Bought my first knife: CRKT! - New to collecting and want to know more!

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vagabonding

Joined
Sep 18, 2008
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I have only started collecting knifes within the past 4-5 months after a friend gave me his old and well worn Gerber Mini Fast Draw Knife, Part Serrated, GB-1525.
Instantly this steel caught my attention and in the first few days of having it, I must have practiced deploying it at least 1000 times! I didn't start doing any real research about the knife till about two months ago. I found my attention focused, desiring to learn more about all these new steels I was reading about, blade shapes, the different kinds of mechanical operation of knifes, locking systems, etc.
I decided it was time to go out and buy my first knife!
I'm obviously still green as all hell and decided to go to local shop instead of buy for less online so I could hold and open all the knives to test their feel.
After looking at many different types of knives I found myself most interested in heavy, large, tactical folders, I bought the Colombia River Knife and Tool M21-14 Combo Edge for $70 plus tax
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I really love the very heavy, solid feel it leaves in my hand. I love the smooth, fast action and what seem to my inexperienced mind as good stats for a knife of this price range.
Blade: Length: 3.875”
Thickness: 0.14”
Steel: AUS 8, 56-58 HRC
Closed: Handle length: 5.375”
Open: Overall length: 9.25”
Weight: 5.5 oz.
Click to expand...

So my questions?
How did I do for a first time purchase?
How do the CRKTs rate compared to comparably priced models and brands? (Benchmade, Krenshaw, Gerber, etc.)
What should I be looking for next?
I'm starting to look at longer fixed blade bowie and tactical knifes...
What are the most important things for a new knife user to learn, practice and know?
And of course anything else you would like to add would be helpful!
Thank you.
M
 
That's a pretty good CRKT. It should serve you well.
Benchmade, Kershaw and Spyderco are regarded higher here, you are going to find and give good value for the price.
I used to buy a few CRKT and still have a few, I liked best and while I don't buy anything besides Spyderco today. You made a decent start, IMO.
You will by reading here find out all you need to know in time about many brands. Look about on all the different forums and read, is my advice. No better way to learn.:D
 
Welcome to the forums, you'll find a lot of good information here. Lock up your wallet now :)

I'm a big fan of the M16/M21 line that CRKT has. You'll get a lot of mixed reviews here about CRKT since there isn't much talk about them here. I carried an M16 CE CRKT exclusively every day in the military and put it good use. It never failed me and still hasn't.

You did great for a first time purchase.

As far as what to look for next - I'd say, IMO, the best bang for your buck will be a Mini-Griptilian by Benchmade. It's built like a tank, is very comfortable, and super smooth motion.

You'll find A LOT of Spyderco supporters here. I haven't found that one Spyderco that suits my needs like the mini-grip yet, but I'm sure there is one out there. I had a Delica for a while that was pretty nice I just never cared for how it sat on my pocket.

By "Longer knives" what length are you referring to and what is your intended use?
 
How did I do for a first time purchase?

Fine. Nice knife that works well with decent steel backed by a decent company. The M16 Series of knives are popular and work well

How do the CRKTs rate compared to comparably priced models and brands?

Many on BF consider them a notch below because of their steel choice. Some also think they run their steel a little soft. Take all that with a grain of salt though because like any group of fans and collectors they tend to want bigger, better and fancier. The M-16 is a great knife and will do 99% of what you need from a knife.

What should I be looking for next?

Use your M-16 for a while and find the things in it you want improved or bother you. Then base your next purchase on that knowledge. You may want to get something to sharpen your knife if you are looking for a next purchase.


What are the most important things for a new knife user to learn, practice and know?

Read Read Read then ask lots of questions. Learn not to cut yourself and how to keep it sharp. ;)

And of course anything else you would like to add would be helpful!

I think you made and excellent purchase. Learn how to maintain it and enjoy it's use
 
That's a heck of a lot better than my first knife purchase. I think I bought a Fury balisong that fell apart after a couple of months.

Welcome....read up and make up your own mind as to what you want to carry. There are a ton of great options out there.
 
My Dad gave me some CRKT's he'd had from back in the day and these are about my fave ones out of the bunch.
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Same here, got a Pakistani damascus cheapie which couldn't cut from the box or after sharpening. Could've gotten two M16s for the price.

Now I have 2 M16s and a M21. From the box it's not too perfect but after some fiddling with the locks it's good enough now. I fully recommend a Kershaw (JYD or JYD2 is good but Sandvick steel rusts easy however with good edge) and Spyderco (not too pretty but great at day to day cutting. Get the Byrd Cara Cara for a cost effective beginning).

Have a fun time mate, the story is just beginning.

PS: Research is very important for every knife purchase, don't want to get 3 lemons when the money would be better spent on one beauty!
 
I carried a Crawford Kasper from CRKT for a couple of years before giving it to a friend. Its heavy, but thats what I was looking for in the first place. I had a couple of the M-16 series. The regular sized ones in spear point and tanto are great. Mine predated the LAWKS safety. The only reason I ended up getting rid of the spear point version I had was the blade was half serrated and I really wanted a plain edge. The smaller spear point w/ the carbon fiber handle scales was too thick at the edge for such a small knife. I sold that one too. It worked great and I used it to cut cable (copper) and scrape some zinc coated steel. It only got under my skin when I was trying to resharpen it and it was taking a lot of time just because of the edge thickness. I really like the blade shape of the one you have, except for the serrations. I'm funny that way, so dont let it bother you. I prefer fully serrated or fully plain edge, not half of each. The M-16 ~4" blade tanto is a beast and sharpens really quickly, at least the last few times I sharpened my friends he bought to replace the Crawford Kasper. The small tanto is handier, with a blade in the 3 inch range. At the time I preferred spear points to tanto points, but now I think I'd take the large tanto instead of the Kasper and the small tanto instead of the spear point.

My last purchase was a Byrd Cara Cara. I like it, as it has replaced my Benchmade TSEK. The Byrd line, owned by Spyderco, is a good value for future purchases. Of course the Delica and Endura models from Spyderco are the standards by which one hand opening, pocket clip knives are judged. They are available on the web for under $60 US plus shipping. They also have many variations, so you can get the latest greatest super steel in a limited run, or one with a pocket hook Wave opener models. The handle of my Delica 4 (the 4th generation with slightly different blade shape, handle texture, and pocket clip options) fits my hand just about perfectly. The only ones that feel better are my home made fixed blades, which get the handles tweeked until I dont notice I'm holding them. Do yourself a favor and grab a Benchmade in the future as well. The 710 Axis Lock model is the flagship of the knives with the Axis Lock. The Griptillians are less expensive, but also have the same lock. Benchmade overall is a little pricier than Spyderco, but for one of my tests cutting cardboard, my Benchmade made the cut easier than my Spyderco. Of course I was comparing a $100 knife (Benchmade) to a $50 knife (Spyderco). For silky smoothness in tactical folders, the Axis Lock is tough to beat.

Dont forget the traditional slip joints that seem to be making a come back. See the traditional forum here on BF for more info. Nothing cuts like some 1/16" thick, full flat or hollow ground, razor sharp, 1095, D2, or 420HC, from Old Timer, Queen, or Buck respectively. Enjoy, and remember there is a reason some companies ship their knives with a band-aid. Oh yea, the sharpening and maintenance forum is your friend for getting and maintaining a hair splitting (literally) edge, and keeping the pivot running silky smooth.
 
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Not a bad first puchase at all, my dad has one and uses it hard, it has held up well for over a year and it is still his favorite knife.

If you like the heavier knives, check out a Buck 110, you can get them from Wal-Mart for around $30-35 and they are great knives with a great history. They also have the best warranty in the business.

I like the traditional knives the best, I suggest you look at a few good ones (Case, Boker, GEC, Queen, USA Schrade and Camillus) and check out the traditional subforum, you just might like them also. Like somebody has already said, nothing cuts better than a thin carbon steel blade. I like some of the "tactical" type knives, I just don't own or carry many these days. Benchmade was my favorite company when I did carry them. Spyderco makes great knives, but I never found anything from them I didn't end up selling or trading. Boker is making some nice inexpensive tacticool knives that get great reviews here. For affordable fixed blades, check out Fallkniven and Bark River, Ka-Bar makes some good ones also. Busse is kind of the holy grail of fixed blades if you can afford them.

Try not to get caught up in the type of steel used or the lock strength, as long as it is a good steel and the lock is safe to use, it will do everything you need it to. Focus on finding what you like first, then sweat those little details later.

Keeping your knives sharp is extremely important, they are safer and will make using them so much more enjoyable. The quest for the sharpest edge is an addiction itself. The maintenance forum is the place to ask any of those questions. It can be a little overwhelming at first so I suggest starting off by trying to learn to freehand. It is a little harder at first than using a guide or jig, but it will pay off and you won't be dependant on mechanical help to sharpen your knives. It is also the cheapest way to start. You can get a good stone or two for under $30. Just be patient and learn as much as possible, it won't be perfect at first and it doesn't have to be. It is a dying art that is the most relaxing and enjoyable way to sharpen a knife. It will bring you more satisfaction a sense of acclomplishment once you do become good at it. If you do decide to use a mechanical device to help you obtain a sharp edge, get a Spyderco Sharpmaker. It is easy to use and very effective as long as you don't neglect your knives and let them get too dull. It also gets knives very sharp with little practice. There are many systems out on the market but I like the Sharpmaker or a set of benchstones the best.

Hope that helps and if you have any questions I am sure most everyone here would be happy to answer them. With as many people out there that are against knives and consider them weapons, we need all the support we can. Welcome to a great hobby.
 
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Great knife, I had one but lost it out of my pocket while mountainbiking (at least I think thats when, and it makes some sense). I started out on CRKTs myself and quickly made my way towards benchmade and spyderco, so be careful. At least spyderco has the byrd line now and the benchmade red boxes are great knives for the money. I would stick with lower priced knives until you figure out what you like, and then start really dropping some cash.
 
Good choice for the first folder IMO! Strong blade and lock, good ergos, easy sharpening. :thumbup: (My second folder was a M16-12. :))
 
My second knife was a M16-14 too , basically the same knife but a Tanto, blade and before they put in that LAWKS crap.
I've had that knife for six years and is my most carried even though I own about 12 folders. Apart from a few dings it is in great shape and it flips open fast for Self-defense, there is the slightest bit of play against the lock but it does not affect the safety at all and this is after about a million hard flips.
That knife is still one of my favorites, and my most commonly used during the summer as a forestfirefighter. It is real solid. I think you made a good choice.
 
you picked a good knife. I have that exact knife and it functions well. Blade can be sharpened razor sharp and I have not had any problems with mine. Good pick hope you enjoy it. you'll never stop buying knives from here on out, it is a very expensive hobby.
 
You picked a great starter knife!

I would agree with some of the other folks who posted about getting a Buck 110 and also a Benchmade Griptilian.
I have several of each of those and use them often! Haven't found a better 'bang for the buck' than with the Griptilian.

Looks like you caught the 'knife bug' and are on your way to many more knives and a great using and collecting future. Welcome!

Regards,
Mike
 
not a bad first choice at all. My only criticism of the CRKT M16/M21 line is that they should be using a better steel at the price they are asking, but AUS-8 isn't a BAD steel by any stretch of the imagination. It will take a razor edge quite easily - it just loses it quicker than some of the other popular steels out there today.

I'm not a fan of the ergonomics on the M16/M21 line, it doesn't seem to offer a very solid grip to me.

careful with the pocket clip. They like to snag on things and bend.

Now keep in mind, these are all things I learned by carrying an M16-03Z with me every day for like 2 years. It was my first knife purchase and it served me rather well. I have moved on to bigger/better things, but for a first knife I would say you have done very well!



For your next knife, I'd steer you towards Kershaws. There are so many fantastic models in their line, and the pricing is so reasonable on them, along with the perfect customer service, you will love them. Kershaw works with a lot of famous designers to bring "production" versions of custom folders to the market, and they're all quite nice, including Ken Onion (like half of their lineup), RJ Martin (Groove, Zing), Grant and Gavin Hawk (R.A.M., ZT 0500 MUDD), and a few others.

And yeah! Learn how to not cut yourself! Very valuable.

-James
 
Great knife for a first purchase. Use that for a while, figure out what it does, and doesn't do that you would like to be done. Than you should look at what your next knife purchase will be. Until than, I would reccomend you learn to sharpen them. If you have all the knives, but you can't sharpen them, sooner or later they will all just be cool looking butter knives.
 
In some sense, this seems pretty ideal as a first buy -- sort of a "jack of all trades, master of none" to get you started out. You'll find that finding the "perfect" knife for your specific tastes is a never-ending process, but this is a good one to help you set your priorities. There are many directions you could go from here -- want "grippy" scales like textured G10? Super-premium steel? Try a flat ground blade? Hole opening vs. thumb stud? Different lock? Different blade shape? It won't take you too long to identify some of these things, and your CRKT will give you a good baseline for knowing what you're happy with and what you want to try next.
 
As far as to what should be next, I would think that a Spyderco Sharpmaker should be on your list, after all you got to keep 'em sharp!:D
 
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