truck ( I had sold it and it was packaged up to be sent out). The police found the guy that had grabbed my bag from my truck still carrying it and a bunch of stuff from other cars that same afternoon checking car handles and called me a couple days later. I opened it ( I had already refunded the buyer) stuck it in my pocket and haven’t looked back.
The Mnandi has proven to be all the knife I need in my daily life. The carbon fiber version is as durable as any knife I have carried. It rides tossed in my pocket with a ridge wallet and if anything looks and feels better then the day I bought it. It’s the only knife ever to completely kick a stockman from my pocket in 45 years.
Ill try to get a few pics posted later
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It’s been a few months. I’m the king of finding old threads I guess. Can you tell me more about your long term mnandi use? I find it very small and decided to bring it out on special occasions, but maybe you have use cases that I’m not thinking of. Anything to help me justify keeping it.
 
Therealtexasac said:
It’s been a few months. I’m the king of finding old threads I guess. Can you tell me more about your long term mnandi use? I find it very small and decided to bring it out on special occasions, but maybe you have use cases that I’m not thinking of. Anything to help me justify keeping it.
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Use it for everything. I haven't owned an mnandi, but have had similar type small knives including a BM330. I used it for hunting (field dressing small game), fishing, small work knife, every day small carry knife, etc. Most everything made by CRK is meant to be used.
 
Gaspumps said:
Use it for everything. I haven't owned an mnandi, but have had similar type small knives including a BM330. I used it for hunting (field dressing small game), fishing, small work knife, every day small carry knife, etc. Most everything made by CRK is meant to be used.
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Thank you. Yeah I’ve noticed that with their folders. People love actually using them. That is great to see
 
Therealtexasac said:
It’s been a few months. I’m the king of finding old threads I guess. Can you tell me more about your long term mnandi use? I find it very small and decided to bring it out on special occasions, but maybe you have use cases that I’m not thinking of. Anything to help me justify keeping it.
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Hello,
When I say i used it, I meant I actually used it for everything I needed a knife for and wasn’t in my shop or kitchen.
A couple years ago I was promoted at work. I went from being the lead maintenance tech / supervisor of a large regional shopping center to be the Operations Manager of that same facility. After a year of the promotion I started realizing that my edc Sebenza and HDS light were just over kill and a bit bigger then I wanted in my new position and clothing. ( had to lose the Redwings and Levis) I wasn’t interested in giving up quality or durability and sure wasn’t going with other then made in America. I knew I also wanted to go as small as I could but still be able to do what was required of them in a daily basis.
I chose the Mnandi and Peak Eiger. Together they don’t weigh 3.5 oz and both fight above their weight and class!
In the year + of EDC, and I mean EDC as it is the only knife I have left the house with in that time. I do put a buck 501 in my pocket when doing yard work with me daughter as she bought it for me for that task. So off the top of my head Ive used the Mnandi for:

1. Box disassembly-that thin blade really cuts cardboard
2. Cutting wire ties- works very well
3. Scrape gum off tables
4. Cut canvas painting tarp in half
5. Sharpened 100’s of carpenter pencils ( well probably only 10 pencils but 100’s of times)
6. Stripped wire
7. Removed paint from parts
8.-100.-everything else a guy needs a pocket knife for. I use the Mnandi no differently then I did the Buck 303‘s I carried for 40+ years. Its a pocket knife its intended to be used ( not abused mind you) Granted its a very expensive and beautiful pocket knife and I guess some buy them for show and tell and status. I bought it because I knew it wouldn’t let me down and I looks the part of an office knife. I spend most of my time these days in the office with the girls and copy machines so big scary knives have no place. I am however the only one there with a knife so get asked 10 times a day to open something or cut something ( the Mnandi excels at loose thread off sweater duty without scaring the sweater wearer)
I do however spend as much time as I can with my staff fixing and repairing the property so my knifes gets used and must function as a tool. For my use case the Mnandi fits the bill.

Hope this helps.
 
