Chris Reeve = Rolex of Knives

[JNewell]

Honestly, most of them are just tool watches. Pretty expensive tool watches compared to Omega, for example, but they hold their resale value MUCH, MUCH better. Like CRK knives!

I have heard that too.....on this forum and others. I think owning a Rolex is just a status thing.

 

[four_shore]

I think the biggest issue is that people tend to HYPE up how good some knives are and they are still NIB basically when they are talking about them ect. One really can't comment on performance or much of anything else about any knife unless they have really used it for more than a flip toy, pocket ornament or maybe opened a bag a chips. In other words they personally have no idea how good that said knife is or isn't because they have never used it or if it's really any better than a $5 gas station knife or a knife with a pot metal blade. There is no way possible they can know, and their comments are based on what.... Assumptions, HYPE, perception, some post they read someplace? And compared to what? Was that knife or those knives really used either?

Sure they can talk about fit and finish and how good it looks ect, but that's really about it and that doesn't have anything to do with performance at all.

If they are going to talk about anything to do with performance or how good it is that knife better have some user marks on it or they will likely get some flack.

There are also those who comment on knives they have never seen in real life, or even been in the same room with and talk about how good they are or aren't, lots of that going around..... Gotta love those parrots......

Kinda like the 4x4 that never sees mud or dirt, might as well be a Civic or a Smart Car.... Or that great looking car at a car show, does it run or will it even start? One really doesn't know unless they turn the key and find out.

I could care less about watches, never could keep one in one piece for very long so I use my cell phone as my watch.

That said CRK makes some excellent knives and are very tough and perform extremely well.

you preach that a whole lot here on the forums but honestly, look at what your own uses are for a knife...

you purchase a knife and perform countless cut tests at the convenience of your own home.

is your "real life use" really legitimate?

it seems to me that you create reasons to use your knives rather than just using them for tasks at hand.

yes, you know how to sharpen knives on your edge pro (we all know that) but why the constant criticism of others?

i agree that some people are more collector than user but what category does that put you in?

you test blade steels, at your own will and on your own dollar.

it's not your job, it's how you justify the use of your knives.

aside from that you just come off as a know it all.

maybe you should actually do something for the knife community rather than just trash talk...

 

[JTR357]

you preach that a whole lot here on the forums but honestly, look at what your own uses are for a knife...

you purchase a knife and perform countless cut tests at the convenience of your own home.

is your "real life use" really legitimate?

it seems to me that you create reasons to use your knives rather than just using them for tasks at hand.

yes, you know how to sharpen knives on your edge pro (we all know that) but why the constant criticism of others?

i agree that some people are more collector than user but what category does that put you in?

you test blade steels, at your own will and on your own dollar.

it's not your job, it's how you justify the use of your knives.

aside from that you just come off as a know it all.

maybe you should actually do something for the knife community rather than just trash talk...

+1

No offence Jim,but he's right.

 

[RubiconSS]

Anybody and Everybody has a right to Buy and use OR Buy and display OR dress stuff up like little monkeys and have a tea party.
Who cares. Collectors, Users, where is it written that any of it is right or wrong.
Love knives and be happy doing it

 

[four_shore]

Anybody and Everybody has a right to Buy and use OR Buy and display OR dress stuff up like little monkeys and have a tea party.
Who cares. Collectors, Users, where is it written that any of it is right or wrong.
Love knives and be happy doing it

i agree completely. there's no need to criticize people because they don't perform cut tests to validate their claim of being a "user".

 

[RubiconSS]

i agree completely. there's no need to criticize people because they don't perform cut tests to validate their claim of being a "user".

Absolutely. We ALL share an appreciation for edged weapons, knives, etc... or we wouldn't be here.

I've seen this "drift" in every hobbie/passion Forum I have ever been on.

Jeep - Do you wheel it OR are you a Poser
FJCruiser - Same
Camaro/LS1 - Do you race or just make loud noise

The drift takes us nowhere good as a community. All it does is draw a line in the sand and that serves no one.

