CRKT Lake's P.A.L.

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UnknownVT

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Feb 15, 2003
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CRKT Lake's P.A.L.

I've long been an admirer of Ron Lake's folders - to my eyes they just looked elegant - yet with the knowledge they were also very functional.

However at their usual going price I doubt if I'd ever really would have the chance to use one.

Ron Lake has had a number of design-collaborations with various knife companies including CRKT (Columbia River Knife & Tool)
LakesPAL1b.jpg
LakesPAL2.jpg


P.A.L stands for Piston Activated Lock -
LakesPALdtl1a.jpg
LakesPALlock.jpg


it is released by a button - easily done with the right thumb - it is possible with the lefthand - but obviously not as convenient. On my sample the button needs to be pushed fully in to release the lock - this is confidence inspiring as the likelihood of releasing the lock accidentally is greatly reduced. However it does make releasing with the lefthand a bit awkward (for me - since I am very right-handed).

The knife blade has what looks like large extended/expanded nail-nicks on both sides - I found I was able to easily open the knife one handed using these nicks as thumb purchase - with either hand.

I like the blend of modern locking mechanism with traditional looking materials like the jigged red bone.

The AUS-8 blade stock is pretty substantial and thick - which makes the knife look rather thick to me. Everything seems to be in proportion - so I'm not sure whether the rest of the knife was thickened to be in proportion to the thick blade stock - or the thicker blade stock was deliberately used to be in keeping with the thicker handles to accomodate the PAL locking mechanism?
LakesPALthick.jpg
LakesPALthick3.jpg


I like what looks like an attempt to reflect/match the PAL piston lock with the struts/bolts that hold the knife together - I'm not sure if they have any functional significance, other than just aesthetics - it's a nice touch.

Overall quality of this knife is good the action feels real good although I could just detect some up-down (open-close direction) play in the blade when locked open - this is real small - but detectable - I think it's well within acceptablity - but I would have rather not had it at all.........

The hollow ground is not ground very thin - as evidenced by the rather wide edge bevel - but surprisingly once I got used to the knife - I seemed to be able to cut through corrogated cardboard pretty well - its preformance was actually noticably better than most hollow ground blades that usually thickens toward the edge - which causes a distinctive and abrupt step/discontinuity between the edge bevel and the hollow ground face.

Because hollow ground is thick on this knife causing the wider edge bevel - the step or discontinuity between the edge bevel and hollow ground face does not seem quite as abrupt and is further back from the actual cutting edge - so that may account for the surpringly good (to me) cutting through performance.

Looking at the etching, this knife was made in Taiwan -
LakesPALetch2a.jpg


I think the quality (play not withstanding) almost matches anywhere else in the world for a knife that can be had for as low as $52 street price.

Another indication of quality is the supplied leather pouch sheath, the leather looks to be top-grain - although it is somewhat let down in detail by the belt loop cut-outs which are basically just slotted holes into the pouch.........

I like this knife a lot - it is not perfect - but then what knife is?

At last I can own an affordable knife that's pretty obviously a Ron Lake (designed) knife .............
good job CRKT!

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net
 
Err..sounds just like a version of the button lock? Thanks, but CRKT doesn't explain it so well
 
Very nice review.

I have handled this knife at a local knife shop and it is very well made with lots of attention-to-detail.

The only thing I did'nt like was the nail-nick.

And I think it would look awesome with white micarta scales!

Allen.
 
GarageBoy said:
Err..sounds just like a version of the button lock? Thanks, but CRKT doesn't explain it so well
Click to expand...
Well, kind of...........

The button actuates/controls the rod/piston which has a very obvious difference in diameter/shoulder which fits into a graduated recess/cutout in the tang of the blade.

I think the theory is as the sufaces wear the spring in the piston takes up the slack keeping the lock tight.

As you see from my review the lock is "tight" but there is just the tiniest amount of play - doesn't really affect anything practical that I can think of - but it's just short of perfection..... but then nothing that I know of is perfect :D

The illustrations aren't all about the lock - but hopefully it's enough?
PAL_lck.jpg

If the locking mechanism is still not clear -
please do let me know -
and I'll try and describe it better with clearer photos of my own.

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net
 
I have one as well. I agree, the case for it was a bit of a let down. One thing that surprised me, was how large the folder was. Around here, I haven't seen many bone handled folders that are that large or larger. Mostly the smaller stockmans. I was actually going to buy the Montana Gentleman and decided on the P.A.L. I, also, figured this was as close to a Lake as I'll ever get. :) The Montana Gentleman, on the other hand, was way smaller than I thought. I guess a lot goes for picking one up or seeing first hand. Mine has no vertical play, but the grind on the tip is off a bit. I paid pretty well suggested retail for mine when the U.S./Canadian exchange rate was out of sight. I am glad I have it in my collection. I made my own belt pouch for it :D

- gord
 
the biggest problem with this knife is the weight. Its a chunk!
Would have been a much nicer package out of titanium or aluminum.

