- Joined
- Apr 12, 2006
- Messages
- 3,079
Well here is a quick review of a new knife I got today in the mail. It is of the CRKT M21-04G
Dimensions:
Open Overall Length9.2 inches
Closed Length5.375 inches
Weight5.9 ounces
Blade:
Length3.875 inches
Thickness0.14 inches
Material8Cr14MoVBlade-HRC58-59
FinishTitanium Nitride
Grind:
HollowStyleDeep-Bellied Spear PointEdgePlain
Handle:
MaterialG10
Liners420J2
Lock:
Locking Liner
Safety SystemAutoLAWKS
Carry:
Carry System4 Position Clip
Let me start by saying that there are two versions of this model, a small one and a large one, this is the large model. First impressions upon opening the box and thumbing this beast open is that it is a tank, an M1 Abrams at that, this is one heavy duty folder.
The lock-up is very tight and the lock bar is a little hard to diengage due to the thick liner creating a lot of spring tention, a good thing if hard use knives are your forte.
The G-10 handle scales are nicely done and are quite grippy without being too aggressive, they are just right and cannot be improved upon in my mind.
Pocket clip is mounted low for discreet carry and is reversable for left/right and tip-up/tip-down, good pressure, again just right.
Detent and flipper are perfect, it opens easily and with authority, though only if enough pressure is applied, it will not open accidentally in your pocket.
Handsome black barrel spacers in the handle similar to those used by the Kewrshaw Blur, very nice. No sharp edges or hot spots and a very slim profile for such a large knife, nothing protrudes from the handle to catch on pockets. It also sports bronze washers which I like.
The blade is quite impressive, it is pretty wide and the recurve is beautiful as well as functional, though it does pose a problem for people who don't have proper sharpening equipment at their disposal. It sits perfectly even in the handle when closed and has no play when open.
It came razor sharp with perfectly assymetrical grinds, the edge angle was nice and low, not steep as is often the case with factory edges. The factory edge on this knife compares to those used by Spyderco and Benchmade (I have many examples of each), well done CRKT. This knife is a great slicer due the nice hollow grind, it cuts well, better than my 710 which is about the same size and has a similar recurve.
To sum it all up, CRKT really hit this one out of the park. I know not all their stuff is on this level of quality, I have handled a lot of them in person, but this one takes the cake. The fit and finish is easily on par with big boys and it really inspires confindence, this is seriously a tough folder. My only gripe is that is heavy and a little large for my tastes (I feel the same about my 710), I would rather have the smaller version, but I didn't realize there were two sizes until after I bought it.
If you think this knife is attractive and you like heavy duty well made knives for about $50, then this is for you. I like the whole M-16 series, my father has been abusing his M-16 with the tanto blade for around three years now, he uses it for everything from cutting food to tightening a loose screw (wince at the thought) and even prying and scraping. His knife has held up very well and doesn't look bad at all, he just brings to me every couple months for a tune up (sharpening and cleaning/lubing) and goes right back to using it everyday. He likes it so much, he bought a second as spare in case he lost his
.
Honestly CRKT catches a lot of undeserved flak on here from people who are spoiled by knives that cost much more and therefore use higher end materials. I find them to be a pretty good company, you just need to stick with the tried and true patterns like the M-16 series and you will get a great EDC at a good price. I am quite happy with mine. I have had to use their warranty department in the past to repair a bent pocket clip (my fault), they were very helpful then and sent me new clip and screws for free, they even gave me advice on using lock-tite on the screws when reassembling.
Hope this review helped
.
Dimensions:
Open Overall Length9.2 inches
Closed Length5.375 inches
Weight5.9 ounces
Blade:
Length3.875 inches
Thickness0.14 inches
Material8Cr14MoVBlade-HRC58-59
FinishTitanium Nitride
Grind:
HollowStyleDeep-Bellied Spear PointEdgePlain
Handle:
MaterialG10
Liners420J2
Lock:
Locking Liner
Safety SystemAutoLAWKS
Carry:
Carry System4 Position Clip
Let me start by saying that there are two versions of this model, a small one and a large one, this is the large model. First impressions upon opening the box and thumbing this beast open is that it is a tank, an M1 Abrams at that, this is one heavy duty folder.
The lock-up is very tight and the lock bar is a little hard to diengage due to the thick liner creating a lot of spring tention, a good thing if hard use knives are your forte.
The G-10 handle scales are nicely done and are quite grippy without being too aggressive, they are just right and cannot be improved upon in my mind.
Pocket clip is mounted low for discreet carry and is reversable for left/right and tip-up/tip-down, good pressure, again just right.
Detent and flipper are perfect, it opens easily and with authority, though only if enough pressure is applied, it will not open accidentally in your pocket.
Handsome black barrel spacers in the handle similar to those used by the Kewrshaw Blur, very nice. No sharp edges or hot spots and a very slim profile for such a large knife, nothing protrudes from the handle to catch on pockets. It also sports bronze washers which I like.
The blade is quite impressive, it is pretty wide and the recurve is beautiful as well as functional, though it does pose a problem for people who don't have proper sharpening equipment at their disposal. It sits perfectly even in the handle when closed and has no play when open.
It came razor sharp with perfectly assymetrical grinds, the edge angle was nice and low, not steep as is often the case with factory edges. The factory edge on this knife compares to those used by Spyderco and Benchmade (I have many examples of each), well done CRKT. This knife is a great slicer due the nice hollow grind, it cuts well, better than my 710 which is about the same size and has a similar recurve.
To sum it all up, CRKT really hit this one out of the park. I know not all their stuff is on this level of quality, I have handled a lot of them in person, but this one takes the cake. The fit and finish is easily on par with big boys and it really inspires confindence, this is seriously a tough folder. My only gripe is that is heavy and a little large for my tastes (I feel the same about my 710), I would rather have the smaller version, but I didn't realize there were two sizes until after I bought it.
If you think this knife is attractive and you like heavy duty well made knives for about $50, then this is for you. I like the whole M-16 series, my father has been abusing his M-16 with the tanto blade for around three years now, he uses it for everything from cutting food to tightening a loose screw (wince at the thought) and even prying and scraping. His knife has held up very well and doesn't look bad at all, he just brings to me every couple months for a tune up (sharpening and cleaning/lubing) and goes right back to using it everyday. He likes it so much, he bought a second as spare in case he lost his
.Honestly CRKT catches a lot of undeserved flak on here from people who are spoiled by knives that cost much more and therefore use higher end materials. I find them to be a pretty good company, you just need to stick with the tried and true patterns like the M-16 series and you will get a great EDC at a good price. I am quite happy with mine. I have had to use their warranty department in the past to repair a bent pocket clip (my fault), they were very helpful then and sent me new clip and screws for free, they even gave me advice on using lock-tite on the screws when reassembling.
Hope this review helped
.