 

[rxgremlin]

I don't honestly think that Rolex has much in common with Chris Reeve. Rolex is a mass produced product with estimates as high as a million watches being produced in a year. The watch movements aren't especially complex as automatics go and they don't have to innovate much because people will buy them anyway. Rolex is the largest corporation in the world that isn't publicly traded so they don't have stock holders to answer. They are incredibly secretive and rigid. This does help keep the brand valuable and resale up but they also have annual price increases of about 5%. They really have gotten away from producing true tool watches and focus more on the bling. Finally, their customer service leaves something to be desired. While they are professional about it, they also force the consumer to abide by their draconian rules. They don't customize pieces, they don't do limited editions and they won't touch many vintage watches. If you send a watch in that has aftermarket parts on it, they will confiscate them and force you to replace them with genuine Rolex parts. So if you have a custom made dial or bezel they take it off and restore the watch to its original condition and destroy the offending parts. Finally, the truth is most people who buy Rolex do so as a status symbol. They have no interest in the history of the brand or how the watch works they just know it is a Rolex and it is expensive.

Chris Reeve on the other hand is a small company that produces quality knives for people that appreciate them. They do alot of special editions and work with the customers to get want they want. I have never seen an ugly Reeve knife but I have seen plenty of gaudy Rolexes. CRK have constantly been innovative in their designs and strive to keep at the top of their game. Anne regularly answers questions and explains how things work at the company. Rolex would never do that. 99% of the people walking around don't know what a Sebenza is and in a way I wish it stays that way. Everyone knows what a Rolex is. I wish that wasn't the case.

Before people think I am bashing Rolex, I am not. I own several and appreciate their lineage and their classic design. However to compare Rolex to CRK is a bit of a stretch.

 

[cziv]

you preach that a whole lot here on the forums but honestly, look at what your own uses are for a knife...

you purchase a knife and perform countless cut tests at the convenience of your own home.

is your "real life use" really legitimate?

it seems to me that you create reasons to use your knives rather than just using them for tasks at hand.

yes, you know how to sharpen knives on your edge pro (we all know that) but why the constant criticism of others?

i agree that some people are more collector than user but what category does that put you in?

you test blade steels, at your own will and on your own dollar.

it's not your job, it's how you justify the use of your knives.

aside from that you just come off as a know it all.

maybe you should actually do something for the knife community rather than just trash talk...

i agree completely. there's no need to criticize people because they don't perform cut tests to validate their claim of being a "user".

First, I didn't read Ankerson's post as criticizing any"one" but rather being critical of people who know nothing of the various knives they may have or like and spout off about their virtues w/o knowing what they're talking about. I didn't see your name in his post, mine or anyone else's, only that people should use their knives before they expound on their properties which really makes a lot of sense to me.

As far as his contributions and tests being real or legitimate, watch them and say that they aren't? I don't understand that remark at all. We all love knives and I couldn't care less why you use yours or another uses his. I don't even care if you do or don't use them at all, but to post that he creates uses for his knives by performing tests is a cheap shot. Many here (maybe not in the CRK subforum) welcome the videos that members like Ankerson, CrimsonTideShooter, So-Lo, Unit and others upload to YouTube.

I'm also sure that they use their knives for the same reasons some of us do which may include light duty EDC tasks like opening a letter or a parcel in the day's mail. The fact that he and many others (including myself) like to use our knives as much as possible and sometimes create superflous tasks for use is only a matter of one's own business.

I machete a lot around my farm where some may use pruning shears. Why? Cuz I want to sling that blade. I have a few old beaters around that I take out once in awhile and throw them into a tree or the barn door. Why? Because I like to. I'm a knife nut! I'm either going to cut some stuff up or shoot some stuff up (or both) during the warmer months of the year.

To sum up though, when I have a question about which steel to choose in a knife - and I have many times - I contact Ankerson because he's taken the time to chop a lot of stuff up in his video tests and on his JOB. Yeah he has a JOB tht requires cutting daily and having a good sharp tool matters to him - as well as it's fit & finish since it's going to spend some time in his hand.

You shouldn't get all touchy about a post like that, but I understand I guess, since you don't know him as well as I do perhaps? If you need to know how a certain knife is going to perform, how long it'll cut, how it feels in hand while using it for various tasks, how easy it'll be to keep it sharp, at what point you should drop extra coin on an upgrade steel option or stick with a cheaper offering -- that's when you could PM Ankerson and get the 411, he knows what he's talking about.

