I was going to jump on here and say nice things about the new design all because I WANT it to be a great design. But as everyone knows negative comments and feelings have more passion then positive ones. So I'll voice mine.
No pivot bushing?! Please, this is one of the qualities that set CRK's folders above the rest. There maybe owners that can't put it back together, which I understand some people will not take the time or energy to do so. Or they some times will not focus and think about what they are doing. So they screw it up and send it to CRK. It COSTS time and manpower also known as money for CRK to fix the problem and send it back. Charging $11 or 13 or whatever it is for them to send it back does put a little cash in CRKs pocket but nothing in comparison to the manpower to takes to fix this "problem". SO they take out the pivot bushing on the new knife. Fine. Use the pivot screw most likely one will tighten it down to their liking, use the knife and the screw loosens up, tighten, loosen, tighten, etc. So one of two things are going to happen. 1) CRK makes a change in the design (I'll comment on this later) or 2) CRK or the owner puts blue Loctite on it. Great! just buy another brand if you want to use a half-ass fix like Loctite. "It wasn't made or designed in the first place so lets glue it". Enough of the pivot problem, you guys get the idea.
Glass breaker...gimmick. It doesn't belong on a $400+ knife. Buy a Spyderco or Benchmade for a rescue tool; professional or vehicle duty.
I'm with DaveH on the whole CRK doesn't communicate well (putting it nice). The GB test, yeah the test was a little extreme but please that knife shattered like a piece of glass. All you needs is the Umnumzaan's glass breaker and you're done. Something was wrong with that piece or maybe all of them, I don't know. Compare the Strider to the GB, the Strider did well. And this is coming from someone that doesn't like Strider, not the knives but the history. Need another example? Sure, what about the chipping in the Sebenzas? Answer; that is how S30V is. Pffff, please this is a high end production that was designed and built buy the man that helped create the S30V "cutlery" steel. Spyderco, Benchmade and others seem to have it down. How can they do better then one of the creators? Not possible......
...What answers do we get from CRK about this? Basically, we get blown off. There is nothing wrong with the designs or manufacturing. Maybe we are that stupid or I'm just that much of a jerk to believe this.
Oh and referring to the comment about CRK lowering their standard and it still being great. Well, this maybe be true but frankly if they lower it anymore they will not be CRK. The one area CRK shines is in the pivot. For example, good old Benchmade can crank out hundreds or maybe thousands of knives per day. Their blades and handles are perfect, cut on CNC machines. Everyone is the same. Tight fit and clean finish. But their pivot is not so tight, smooth yes but solid? No. Why? Because it takes manpower and time which equals a more expensive knife to equal the feel of a custom or high end production like CRK. We spend twice or three times the money to get the extra little fit and finish on the CRK product.
Okay, enough. On with the positive.
Can a pivot be tight and perfect such as the Sebenza with no bushing? Sure. But it will take some time to make sure it is right on each knife. Pivot screws female shaft that is left once it is placed through the hole of the handle will have to be just long enough for the thickness of the lube. Say .001" longer, for example...but tighter the better. What does that mean? Add the thicknesses of handle, blade, washers, lube and minus the handle recess will equal the length of the shaft from the mating surface of the screw head. In the end you should have a pivot screw that, when tightened completely, will not have any lateral movement. Of course I'm not a knife maker so this is just a guess from one with no hands on building experience.
Oh and I think that you have a better chance of messing up the reassembly with this design then the Sebenza. You could pinch the washer between the shaft end, blade and handle.
I'm I going to buy one? Sure. It maybe one of those knives that work better in the hand then in theory. Maybe they did do the pivot screw has I explained. Maybe they did listen to all the problem with the S30V and have looked into their HT. I don't know, I'll have to wait and see. If I don't like it, it doesn't work for me in use then it will move onto someone that does like it and will (or not) use it.
I'm sure I'm done complaining and I bet DaveH is too. Carry one with the happy-go-lucky discussion.:thumbup:
