CRKT ?

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chipper1

Joined
Oct 11, 2012
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Anyone Seen that CRKT is going to have the official Blade show 2018 knife? and every model they make now is made out of ultra crapy steel!!!! what gives 5crmov really? I cant see where
CRKT is trying to go with this but flea market stuff is what there pushing now.
 
chipper1 said:
Anyone Seen that CRKT is going to have the official Blade show 2018 knife? and every model they make now is made out of ultra crapy steel!!!! what gives 5crmov really? I cant see where
CRKT is trying to go with this but flea market stuff is what there pushing now.
Click to expand...

Yea, the fact of the matter is that us knife nuts only make up a small percentage of the population. The general population just buys crap that looks cool as long as it has a recognizable name. They don't know any better. That's where the real money is and that is why Gerber is making tons of money. CRKT and Kershaw see this and want a piece of that action. They have been going further and further down that road. That is just the reality of it. Now Kershaw has seen much blowback from the community and this year, we see the first Sandvik USA model in years. Maybe its a good sign
 
Most of the knifes are 8cr13Mov, a decent steel for the general population that give knives a general population uses...
 
Would be interesting if they went the same route Kershaw did and made a high end sub-brand. I don't really see it happening but I feel, from an enthusiasts viewpoint, they're squandering away great talent and designs on low budget offerings.
 
I've been a CRKT fanboy since I graduated from Mtech knives.

But I have to admit, their quality control from the heat treater is hit-and-miss.

Columbia River's strength is that they are willing to collaborate with top-tier makers, which also saves them a ton on in-house R&D. Lightfoot, Elishewitz, Williams, Terzoula, are only some of the names they've licensed designs from.

I've had mostly good luck with CRKT, and continue to recommend them to people who are ready to take the next step up from $20 knives, but I would never pay MSRP for one, partly because of the steel, partly because sometimes, they just will not get sharper than about about 220 grit.

Kershaw does a better job with the heat treat, but fit and finish is about the same between the two companies. I would say the difference comes down to a matter of business philosophy, rather than actual product offerings: CRKT targets the general knife-using public, and Kershaw makes an effort to listen to knife knuts. Fortunately, there's a place for both.
 
What I just cant see is that the official knife of blade show 2018 is going to be a 20 dollar knife from CRKT with it being the meca of blade nuts around the world?
that is a real bad statement and representation for blade show. makes them look like a fleamarket!
 
shorttime your 100% right some customers have sent me there CRKT blades for sharping and I cant get even a decent edge on one it just wont take anything close to non-toothy edge!! I was feeling pissed off cause I thought I could sharpen any blade but I was wrong.
 
Looks like I'm gonna have to get the large M16 Tanto from CRKT I've been wanting. Sharpened a M-21 for a buddy at work the other day, and it got hair shaving sharp with no trouble.
 
me2 said:
Looks like I'm gonna have to get the large M16 Tanto from CRKT I've been wanting. Sharpened a M-21 for a buddy at work the other day, and it got hair shaving sharp with no trouble.
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Yeah, but, how long does the edge hold up?

I am down to three CRKT knives in my collection. An M16-02 and two Prowlers (one NIB). I think the Prowler is my favorite knife from CRKT. Its blade steel is only is AUS6 and the M16 is AUS4, IIRC. Not the best steels in my book.
 
CRKT is like the walmart of knives... they use cheap steel and sell for fairly low prices. They are getting recognition for the 'homefront' model due to the field strip ability, which does seem nice.

I'm really surprised they don't offer better steels in some of their more popular models. But their business model is not about making big % money per sale, just about big volume.
I have to add, that even their 'high end' priced knives use AUS8 or 8cr14 variants... if they have good quality control for the HT, then it could really work long term. I'm shocked they are getting away with $100 price tags on some models...

This 'acuto' steel seems to be their top of the line - https://www.bladehq.com/item--CRKT-Ken-Onion-Eros--6521

honestly... I would want a homefront like this https://www.bladehq.com/item--CRKT-Homefront-Liner-Lock-Knife-3--36190
but NOT with aus8, and NOT with aluminum handles. I hope they offer a more premium version soon.
 
Despite CRKT (like many companies) pandering to the lowest common denominator, The M16-13SF will always hold a place in my heart
 
chipper1 said:
Anyone Seen that CRKT is going to have the official Blade show 2018 knife? and every model they make now is made out of ultra crapy steel!!!! what gives 5crmov really? I cant see where
CRKT is trying to go with this but flea market stuff is what there pushing now.
Click to expand...

Agreed, it really is too bad because I like a lot of their designs but, the low-quality steels they have been using and the numerous bad reviews I have read about CRKT's overall decline in quality largely prevents me from being a regular customer.

I don't want a general purpose EDC that's going to snap off at the tip the moment I might need to use it for a makeshift can opener.
 
actually Jack, since they're using lower carbon steels, that is less likely to happen. Those aus6 and 4116 steels they use have higher toughness and shouldn't snap as easily. They only really suffer in hardness & wear resistance as a result. :)
 
I still own a M16 and M21 from CRKT. Great designs. I email them every year and ask for a M16 and/or M21 in PE + VG10, D2, 154CM blade steel + G10 handles. I'm not greedy and going to ask for S30V, Maxamet, or Cru etc.

One day....maybe.../sigh

If Ontario can make a Rat 1 in D2 for $40, why can't CRKT up their friggin blade steel?
 
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