 

[rororo64]

you preach that a whole lot here on the forums but honestly, look at what your own uses are for a knife...

you purchase a knife and perform countless cut tests at the convenience of your own home.

is your "real life use" really legitimate?

it seems to me that you create reasons to use your knives rather than just using them for tasks at hand.

yes, you know how to sharpen knives on your edge pro (we all know that) but why the constant criticism of others?

i agree that some people are more collector than user but what category does that put you in?

you test blade steels, at your own will and on your own dollar.

it's not your job, it's how you justify the use of your knives.

aside from that you just come off as a know it all.

maybe you should actually do something for the knife community rather than just trash talk...

I think Jim's done a little more for this community than just "trash talk"...

 

[four_shore]

First, I didn't read Ankerson's post as criticizing any"one" but rather being critical of people who know nothing of the various knives they may have or like and spout off about their virtues w/o knowing what they're talking about. I didn't see your name in his post, mine or anyone else's, only that people should use their knives before they expound on their properties which really makes a lot of sense to me.

As far as his contributions and tests being real or legitimate, watch them and say that they aren't? I don't understand that remark at all. We all love knives and I couldn't care less why you use yours or another uses his. I don't even care if you do or don't use them at all, but to post that he creates uses for his knives by performing tests is a cheap shot. Many here (maybe not in the CRK subforum) welcome the videos that members like Ankerson, CrimsonTideShooter, So-Lo, Unit and others upload to YouTube.

I'm also sure that they use their knives for the same reasons some of us do which may include light duty EDC tasks like opening a letter or a parcel in the day's mail. The fact that he and many others (including myself) like to use our knives as much as possible and sometimes create superflous tasks for use is only a matter of one's own business.

I machete a lot around my farm where some may use pruning shears. Why? Cuz I want to sling that blade. I have a few old beaters around that I take out once in awhile and throw them into a tree or the barn door. Why? Because I like to. I'm a knife nut! I'm either going to cut some stuff up or shoot some stuff up (or both) during the warmer months of the year.

To sum up though, when I have a question about which steel to choose in a knife - and I have many times - I contact Ankerson because he's taken the time to chop a lot of stuff up in his video tests and on his JOB. Yeah he has a JOB tht requires cutting daily and having a good sharp tool matters to him - as well as it's fit & finish since it's going to spend some time in his hand.

You shouldn't get all touchy about a post like that, but I understand I guess, since you don't know him as well as I do perhaps? If you need to know how a certain knife is going to perform, how long it'll cut, how it feels in hand while using it for various tasks, how easy it'll be to keep it sharp, at what point you should drop extra coin on an upgrade steel option or stick with a cheaper offering -- that's when you could PM Ankerson and get the 411, he knows what he's talking about.

i respect that.

my point is that i constantly see him getting "all touchy" about people and their uses for knives. what should he care about how others utilize (or don't) their blades?

why is the guy who uses his knife to open a bag of chips inferior to the guy creating reasons to justify his knife use???
as rubiconss mentioned, we're all here because we love blades.

i wasn't doubting his knowledge of steels either but is that really a reason to assume that no one uses their knives except for him?

he's becoming like a broken record on the forums...

 

[four_shore]

that's as far as i'm going to go with this (since it is off topic).

i'm sure most will disagree (which i expect) and i'm fine with that...

 

[dmanti]

I loved Ankerson's post. I saw nothing offensive. I only saw an explanation why differing view-point has merit.

Mud tires serve a purpose. If nobody used them off-road, they would lose some of their "badass" image.

I am saying, pure collectors depend on the feedback of users for validation that the product actually does perform.

Collectors are not any less important, but users do deserve a little extra respect.

