Best CRK for feather sticks and camp chores?

jacobconroy75

jacobconroy75

"Brain Cloud" is real.
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I was playing in my shop today and wicked edged all three of my CRKs. Then I grabbed some dry cabinet grade pine and tried making feather sticks. Out of a Mnandi, small 21 Insingo, and a large Annual the Mnandi made the finest feathers easily. Pretty much effortless, but, it was the most fun with the Annual. It felt comfortable in the hand and applying leverage to the back of the spine with the thumb of my off-hand was easier (and felt safer). Perhaps a large CRK is the way to go?

I'm trying to decide which CRK to take hiking and backpacking this spring and it will be used hard. The idea is to devote one CRK to this task and "feel ok" about abusing it if the situation arrises. Have any of you guys experimented with CRK camp wood chores? I've been using a Bravo 1 for feathering and batoning, but this year it's going to be a hatchet and a folder. Just need something new to play with.

Got my eye on a 25 with or without inlays. I'm thinking the shallow grind will be a bit more like a convex edge for feathering. I've also heard the tip is heavier on the 25.

I'd love to hear from any woods-bums to see what they prefer.
 
If you are not going with a fixed-blade I'd say the 25 is the choice. Beefier than the other CRKs and the rounded spine would allow you to push with your thumb on the back of the blade.

An Umnumzaan is another consideration. Good construction, has a flat spine for pushing and the semi-sharp spine neat the tip would be perfect for a ferro rod.

The micarta-handled 25 is a great knife, I have one. A $520 camp knife is pretty pricey, but would undoubtedly last you a lifetime. Just don't lose it!
 
jmclfrsh said:
If you are not going with a fixed-blade I'd say the 25 is the choice. Beefier than the other CRKs and the rounded spine would allow you to push with your thumb on the back of the blade.

An Umnumzaan is another consideration. Good construction, has a flat spine for pushing and the semi-sharp spine neat the tip would be perfect for a ferro rod.

The micarta-handled 25 is a great knife, I have one. A $520 camp knife is pretty pricey, but would undoubtedly last you a lifetime. Just don't lose it!
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That's an awesome point about the ferro rod and the Umnum...I hadn't thought of that. However, I think the Umnum is a little busy looking for me. Too tactical. But, when I get around to buying one I'll probably love it just like the others.

Between the 25 and the Umnum, how do you feel about the absence of the pivot bushing on the 25? I've read that the ceramic ball in the lockbar is very nice, but does it have that smooth CRK feeling?

I've been perusing the threads about that but still can't decide.

The other option is finding a large regular (non-annual) for the task. Thoughts about that?
 
Some honest advice from a CRK enthusiast, CRK owner, and CRK fanboy. My opinion only, many may disagree, which is fine :). I would suggest no CRK folders for the chores described if you plan on doing any volume of work. If you are setting aside $400+ dollars for a CRK to take backpacking, you are denying yourself an opportunity to buy a real wood-processing tool in the form of a good fixed blade bush-crafter or two (and I am not talking some massive Zombie beheading tool). The convex grind found on Bark River knives etc, will amaze you at how it can attack wood with ease. They (and others) make a huge range of small and lightweight fixed blades with proper blade geometry and handles that would outperform CRK folders, for half the price. I have taken all of my CRKs hiking and camping in an effort to justify their existence, but they all suck when compared to a decent fixed blade with a convex blade and smooth ergonomic handle. The open slab CRK folders chew the hell out of your hands if you do a lot of wood prep for fires, and are not really all that great for building shelters etc, drilling holes, stripping twigs from stick etc. They also are not really wide/thick enough to get the leverage that can help with some fire building tasks

Folding knives are designed to be great companions when the knife must be stored in the limited confines of a pocket. If you have a day pack, forget the folder, unless it is just a back-up, or for fun. Weight is comparable depending on the model you choose, and durability is of course many times greater with a fixed blade.

If you insist on using a CRK, I would avoid the 25. The very aggressive jimping will damage the upper part of your palm over time if you do not wear gloves. It's great jimping for EDC tasks, but given time you will regret that 25 traction. I like the 25 for many reasons, but long-term use is not one of them. Either the 21 or the Umnum has less aggressive jimping and the 21 has a smoother handle, so I suppose that is my vote.

