2008 CRKT catalog

Good point. Perhaps CRKT has learned from the experience and that is why the Fulcrom has the better steel.
 
the aluminum handle m21 with aus8 is a BEAST !! and it doesnt have a beadblast the blade is polished. one of the best crkts you can buy.

the hissatsu folder is also another beast of a folder, and another one of crkts best folders.
 
I agree with you on the m21 BEAST! Love mine. The only thing I don't like about it is how high the pocket clip makes the knife stand out of the pocket. Good for military use...bad for edc in our knife-fearing culture.

Did you order one of these Fulcrums yet? ;)
 
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Hmm, nice.They really have alot of cool designs in that catalog, but too bad they use something like AUS 4 so much..Otherwise..I'll definitly buy some of those knives, especially a Fulcrum.
 
knarfeng said:
420J2 is a marginal blade steel for edge retention if one is generous in making the assessment.
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The advantage of 420J2 and AUS4 is they are very easy to sharpen.
And non knife-knuts need an easy shapener.

I gave a AUS4 and a 420J2 to two friends.
They love them.
Both of them tell me when the knives get dull and they sharpen them with a kitchen sharpener.
And that works for them.
What tell them to buy a $40 sharpening system!!!!!!

So CRKT knows its market.
They are well made.
They look fancy.
There are lots of different designs to choose from.
And the people buying don't know for $50 you can buy a far better knife!
 
neeman said:
The advantage of 420J2 and AUS4 is they are very easy to sharpen.
And non knife-knuts need an easy shapener.

I gave a AUS4 and a 420J2 to two friends.
They love them.
Both of them tell me when the knives get dull and they sharpen them with a kitchen sharpener.
And that works for them.
What tell them to buy a $40 sharpening system!!!!!!
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Yes, and save your friends a lifetime of inferior cutting edges! I'll say what I've always felt. If you actually use your knives, a Spyderco Sharpmaker pays for itself really quickly!

neeman said:
So CRKT knows its market.
They are well made.
They look fancy.
There are lots of different designs to choose from.
And the people buying don't know for $50 you can buy a far better knife!
Click to expand...
For as little as $25, you can buy a far better knife!;)

Regards,
3G
 
The advantage of 420J2 and AUS4 is they are very easy to sharpen.
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Many people consider those soft tough steels very difficult to sharpen because of the difficulty of getting rid of the extremely tough burr. It's like trying to sharpen Play-Do.
 
IMO, CRKT is a great value. My only complaint is that every time I get one that I like, they discontinue the model--for example the Alaska Bwana folder mentioned above and the little Carson neck knive, and the Fixed Falcon.

I just bought a DRIFTER (partially serrated, G10 & 8Cr14MoV) which I so far like very much. It does look similar to the BM Vex, but much smaller and lighter for pocket carry.
 
Cougar Allen said:
Many people consider those soft tough steels very difficult to sharpen because of the difficulty of getting rid of the extremely tough burr. It's like trying to sharpen Play-Do.
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Yes if you know how to sharpen

If not
burr is what you drink cold after a long day
 
i just got a Lake III, says its 8Cr14MoV .. nice small knife, great for the money too
 
Cougar Allen said:
Many people consider those soft tough steels very difficult to sharpen because of the difficulty of getting rid of the extremely tough burr. It's like trying to sharpen Play-Do.
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I've found that while such steels may burr easily, they also are easy to sharpen without burring, if one sharpens without the preconceived notion that raising a burr is necessary, or knowledge of why raising a burr is often considered desirable. Often, it helps if the edge profile is sufficiently thin, which seems to be an overlooked characteristic by a whole range of knife manufacturers, not only inexpensive ones. Basically, if one knows how to sharpen something like a Tramontina machete, they'll know how to sharpen 420J2 and similar steels with few problems.

In short, I don't shy away from knives in 420J2 because they use that steel. I shy away from them because they tend to be kinda crappy from initial design all the way through execution.
 
3mptin3ss, M21 folders are beadblasted. Did you polish the blade?

Here's a description from the CRKT website:

The swedged and recurved blade is ground to a spear point shape, using premium AUS 8 stainless steel in non-reflective frost finish to offer superior edge retention.

http://www.crkt.com/M21.html
 
As everyone here seems to imply...CRKT makes some budget no-frills knives, many of which are solid designs and seem to hold up well.

