Yup, I'm reviewing some discontinued knives again. I've had the CRKT Rollock knives for a few years, and just rediscovered them in a shoebox. They're an interesting design, and I'll cover both the Rollock and the Rollock 2 (the updated version). Both knives are made in Taiwan, and the model numbers are 5202B for the Rollock in blue, and 5202BN for the Rollock 2 in blue. When introduced, they sold for around $30, but you can still find them on close-out in some places for around $10.
The Rollock:
The Handle: The CRKT Rollock is 3-1/2" closed and 6/16" thick (not counting the pocket clip). It has stainless steel liners and is available in several different plastic translucent handle colors; I chose blue. The handle scales are held on with four (two on each side) T-5 screws. The scales offer very little traction, but the handle shape prevents the knife from moving around in your hand. It's quite comfortable for small cutting tasks. The butt of the handle has a plastic insert in the same color as the handle, and it has three holes, each one larger than the previous. I'm guessing this is for a lanyard, but I've also found that Allen Elishewitz (the redesigner of the Rollock) uses this three-hole look a lot.
The pocket clip is polished stainless steel, and is attached for tip-down carry although it's butt-mounted (see how the knife opens). It is removable with two T-5 screws, but cannot be mounted in a different position. Tension is okay, but the polished finish of the pocket clip and the smooth texture of the handle scale make the knife move around in your pocket, and it even came out a few times just from sitting down. When clipped to a pocket, the butt protrudes 9/16".
The Rollock has a unique locking mechanism, which I can only describe as lockback on the front of the handle (instead of the back). Lock-up is solid with no blade play, but it might take a few days of using to get accustomed to. The blade opening and closing is described below...
To Open: The blade slides open; it doesn't fold. Push the tang of the blade down, and then slide it forward. It will lock open.
To Close: The lock release is on the front of the handle, right next to the butt. Push it like you would a normal lockback, and this will disengage the blade. The blade is now free to slide back into its retracted position, where you simply push down on the blade spine to lock it closed. Here's a YouTube video showing the opening and closing of the Rollock... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNfUD37_MZM
The Blade: The Rollock has a blade of AUS-6, and it's 2-1/4" long with a 2-1/8" cutting edge. The blade is just under 1/8" thick and has a shallow hollow grind, shallow enough that I thought it was a full flat grind at first. The blade is marked in lasering as follows: ROLLOCK on the right side blade and 5202 Taiwan on the right side tang, and the CRKT logo on the left side blade. The blade itself has a high polished finish, and came out of the box extremely sharp. It will hold an edge for a brief amount of time with any real use, but you should be able to EDC it for a few days without the need for a touch-up.
The Rollock 2:
The Handle: The handle is the same between the Rollock and the Rollock 2, except that the Rollock 2 was offered with a polished stainless steel handle as well as the translucent plastic ones. The pocket clip and locking mechanism are the same, too.
The Blade: The Rollock 2 has all of the same features and specifications as the Rollock, with two exceptions...
1. The Rollock 2's blade is AUS-4 instead of AUS-6.
2. The Rollock 2's blade has a small hump on the back to allow easier closing (see the photos).
Being made of a lower-grade steel, the Rollock 2 holds an edge for a shorter period of time. It's okay, certainly not pot metal, but it's just too soft for me to carry as an EDC.
Conclusion: The Rollock was certainly a unique concept, one developed by Blackie Collins and later reinvented by a few knife makers. It's one of those gotta-have-it knives if you're into different locking mechanisms (like me). For the $10 close-out price, give it a shot. Even if you don't EDC the Rollock, it's a neat conversation piece.
The Rollock:
The Handle: The CRKT Rollock is 3-1/2" closed and 6/16" thick (not counting the pocket clip). It has stainless steel liners and is available in several different plastic translucent handle colors; I chose blue. The handle scales are held on with four (two on each side) T-5 screws. The scales offer very little traction, but the handle shape prevents the knife from moving around in your hand. It's quite comfortable for small cutting tasks. The butt of the handle has a plastic insert in the same color as the handle, and it has three holes, each one larger than the previous. I'm guessing this is for a lanyard, but I've also found that Allen Elishewitz (the redesigner of the Rollock) uses this three-hole look a lot.
The pocket clip is polished stainless steel, and is attached for tip-down carry although it's butt-mounted (see how the knife opens). It is removable with two T-5 screws, but cannot be mounted in a different position. Tension is okay, but the polished finish of the pocket clip and the smooth texture of the handle scale make the knife move around in your pocket, and it even came out a few times just from sitting down. When clipped to a pocket, the butt protrudes 9/16".
The Rollock has a unique locking mechanism, which I can only describe as lockback on the front of the handle (instead of the back). Lock-up is solid with no blade play, but it might take a few days of using to get accustomed to. The blade opening and closing is described below...
To Open: The blade slides open; it doesn't fold. Push the tang of the blade down, and then slide it forward. It will lock open.
To Close: The lock release is on the front of the handle, right next to the butt. Push it like you would a normal lockback, and this will disengage the blade. The blade is now free to slide back into its retracted position, where you simply push down on the blade spine to lock it closed. Here's a YouTube video showing the opening and closing of the Rollock... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNfUD37_MZM
The Blade: The Rollock has a blade of AUS-6, and it's 2-1/4" long with a 2-1/8" cutting edge. The blade is just under 1/8" thick and has a shallow hollow grind, shallow enough that I thought it was a full flat grind at first. The blade is marked in lasering as follows: ROLLOCK on the right side blade and 5202 Taiwan on the right side tang, and the CRKT logo on the left side blade. The blade itself has a high polished finish, and came out of the box extremely sharp. It will hold an edge for a brief amount of time with any real use, but you should be able to EDC it for a few days without the need for a touch-up.
The Rollock 2:
The Handle: The handle is the same between the Rollock and the Rollock 2, except that the Rollock 2 was offered with a polished stainless steel handle as well as the translucent plastic ones. The pocket clip and locking mechanism are the same, too.
The Blade: The Rollock 2 has all of the same features and specifications as the Rollock, with two exceptions...
1. The Rollock 2's blade is AUS-4 instead of AUS-6.
2. The Rollock 2's blade has a small hump on the back to allow easier closing (see the photos).
Being made of a lower-grade steel, the Rollock 2 holds an edge for a shorter period of time. It's okay, certainly not pot metal, but it's just too soft for me to carry as an EDC.
Conclusion: The Rollock was certainly a unique concept, one developed by Blackie Collins and later reinvented by a few knife makers. It's one of those gotta-have-it knives if you're into different locking mechanisms (like me). For the $10 close-out price, give it a shot. Even if you don't EDC the Rollock, it's a neat conversation piece.
