Fellow CRK Owners - Shirogorov or Arno Bernard?

TreesNoDummy

TreesNoDummy

Gold Member
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Aug 2, 2020
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I'm curious to hear what other brands my fellow CRK nuts are into. I've been considering branching out, and have really become interested in flippers. I owned a ZT0562, but I eventually sold it because the styling became a little too tacticool in my eyes. Nice knife though. I'm currently eyeing an iMamba pre-order or a shirogorov neon zero. I'm really not sure which one to go with. I've looked at Hinderer, but the styling just does not do it for me, unless we're talking about the ranch bowie, which I do want.

Any thoughts on the two flippers I'm looking at? Any other brands I'm missing out on? I've owned a lot of CRK's, but right now I'm just sticking with a zaan, small 21, and a mnandi. Oddly enough, I recently sold a large 31 because I thought it was too big - but I love my zaan. The iMamba and Neon Zero both seem to fall between the small and large sebenza, which is appealing.
 
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I’ve also been considering a iMamba, I agree with the above statement, it looks like Reeve did a flipper. Shiros are cool and have their place, I’ve owned 3 and all have really nice “shiro” action but I got rid of all 3 because I prefer my CRKs in general. I was a little underwhelmed by the Shiros for the price I paid($1,000 or so).
 
Quite a good looking lineup. So you like your AB better than the shigorov? I saw a neon nl hit retail today and could have bought it, but I'm just not a fan of micarta on folders. If I were to by an AB, I would go plain. I've always like the PJ look.
 
Rock solid, no movement in any direction.
Zero lock stick (has an insert)
Clips screws in from the inside and its a full machined clip. they also bead blast the screw head so it disappears.

Literally, perfect. I have zero and I mean ZERO reservations on the AB Imamba.

The only thing I could even come close to having concern with is in the disassembly end. The bearings are free and there is no race but the frame and blade have the races machined in to them Much like many SRB Shiro's - So jsut disassemble over a plate or a mat with a raised edge.
 
badmatt said:
Rock solid, no movement in any direction.
Zero lock stick (has an insert)
Clips screws in from the inside and its a full machined clip. they also bead blast the screw head so it disappears.

Literally, perfect. I have zero and I mean ZERO reservations on the AB Imamba.

The only thing I could even come close to having concern with is in the disassembly end. The bearings are free and there is no race but the frame and blade have the races machined in to them Much like many SRB Shiro's - So jsut disassemble over a plate or a mat with a raised edge.
Click to expand...
Wow, that really high praise and helps my decision a lot. Greatly appreciated!!!
 
badmatt said:
Rock solid, no movement in any direction.
Zero lock stick (has an insert)
Clips screws in from the inside and its a full machined clip. they also bead blast the screw head so it disappears.

Literally, perfect. I have zero and I mean ZERO reservations on the AB Imamba.

The only thing I could even come close to having concern with is in the disassembly end. The bearings are free and there is no race but the frame and blade have the races machined in to them Much like many SRB Shiro's - So jsut disassemble over a plate or a mat with a raised edge.
Click to expand...
Well… your glowing review just cost me $650 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Desert Ironwood flipper delete heading my way, it should arrive late in March.
 
I definitely need to try an IMamba, they look great.

I've had a few Shiro's and there is one in particular that really speaks to me: F95NL. It is a "lower" 1-Bear model (simple blade grind, single row bearings, "only" S30v), and I much prefer it to the fancier models. SRBS definitely feel better to me than MRBS, and the FFG blade with distal taper blade is pure performance (under 13 thousandths behind the edge). The machining is dead perfect - truly CRK level. I actually prefer the solid scale interior over the fancier models intricate skeletonizing (the recess for the micarta inlay accomplishes the exact same weight savings) - definitely more CRK-like.

The design of course looks a lot different than the elegantly conservative CRK approach, but I still see it as a modern day take on a flipper design that retains the "class" I associate with Chris Reeve - as if a 35 year younger Chris embarked on folders midway into the "flipper era". Every machining detail is purposeful, functional. None of it (on this NL model) is embellishment for the sake of show. The bevels of the scales are specifically designed for comfort and grip, as well as smoothness in (and out) of pocket. I see design genius in the overall shape: a full 4" of usable blade in a handle that carries "smaller" than my (beloved) Large Inkosi. And I think the pocketclip design is the best I have ever used - it's "folded wing" design glides smoothly in and out of pocket while providing very secure retention. And the profile is so flat to the pocket it is extremely "none snaggy".

Sorry, I think I might have gotten a bit carried away... I have mostly moved on from flippers, but this knife to me is very special.

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