BIG NEWS POST #4: Caswell Morphing Karambit

Topic is:
Caswell Morphing Karambit
 
This is such an interesting design and concept that it is gratifying to see it take corporeal form despite my complete lack of interest in owning one.

It seems more like an art piece than a piece of kit, but I look forward to someday buying one, briefly operating it, and then selling it to someone who appreciates it enough to keep it.
 
SpySmasher said:
Their Offbeat II model has a listed HRC of 56-69. That's INSANE. That's got to be a typo, right?
Click to expand...
It's got to be a typo. That said, the hrc range on the Caswell Morphing Karambit as done by crkt seems way too broad as stated. Maybe another typo?
 
craytab said:
It's got to be a typo. That said, the hrc range on the Caswell Morphing Karambit as done by crkt seems way too broad as stated. Maybe another typo?
Click to expand...
The Caswell version has CPM 3v done by Peters Heat Treating.
62hrc all 5 tests.
kGHBygq.png
 
craytab said:
It's got to be a typo. That said, the hrc range on the Caswell Morphing Karambit as done by crkt seems way too broad as stated. Maybe another typo?
Click to expand...

I'd hope that it's unfinished placeholder text. A lot of the time those 'coming soon' listings don't seem to have complete or accurate information, especially with an uncertain release date. Sometimes not all technical specs are known.
 
Comeuppance said:
This is such an interesting design and concept that it is gratifying to see it take corporeal form despite my complete lack of interest in owning one.

It seems more like an art piece than a piece of kit, but I look forward to someday buying one, briefly operating it, and then selling it to someone who appreciates it enough to keep it.
Click to expand...

It was so interesting as a design to me that I funded three of them, even though I have neither a use for nor any training in the use of a karambit. But it was just too cool.
 
madcap_magician said:
I'd hope that it's unfinished placeholder text. A lot of the time those 'coming soon' listings don't seem to have complete or accurate information, especially with an uncertain release date. Sometimes not all technical specs are known.
Click to expand...
Hopefully you're correct, but.....this is crkt we are talking about so who knows.
 
ponykid said:
Topic is Caswell not CRKT knives as Knarfeng stated clearly above.
Click to expand...

I started the thread, and I think the CRKT version and its execution are well within the topic. The point of my thread was to discuss the project updates, and then a participating dealer shared an even bigger update, which is also a Caswell morphing karambit project update, since we knew from the Kickstarter that the Millit-made midtech version was the middle stage before a full production version. I think Knarfeng was talking about the non-morphing karambit CRKT discussion.
 
Last edited:
CRKT always makes me nervous, but given the recent success of the Squid, Pilar, Crossbones and a few others, I may well take a chance on the Provoke, just to see what the morphing karambit thing is all about. I'll wait to get some word on the quality first, but the mechanism is intriguing and I'm kind of a sucker for cool karambits, though I have no earthly use for them. Worst comes to worst, I'll get one to check it out and return it if it sucks.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
CRKT always makes me nervous, but given the recent success of the Squid, Pilar, Crossbones and a few others, I may well take a chance on the Provoke, just to see what the morphing karambit thing is all about. I'll wait to get some word on the quality first, but the mechanism is intriguing and I'm kind of a sucker for cool karambits, though I have no earthly use for them. Worst comes to worst, I'll get one to check it out and return it if it sucks.
Click to expand...

CRKT always has been willing to gamble on interesting knife mechanisms. To be honest I have no experience with any of their other far-out design collaborations, I've only handled their more traditional folders.
 
madcap_magician said:
I started the thread, and I think the CRKT version and its execution are well within the topic. The point of my thread was to discuss the project updates, and then a participating dealer shared an even bigger update. I think Knarfeng was talking about the non-morphing karambit CRKT discussion.
Click to expand...
Yes.

It is an interesting design. Unfortunately, crkt is often where interesting designs go to die. I don't trust crkt qc or fit/finish. Even if you get to handle one in person, they've been known to ship with the wrong steel.

It's a tough place for some folks who might like this design. I don't do kickstarters and I don't trust crkt. Hopefully there will eventually be a middle road for this knife.
 
It suddenly occurs to me, that @gpknives can probably tell us how confident they are in the CRKT hardness numbers on their web site given this discussion.

craytab said:
Unfortunately, crkt is often where interesting designs go to die.
Click to expand...

Didn't the G&G Hawk MUDD get a short-lived CRKT version, and then later on ZT did a run of much better ones?

But yeah, otherwise, the field is littered with the corpses of interesting knife designs that CRKT managed to underdeliver on. But still, I'm really glad that CRKT is willing to gamble on some of these things. We might have a lot less innovation if they didn't.
 
madcap_magician said:
It suddenly occurs to me, that @gpknives can probably tell us how confident they are in the CRKT hardness numbers on their web site given this discussion.
Click to expand...
True, but they are likely getting the numbers from crkt who are getting the numbers from whoever is making the knives. I mean, remember the KC exclusive hootenanny that was supposed to be s30v? That stuff rusted in 7 minutes. All knives had to be returned. Buying from crkt is a gamble. Like I said, hopefully for people who like this design there is a middle road between the kickstart and crkt.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top