CRKT, they have always been crap to me from the start...

I can say with experience that all the Carson designed folders are top-notch for what you pay. For the time I had them they were great beaters, pretty tough. The Aus-8 they used was not bad either.
 
I owe 3 stitches and nerve damage to a failed linerlock on a CRKT Red Dog. All their new knives seem to have the LAWKs, but call me crazy if I don't like the idea of a lock that requries a second lock to be safe.

So yeah, I think they're crap, and have always been crap, but then again, I'm biased. Even though I'd never carry one myself, I'd say they're OK low-mid line knives, but with so many nice Spydercos and Red Box Benchmades available in the same price range, I'll stay away from CRKT.
 
I HATE LAWKS! IMO, it gives them an excuse to build thin, weak liner locks, with cheaper materials!
IF the LAWKS guard was a little thicker, and the liner was too, I'd say it's a winner, but it's NOT!
 
Walking Man said:
I HATE LAWKS! IMO, it gives them an excuse to build thin, weak liner locks, with cheaper materials!
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I think LAWKS is mainly for marketing purposes.

A thicker and more solid liner should be much cheaper
than a thin liner plus LAWKS.
 
hardheart said:
Well, I feel the same way about empty praise posts. every time I read a post that says 'you can't explain why a Sebenza is worth $400, you have to hold one', I want to strangle a kitten. But people are free to post their opinions. And I really take no serious issue with that.
It's only a problem when people who have no claim other than being a fan start spitting venom in defense of some trademark. I say give the people reading a bit more credit. If there are 20 positive posts for every 1 unfounded negative one, then even the lurking knife noobs should be able to figure out what's going on without 10 page flamewars trying to stem the great evil. If a falsehood is posted, then simply respond with the truth. And if it's just an opinion you don't like about an inanimate object, leave it alone.

Back on subject a bit, I have a CRKT Partner, it's a full flat ground drop point fixed blade. Probably aus6, it doesn't say. I just checked, and I can flex the blade without much effort with my fingers. That's just the grind on the 1/8th stock and the fact that it isn't 65Rc and snapping into a thousand shards. Blade flex isn't necessarily a bad thing, so that does need qualification, along with the general comments on quality.

But I'm not saying trolling, I'm saying incomplete.
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Hardheart, I understand your need to control the pet population, but strangling kittens is not the answer. Spay and neuter your pets folks!
 
Are the liner locks on CRKT knives really thinner than on others? i don't think that they're so poor that they require a second lock to be safe, i think it's more of an added bonus to have a secondary locking feature. It's not in a very ackward spot, and you don't need to use it.

I have a Mt. Ranier from before the change to lower quality steel, and it's held up through alot. I've even busted out a window with it once, with only some minor scratches on the finish as a result. I've carried it for a number of years in the city and out in the woods. For the price, i'd say they're pretty good.

They seem to be getting a little more...gimmicky recently, like knives that sharpen themselves as you open and close them. It's a cool idea, but still...come on. I'm also not a fan of this 420 stuff, but i'm sure they still make decent knives for the money.

Viking Benny said:
... but with 32 contact points on the grip and a channel to lead fluids away from the blade it sounds like something to take another look at.
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Have you taken a look at Dark Ops?

Tee hee
 
The LAWKS knife I have has a plenty strong liner lock...the LAWKS just makes it a fixed blade (as much as any folder can be).

I have/had the following CRKT:

Hissatsu
Fixed Falcon
Ryan Plan B
Tanto Stiff Kiss
Desert Cruiser

Their knives definately arent the best steel, but you get what you pay for...all of them have worked great for me, and as self-defense tools (not used for utility) they are just fine...I definately dont think any of them would be damaged with interaction with 'soft' targets.
 
MBWirenut said:
but it sure does seem that they are mentioned everywhere. Am I missing something? I get some from people to sharpen, everyone of them has been junk. I bought one when they came on the scene. I could bend the blade with my fingers.

Is this just another example of Cold Steel, they just market the hell out of them and all of us buy one.....then realize what we have done?

Cougar, if this goes in Whine, move me.
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Huh??... I want to see the model that you "bent with your fingers".:rolleyes:
I have a top notch knife called an Opinel that can be bent with my fingers , only because the razor sharp blade is so thin.
CRKT never meant to be the next high dollar knife company , they are meant for those of us who dont have wads of money falling out of our ass , while still delivering a beater of a knife.
The two I own are fine blades that I am sure will serve me for years to come.
CRKT makes no crazy claims like CS has , so where is the comparison ?
Seems to me like you posted an ill-thought out thread.
 
I wan't meaning to start any crap, just curious have they come up in the world, are they better now than they were? I was just saying that the ones I have been given to sharpen and the one I bought 10 years ago I think aren't worth owning and kinda dangerous. I don't know models nor do I care, I was just wondering from all the stuff I see in Outdoor/hunting/knife mags and the like that they are advertised an awful lot and they always seemed like really bad knives.

SO, have they gotten better, is there something that I am missing. Are there other models and types that are more relaible and better? They all look the same to me.