If you browse any bush-crafting forums you will notice a distinct absence of CRK fixed blades as well. While they may provide great traction when gutting a deer, any woodsman knows that those super aggressive CRK handles, and the blade standing proud of those squarish handles, are all bad ideas for damaging your hands during wood processing. This is why "bushcraft" blades will typically have perfectly smooth and rounded handles, with the traction provided by the form and shape of the handle, not by milling grooves in the Micarta. When was the last time you saw an axe with anything but a smooth handle? You may not always want to be wearing gloves if it is hot, or they are wet, or you don't want to pack them

Love your CRKs for the great EDC folders that they are, get a real knife for your pack :thumbup:!

Some bigger fixed blades hanging out with my CRKs and making a feather stick with a 21. The BRK bravo line comes in many sizes much smaller than what you see here that share similar traits:

DSCF8336_zps020eb6fa.jpg


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DSCF2616_zps69d16f5a.jpg
 
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I have been using my Umnumzaan out in the wild as my "small knife" (usually along with a chopper or hawk) for a long time now. It is a superb bushcraft folder and handles all I need it to very well indeed. The harpoon swedge is something that comes in handy often and IMO is what sets it above the rounded spine CRKs for things like bushcraft. :):thumbup:

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kidcongo said:
Some honest advice from a CRK enthusiast, CRK owner, and CRK fanboy. My opinion only, many may disagree, which is fine :). I would suggest no CRK folders for the chores described if you plan on doing any volume of work. If you are setting aside $400+ dollars for a CRK to take backpacking, you are denying yourself an opportunity to buy a real wood-processing tool in the form of a good fixed blade bush-crafter or two (and I am not talking some massive Zombie beheading tool). The convex grind found on Bark River knives etc, will amaze you at how it can attack wood with ease. They (and others) make a huge range of small and lightweight fixed blades with proper blade geometry and handles that would outperform CRK folders, for half the price. I have taken all of my CRKs hiking and camping in an effort to justify their existence, but they all suck when compared to a decent fixed blade with a convex blade and smooth ergonomic handle. The open slab CRK folders chew the hell out of your hands if you do a lot of wood prep for fires, and are not really all that great for building shelters etc, drilling holes, stripping twigs from stick etc. They also are not really wide/thick enough to get the leverage that can help with some fire building tasks

Folding knives are designed to be great companions when the knife must be stored in the limited confines of a pocket. If you have a day pack, forget the folder, unless it is just a back-up, or for fun. Weight is comparable depending on the model you choose, and durability is of course many times greater with a fixed blade.

If you insist on using a CRK, I would avoid the 25. The very aggressive jimping will damage the upper part of your palm over time if you do not wear gloves. It's great jimping for EDC tasks, but given time you will regret that 25 traction. I like the 25 for many reasons, but long-term use is not one of them. Either the 21 or the Umnum has less aggressive jimping and the 21 has a smoother handle, so I suppose that is my vote.

If you browse any bush-crafting forums you will notice a distinct absence of CRK fixed blades as well. While they may provide great traction when gutting a deer, any woodsman knows that those super aggressive CRK handles, and the blade standing proud of those squarish handles, are all bad ideas for damaging your hands during wood processing. This is why "bushcraft" blades will typically have perfectly smooth and rounded handles, with the traction provided by the form and shape of the handle, not by milling grooves in the Micarta. When was the last time you saw an axe with anything but a smooth handle? You may not always want to be wearing gloves if it is hot, or they are wet, or you don't want to pack them

Love your CRKs for the great EDC folders that they are, get a real knife for your pack :thumbup:!

Some bigger fixed blades hanging out with my CRKs and making a feather stick with a 21. The BRK bravo line comes in many sizes much smaller than what you see here that share similar traits:

COOL PICS USED TO BE HERE
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You just can't handle the jimping 'cuz of the soft supple hands? Right? ami right? :p

Seriously..Alot of good points here..

