CRK Quality Rivals?

[Moxy]

Taichung's FnF for the price is incredible. Honestly, even though it pains me to say it, I'm not really impressed with USA made Spydercos. My s110v Native had some cosmetic flaws that drove me crazy.

Anyway, when you buy a CRK products you're paying for the FnF, attention to detail, and the "go the extra mile" additions it has that, in my opinion, no other production company provides. The Sage II by comparison is a much simpler knife, in terms of manufacturing, than a Sebenza. Sebenza's have dozens of extra "little touches" that the Sage does not. Things like the rounded spine, the chamfer on the jimping, anodized accents, stonewashed blade... ect. Thats totally different than FnF. If, hypothetically, CRK was contracted to manufacture a Sage II exactly as per its existing design, there really wouldn't be a whole lot to improve on. The bevels and grinds might be a little more precise and there would be alot more consistency between batches, but really it would be about the same. So if you don't confuse extra touches for FnF, I'd say Taichung is probably 75% of what CRK is in terms of FnF. I wouldn't say they're not in the ballpark. So FnF is really only part of what you're paying for. Another aspect is consistency, you could swap the blades between two knives made in different months (assuming the same revision) and the lockup and centering would still be acceptable on both. You'd never be able to do that with a Sage II.

Since mid-techs and customs are not produced in the same numbers that CRKs are, I don't think it's appropriate or fair to compare them to full production companies.

 

[reapinItUP]

If your able to get on Direwares books you can get yourself a Hyper90 for $545. A super bargain when you see and handle the knife up close. I've had my fair share of experience when it comes to Crk and other knives in the $500 range and some that I think are the best are Tim Galyeans pro series, Strider, yuna(straight from maker his knives can be had for little as $500-600), and Direware.

 

[gundude73]

Les George and Hinderer are up there with CRK.

 

[Tripton]

I've owned several Sebenza's and consider the CK&T Brend #2 to be equal and the ZT 550 and 560 to be close.

Yeah, I have a ZT0560. I think you need to look a little closer.

 

[evanPGH]

Thanks, I've taken my CRK's apart just never heard them being referred to as bushing knives.
I was thinking it might be a fancy machete.

Oh OK my bad, I thought you were wondering what the bushing system was.

 

[gooeytek]

Another aspect is consistency, you could swap the blades between two knives made in different months (assuming the same revision) and the lockup and centering would still be acceptable on both. You'd never be able to do that with a Sage II.

Since mid-techs and customs are not produced in the same numbers that CRKs are, I don't think it's appropriate or fair to compare them to full production companies.

I've been able to swap out about 4 different Military blades between framelocks and linerlocks, and they've all been fine. Lockup and centering are great on all of them. Just throwing that out there.

 

[JNewell]

I've been able to swap out about 4 different Military blades between framelocks and linerlocks, and they've all been fine. Lockup and centering are great on all of them. Just throwing that out there.

You've had better luck than I have. It took me three M390s to find a blade that would lock up in my Ti/G10 handle set, and if you go back a little further than that in time you'll encounter generational changes that mean the blades don't work in current production handles at all. Blade swaps in the Military aren't something to take for granted, in my experience.

 

[Razorsharp-Travis]

Ive owned hundreds of knives over the last 30 years,& have come to learn that the sebenza & umnumzaan are the best knives ive seen in their price range. someone mentioned shirogorov. they are real nice, but now they have doubled in price;you can get the sebenza & zaan for the price of the shirogorov,& they are much more readily available,too.take a sebenza or zaan & look real close at it,there isnt a flaw that can be found,if a lemon did arise,which ive never seen, it could be sent back & be corrected.the shop tours 1 & 2 show how much goes into these knives....

I've heard of a few off center blades... Includes mine

 

[rexromic]

I've had numerous Taichung knives and have had others pass through my hands during passarounds: three Sage 2's, Chapparal, Gayle Bradley, and the Laci Szabo. They were all fine knives that are well made and well put together.

CRK's, though, are on another level. There are no manufacturing or tooling marks. The knife is finished the same on the inside were no one is looking as on the outside.

Spyderco's, even the Taichung made ones, do not have the same level of fit and finish both on the inside and the outside. Take a look at where the grind starts for the edge right where it meets the choil on your Sage 2. You will see imperfections. Examine the interface betwren the blade stop and the blade tang; it will have a bias towards one side over the other and will show that wear. The lock face is not heat treated, and will not last as long as a Sebenza's. It seems apparent that you have never seen the stonewash on a CRK in person; it seems that you don't notice the deep striations left behind on the Sage 2's blade. Have you measured the flatness of the handle scales on your Sage 2? Do you see the ridges left around the edges of the titanium slabs all the way around the knife? Are the ends of the stop pin beneath the scales blemish free? Are the inside of your scales perfectly parallel down to thousandths of an inch? Is each and every piece so meticulously fitted and finished to the point that changes in temperature of 10the degrees can affect the manufacturing process?

Do these things matter to you? If they don't then feel satisfied with your Sage 2. It is a fine knife.

Well said.

 

[Locutus D'Borg]

Funniest. Comment. Ever.

Thanks, I've taken my CRK's apart just never heard them being referred to as bushing knives.
I was thinking it might be a fancy machete.