I am not saying they make crazy claims, like CS. Just that in CS prime they used to advertise like this and I think that they are on the way out.

This was not meant to troll, I am being very serious, I am just curious.

The thing that got me wondering was a mag article where it said that the police and others wanted a smaller version of some kife for carrying in the hurricane areas for use. Got me wondering if the knives were better, or people are used to "cheaper" stuff nowadays.
 
We live in a world where most things are reduced to a sound byte. I have one CRKT, which is the M16 Special Forces knife. I got it for free, and its not all that bad. I don't carry it at the moment, because its hot, and the one day I carried it in my pants pocket on a hot day it developed surface rust. Its not a bad knife, though. You can use the flipper without wrist action, which is nice, and the detent isn't bad at all either.

Far as their quality now, I'd say their quality might be about the same, but the materials aren't that great anymore. I mean, they weren't ever really all that great to begin with, but they've only cheapened them up over the years. I used to like them because so many different designers working with them, and they represented a lot of knife for the money. These days, I'm more excited by Kershaw- who not only has knives they make right here in the USA, but also has a few good designers working for them. They're ALSO looking for ways to improve their sales and the bottom line by improving the product and educating the consumer rather than cheapening the materials. CRKT has committed, to me anyway, the cardinal sin of engaging in a take-away when it comes to their product. They're not producing knives with the materials that their customers have become used to, but instead cheapening those materials. Now, if they lowered their prices while doing this, then fine, but to charge the same amount for a lesser product- and to go so far as to stop telling people what they're using on an individual knife (I'm speaking of blade steel in this instance)- is just not cool. I like the knife I have from them, but I wouldn't buy one from them.
 
Cheap materials ? maybe on some of thier blades , I'm no expert on CRKT but the S2 I bought for the ridiculously low price of 25$ has a very solid titanium frame , pocket clip and ATS34 blade steel , no it's not top of the line blade steel but not junk either. Lock up is rock solid , even moreso after I upgraded to phos bronze washers.
Show me a better bargain for 25$ and I will eat my left sock.
 
The liner on my CRKT is thin enough that if it moved too far in either direction, it could go between the tang of the blade and the handle. Say what you want, but I see no reason for this to be inherit to the design of any liner or framelock folder, period. It's simply unsafe. Why not make the liner bigger than the gap it could possibly fall under, like a lot of Kershaw's? It seems stupid to do anything else.

That said, the folder I have from them if a good one. I don't know what steel it uses, but it's kept an edge and can get plenty sharp. It's got a solid, well-design body, good edge shape but it's hollow ground and I prefer flat. Lawks helps keep you from undoing the lock by torquing and such, which is nice. Ergonomics are high and the flippers works well for opening and as a guard.

They've got some good ideas, but they make some lousy decisions. Thin liners and 420 as a bladesteel come to mind.
 
You have a point on the S2, but that knife isn't- nor was it ever- typical of the CRKT line. They also don't make that knife anymore, nor can you find Ti or ATS-34 in their lineup anywhere. Most companies will have something like this at some point. Its NOT representative of their products, though. Far as finding a better value at $25, I've seen some of the walmart S30V folders go for that used.
 
I stand corrected Esav! I wasn't aware of that. Of course, they don't really appeal to me style-wise, or from a technology standpoint (assisted opening), so I have to admit I didn't really look at them too carefully. I would still say, though, that these are not representative of the CRKT product as a whole though.
 
CRKT has always had a varied product line, and now they seem to have an almost schizophrenic product line. The new US models are excellent.

The old downgraded steel models are terrible -- not because there's anything wrong with cheap knives. After all, they are providing for a market segment. But they broke a contract with us by downgrading in a way thatleaves us wondering if a particular knife is old/good steel or new/bad steel adn no way to tell.

They also have models that remained the same reliable products they always were. Like the aluminum-handled M-16s.

Unfortunately, you need a score card now to know what's what, and that is confusing to the newbies who aren't aware of the distinctions, and get burned by a bad choice.
 
over the years i've had several crkt's and have been happy with all but one, i had an m-16 a few years ago that would dull quicker than you could sharpen it. all the others i've had have been, in my opinion excellant value for the money. I think quality and value in knife brands is very subjective, a lot of people go wild over benchmade and while they make a good product they don't do much for me. it's all in what you want, what you want to pay, and past experience with the brand. just my opinion, your mileage may vary, ahgar
 
I have a CRKT Serengeti Hunter and its an awsome knive. Never had any problems with it even though its my only CRKT.
 
I have found that both the Cold Steel and CRKT offerings in AUS 8A have been just right for what I use knives for. I have no complaints with edge retention and I like the big, beefy blades, which I can't seem to get with Spyderco knives. The M21-14 rides a bit high, but in a fight I'd rather have it than a Spyderco with a two and a half inch blade.

All things being equal, I'd rather have a slab of VG-10 or ATS-34, but things just aren't like that in the knife world. Spydercos are expensive and you don't get long, slender blades. CRKTs and Cold Steels are relatively inexpensive, but they give you plenty of blade. So one has to choose what they like.
 
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