CRKT Lightfoot M1 versus CRKT Ryan 7

R

rcxtreme

Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
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Hi. I'm new to this forum. It's great to chat with and get opinions from A LOT of like-minded individuals: Knife lovers! For my next purchases, I'm stuck on the following four knives:
1) Emerson Commander
2) Benchmade Presidio 520
3) CRKT Lightfoot M1
4) CRKT Ryan 7

Opinions, comments, suggestions greatly appreciated!
 
I guess I need to stop being stubborn because everyone and their mother is saying that the Axis Lock is the best lock in the history of knives.
 
I second the Axis Lock comment.

Of the two CRKTs, the M1 is a better knife, in my opnion. I have both, and the M1 is a stronger, better designed piece that allows for four position carry.

It is also very easy to Wave.....
 
Axis lock is good. I only have one gripe against it: it consists two delicate, nonstainless springs. If they are damaged, my knife won't work properly anymore. Since I live half a globe away from Oregon, so company warranty won't be useful for me.


A good friend of mine has a Ryan 7. The bladeshape is very versatile, the liner is thick, he zytel handslabs are quite nice, but because of the odd shape of the handle it is the MOST uncomfortable folder I've ever held. The huge thumbstuds tend to get in the way when you are cutting something and the steel is AUS-6, so you have to sharpen the knife frequently.

The CRKT Lightfoot is a much better choice in that pricerange.
 
The M1 looks really nice. I haven't handled one, but it looks really nice and solid. Anyone know the liner thickness or have a picture of it?

In case you're open to suggestions still, for something in that size, also consider the Kershaw JYDII. The liner is .070" and THICK! It's super smooth, feels great in the hand, and sharp!

The SERE-2000 is similar price as the Presidio and is super solid also. Feels good, but heavy.
 
I've had all of those at one time or other.

This poster is recommending the CRKT M1.

The CRKT M1 is surprisingly sturdy. There are few knives which you can look at dozens of photos and STILL be surprised after handling one. The M1 is one of those knives. It looks pretty cool in photos but not that special. I've owned hundreds of knives and when I picked up the M1 and handled it for the first time the first word that came to mind was, "DANG!" I was shocked at how robust and sturdy it was. I highly recommend it out of your list. In fact, I can't imagine why I still don't have mine except I probably needed the money.

I'm not even going to say it's a good knife for the money because I'd choose it if all prices were the same.

.
 
Get the Commander first. I have a Mini Comm and a regular and
they are my favorite knives. Something about an Emerson is very appealing
to me and they get more attractive as you own them. :)
 
i recommend AGAINST the CRKT M1 because it's HEAVY! in hand it feels heavier than my mini manix! the full, NON skeletonized liners are about 1/16" thick. there is no backstrap but the knife just feels awfully heavy for it's size.

it looks amazing and has awesome ergos. so much so that i bought a custom Lightfoot M1 because of the CRKT version, BUT i would look elsewhere for a EDC. if i were a backyard knifemaker guy like STR i'd take it apart and drill some damn holes in the liner and maybe swap out the cheap feeling zytel for some G-10.

good knife, but beware the weight!

PS: of the 4 listed i'd choose the BM also. and why no spyderco? Mini-manix is beyond awesome. too big? Caly 3, the PERFECT EDC. too expensive? Delica 4. Still too expensive? Byrd Meadowlark... :D
 
The M1 is one of the few liner locks that I have had that will not fold in the spine whack test, no matter how hard you smack it.

As an aside, the CRKT MyTighe closes every time, no matter how lightly you smack it, and its a frame lock. Goes to show that CRKT runs the gamut in quality.
 
I also vote for the M1 it is among my top 5 knives. It has a strong lock up opens wicked fast (with practice) feels great in the hand. It is a heavy knife but to me that is a plus. I have batonned it through a 2" branch with zero effect on the blade except for some wear on the coating. I have the partially serrated but wish I had bought the plain edge. It is alot of knife for its size. Its short blade is very stout and could be used for light prying in a pinch. Overall it is a great knife as soon as I can I will get some pics up.
 
I am currently reviewing the CRKT M1-03K and in short the knife is very good. It cuts very well for such a thick blade and has a very stout and ergonomic handle. The detent is tuned perfectly, the knife is hard to open accidentally but with the flipper it really pops due to the force needed to get it going. Regarding weight; yes, the M1 is "heavier" than a lot of knives, but it is not an anchor. It feels light than a Leatherman PST and every other multi-tool I compare it against and is on par with most other steel liner-lock knives. I carry my M1 is my front shirt pocket at work and it's heft hasn't been an issue.

