HELP! CS Recon I / CRKT M21 / SOG Spec Elite I

C

CanDo

Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
913
Hello again,
I have narrowed it down, and need your help! A bunch of folks answered a lot my questions on the CRKT M21 in another thread, and now I need to decide between that and the Cold Steel Recon 1 (clip point straight edge), and the SOG Spec Elite I (SE14).

The sites for the three respective knives can be found here:

http://www.coldsteel.com/recon1.html
http://www.crkt.com/M21sf.html
http://sogknives.com/store/SE14.html

This is what my research has amounted to so far (image should be showing):
abc.jpg


As you can see, I need to know the following:
What's the length of the actual edge on the CS Recon and the SOG Elite?

Anyone who owns the SOG:
How is that grip? It looks very simple, which I like the looks of, but am scared of as far as holdability. Is it a comfortable knife to work with? Would you trust working with it on tough jobs with wet hands? (What's up with the gap between blade and handle? / Does that little thumb stud groove aid grip?)

This knife didn't appear very frequently in Bladeforums threads.... I wonder why.

Anyone with the CS:
Any complaints with this knife? Would it be possible to accidentally disengage the lock? Is the G-10 really that awesome?

Anyone with the CRKT:
Which type of grip do you have, and do you like it? How is it while wet?

If anyone has two (or three!) of these, please let me know what you think of the difference between them!

If you disagree with anything in my table, or if it's flat out wrong, please let me know.

Any and all suggestions welcome :)

Thanks,
CanDo
 
well i lost faith in CRKT when they have their high end knives made in taiwan (ill get the name of the one i have of theirs thats worth about 130, that i got for 30 bux something relating to wasp or hornet blue micarta grips, small knife)
 
I had both, traded the M21. Just didn't work for me. I have the older Japan version of the Recon 1 and still EDC it from time to time. Great knife, never had a problem with the "axis" style lock, though it does not flip as easily as a Benchmade. Sharpens up easily and gets razor sharp. I removed the black coating and sanded it to a nice satin polished finished. It is a big hunk of steel, with an exact 4" blade. Shop around and you can get one for in or around $60.00 which is a fair price for what you get. The newer versions are a little thicker however, along the lines of a Buck Strider 880, and the new version of the blade does not have the belly like the Japan version does. I did like the blade shape of the M21, it just didn't sharpen up as easily as the Recon 1. Good luck with your choice.

Matador-
 
fdd19,
go with CS Recon 1 i've had one for a year and have beat it
around split logs,back up river knife:thumbup:,you wont be disappointed
the crkt m21 is ok i've had one traded it the lawks system sucks:grumpy:




tyrantblade
 
CanDo said:
As you can see, I need to know the following:
What's the length of the actual edge on the CS Recon....?
Click to expand...
I can't give you an exact blade length, but it's a bit under four inches and it's the same as the Night Force, which is about 3.8 inches.

Any complaints with this knife? Would it be possible to accidentally disengage the lock? Is the G-10 really that awesome?
Click to expand...
No complaints. It's a strong knife with a strong locking system and the black teflon coating on the blade is very nice. It opens rapidly and is almost indestructable. And no, G-10 isn't really that awesome. It's a cheap laminate that is incredibly tough and utilitarian, but of limited cosmetic appeal. It doesn't chip, crack or peel, plus it's easy to use in cold weather.

Anyone with the CRKT: Which type of grip do you have, and do you like it? How is it while wet?
Click to expand...
I love the aluminum grip. The holes in the frame make it very easy to hold on to. If you don't mind the brightness, the titanium version is incredibly beautiful. If you've never handled one, you might want to. If you want a black knife, you can't beat the M16-14LE, which is one of my favorite knives of all time. I don't honestly know how the TiNi blade finsih holds up over the long haul, but it's very much like the bluing on a nice, polished revolver. A microfiber cloth keeps it looking flawless.

My personal recommendation would be the CRKT just because I like the looks and feel of it. Though the TiNi finish may wear a bit with wear (what knife doesn't?), the blade, I think, will always be black to a large degree. You can expect similar wear on the Recon One.

Of course, you could get all three knives. You don't have to be Bill Gates to afford them and you can carry them on different days. Don't have any experience with the SOG, but don't have any reason to think they don't fit comfortably into this nitche.

See this review on the Cold Steel.

See this review on the CRKTs.

recon103.jpg


One of the nice things about the Cold Steels is that
they come from the factory sharp!
 
Hey Guys..

I have 2 M21's and 2 Recon I's..

Both a well made folders....

If I lost either one,, I would replace the M21 without a doubt...

Can't tell you wish one to get,, but the M21 is my favorite of the two..

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Thanks :)

Sounds like this is a highly personal choice... Anyone out there with a SOG? (Especially how you feel about the handle?) Please keep the comments coming!

~CanDo
 
I have owned the CRKT and CS. Actually I have 2 of the Recons. My son has been abusing them for quite some time now. They are both big and heavy duty and not sheeple friendly. The CRKT just felt "cheap" when compared to the Recon.

It is a hell for stout folder very well made and no matter what anyone says it is the Axis lock that they license from BM. Over time they get butter smooth and because the blade is heavier than my 710 they flip open extremely fast. I don't know what CS does to there AUS8 steel but I can get it sharp as hell and it stays that way for a very long time. Beats me but I like them and you ain't gonna break bank. I don't carry my clip point anymore cause it is so big and I have been going smaller in edc'ing knives. Hope this helps, keepem sharp
 
I had a chance to handle the SOG spec-elite and I can tell you that the arc-lock on this knife has absolutely no play at all,is very easy and smooth to open but I found the handle a bit awkward and uncomfortable to hold.

IMHO I would choose the Cold Steel Recon 1,the handle is not uncomfortable like the spec-elite in the hand and by just holding this knife in your hand you can tell by it's weight(5.6 oz) that it's heavy heat treat steel liners that this is a tank.A teflon coated blade that reduces wear and rust,aids in cutting,very smooth openings,and according to them reduces glare and blade reflection.Another,it's has 5 bolts running along the spine of the knife that adds intergrity to the handle and the ultra lock.

I don't about the CRKT M21 but I know I don't trust liner locks,Period.

I want to note that although I don't presently own this knife but have handled it on several occasions at a local knife shop. I have been serious considered buying this knife.It's a lot of knife for the price and I've been meaning to place the order for sometime.

Does anyone know if the steel liners on the Recon 1 are lightened, in drilled with several hole to reduce weight like the Benchmade 710 which I do have.
 
Alright guys, thanks for all your help! Looks like a decision has been made.

Details are under wraps until it's finalized, but you can expect a great review of the CS Recon 1 on my site at http://funditor.org/ in the near future (I hope).
 
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