CRKT 2020 models - 1.4116/8cr obsessions

I have a couple CRKT and enjoy them. I agree their knives seem somewhat overpriced but they probably know their customers better than I do. I imagine this forum is not representative of their average customer.
They do a lot of collaborations. I like many of the designs. Recently, they are doing a better job with deep carry pocket clips than most companies. Often they are recessing the clip and using flat head screws. That's not very common. Protech is known for doing that.
 
AF said:
I have a couple CRKT and enjoy them. I agree their knives seem somewhat overpriced but they probably know their customers better than I do. I imagine this forum is not representative of their average customer.
They do a lot of collaborations. I like many of the designs. Recently, they are doing a better job with deep carry pocket clips than most companies. Often they are recessing the clip and using flat head screws. That's not very common. Protech is known for doing that.
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Indeed... CRKT's target audience are everyday, regular folks, whose cutting needs are probably mostly light-duty, not targeted toward those who are especially particular about nuances between different steels. I suspect that most of their buyers don't really care about what grade steel is used, as long as it takes a good edge and cuts reasonably well. While they largely use low-cost steels that don't hold an edge as long, before sharpening, as more costly options, the steels do provide adequate service to the light-duty applications of many of their owners. They just need to be sharpened a bit more often. I use my CRKT Minimalist Wharncliffe and CRKT S.P.E.W. for daily around-the-house cutting, mostly opening packages, cutting tape, etc. If I have heavy duty/hard use applications, I just use a different knife.

Will CRKT move toward more use of steels which hold an edge longer in their lowest price knives ($19-$30)? Perhaps so, perhaps not. We shall see.
 
I doubt it.

You know it’s really a shame that they don’t use better steel. They have some wonderful designs that would be out of this world with better heat treatment and better material.

Hell, I would be happy if they just gave us better heat treatment.
If Buck can do it, so can CRKT.
 
That big CRKT logo on the blade alone turns me off, then add cheap materials,crappy steel ;not for me.I like that new lock they came out with but not the knives they are using them on...
 
They are not economical at all. I have no problem with well done 8Cr13MoV, I carry it frequently in Kershaws and Spydercos, but based on the reviews and my personal experience CRKT's is not well done. I always think, if I lost/broke my knife and I were across the country which would I buy to use/carry until I got home? When in big box stores you have Kershaw, Bucks, the Spyderco Tenacious, and the Ontario RAT, why would you ever pick a CRKT over those unless you didn't know better?

They are getting comfortable in the wrong direction, that's not a good sign.
 
Years ago they started shifting production to China and raised prices at the same time.

To make matters worse, they lowered the quality of materials too.

The bottom line, higher prices, lower quality. This is why I stopped recommending CRKT.
 
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