Here's a picture from my review:
P4060260.jpg

Note: That is not an optical illusion; the liner is actually slightly thicker on the non-locking side.

My review should be done at the end of next week, if you wish to see a more in depth look at the knife.
 
I've had the Ryan - the screws fell out after I gave it to my neighbor, now it's in his junk drawer.

I have the M1 - stout enough to EDC for a year, the weight was no bother, ergo's great. It's a good tactical user if you don't want a sharper point - and the wedge grind is a little thick on boxes. I don't carry it now only because I got a SnG, which solved those issues.
 
liliysdad said:
The M1 is one of the few liner locks that I have had that will not fold in the spine whack test, no matter how hard you smack it.

As an aside, the CRKT MyTighe closes every time, no matter how lightly you smack it, and its a frame lock. Goes to show that CRKT runs the gamut in quality.
Click to expand...

Sadly I have to agree with your latter statement , after all the posts I have read concerning this and , I own quite a few CRKT knives , anyhow I am curious as to would you folks compare the M1 to maybe the Outdoor Edge Magna ?
One of you comnmented on the cheap feeling of the zytel , I agree that zytel does feel cheap even when it looks good , although it does do the job it is meant to do.
 
Yerscattergun,
Please comment (good and bad) on the locking mechanism and blade shape of the Commander. Is the lock strong and stout? Does the "re-curve" on the blade hinder cutting use as an EDC in any way?
 
I believe first off youll have to ask yourself what are you going to use the knife for? Emerson is a lot of blade and expensive so you don't want to lose it or get stolen.Good quility knife though. Don't have a Benchmade. Can't say anything, but axis lock is good. CRKT's Ive had: Liner gave bit of problem, but good knife for the $ and its a beater. Don't forget Kershaw and Spyderco knives. I prefer Spyderco knives these days.
 
spoonrobot said:
My review should be done at the end of next week, if you wish to see a more in depth look at the knife.
Click to expand...

Spoonrobot - Looking forward to your review. Would you mind measuring the liner lock thickness? Thanks.

rcxtreme - if you're open to other knives, along with BM and Spydies, also consider Kershaw. They have some really great offerings that were recently released, and more coming soon this year. The JYDII is a great knife, and the upcoming Lahar looks very nice also. If I had to choose my favorite brand based on which brand had the most knives I liked from their lineup, it would be Kershaw.
You can also get a Spyderco ATR for a great price now as places are closing them out. That's a very nice knife, super smooth, and solid. I just wish it had a longer blade and cutting edge for a 5" closed folder.
 
rcxtreme said:
Hi. I'm new to this forum. It's great to chat with and get opinions from A LOT of like-minded individuals: Knife lovers! For my next purchases, I'm stuck on the following four knives:
1) Emerson Commander
2) Benchmade Presidio 520
3) CRKT Lightfoot M1
4) CRKT Ryan 7

Opinions, comments, suggestions greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...


Interesting choice of knives there.

You can't go wrong with the Benchmade Presidio and in my opinion, it should be at the top of your particular list. The opening action of the Presidio is as smooth as butter and the handle provides a sure grip, plus what's not to like about the Axis lock? Some folks aren't too keen on aluminum handles (or any metal handle) particularly if you live in cold climates, but I like them just the same.

I do like the ergonomics of the Emerson Commander as well as the blade shape. Overall, the knife feels great in the hand, but I don't much care for the chisel edge. Knives were meant to be sharpened on both sides, in my opinion. The "wave" feature is okay if you like the cool-factor of speedy openings, but rapid deployment is not a primary concern for me. I'm not in law enforcement or the military so my chances of "tactical" encounters which demand the use of a "waved" knife are virtually non-existent. I haven't owned an Emerson Commander since 2002 so I have no idea how the locks wear on them now, however, my Commander's linerlock wore considerably in a short period of time. Again, I can't speak for current models.

As for the CRKT's, I've owned both the M1 and the Ryan model 7 and I like the M1 much better. I personally never liked the feel of the Ryan model 7 in my hands, but I think that was largely because of the zig-zag pattern on the scales. One thing you may want to consider is that the steel on current CRKT Ryans is now 420j2. Not a very good edge holding steel, but it makes for a very easy to sharpen blade.

Read reviews and consider the intended use of the knife before you buy and you'll be satisfied with your purchase.
 
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