 

[gnystrom]

I don't honestly think that Rolex has much in common with Chris Reeve. Rolex is a mass produced product with estimates as high as a million watches being produced in a year. The watch movements aren't especially complex as automatics go and they don't have to innovate much because people will buy them anyway. Rolex is the largest corporation in the world that isn't publicly traded so they don't have stock holders to answer. They are incredibly secretive and rigid. This does help keep the brand valuable and resale up but they also have annual price increases of about 5%. They really have gotten away from producing true tool watches and focus more on the bling. Finally, their customer service leaves something to be desired. While they are professional about it, they also force the consumer to abide by their draconian rules. They don't customize pieces, they don't do limited editions and they won't touch many vintage watches. If you send a watch in that has aftermarket parts on it, they will confiscate them and force you to replace them with genuine Rolex parts. So if you have a custom made dial or bezel they take it off and restore the watch to its original condition and destroy the offending parts. Finally, the truth is most people who buy Rolex do so as a status symbol. They have no interest in the history of the brand or how the watch works they just know it is a Rolex and it is expensive.

Chris Reeve on the other hand is a small company that produces quality knives for people that appreciate them. They do alot of special editions and work with the customers to get want they want. I have never seen an ugly Reeve knife but I have seen plenty of gaudy Rolexes. CRK have constantly been innovative in their designs and strive to keep at the top of their game. Anne regularly answers questions and explains how things work at the company. Rolex would never do that. 99% of the people walking around don't know what a Sebenza is and in a way I wish it stays that way. Everyone knows what a Rolex is. I wish that wasn't the case.

Before people think I am bashing Rolex, I am not. I own several and appreciate their lineage and their classic design. However to compare Rolex to CRK is a bit of a stretch.

Actually many of ROLEX models compare in manufacturing philosophy to CRK products. Plain, tough, and mine, are extremely accurate. ROLEX does try protect it's buyers from fakes as best they can. My guess is if I sent a fake Sebenza into CRK 's spa I may get a call back. Yes ROLEX has drifted into some odd models but I have seen some impractical models from CRK also. I can sell my 1994 ROLEX Explorer for far more than I paid for it. As a matter of fact, ROLEX has buried the S&P as a investment during the last 15 years. Most of ROLEX profits goes to the OTHER watchmakers to protect and prolong the watchmaking craft.
A few facts for you to ponder.

"Rolex is without doubt the most recognized watch in the world, what is not so well known is that the modern Rolex is the basis of almost all modern watches. The waterproof case, the self winding movement, the date window in the dial, the GMT two time zone watch and the diving watch are all Rolex inventions.

The Company itself is unique in that it is still privately owned and that the principal shareholder is a private family trust all of whose profits are given to charity. Due to this unique structure it does not have to concern itself with short-term profit goals and can therefore plan for the long term."

My 2¢

 

[cziv]

deleted - no/txt

 

[rxgremlin]

There is no doubt that Rolex is the most recognized watch in the world. They do make dependable watches and with the exception of creating the dive watch(the Sub wasn't the first) those innovations came from Rolex. The problem is that the most recent innovation came about 60 years ago when they created the GMT for Pan Am. Rolex doesn't innovate much any more and relies on its name to sell watches. Change at Rolex is glacial and that's great for them. They don't have to and they will still sell every watch they make because it has Rolex on the dial. And as everyone knows "Rolex is the best"

I did mention that Rolex is the largest privately held company in the world. Rolex does donate money to charity and they have created schools to teach young people how to work on watches, there is one in Pennsylvania. They don't give their profits to other watch companies. However they don't release any kind of figures to the public so no one knows where the money goes. As I said, the company is extremely secretive.

You are correct the prices of preowned Rolex has beat the S&P. This is because of brand protection and the annual price increases. Every one of my Rolex watches is worth more than I paid for it. Your 1994 Explorer should be worth more than you paid for it. In 1994 the Explorer was about $2300 in 2011 that model is now $6200 due to annual price increases. A rising tide floats all boats.

CRK on the other hand does try new things and caters more to people who are knife fans. They have great customer service and if I did happen to send a fake Sebenza to CRK I would get a polite call and the knife would be returned to me. With Rolex I would get a letter saying that they are seizing the watch. If I walked into CRK in Boise I would be warmly welcomed and if I asked nicely I probably would allowed to see their operation. When I was at Rolex USA in NY I dropped off a watch for service. I asked the receptionist if I could speak to a watchmaker because I wanted the watch regulated in a particular way. I was coldly told that it wasn't possible and he couldn't be bothered to step 20 feet outside into the lobby.

So great customer service and innovation from CRK and indifference and stagnation from Rolex. Apples and oranges.

