CRK Inkosi vs. Bugout

beeinak said:
There are lots of guys who use CRK knives for actual work knives. If someone wants to have a nicer knife to use, then by all means get it and use it.

Lots of people buy Ryobi tools and are very happy with them, however for a little more money I prefer the quality and sense of pride in ownership of Milwaukee. I think knives are similar- most will ‘do the job’, but some make you smile while using them.
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This.

(Except I’ve converged to DeWalt :) )
 
I owned Benchmades long before I owned any CRK. Now, I own 2 Benchmades, 1 of which I'll probably sell when the market recovers. I have over a dozen CRK folders. Speed of deployment isn't my primary priority, nor is weight. Ease of maintenance, and durability are far higher for me. Also, customer service. I can't name the owner of Benchmade. I've received personal phone calls from the owner of CRK. I'm team CRK forever.
 
Omega springs can and do break. It may be unlikely at any given moment, but it's easy for us who live in the States to access warranty support. If you live in Europe, this may be more complicated, although you know your situation better than anyone else.

The Inkosi is less likely to need repair. One other thing to note is that the CRK has a thicker blade, making it stronger than the bugout but less slicey.
 
I have both knives and I could not give any advantage to the bugout other than it being lighter to carry. The Inkosi is better in any other way that I can think of.

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Modernflame said:
Omega springs can and do break. It may be unlikely at any given moment, but it's easy for us who live in the States to access warranty support. If you live in Europe, this may be more complicated, although you know your situation better than anyone else.

The Inkosi is less likely to need repair. One other thing to note is that the CRK has a thicker blade, making it stronger than the bugout but less slicey.
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I was going to post just this. I have no idea about the availability of Omega springs overseas, something the CRK won’t present as an issue.

I would give strong consideration to that OP.
 
I wonder, purely out of curiousity, what percentage of CRK owners carry their knives as an EDC compared to Benchmade owners?
 
Boattale said:
You missed the point. Which is quite simply one costs more than the other. Not a value statement which is subjective. But cost, which is objective.
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I did not miss that point, and I can get 30% off of Benchmade knives and I still would rather carry a CRK. I don't carry the small model, but I have two large models that I do carry at times. And CRK are not really one of my favorites either; I would rather carry a Hinderer, Spartan Blades or Microtech.

Back in the early days of Benchmade (1980's and into the 1990's) I thought they were a pretty good knife brand, but since then the competition has gotten a lot better and more varied. Then BM went dealer direct and gained a lot more control over the end pricing. I think this was a big mistake for them. They are very popular but I think they have made very few models that are very appealing. The 7505 series and a few others are very good as are some of the gold level models, but the majority of their stuff has been mediocre and most of it is overpriced. YMMV.
 
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Skar said:
Don’t flame me for this…
I think that crk are way overpriced for what they are. There are plenty of good knives that are half the price.
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I think you are probably right on this as well. I think Kershaw, Spyderco and a few others are putting out some very nice pieces at that kind of price point. As much as I criticize Benchmade for being overpriced, I will admit that CRK is not the best bang for the buck either.
 
Sibyrnes said:
I wonder, purely out of curiousity, what percentage of CRK owners carry their knives as an EDC compared to Benchmade owners?
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Do I win some kind of prize???

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BTTLBRN said:
I was going to post just this. I have no idea about the availability of Omega springs overseas, something the CRK won’t present as an issue.

I would give strong consideration to that OP.
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You can buy omega springs on Etsy and benchmade has sent them out to people overseas.
 
Here's a little comparison shot between the Bugout and the Large Inkosi. Both great knives, just built differently, for different purposes, and different people. This isn't a dig at all on Benchmade, however the Omega springs in my Bugout are currently broken rendering the knife useless. This is something that can happen on any knife that uses a spring though, I'm not trying to stir the pot at all. This is the first Benchmade I've ever had an Omega spring break on, luckily replacements are very easily accessible now days. I also had a Torsion spring break in a Speed Safe assisted Kershaw. However that was also a very easy fix, a quick email to Kershaw and the spring was in my hand within a week. I've been dragging my feet on fixing the Bugout because I want to also get new scales for it at the same time, however there are so many Bugout scales on the market that it's hard to choose one. But yeah, springs can break on any knife, it's kind of just luck of the draw, how long you've used it, and of course if you've put it through anything that it's not designed for. I got mine used, so I don't know the history on it, however I carried it quite a bit and it worked very well until one day it snapped at work. Any knife without a spring, and preferably with an integral lock like a framelock will be more dependable for the longterm in general.
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Lots of variables and personal tastes in how the knives fit/feel in your hand that only you can answer. That being said ... the small Inkosi does seem to have many people that report it to not fit their hand as well as the small Sebenzas, so that's something to consider. I only own a large Inkosi and really enjoy it, but I love my small Sebenza 21 Insingo.

For me personally ...

If you just want to compare the build quality and which knife has tighter tolerences and would be the most reliable and hold up to vigorous use over a lifetime the clear and simple answer is ... the CRK Inkosi.

CRK heat treats their magnacut pretty good and performs well. The CRK's steel will be much less prone to damage in heavy use over the S90V. The only advantage of the S90V might have is holding an edge a bit longer, but also takes more effort/time to sharpen.

The Inkosi is definitely a tougher build and will hold up to much rougher use and just in general, years of use. Benchmade's axis lock is prone to lint and debris getting into the lock mechanism and omega springs do break sometimes, CRKs are a simple and rarely need more than a cleaning and lube to keep them running extremely smooth.

If it's needed, CRK's warrenty is heads and shoulders better than Benchmade's in my personal experience. Also CRK's spa service is an added value to CRK ownership if that matters to you (as you can see below it's not a big factor for me, but to each their own).

The Bugout in S90V is lighter, but for me that's a disadvantage. YMMV.

Not bashing Benchmade , but having owned and used many different knives of each brand including a Large Inkosi and Bugout, in all my years of living in rural areas, hunting, camping, fishing, gardening, working with livestock, and farmers, and general EDC carry ... it would be an easy choice for me ... CRK Inkosi.

For posterity ... 1st pic are the sharp pointy tools I was carrying/using today (emphasis on using for those that think CRK knives are only for show) ... 2nd picture from earlier this summer shows the 21's wear better. Over 10 years of carry on the Sebenza hasn't hurt it at all. It's still as buttery smooth as the day it was broken in.

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I was a Benchmade guy for decades before discovering CRK. That said, the small Inkosi is my least favorite Reeve knife due to the finger grove placement on a smallish handle.
 
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