First..Is that a BRK golok eye spy? If so, how do you like it?
Second..Like Haze, I have no issue using my Umnumzaan..it does pretty well considering it's heft. There is more than one fixed blade that usually makes trips with me, but most of them won't go on a hike with me. One year, I decided it was going to be a good idea to pack alont my P220 ST Sig 45 deer hunting in north Id..The next year,..I packed my .40 P99,..The next year..I just packed a few extra rounds for my .270 WSM.
What did I learn? It takes me a few years to get it right :D
 
Some really good points above.

I always have a CRK in my pocket, usually a Tanto Umnum or a Large 21. I've used the 21 to clean deer and the Umnum bumming around in the woods, they both performed very well. One year I forgot my fixed blade at camp and got turned around in the woods during a bad snow storm, the Small Insingo in my pocket helped me build a hasty shelter that probably saved my life and at the very least made me much more comfortable.

Like above I have a BRKT Golok for the tough chores and general fire prep, it can't be beat but I carry a CRK Nyala as my main fixed blade. It does light fire prep( sorry no pics )cleans game, makes spoons and such when I'm bored, etc. I don't find the handles to be too aggressive - in the last 3 years it's become my favorite fixed blade.

Neither the 25 or the Umnum have a pivot bushing. Of the two I prefer the Zaan because the finger chilis on the 25 don't fit my hand right with the grip I like to use on a knife.

If I was going to pick one CRK fokder as a woods blade just for the fun of doing so, and I sometimes do, it's either a Zaan or a Large 21 - but they generally ride back up to the Nyala, an ESEE 3 or 4, my Hawk, and the Golok, all dependent upon my mood, duration of trip, weather, etc.

No matter which one you pick I hope that you have fun and come back to update the thread.
 
bhyde said:
You just can't handle the jimping 'cuz of the soft supple hands? Right? ami right? :p

Seriously..Alot of good points here..

First..Is that a BRK golok eye spy? If so, how do you like it?
Second..Like Haze, I have no issue using my Umnumzaan..it does pretty well considering it's heft. There is more than one fixed blade that usually makes trips with me, but most of them won't go on a hike with me. One year, I decided it was going to be a good idea to pack alont my P220 ST Sig 45 deer hunting in north Id..The next year,..I packed my .40 P99,..The next year..I just packed a few extra rounds for my .270 WSM.
What did I learn? It takes me a few years to get it right :D
Click to expand...

BRK Golok it is. To know her is to love her, as they say. Very highly recommended!
 
I guess I should add, it is fun testing the capabilities of CRK folding knives doing fire making chores etc. It's fun for sure and I do it as well. I just would not recommend it as a first choice if talking in terms of practicality, functionality, or cost effectiveness. There are just some gorgeous and great fixed blades out there, and they seem like a bargain when compared to a CRK folder.
 
Thanks to all of you for the replies.


Congo, that is quite a bit of information and I need to digest it (too much hooch in the belly right now)....but I appreciate all that input. I hadn't considered the ergonomics of the CRKs. I always pack gloves when out and about in the woods because I'm OCD about my hands (a wuss). The ergos might not be so much of an issue for me. Very valid point however.


As I said, I do have a Bravo 1. It's fun to baton with (I am no sort of expert on this stuff). The problem is that IMO it doesn't have sex appeal. For example, I have removed the handles to save weight, sent it back to get a swedge, and ordered a technical sheath from Martin Swinkles in Denmark...still doesn't do it for me. It's also D2, which means a whole lot of polishing and smothering with vaseline....too much work man. Batoning anything over three inches thick is a chore due to only .5 inches hanging out (maybe a Bravo 1.5 in S35V is in order)...so, today I put it on the Wicked Edge for kicks, and it has never been sharper. If you force me to tell the truth, it did win the feather test. After giving it a precise 16º angle I found that the grinds on that thing aren't even close to symmetrical. That was kinda the last straw. It may process wood like a mad bastard, but the build quality is somewhat higgedly-piggedly.


You are absolutely right. A fixed blade is a better choice every time for bush chores but I've been looking for an excuse to buy a Wilderness Hatchet. I'll obviously need a new folder to compliment it.

As it turns out, I found a fellow here on the forum that might sell me a 2003 large plain-jane regular that is in pristine condition. Gonna have to do it. That way I can leave my Annual be. That means that a 25 is going to have to wait for a couple weeks. Bro's gotta grab a regular when he can. :)

Also, for all my posturing I've only spend three nights outdoors in the last two years. Definitely not hardcore.

