Does anyone here like CRKT?

[newguy93]

I've been window shopping in the rain forest website, and quite a few are appealing for the price and I have heard they are the bomb dot com. What are your thoughts?

 

[Leftytwogunz]

I owned one once. It worked nicely and served it's purpose. I believe I ended up gifting it to my brother.
If they are at a price point that you can afford to try out, and you like a design I'd say give one a shot.
You might be pleasantly surprised.
Best of luck!

 

[RBid]

CRKT knives often seem to be "what designer X would have made if he only had $1.25 and a can of spray paint", and even the better ones often get held back by having 8cr13mov blades.

The Hi Jinx is a very big step in the right direction.

 

[marcinek]

I've been window shopping in the rain forest website, and quite a few are appealing for the price and I have heard they are the bomb dot com. What are your thoughts?

I have found them to be the crap dot com. In my opinion, since you asked.

Also...I think in the last week or two we just did this thread. The search function will help you find it. :thumbup:

 

[Inazone]

I feel the same way about CRKT that I do about SOG and Boker Plus: they have some very cool designs, but sometimes their prices are pretty optimistic for how the execution actually turns out. My experiences with CRKT knives have been pretty mixed, and most of the negatives have to do with poor fit and finish. I'd bought a Hammond Cruiser that I really liked, and decided to order another in a different color. The workmanship couldn't have been more different. The lock barely engaged at all, the blade wasn't centered well at all, and the thumb studs were actually crooked. I contacted CRKT, and they said replacement studs were no longer available. I contacted the retailer, and they exchanged the knife for one that was perfect. Sure, duds do happen, but I've owned a couple of other CRKTs with a bit more wiggle and wobble than I think is appropriate.

However, they do have some cool designs, so if you're willing to take a chance, odds are you'll come away happy . . . or at least be happy once you get a properly built knife.

 

[eschwebach]

They have some tried and true designs that have been popular over the years. The M16 and M4 series by Kit Carson, the Ripples, the Eros, the Drifter. Some of the James Williams designs have been popular as well. I think they could do SOOOO much better in the market if they would offer some of their designs with better quality steels and have more of them made here in the US. There have been complaints about fit and finish on some of their knives, although the ones I have owned have all been fine so take that with a grain of salt. I am also not a fan of the Auto-Lawks and Fire-Safe features they add to some knives.

 

[craytab]

bomb dot com? Seriously?

They have put out good products. They often have great designs but the execution can be hit and miss. The company is plagued with quality control and fit/finish issues. Further, many products are over priced for what you get. Lack luster materials with QC/fit/finish issues is a no go for me. I'll take a Utillitac II or a RAT or a Zancudo over most CRKT offerings any day. Use the search function to find all the threads where this has been discussed

 

[knifeatagunfight]

of course there will be the one guy saying how he loves his crkts. But for the most part if you're on this forum you like quality knives and crkts are junk sold at big five. My advice is to avoid them and if you really are price conscious get a rat 1 or any of the decent kershaws.

 

[sabre cat]

Two of my all time favorite knives come from them. The M16-02Z and the Marzitelli Prowler. Both knives suffer from poor blade steel, as do most of CRKT offerings. Poor steel or HT seems to be the major complaint about CRKT.

I would buy from them again if they used better steel in their products.

 

[K.O.D.]

Steel, QC, f&f are their biggest detractors.

 

[Jens Schuetz]

Of course we experts here have to justify our more expensive knives somehow.
But for normal people CRKT is totally fine. I got a few with nice designs but can't say I'd carry them everyday.
I have no quality problem with them and wish they would offer better steel.

 

[slg98]

bomb dot com? Seriously?

They have put out good products. They often have great designs but the execution can be hit and miss. The company is plagued with quality control and fit/finish issues. Further, many products are over priced for what you get. Lack luster materials with QC/fit/finish issues is a no go for me. I'll take a Utillitac II or a RAT or a Zancudo over most CRKT offerings any day. Use the search function to find all the threads where this has been discussed

I pretty much agree with most of the comments but I have a Hawk Dog that's pretty cool. I really like the Grant and Gavin Hawk designs and collect them. This one just happened to be made by CRKT..

 

[d0nut]

That CRKT Hijinx is so freakin gorgeous, I bet it's an awesome knife in hand, but that price......

No thanks.

 

[Ruari]

I had a plain edge M21 that served me well, I did sell it once I bought a Cold Steel Recon 1 though.

 

[Jamesh Bond]

I liked them when they first came out, but the increasingly gaudy, cheesy, gimmicky, stylized designs along with their insistence to use the lowest grade steel possible has taken them off my radar.

They had a potentially good thing going.

 

[TheGearGuy]

I've been window shopping in the rain forest website, and quite a few are appealing for the price and I have heard they are the bomb dot com. What are your thoughts?

I will admit up front I am a knife snob, and a total geek regarding the technical aspects of knives. So, each person's view will be colored by their preferences and my general preference is high quality. For me CRKT is on par with SOG and just one step up from Gerber, which is only one step above gas station crap knives IMO. They are definitely NOT the bomb! Whomever told you that has very limited knowledge of knives presently available.
I have 2 suggestions for you....
If you want a "beater" that you can thrash and not care about I think a CRKT could be considered a good choice for that type of use. It may or may not last long, but the price is right and the looks are good enough.
However, if you want something that you plan to take care of, I would suggest the cheapest Spyderco that suits your requirements would be much better than anything CRKT makes.

Good luck in your search. And remember, your perspective is your perspective and no matter what anyone else thinks you have to be happy with your purchase....get good info to work with but follow your gut...it's your knife.

 

[Jamesh Bond]

CRKT knives often seem to be "what designer X would have made if he only had $1.25 and a can of spray paint", and even the better ones often get held back by having 8cr13mov blades.

The Hi Jinx is a very big step in the right direction.

Shoulda posted this first ...

HOLY CRAP 400 dollars????

CRKT should maybe think about building a bit of a reputation before offering something that Hinderer, BM, Chris Reeve, Spyderco, Etc, already built a rep with for close to the same cost.

 

[DShiflet]

Most CRKTs don't do much for me, the Ripple is great though, you can get it in either a budget version with 8Cr13MoV steel, or an upgraded version in Acuto+. I have the budget version and the blue Acuto+ version, and I will say that knife snob or not, the budget version is perfectly on par with any of Kershaw's budget line, and the Acuto+ version competes perfectly well with the American made Kershaws.

 

[brownshoe]

They have knives at different prices for different people. If you buy a cheap CRKT, it will be good for the money. If you buy an expensive one, it can be a bargain. I bought the Eros, with upgraded steel, Ti handle, flipper, and it's "the bomb dot com". Fit and finish is flawless, the edge ground to perfection, sharp as the proverbial razor.

I bought the Bud Neely folder, mid-priced model, and it's a great knife for the money.

On the low end knives, the steel is not fancy but it is very serviceable.

The knife snobs hate CRKT, but the real public loves them. Their Carson models are classics, suffer extreme abuse by military personnel and are reasonably priced.

They like to put out knives with different mechanisms, carry methods, etc. You have to give them credit for their fostering different makers, their imagination and the guts to try a bunch of different designs, materials and manufacturers.

 

[MIGUY]

I use a CRKT M21 for a work blade, so if I loose/abuse it its not a huge deal, and it works well, but there are better knives out there, but it dies serve a purpose, and they do have some good designs, their Japanese stile folders seem to be very good from wjat I've heard, I have an otanashi noh ken also

So, like them... A few limited models I do