Crusader Forge folders?

D

Dr Heelhook

Joined
Jul 24, 2007
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I tried googling, but I couldn't find any good threads on this. Does anyone here have experience with Crusader Forge folders? How is the fit, finish, practicality etc., compared to the big Ti-frame names, Strider and Chris Reeve? How do you like them in general? I've heard that they are the most overbuilt folders you can find basically. At a first look, they seem like they have everything I miss in the Sebenza and the SMF, at least designwise, but it's hard to tell the details from photos. What are your impressions of these knives?
 
I do not nor have ever had one, but being a big fan of hard use folders I would love to handle one of these.

They do not seem to come up in the used market often so I assume production is kept at a small scale.

They seem to be very bulky and heavy and appear to be designed for prying and punching thru obects as a primary function and cutting as a secondary function.

The few I have seen advertised run around $650-$675 US dollars new. Seems like a lot for something that appears to be designed for Special Forces / Military use only.

As a plain old civilian and weekend warrior I would have a hard time finding a true use for their designs.

I think there are really good alternatives for hard use folders like Extrema Ratio, Strider, Zero Tolerance, CRK and many others that cost less (some as low as 60-70% less).
 
i have 2 crusaders. one is the big flipper.specs & comments on flipper follow:
weight 11.4 oz.
all machined no stamped parts
only knife you can throw at brick wall ,pickup & work perfect
blade little over 4 in.
really designed for collectors or military
triple tempered s30v
kill average man if thrown hard at head, otherwise break ribs
can be used as ladder assist if stuck in hole
absolutely smooth, even 4 yr. used has no play
no slicer but will pry open windows & punch holes in sheet metal
if one wants to edc then wear overalls or carrhart.
if you want slicer then powered equipment needed to relieve bevel
rebevel on older mdl. wore out several belts before i got it ready for diamonds.
hope this helps dennis
 
I have a Crusader Forge VIS 01 T. Bought it new from Crusader Forge/Trident for $495.00 a couple of years ago. http://www.crusaderforge.com/TACTICALCUSTOMFOLDERSCF.htm

Picture069.jpg


Here it is compared to other Crusader Forge knives an RS01 and Trident Oberland 01
Picture061.jpg


Here it is compared to several other heavey duty folders
Picture003-1.jpg

Picture013.jpg


They are built to stand up to almost anything you would put it through. It's not as big as many think. It is a pocket full for sure but rides in the pocket fine. It's sturdier I think than the Strider AR/GB. The lock will not fail unless you put it in a vice and try to break it. I love mine and would never sell it.

The Metro Tacticle has the lock side Ti and the other is G-10 so it's a little lighter than the VIS 01 T which has both sides Ti.

Hope this helps.
 
I handled one at a gun show. The quality was pretty good. Better than most, actually, but it was just huge and felt like a brick. Not very comfortable in hand, and very thick in pocket. I'd say it's a bit too overbuilt for a folder. Would be a great design if they slimmed down the entire package, a bit.
 
ossa1970 thanks for the great pics. certainly gives members a perspective on this unusal model. prices have really gone up since your purchase.
 
Ossa1970 - thats a sweet collection!!!

Looks like you have a few bucks tied up there:D:D
 
DennisStrickland said:
ossa1970 thanks for the great pics. certainly gives members a perspective on this unusal model. prices have really gone up since your purchase.
Click to expand...

I think they've made some changes/improvements in the designs as well. I remember seeing that Metro Tactical model having a thick titanium liner inside of the G-10 scale before, making one side of the handle nearly twice as thick as the other, putting the blade a bit off center. Now it seems they've changed it, so that there's just one titanium scale on one side and one linerless G-10 scale on the other, like on the Strider SMF. I think this is better, especially since the scales are so damn thick on this one anyway. I really love these things. I might have to sell a part of my soul, so that I can afford one :-D.
 
The only thing I'm missing is a hinderer lock stabilizer, like on the SMF. Then again, the pocket clip may double as one to some extent, the way it is positioned.
 
Dr Heelhook said:
The only thing I'm missing is a hinderer lock stabilizer, like on the SMF. Then again, the pocket clip may double as one to some extent, the way it is positioned.
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Just an FYI, the Hinderer LBS was design to prevent the lock bar from moving in the little gap created by cutting out the lock bar when you grip it hard. It's secondary function was as an over travel stop to prevent it from being extended too far when disengaging the lock. The concept of an over travel stop isn't exclusive to Rick's knives, people like Darrel Ralph have been using them for a long time as well. Considering how frickin thick Crusader Forge knives, are I don't think you should need to feel like it was missing something like an LBS.
 
Kaizen1 said:
Just an FYI, the Hinderer LBS was design to prevent the lock bar from moving in the little gap created by cutting out the lock bar when you grip it hard. It's secondary function was as an over travel stop to prevent it from being extended too far when disengaging the lock. The concept of an over travel stop isn't exclusive to Rick's knives, people like Darrel Ralph have been using them for a long time as well. Considering how frickin thick Crusader Forge knives, are I don't think you should need to feel like it was missing something like an LBS.
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Huh. I didn't know that. Yeah, the frames are really thick I guess. But still, it's a lot thinner at the cutout part, so it always feels nice to have it there. But no big deal.
 