 

[MRaymond]

A crk spoiled me as well. I have had some great Spydercos and ZTs but the only other knife I owned that matches the fit and finish, down to the hardware, of my 25 is a Hinderer. There are many others that compete as well, many customs and mid techs can match CRK. I don't know how you could exceed the f&f of a crk however.

 

[edamhcneb]

I've got several sebenzas, an umnumzaan and a few mnandis. All fantastic high quality knives that I absolutely love. I recently purchased a ZT 0801 for 185$ and cannot distinguish a quality difference between this and the reeve knives I own. If you're looking for another quality Ti folder, look there.

 

[Natedog351]

who rivals CRK knives is really too vague Ill say it until Ill die Mayos are perfection but on the secondary market you better expect to spend 2k
if your talking about knives in the same price range generally speaking CRK is 1 of the best bangs for your buck several makers have just as good quality for the price directly from the maker but you wont ever find those knives anywhere close to the cost of a CRK on the secondary

 

[archieblue]

JW Smith is the only reasonably priced maker I can think of.

It's certainly possible for any prod knife to come together as well made as a CRK. But it's not likely! Like some have said, CRK's magic is that they do it extremely consistently.
I remember when CRKs were pretty much the highest dollar knives around... & Tom Mayo was just a Sebby pimper. When Scott Cook left CRK to do his own thang, the "Lochsa" was maybe $100 more than a plain Lg Seb. I got on his list and confirmed a spot but never heard back. That'll happen I reckon. Strider banged out a few fairly crap-tastic SnGs and before I knew what happened all kinds of folks began making knives. Frikkin EXPENSIVE knives. The Lochsa went up to $1,200 direct and $2K+ on the secondary market. THAT is when, not only did the Sebenza remain great, it became reasonable. Chris Reeve could have bumped up the Sebenza to $600+ and would still be selling the same amount or more knives as he was in the year 2000. Instead he made a smarter move. He upgraded EVERYTHING that has to do with the manufacture of his knives.

My point is, sure, there are a handful of makers/manufacturers that can make a knife as well as CRK & sooner or later there may even be some who do it as consistently. Some manufacturers may have a 1/10 ratio of "perfect." Some may be 1/2. Some may be 1/10 with flaws. But to get "definitely" you're gonna have to spend some big bucks. My Shirogorov is certainly as well made as any CRK and easily fancier. But overall I believe CRK makes the "best" (outstanding and, all things considered, not ~crazy~ expensive) folding knives out there.

 

[ginaz]

I've heard people say the rocksteads are on this same high level

 

[mmarkh]

Taichung Spyderco's are often touted as being very close to CRK in terms of quality.

 

[Scurvy092]

JW Smith is the only reasonably priced maker I can think of.

+1 on JW Smith.

His knives are so impeccably finished to such a high degree, it's awesome.

 

[evilgreg]

I have some William Henrys and some Taichung Spydercos and for a while had a Sebenza and I really didn't see any huge difference between them.

I know the CRK villagers will get their "you simpleton, you're either too stupid or too uncultured to perceive the esthetic and manufacturing tolerance perfection of the Sebenza" torches and pitchforks out for saying this, but any difference was really pretty small. I'd say the Sebenza was a smidge nicer in a dozen tiny ways than the Southard (albeit less fun to play with) and very similar to even a low-end WH (I was surprised at how sweet even an E10 turned out to be).

I think the folks saying that a CRK has better fit and finish than other nice production knives (e.g. Taichung Spyderco knives) may be technically correct, but the level of difference is so small that most folks really wouldn't notice or care if they did. It's not like handling the Sebenza made the Southard feel crappy by comparison, not even close to it.

I may be biased, though. I sold the Sebenza and bought four extra Southards, after all

 

[Scurvy092]

I have some William Henrys and some Taichung Spydercos and for a while had a Sebenza and I really didn't see any huge difference between them.

I know the CRK villagers will get their "you simpleton, you're either too stupid or too uncultured to perceive the esthetic and manufacturing tolerance perfection of the Sebenza" torches and pitchforks out for saying this, but any difference was really pretty small. I'd say the Sebenza was a smidge nicer in a dozen tiny ways than the Southard (albeit less fun to play with) and very similar to even a low-end WH (I was surprised at how sweet even an E10 turned out to be).

I think the folks saying that a CRK has better fit and finish than other nice production knives (e.g. Taichung Spyderco knives) may be technically correct, but the level of difference is so small that most folks really wouldn't notice or care if they did. It's not like handling the Sebenza made the Southard feel crappy by comparison, not even close to it.

I may be biased, though. I sold the Sebenza and bought four extra Southards, after all

This is mostly true.

Also, Spyderco has stated that if the Southard was made in the USA, it would cost $400+

 

[rexromic]

I've heard people say the rocksteads are on this same high level

Well they are pricier than CRK but handling few Rockstead knives(Higo,Hizen),I can surely say they are the only ones who can match(possibly outmatch)CRK in terms of F@F,tolerances and craftsmanship.That being said they do cost twice as much.And I would rather spend a grand on them than on any custom blade out there,because they are built to be used not pampered and showcased.My 2 cents.