CRK Inkosi

I've also recently gotten a large Inkosi/Insingo for my first CRK. I debated getting a CR for a long time because I didn't know if I'd like the action. The bottom line is that I love it. I have knives from Hinderer, Spartan, Spyderco, Protech and others but nothing I have I have is built like the CR. Hell, it's got me thumb rolling my fidgety knives.
 
An all titanium Spyderco is in the 300 range. That is well over half the price of your Inkosi.A titanium sale alone for a Hinderer is about 250. That high end titanium is expensive.
 
Fit and finish on my Inkosi is as near perfect as can be. Some don't like the traditional feel of washers and that skews opinions. It took me a while to get the feel for a bearing less folder and now I love it. With everything else being equal in fit finish and materials pivot is actually the only other factor to consider.
 
HexY3co said:
Fit and finish on my Inkosi is as near perfect as can be. Some don't like the traditional feel of washers and that skews opinions. It took me a while to get the feel for a bearing less folder and now I love it. With everything else being equal in fit finish and materials pivot is actually the only other factor to consider.
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True story, the best washer action I have ever experienced is my ZT0640. A couple of my SHFs, and my LG Talos and MK3 come close though. All the CRKs I've handled/owned have been pretty good but not on the same level. Another washer action to check out is AB 😁
 
norcalAF said:
I have picked up and sold two Inkosi tantos, and a DP Zaan, they just don't do it for me like the SHF (I have 9 with a Spartan babe on the way 😂) plus a small and a Pallas and a fixed blade. I have a Spartan lifestyle problem.
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Did you grab one of the ones I posted about?
 
I am a big fan of CRK knives but if you're looking for something with a lot of pure "WOW" factor they are not the ideal knife. I feel that the beauty of a CRK is in being a very refined cutting tool. That's not what everybody is looking for, especially when the price is fairly high.

As an aside, flicky or drop shutty actions are overrated to me... a nice fluid resistance is just right.
 
Sleepereaper said:
Did you grab one of the ones I posted about?
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I did, you bad influence 😂 it didn't hurt that I have picked up a watch handle from them and it has some of the best action I've experienced in the platform ☺️ not to mention it is flawless despite being sold as a "demo" knife
 
it takes time in the hobby to appreciate crk at their price point. It might work for you but you might need to sell it now and get it later again.
 
I have a whole whack of nice Titanium Spyderco knives.

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But this knife is just that slightly higher peak above them.

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The Spyderco ones get more carry time since I like them more. In my opinion the nicest one in the sock drawer is the Inkosi.
 
When I first got into the knife game in a serious way back in about 2007, I didn't understand what fit and finish meant. It wasn't even in my vocabulary. I figured that if everything was the right size and fit together, I can't see how it could 'fit' together any better. "Finish" I could understand a bit better, but even still it could only have a nice smooth metal finish, what more could it be?

Actually I think I didn't really understand for quite some time until I did get my first CRK a year or two later. That was my introduction into true close machining tolerances and truly even finishes. The way that you'll truly appreciate a CRK is by realizing that it goes back together the same everytime you take it apart and put it back together (it should), and by looking very close at all the chamfers around the edges of the scales and seeing that they're all perfectly even, and by looking very close at the bead/glass blasting and seeing that they didn't leave any CNC machining lines behind (these last 2 are extremely rare, and in fact I haven't seen it on any other knife, production or custom, except for maybe 1 or 2 other examples, and I really check for these kinds of things), and by realizing that you can clean the whole knife just by taking out the pivot and the blade and washers come out with the rest of the handle still assembled.

It's really all in the fine details like a finely made watch (I don't have any really expensive finely made watches that watch aficionados would say have truly great fit and finish). So at the end of the day you just have to decide if that's something that brings you joy. Even chamfers and smooth finishes (without machining lines showing underneath) are exceeding rare though, you're not going to see that on the edges of your scales on any of your Spydercos, Benchmades, Emersons, etc.
 
It's just two slabs of titanium and a blade, much like many other titanium frame locks out there. As the saying goes "The devil is in the details", might be a simple design, but it's simplicity done to perfection. Yeah, it's not a fidget toy like most knives these days, but it's a knife that's built to cut well and do so for a lifetime, which can't be said about fidget toys.

PS: Look up the maintenance video on CRK's site and give it a good clean/lubrication. Nearly all new CRKs came with stock lubricant dried out, despite the birth certificate and stamps on the scales saying it was manufactured a couple of months prior. I'd still use PTFE grease, but the stuff that comes in the box has a tendency to separate and eventually dry out, there's plenty of alternatives that don't so use what you have available. Play around with the pivot until you have barely perceivable play and the action is smooth, after a couple of weeks of use, once it's all worn in you may need to re-adjust the pivot. At that point I'd add some of the provided loctite to the pivot, re-adjust to where it feels best, and leave for a couple of hours so the threadlocker sets.
 
Another thought about this whole subject crossed my mind...

Back when I was first starting to accrue hand tools to do repair/maintenance work on equipment, I couldn't fathom buying Mac or Snap On tools. That is until I used some. While I don't have a chest full, the main workhorses of the business repairs are Mac* wrenches. Sure, we could swap grinder teeth or change an alternator with cheaper tools, but the ergos on the lower end suck... Then there's the warranty, just hand a broken tool to the guy on the truck and he hands a new one back.


*It's easier to catch the Mac guy around here.
 
I really like mine, but it was more of wanting a CRK for a long time. I appreciate the fit and finish of the knife, but gone are the days when well fitting titanium slabs and a decently premium steel blade are a rarity.

My suggestion is to use the knife. I don't mean that in a flippant way. I just think where a CRK shines is how well it is designed for hard daily use. Their tight tolerances and fit means that they just don't tend to develop slop, so even after years of use and carry you might have battle scars but the knife is going to function perfectly.

I think as a safe queen/grail, the CRK lines have been knocked down a peg or 3. They are fantastic, but they are no longer special. However, as a knife you can depend on... they're pretty damn good.
 
Sal once commented on his own forum that for Spyderco to build to the level of CRK, they would need to charge what CRK charges.
 
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There are some difference between Spyderco and CRK. CRK has always wanted the customer to disassemble their knife and maintain it. Spyderco not so much. If you need hardware then you just order it from CRK. Spyderco you have to return the knife to them. CRK has exceptional customer service. The CRK clip is well done. Spyderco is into bringing out new steels or collaborations and CRK keeps making the same old thing with the recent change to Magnacut. You have to use the CRK a little and take it apart to appreciate it. I hope you like it, but if not then it is easy to sell.

The Spyderco Swayback is a great knife especially now if you can get them ~$150. That is well made in Taiwan.
 
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