About the Umnum pivot...I incorrectly assumed that they had bushings, but now that you say they do not....I'm wary of them.

What's the deal with pivots? Is Mr. Reeve doing away with them? If so, is that turning out to be bad?

 
jacobconroy75 said:
Oh yeah...and Haze...how does the harpoon swedge come in handy?
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It is by large a sacraficial edge that you can use rather than damaging the edge proper with some tasks. The striking of a fero rod would be a good example. It also makes sharpening back a fine needle point far easier as you have the 4 bevels converging to the point rather than the edge bevels and rounded spine of a "normal" CRK.
I'll also add that really the actual knife you use means little. A person accomplished in a task can generally do it successfully with any sharp edge (with in reason of course). What that edge comes on should really be of little matter, be it a folder, fixed blade, axe or a bit of flint or glass. It's the skill you learn not the tool. ;)...:):thumbup:

Those pics leave me wanting some what as well. Good stuff. :p
 
Haze said:
I'll also add that really the actual knife you use means little. A person accomplished in a task can generally do it successfully with any sharp edge (with in reason of course). What that edge comes on should really be of little matter, be it a folder, fixed blade, axe or a bit of flint or glass. It's the skill you learn not the tool.
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I agree wholeheartedly. But, that being said...it's much more fun with an expensive knife yes?
 
You're getting some sound advice here. I agree with everything said.

One good thing about the 21 is it has a straight handle, and you can grip it hard, especially with gloves. And it is two slabs of titanium with a S30V or S35V steel blade. What can go wrong?

On the pivot vs. no pivot thing, on the ones without the pivot, the Allen-headed fastener itself is the pivot. It appears to be - or is very close to- the same diameter as the pivot on a 21. So IMO they difference is negligible. None of these knives are accused of having sloppy pivots, ever, so both work great.

I would recommend an ESEE 4 or a Becker BK2 for general camp work, but that is the great thing about this hobby. There are so many fine choices to choose from that will all work just fine.
 
To be honest I have had just as much fun with my Moras as I have with my expensive hand made knives..... That said an expensive anything is usually more fun. :D

jacobconroy75 said:
I agree wholeheartedly. But, that being said...it's much more fun with an expensive knife yes?
Click to expand...
 
Haze said:
It is by large a sacraficial edge that you can use rather than damaging the edge proper with some tasks. The striking of a fero rod would be a good example. It also makes sharpening back a fine needle point far easier as you have the 4 bevels converging to the point rather than the edge bevels and rounded spine of a "normal" CRK.
I'll also add that really the actual knife you use means little. A person accomplished in a task can generally do it successfully with any sharp edge (with in reason of course). What that edge comes on should really be of little matter, be it a folder, fixed blade, axe or a bit of flint or glass. It's the skill you learn not the tool. ;)...:):thumbup:

Those pics leave me wanting some what as well. Good stuff. :p
Click to expand...

On this we will disagree Haze. If you spend a lot of time doing a repetitive task ergonomics and design are a huge and important factor, which is why it is a science and topic of much discussion in both the knife world, at our jobs, in manufacturing etc. Skill will not prevent a poorly designed handle from making a mess of your hand, which is why highly skilled people seek out the tools best suited and designed for their jobs. As a tradesman, who works for weeks at a time with hand tools, I can assure you that handle design is of utmost importance for repetitive tasks. The umnum can do anything, but if you want to do it over and over and over again, it is not the best choice due to the agressive traction and the fact it's an open Slab folder, which is why almost all tools used for serious chores have smooth handles, from shovels, to chefs knives, to axes, to steering wheels, to door handles, to pens, to chisels, to pick axes, to bushcraft knives, and so on. You will not walk into any commercial kitchen or butcher shop and find a knife with a textured handle, and that is not just for sanitation.

The skill you speak of cannot overcome design. :p

Pukko anyone?
 
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I will suggest that some are over-thinking this.

Pick the knife you would like to take, and make it work. If you have some good sensibilities and moderates skills, any choice will work well.

Where I live/camp I could do pretty well with no knife at all if I had too...but that is not the point;)
 
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