- Joined
- Sep 5, 2005
- Messages
- 2,826
With the way things have been going at CRKT lately, buying a new model knife is always somewhat of a grab bag. It's like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.
I got mine on eBay on a very low bid. It was the smaller Thunderbolt 2, with a 3.5-inch U.S. tanto blade. (The Thunderbolt 1 is somewhat larger with a 4-inch blade.) It also has the frontal serrations, something I wanted to try. Unfortunately, I had to also have the rear serrations as well, but one can't have everything.
First the good points. The knife is well made, comfortable, and the blade is made from 8Cr14MoV steel, which I understand compares favorably with AUS8. The knife also comes with the famous Lake and Walker Knife Safety, which is a saving grace for any liner lock. It carries comfortably, though in the pocket some will find it a bit on the heavy side.
The knife is patterned after an old-styled World War II fighter (like the P-47 and the A-10 bomber) and the shape of the blade, even when retracted, suggests this to the eye. It's a very attractive design. It's actually one of the reasons I decided to pick one up. Oh, and the blade is double grind I was happy to see, and surprisingly sharp.
First the frontal serrations. For self defense and weapon retention, this design rocks. It also is fine for opening packages containing other knives, or anything else. But there the advantages end. CRKT didn't leave any room between the tip and the serrations to allow cutting a straight line in paper, cardboard or anything else. This would make me pass on it for an EDC unless self defense was one of the main reasons you carry a knife. Even opening a letter was difficult, and I ultimately reversed the blade and cut backwards to get into an envelope. It will, however, slice through thick tape and cardboard, so it's up to the user.
The price is certainly reasonable and the knife is a good buy. The company has clearly cut costs on the LAWKS. The switch is not as smooth as I'm used to and the blocking mechanism is just a straight piece of sheet metal. Happily, the lockup was strong enough that I doubt that many people would need, or want, to engage it. Doing so in an emergency would require practice, and I'm hoping mine will loosen up as I play with it.
My next step is to grab the larger model, though based on the size and weight of the Thunderbolt 2, I don't think many people will want to carry something larger and heavier. It does fit the hand well and the knife has some very nice lines to it. Users also may find that it's stubby appearance may make it less intimidating to others.
It could have been much worse. For the price, it's quite a bargain, and one you might want to clear some drawer space for.
The frontal serrations are good for aggressive cutting and, thus,
for self defense and weapon retention. Unfortunately, it doesn't
really allow using the edge to cut. This may make the standard
plain edge preferable.
I got mine on eBay on a very low bid. It was the smaller Thunderbolt 2, with a 3.5-inch U.S. tanto blade. (The Thunderbolt 1 is somewhat larger with a 4-inch blade.) It also has the frontal serrations, something I wanted to try. Unfortunately, I had to also have the rear serrations as well, but one can't have everything.
First the good points. The knife is well made, comfortable, and the blade is made from 8Cr14MoV steel, which I understand compares favorably with AUS8. The knife also comes with the famous Lake and Walker Knife Safety, which is a saving grace for any liner lock. It carries comfortably, though in the pocket some will find it a bit on the heavy side.
The knife is patterned after an old-styled World War II fighter (like the P-47 and the A-10 bomber) and the shape of the blade, even when retracted, suggests this to the eye. It's a very attractive design. It's actually one of the reasons I decided to pick one up. Oh, and the blade is double grind I was happy to see, and surprisingly sharp.
First the frontal serrations. For self defense and weapon retention, this design rocks. It also is fine for opening packages containing other knives, or anything else. But there the advantages end. CRKT didn't leave any room between the tip and the serrations to allow cutting a straight line in paper, cardboard or anything else. This would make me pass on it for an EDC unless self defense was one of the main reasons you carry a knife. Even opening a letter was difficult, and I ultimately reversed the blade and cut backwards to get into an envelope. It will, however, slice through thick tape and cardboard, so it's up to the user.
The price is certainly reasonable and the knife is a good buy. The company has clearly cut costs on the LAWKS. The switch is not as smooth as I'm used to and the blocking mechanism is just a straight piece of sheet metal. Happily, the lockup was strong enough that I doubt that many people would need, or want, to engage it. Doing so in an emergency would require practice, and I'm hoping mine will loosen up as I play with it.
My next step is to grab the larger model, though based on the size and weight of the Thunderbolt 2, I don't think many people will want to carry something larger and heavier. It does fit the hand well and the knife has some very nice lines to it. Users also may find that it's stubby appearance may make it less intimidating to others.
It could have been much worse. For the price, it's quite a bargain, and one you might want to clear some drawer space for.
The frontal serrations are good for aggressive cutting and, thus,
for self defense and weapon retention. Unfortunately, it doesn't
really allow using the edge to cut. This may make the standard
plain edge preferable.
The good new is that in a hurricane it has enough steel to keep you anchored to the ground. Don’t wana blow away now do ya. 