 

[chavez556]

you preach that a whole lot here on the forums but honestly, look at what your own uses are for a knife...

you purchase a knife and perform countless cut tests at the convenience of your own home.

is your "real life use" really legitimate?

it seems to me that you create reasons to use your knives rather than just using them for tasks at hand.

yes, you know how to sharpen knives on your edge pro (we all know that) but why the constant criticism of others?

i agree that some people are more collector than user but what category does that put you in?

you test blade steels, at your own will and on your own dollar.

it's not your job, it's how you justify the use of your knives.

aside from that you just come off as a know it all.

maybe you should actually do something for the knife community rather than just trash talk...

+1 ^^^^

 

[gnystrom]

"So great customer service and innovation from CRK and indifference and stagnation from Rolex. Apples and oranges."

Agreed. Let's see what happens when CRK is 107 years old. We can resume the discussion then.

 

[Tim616]

You all need to take a breath and chill about the Rolex thing.... Plus their too big for my wrists and look horrible on me so I wear Movado's instead and I'm perfectly fine with that while I gave my old sea dweller to my brother with larger wrists.

We all know Rolex is a very prestigious company, and they make an awesome product.
And in this sense they are like CRK because they are prestigious, and make an awesome product.

No arguments here folks.

Enough of that going on in general ^_^

 

[Ankerson]

you preach that a whole lot here on the forums but honestly, look at what your own uses are for a knife...

you purchase a knife and perform countless cut tests at the convenience of your own home.

is your "real life use" really legitimate?

it seems to me that you create reasons to use your knives rather than just using them for tasks at hand.

yes, you know how to sharpen knives on your edge pro (we all know that) but why the constant criticism of others?

i agree that some people are more collector than user but what category does that put you in?

you test blade steels, at your own will and on your own dollar.

it's not your job, it's how you justify the use of your knives.

aside from that you just come off as a know it all.

maybe you should actually do something for the knife community rather than just trash talk...

I use my knives everyday at work cutting cardboard, shrink wrap, plastic and other assorted things as needed.... That's everyday at work and I am not just talking about a few cuts either and it's been that way for decades now except for a few breaks along the way.

So no, I don't have to look for things to cut or a reason to use my knives, I have real work to do that I do that I get paid for and I use my knives as a tool to get the work done.

There are more people like me on the forums that also use their knives while at work so maybe some of us might start laughing when someone with a NIB knife starts talking about performance when they haven't even used it to cut anything and or used it enough to dull the edge enough for it to need sharpening.

So if you even bothered to read most of my posts over time you would have known that I use my knives at work as it's been posted more that just a few times in various threads.

You might also have read that I started testing knives almost 30 years ago when I realised with real use that some things just aren't like the Urban legends and hearsay said they were.

These days my testing is for information, mostly about steels now and I do share some of it with the knife community.

 

[four_shore]

I use my knives everyday at work cutting cardboard, shrink wrap, plastic and other assorted things as needed.... That's everyday at work and I am not just talking about a few cuts either and it's been that way for decades now except for a few breaks along the way.

So no, I don't have to look for things to cut or a reason to use my knives, I have real work to do that I do that I get paid for and I use my knives as a tool to get the work done.

There are more people like me on the forums that also use their knives while at work so maybe some of us might start laughing when someone with a NIB knife starts talking about performance when they haven't even used it to cut anything and or used it enough to dull the edge enough for it to need sharpening.

So if you even bothered to read most of my posts over time you would have known that I use my knives at work as it's been posted more that just a few times in various threads.

You might also have read that I started testing knives almost 30 years ago when I realised with real use that some things just aren't like the Urban legends and hearsay said they were.

These days my testing is for information, mostly about steels now and I do share some of it with the knife community.

that's all fine and good but i think it's time for you to lay your assumptions to rest. we all share the same hobby, just on different levels. i wouldn't have jumped on you if i didn't recognize how common it's become for you to just assume nobody uses their knives. i can't speak for everyone on the forums but we all live different lives with different potential applications for our blades.


i do agree that people who are solely collectors shouldn't be doing knife reviews because they don't have the hands on experience that an actual user may have. that being said, i'm still not going to get big headed and brag about how i use my knife more than you do...that's childish IMO.