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CHNeal said:
Hello,
When I say i used it, I meant I actually used it for everything I needed a knife for and wasn’t in my shop or kitchen.
A couple years ago I was promoted at work. I went from being the lead maintenance tech / supervisor of a large regional shopping center to be the Operations Manager of that same facility. After a year of the promotion I started realizing that my edc Sebenza and HDS light were just over kill and a bit bigger then I wanted in my new position and clothing. ( had to lose the Redwings and Levis) I wasn’t interested in giving up quality or durability and sure wasn’t going with other then made in America. I knew I also wanted to go as small as I could but still be able to do what was required of them in a daily basis.
I chose the Mnandi and Peak Eiger. Together they don’t weigh 3.5 oz and both fight above their weight and class!
In the year + of EDC, and I mean EDC as it is the only knife I have left the house with in that time. I do put a buck 501 in my pocket when doing yard work with me daughter as she bought it for me for that task. So off the top of my head Ive used the Mnandi for:

1. Box disassembly-that thin blade really cuts cardboard
2. Cutting wire ties- works very well
3. Scrape gum off tables
4. Cut canvas painting tarp in half
5. Sharpened 100’s of carpenter pencils ( well probably only 10 pencils but 100’s of times)
6. Stripped wire
7. Removed paint from parts
8.-100.-everything else a guy needs a pocket knife for. I use the Mnandi no differently then I did the Buck 303‘s I carried for 40+ years. Its a pocket knife its intended to be used ( not abused mind you) Granted its a very expensive and beautiful pocket knife and I guess some buy them for show and tell and status. I bought it because I knew it wouldn’t let me down and I looks the part of an office knife. I spend most of my time these days in the office with the girls and copy machines so big scary knives have no place. I am however the only one there with a knife so get asked 10 times a day to open something or cut something ( the Mnandi excels at loose thread off sweater duty without scaring the sweater wearer)
I do however spend as much time as I can with my staff fixing and repairing the property so my knifes gets used and must function as a tool. Foe mu case the Mnandi fits the bill.

Hope this helps.
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It does does immensely and you just talked me into keeping it. It’s by far the smallest knife I have and you are right…. Anything bigger draws attention. I’ll take it a step further…it’s more than just girls and copy machines…it’s anyone far left. They get scared/angry at anything. I was so focused on what fits in my hand that I forgot the optics in Corp America. Thank you sir.
 
Adding my entry! Started on 10/25 after getting the knife back from spa treatment. Loving it so far! This will be my edc for 1 year. The wallet, flashlight, and Leatherman have been carried for a little over 6 months straight. The hard part will be the knife, I tend to swap knives out ever week or 2 but keep the rest of my edc the same.

https://imgur.com/a/oeJ7tJ2

https://imgur.com/a/hGyjTA4
 
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CO_EDC said:
Adding my entry! Started on 10/25 after getting the knife back from spa treatment. Loving it so far! This will be my edc for 1 year. The wallet, flashlight, and Leatherman have been carried for a little over 6 months straight. The hard part will be the knife, I tend to swap knives out ever week or 2 but keep the rest of my edc the same.

https://imgur.com/a/oeJ7tJ2

https://imgur.com/a/hGyjTA4
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Enjoy the journey! It took me several attempts to find the knife capable of staying in the pocket. Once you find it you will enjoy a sense of freedom and an extra couple of minutes every morning when not picking out the knife of the day!
 
I didnt buy any last year. I did buy two this year and sold them the same day. I understand this doesn’t work for collectors, however I sold almost all and gave away the rest of my collection last year to raise money for a friend in need and am not longer a collector. I am a knife user and I’m pretty sure I have all the knives I need for my uses. I will buy one more knife when I find the CF Damascus Mnandi I am looking for but other then that I have my pocket knife in my pocket.
 
Robot Mania Fu said:
I wasn't actually aware this was a challenge, but I had inadvertently started this about 10 months ago and have some progress pictures from posting on other threads here! haha
ehCbrD2l.jpg

10 months ago, brand new

XutnFPbl.jpg

After about 6 months of carrying every day

Wn06fNQl.jpg

Current, 10months in to daily carry/use

I love this knife and certainly don't baby it. Having a dedicated left handed knife has been something I've always wanted and I don't think I can go back to anything else.
Click to expand...

SlVijxCl.jpg


Well, it's officially been a year and about a month of carrying every day. It's nice to see the progress of how I made it mine. Awesome thread!
 
Funny how those stone wash blades stay so nice. My favorite finish, easy to clean and easy on the eyes
 
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