I have a CRKT M1 Lightfoot (desert) which I bought on a whim to check out, thought about selling. However, the more I look at it the more I feel I should keep it. The fit and finish are rather nice. The blade locks up super solid with zero play. It is a decent, stout size for EDC. There is the LAWKS backup for liner-lock safety haters. It operates smoothly....what more can one say....
 
batosai117 said:
I recently bought a model 6204 alaska bwana and I didn't even see it pictured in the new catalog. It's an older model designed as Russ Kommer's personal carry knife. It has AUS 6M and has a great handle feel, the most comfortable thing I've ever held. It's made as a skinning knife but it works great on everything that I've put it up to. It really surprised, me especially after I found out that it wasn't at least AUS 8. I was bummed at first, but it just takes a touch up here and there from my diamond rod. I would agree with other posters that they should at least make ALL of their knives out of AUS 8, and that being the lowest possible steel. I do realize that they are very affordable knives (which attracts me to buying one here and there), but just knowing that they have better steel would make me feel better. Anyhoo, here is a pick of my Alaska Bwana.
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I just picked one of these up at Beck's Cutlery in Cary, NC for $20. The trick is to wait until the model is on closeout/going out of production. I haven't had the chance to put it to the test yet, but it feels VERY quality for a $20 and change.

That's what CRKT delivers - interesting/original design, reasonable quality, variety, and value. It's no CRK Sebenza - but then again it's not $330.
 
CRKT doesn't do a lot for me but I do like the looks of the Kommer Full Throttle . . . They could lose the gold plating though
 
spoonrobot said:
It's always puzzling to see users complain about the materials of CRKT knives. One must realize what kind of company they are and what they are trying to sell, this is not a full-line high-end company. They offer a lot of custom maker models that otherwise would be inaccessible to the general public and have several interesting locking mechanisms that are produced nowhere else.

I like CRKT for the different designs they offer. They may have some lower-end steel but seeing all the cool things they make with good fit and finish makes up for it. I'm excited about their expanding multi-tool line the most, interesting form factors and such. They really need to work on being more lefty-friendly with their knives, some go above the beyond like the M1 Lightfoot with 4 carry options, 2 pocket clips, 2 sets of screws and a wrench to swap them out but other models are completely lacking.

I have a 3Cr13 blade on my Zilla-Tool and in all honesty it works very well for being so soft. :rolleyes:
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+1 !!!

I own several CRK&T knives as well as tools and enjoy having a wide range of knives that are modeled after the higher end stuff. the only prob i had was an easy one to fix myself, all the rest go into my "Fun Toy" catagory.

----- Eric
 
I recently got an M16-03Z. The quality of the construction is excellent but the blade doesn't hold its edge. Out of the box, the edge was razor sharp but after a day of opening boxes, no more sharp edge. Quite easy to sharpen though.
I love the feel of the knife in my hand and the smooth action of opening and closing it. I'll definitely get another CRKT but I learned my lesson, this is the last AUS 4 for me.
 
thefarmer said:
I recently got an M16-03Z. The quality of the construction is excellent but the blade doesn't hold its edge. Out of the box, the edge was razor sharp but after a day of opening boxes, no more sharp edge. Quite easy to sharpen though.
I love the feel of the knife in my hand and the smooth action of opening and closing it. I'll definitely get another CRKT but I learned my lesson, this is the last AUS 4 for me.
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That's one of the reasons I stopped buying and using my crkt's, they never hold an edge. Don't get me wrong, crkt has a lot of designs that I like, but I wish they would make AUS 8 their low end steel.
 
I own 2 CRKTs currently and have had a few in the past. Have not been disappointed at all they are great working knives. My K.i.s.s. been with me for about 4 years used a bunch and still performs, and I have an M16 FD zytel that is now doing about 60% of my edc rotation. Quick to open, carries comfortably, and is very aesthetically pleasing to me. As for their 2008 catalog, the one that got my attention is definitely the Hissatsu Folder.
 
I like the look of the Gallagher knives. know how they open? (stupid question lol - i mean do they have any spring assist, etc) glide lock looks nicest to me.
 
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