The Hinderer is used by Strider and others because they thinned out the relief and made it easy to bend the lock out. The Hinderer is not necessary on a thick relief frame lock, or one that the relief faces in. Which is why Sebenza's and stainless frame lock's don't have/need one.
 
samhain73 said:
The Hinderer is used by Strider and others because they thinned out the relief and made it easy to bend the lock out. The Hinderer is not necessary on a thick relief frame lock, or one that the relief faces in. Which is why Sebenza's and stainless frame lock's don't have/need one.
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I probably didn't explain it well, but it looks like you're talking about the "over travel" feature of the LBS, which isn't it's primary function. The primary function of the LBS doesn't seem to have anything to do with how the relief area is cut. Here's Rick's explanation of the LBS:

Hello Everyone!
I felt that I should write a post explaining the new feature on Striders framelocks, the Lockbar Stabilizer.......Of course as all of you have found out it is obviously a overtravel stop..in other words it prevents the accidental overtravel of the lockbar during closing of the knife...some of you have stated that sometimes repeated closings sometimes weakens the lockbar and thus the lockup is not as tight,well, I can visualise that,but actually the problem I wanted to correct concerning overtravel is the complete overspringing of the lockbar thereby rendering the knife useless...cant be done some say?...a little story of how I came up with it...I am firefighter as alot of you know...while working a accident scene I was using one of my Firetac's to cut the upholstry material around a seat post prior to using the jaws to cut the post...being that it was a good wreck, and adrenalin was running high,and the fact that we wear heavy gloove when working a MVA,I pushed the lockbar way to hard thereby springing it,and of course the blade could no longer lock,not a good thing to happen, at the wrong time! I knew then I needed to do something about it...The other issue I wanted to address was the lockbar springing towards the back of the knife when gripping it...this is what is not so obvious in a improvement...the reason is that sometimes the movement in the lockbar is not really noticable when using the knife under normal conditions...but when you use the knife really hard, and really grip it you WILL move the lockbar..this is because to make a framelock or linerlock for that matter you have to cut the long slot in the frame or liner to make the lockbar,it does not matter what size slot you cut you will still have material missing there...simple physics, suggests that you have a lever and it will move toward the back of the knife...guaranteed...now, what does this mean...1, whenever you have movement in a mechanism it is a chance for that mechanism to fail..2,extra movement in the lock to blade joint will wear the lockface quicker...3,when the blade is locked up on a framelock with the lockbar stabilizer there will be absolutly no movement in the lock....
So given all this is the improvement overkill? Extreme?.....when do we stop designing extreme use knives,as in ... is good enough the way it is?
Myself and Strider Knives design hard use knives gleaned from actual field experience,I didnt hear of this problem from anyone else in the field,I was in the field and experienced it!...Given the addition of the Lockbar Stabilizer Strider framelocks are even tougher and more hardcore than before..worth it? YOU BET!!

Rick Hinderer
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HindererLBS.jpg
 
J85909266 said:
I handled one at a gun show. The quality was pretty good. Better than most, actually, but it was just huge and felt like a brick. Not very comfortable in hand, and very thick in pocket. I'd say it's a bit too overbuilt for a folder. Would be a great design if they slimmed down the entire package, a bit.
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I have the same feelings , after handling quite a few , I feel it isabout the worst feeling folder in the hand. Very much like gripping a brick or a block of wood. The huge bolts felt terrible as well , and in use , without a gloved hand would raise a blister pretty quick.

Certainly overbuilt , doubt you could break one , but the ergo's left me cold.
 
Kaizen1 said:
I probably didn't explain it well, but it looks like you're talking about the "over travel" feature of the LBS, which isn't it's primary function. The primary function of the LBS doesn't seem to have anything to do with how the relief area is cut. Here's Rick's explanation of the LBS:



HindererLBS.jpg
Click to expand...
Thank you for posting this.

Another reason why the knives that feature this system are stronger than the rest.
It is an absolute improvement on the framelock design.
 
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I have a metro tactical.

The sturdiest folder I own and also the one that pulls the least pocket duty. My Sebenza is just more practical for my intended use.

The Metro Tactical is a large and solid folder. I like to think of it as a true folding fixed blade.

I have a couple of CF's fixed blades, the folder just seemed to be the next logical progression. I would highly recommend one to a user who needs an indestructible blade.
 
5 ounces on a folder is about my limit. These Crusader folders are just way too heavy.
 
I have owned several Crusader Forge folders and fixed blades and the fit and finish is way above average. They are built like a tank and are designed for extremely hard use. If you're worried about the VIS folder being too heavy, get a Metro folder with G10 handles. IMO, you won't be disappointed with a CF folder.
 
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