The lock is a glorified button lock. Identical to the one on my speedtech manual.
 
Anthony Lombardo said:
the biggest problem with this knife is the weight. Its a chunk!
Would have been a much nicer package out of titanium or aluminum.
Click to expand...
I agree it's surpringly heavy, initially. Once I got used to the fact it was a "chunk" - it no longer bothered me, and in some "perverse" way - actually inspired some confidence to its overall quality.

Although aluminum or even more premium titanium could have been used to lighten the overall weight - I think that may actually affect the balance of the knife - and could also be somewhat out of keeping of the traditional looking materials.......

At the spec'd 4.9ozs - it's not really that heavy -
just surpringly heavy (initially) for this size of knife.
I also "critiqued" the thickness of the knife -
again seemed a bit thick for its size -
but in use in the hand,
the weight and the thickness become almost non-issues,
and may actually enhance the handling in use.

Note: there seemed to be some excessive grease/lube on the piston/lock rod - so I carefully wiped it off and cleaned the recess/cutout on the tang that the piston fits into -
I think this may have reduced the up-down play in the blade -
I seem to have to use a lot more deliberate effort to feel play now....
I think it's still there, just less so -
again it has now become a "non-issue" practically - for me.

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net
 
I have looked at that knife on the CRKT site, and really like the look of it. I haven't had the chance to handle one yet. Thanks for all your comments on this knife! Very much appreciated.
 
I think that may actually affect the balance of the knife -
Click to expand...

Dude, balance? Its not a thrower!
As of now its severely handle heavy.

5 ounces for a 3" gents folder is overkill.

CRKT dropped the ball on this one.
 
I think it's a beautiful knife. The price is a bit steep perhaps, at least for a Tawain-made knife. The highpoints for me would be the jigged bone and the interesting lock mechanism, perhaps worth $90. The grade of materials seems OK, better than most factory-made knives.

Very nice writeup. Thanks for the good read.

I think the quality (play not withstanding) almost matches anywhere else in the world for a knife that can be had for as low as $52 street price.
Click to expand...
Are you saying some dealers are selling this for $52? Of the four dealers listed at the CRKT website, one has it for the msrp of $99 and the other 3 are discounting by 10%.

Best Wishes,
-Bob

Aha, found it at Knife Outlet for $65, which sounds reasonable considering your review, the materials, and the country of origin. Better yet, $60 at Knifeworks.
 
I liked the knife too, but also thought CRKT dropped the ball due to its heavieness and thickness. Why make the blade and handles so thick? It runs about $65 at knife and gun shows too.

There is some other company who makes a similar Lake knife. Anyone know the manufacturer and seen (has) one? I think its a company that makes something for guns and is not starting a small knife line.
 
In Calgary, I've seen it also at about the U.S. list equivalent, at about $119 CDN. I didn't feel that it was totally out of line for a CRKT product up here. Definitely heavy, but well made. On the up side of all of this, this is probably as close to a Lake as I'll ever own:). The other Lake collaboration just didn't do it for me, though I haven't picked one up either. I can't recall seeing one here. I haven't used mine all that much, but it does balance well when you do cut something.

- gord
 
Anthony Lombardo said:
Dude, balance? Its not a thrower!
As of now its severely handle heavy.
Click to expand...
LoL! :D
No, to me balance is not necessarily for throwing knives only (and I have no intentions of throwing this knife :p :D)

It's about how the knife balances in the hand. I normally look for a balance point about where my index finger or just behind (ie: between the index finger and middle finger) falls naturally when I hold the knife.

I have no diagreements that this knife is on the heavy side for a "gents folder" - but it is also bigger for a "gents folder" too - so if we stopped calling it a "gents folder" it wouldn't be so badly out of whack? :p

To me the (non-throwing) "balance" and the weight actually enhances the knife when being used - it actually feels like one of my favorite handling knives the Hendrix #11 semi-skinner in use.
It is definitely not handle heavy for me - since the blade stock is rather thick for a typical "gents knife" at 0.14" - the balance falls almost in my ideal position described above.

Of course if you think it's too heavy - then it is too heavy to you, and it shouldn't matter what I say.
Like I always say it's what makes the world go round - YMMV.

Perhaps you might want to "throw" the knife at someone who will give it a good home -
closed of course...... :D

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net
 
There is some other company who makes a similar Lake knife. Anyone know the manufacturer and seen (has) one? I think its a company that makes something for guns and is not starting a small knife line.
Click to expand...
I remember seeing that too, last year. Seems like the company was in the Oregon/Washington area. They had (have?) a website.

My Lake collaboration is the Schrade Lake & Walker. It's worth every bit of the $14 sale price.

Best Wishes,
Bob
 
I found it at knifecenter. It's made by Foster, looks very similar but is a liner lock. Has aluminum handles, 154CM and goes for ~120. Anyone have one?
 
CRKT is very beautiful .lot of famous knifemaker design it .

but is the performance of the knife great?
 
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