CRKT Carson M16-10Z review request

H

huj900

Joined
Oct 5, 2008
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193
It is one of the few affordable knives i can get here in aus. pls review, also in comparison with the kershaw leek. appreciate it. thanks. should i buy as a backup for my Leek? $38 shipped.

CRKTCarsonM16-10Z.jpg
 
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No. It's got an AUS 4 blade, which is even too crappy for me to say nice things about.

Get something else.
 
+1 get something else--tons of other good knives out there--Kershaw, and maybe BM has a lot better steel (plus F&F, quality, etc.) for the price.
 
huj900, dont let the others ruin your opinion about the crkt's. their aus4 holds up just fine. sharpens easy, very flexible, and holds a decent edge. all knives eventually have to be resharpned. so dont worry about it not holding and edge like zpd189 or s30v. it will be a heck of a lot easier to resharpen than these "super steels" when the time comes.,,,VWB.
 
Their Aus4 is a decent EDC steel, but CRKT makes the M16 in AUS8, too.You should take a look at that one.
Also I heard that the model that uses AUS8 has far better build quality than the one with AUS4.
 
I have a M16 in AUS8 with aluminum scales.
I highly recommend this knife.
Well worth the extra expense if you are buying.

I had a M16 in AUS4 with Zytel scales for $25 from eBay
There is no comparision to the above knife.
I gave it away to a friend.
He is thrilled with it, because of the Aus4, it is so easy to sharpen when it gets dull.
At $25, it is a good inexpensive knife for a non Knife Knut, a beater.
 
I owned one firsthand and experienced a liner-lock failure... The liner fliped its way all the way across the blade surface and jammed itself onto the frame--making it all but impossible to close...

I wouldnt take another one if it was given to me for free..
 
Amen to the Byrd! Decent blade steel and great cost. I'm no steel snob, but AUS4 is not at all suitable to blade use. In fact, until knife companies began using openly misleading advertising ("surgical stainless") and steel for blades that had heretofore been suitable for only folder liners and handle materials. It was a horrible decision and based on a dispicabe "trash for cash" marketing venture.

If we had a wartime economy and materials shortage like WWII, I can see using crap like AUS4 might be a necessity. But for a company to prostitute its name and reputation, all for the sake of taking advantage of consumers who don't know any better, well, it's inexcusable. If the knife was eight or nine bucks, I'd say, fine, get it, but no one should buy a crapp knife when far better knives are available for the same price. Sure, it sharpens up quickly, but so does AUS8.

AUS4 is pathetic as a knife steel. It really is. I don't even like AUS6 all that much, but it's the first of the "respectable" steels, albeit at the bottom of the list.
 
Confederate said:
Amen to the Byrd! Decent blade steel and great cost. I'm no steel snob, but AUS4 is not at all suitable to blade use. In fact, until knife companies began using openly misleading advertising ("surgical stainless") and steel for blades that had heretofore been suitable for only folder liners and handle materials. Sure, it sharpens up quickly, but so does AUS8.

AUS4 is pathetic as a knife steel. It really is. I don't even like AUS6 all that much, but it's the first of the "respectable" steels, albeit at the bottom of the list.
Click to expand...

Amen to that.
Even Aus6 doesnt hold an edge worth a damn. stay away from Aus4 or 420J2.
I think 440 or Aus8 is the minimum I'd go for.
I love my Aus 8 M16-14. You should pick up one of those or a byrd knife.
 
I have had 5 M16s. I love them, they take a beating and allwase work. I have made the liner fail but a good hit on the spine of almost any liner lock will cause it to fail. the singal bevel of most of CRKTs blades help keep a good edge. as far as aus4 goes, i would take it over the alphabet soup steal spyderco uses in the byrd crap. and if the CRKT ever doesn't perform they will replace it without a problem. the one I killed the liner on the swoped out with out a problem " I cut sod with it and the dirt and gravel wore the liner away"

I can tell you I have allot of knives but for your buck there isn't much better
 
I dunno, Gordy. I think 440A is a bit better than AUS6. My CRKT M16-13Z in AUS6 doesn't keep an edge very well at all, but all my Cold Steel 440As have been well within the acceptable range. I like AUS8 and VG-1 better and CS really does a fine job on their heat treats. I'll have to check out the steel makeups, though. I'd be very surprised if AUS6 came in better than 440A.
 
Though I've been hearing good things about the aluminum-handled models, do NOT get the M16-10Z. I really liked the look of the M16-10KZ and it was cheap ($15 eBay) but I found that it performed just as cheaply. The knife was not smooth, blade play was very significant, I felt some handle (yes, handle) play, and the knife as a whole looked and felt poorly constructed. I exchanged mine for another 10KZ to find the same exact problems.

I also felt that the safety mechanism on the M16 line, advertised as "autolawks" was highly unnecessary, making closing the blade cumbersome. $10 more will get you a new serrated Benchmade Monochrome on eBay which sports aluminum handles and N690 steel.
 
The m-16's with ti. handles in AUS-8 are fair.

440A= AUS-6
440B= AUS-8
440C= AUS10 Which you cna't find anywhere!
AUS-4 is little more, or I should say a little less than 420. Pure Junk!

440-C is good stuff! of all the others listed here, only AUS-8 and 10 are decent. With 8 only barely so.

Mike
 
Seriously. The "cheap" version of the M21's use the same 8CR13MoV steel that Spyderco uses in their Byrd line. I've got the 21 with the AUS-8 and it holds a wicked edge for a while. Slicing carrots, opening bags of concrete, etc. AUS-8 is a fine steel. I've had seriously bad experience with most Buck knives (440 mostly). They dull quickly, and for some reason they insist upon that "mirror" polish. Some crap.

I'd shy away from the AUS-4, however. Spend a couple extra bucks and get something a little nicer. The aluminum scale ones have AUS-8 blades. Look for those.

Also, CRKT will replace any knife for any reason (short of tip breakage). I've gotten new clips, new screws, etc. Wonderful company.
 
I carried a Taiwan built 03Z for a few years. It held up to a lot of abuse. It would be a better slicer if it weren't for the dagger grind but it was tough. Can't speak to the AUS4 on the new China built CRKTs.

Frank
 
thanks. i baught the leek instead. what do u think of the Sandvik 13C26 stainless-steel? its got that insead of the 440 i think.
 
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