Hollow Handle - Uses?

J

James Mattis

Joined
Oct 3, 1998
Messages
3,264
I'm sure this question has been asked many times before, but it may be deep enough in the archives somewhere to ask again.

Do you use the little watertight storage space in the hollow handles of the CRK one-piece fixed blades? If so, for what?

Do you consider it an important feature?

And would you want an A2 fixed blade made to CRK standards, made from bar stock with less machining and a more conventional handle shape (i.e. micarta slabs)?


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
My wife and I both have one piece knives. She works for the DNR(Department of Natural Resources)and uses the Aviator to check Whitetail Deer that have been taken during hunting season for desease and lactation. Because of the small handle, she does not carry anything in it. I myself, have the MK VI, and use it as my hiking and camping knife. I like to keep fishing line, hooks and some fire proof matches in the handle. As far as changing any of the one piece CR line to incorperate micarta handles? I think it would defeat the purpose of making them with just one piece of steel. And that is their ruggedness and strength. The choice of the A2 steel with maybe a different handle shape would be interesting. What are you thinking? Finger grooves or something?

[This message has been edited by K-guy (edited 07 November 1999).]
 
I was thinking a more conventionally "ergonomic" handle shape and less metal to turn into dust and shavings, for a hard-use A2 fixed blade at a slightly lower cost.

Such a thing wouldn't be as uniquely "Chris Reeve" as the one-piece line, of course. Maybe other people in the market do that well enough already, and a small shop can't do everything of course.


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
The main market I have for the one piece line is with soldiers. Each soldier has a little different idea of what they really need in the hollow handle. Usually, you find fishing line and hooks, water purification tabs and, fire making of some sort.

The other unusal aspect I have run into is with people concerned with food contamination using a knife. Since it is all one piece they feel the design is superior with regards to other knives on the market. This is one consideration I never took into account when I first got them in.

What would we do with the handle shape? The only comments that come readily to mind is the desire for "indexing" in the dark which could be accomplished in different ways but, users seem to want something other then a true round shape. People also express a desire for a more "rectangular" handle cavity for additional usable space. This handle shape would be a nice addition but, at what cost? From what I have gathered talking to machinists on the farm, this would not be an easy task and would add to the cost of the knife. The current One Piece line would be a hard line to top whether done in house by CRK or some upstart company. I really don't see any reasonable alternatives to this line, just as with the Sebenza, CRK builds a great knife at a great price that is unlikely to be topped by anybody else, especially at a reasonable cost! As others have tried to knockoff the Sebenza with questionable success, I think the same outcome would befall a knock off one piece knife. The original is a extremely well thought out and proven design that has been refined with time and real world usage to get it to the point of perfection it is currently at. Once I held my first Sebenza, I suddenly knew what everyone else was talking about and, the production companies lost me right then and there. The same was true when I dropped the Cold Steel and picked up my first CRK One Piece. The customers I sell these knives to all give positive feedback after they have really used the knife in the real world. Would I like to see a more rectangular hollow handle knife? Yes. Would my customers? Yes. Would it make much of a difference if any in real world usage? No. Would people be willing to pay a premium for the new handle? Maybe.

If you want an A-2 knife in a more traditional format, why not consider some of those already on the market? Mission will have more regular deliveries in the near future, EDI is working on A-2 knives and, if the demand was there other "production" companies would make the knives (After all, Benchmade is running more and more models in M2, EDI will eventually deliver some A-2 Genesis models, .... ). Other "new" companies are also investigating the A-2 market (Tactical OPS for one - at my reguest). When dealers and end users insist on A-2 steel in their knives, you will see Micarta, G-10, etc. knives made in various lengths and formats.

Sid

p.s. Wouldn't this put those Sebenza deliveries out even further?


[This message has been edited by Sid Post (edited 07 November 1999).]
 
I have a little capsule of useful things I'd stick in the handle if I had a Project I or II, one of the best features of the knife IMO
 
In the handle? Gee, I don't know. A roll of Lifesavers? Tums?

(Confession: I don't own a hollow-handled knife, Reeve nor any other.)

To me it seems obvious that the storage space in the handle is not the primary goal, but rather, lightening an otherwise very heavy handle. As long as the handle has to be hollowed out, I guess it makes sense to put a removeable but cap on there.

Given a choice, I'd rather have a better handle shape than the knurled cylinder. I'd sacrifice the one-piece construction in favor of a full tang with Micarta or G-10 slabs, and carry survival gear in my pockets.

David Rock

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AKTI Member # A000846
Stop when you get to bone.
 
I find it interesting that people would buy a hollow handle knife without the thought process of what to put in it. Why would you than purchase a hollow handle knife?

For me, I would put fire starting materials in it. I always carry waterproof matches, a magnesium firestarter, and a lighter (I don't smoke) on my person. The matches in my small survival pouch, the firestarter in my back pack, and the lighter in my pants pocket. You don't ever want to be without the ability to make a fire if lost--even in the desert! A fire is warming, comforting, useful, and a deterent to things that will eat you.

I was in the Chris Reeve shop yesterday, getting training on the disassembly of my Sebenza, and looked at the one piece knives. I can think of no better place to put additional fire starting materials than in that watertight enclosure!

Bruce Woodbury
 
On the cover of a Backpaker magazine I picked up a few weeks ago, there's a primitive survival instructor - a blond caveman guy - who wears a cheap Erikkson carbon steel Mora knife dangling around his neck in its even cheaper plastic sheath, with a little fire starting kit attached to the sheath with electrician's tape.

Methinks fire starting stuff is the logical thing to put there. And maybe a few of my blood pressure pills.
smile.gif



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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
James,

Thank you for clearing up the abodude mystery for me. I wondered exactly what that was around his neck on the cover of the September 1999 Backpacker magazine. An inside picture caption calls it a "minisurvival kit" but as far as I recall never makes it clear what it is.

To further confuse the issue they show a picture of the knife in its plastic sheath as part of a survival package with a different color tape(?) around it. I guess its easy to afford another one
wink.gif
. The article goes on to make a nice list, presumably of what is in the picture, but it would be nice if they relate the items to the picture. I guess the knife in the picture must be the "extra knife" they refer to.

Overall, I thought it was a fairly good article. They just needed an extra editor, such as yourself
biggrin.gif
to clear up a couple of points.

Is the Mora double edged? The extra knife listing says that it should be "fixed, double-edged, carbon steel blade that can throw a spark." I am not sure I agree with the double-edged recomendation; presumably it would be to use one side on rough work such as scraping a flint bar, and the other for finer slicing.

Donald
Miami, Florida

P.S. to stick to the topic I meant to state that if one does not know what to stick in the handle or does not want to affect the balance, just throw in some cotton balls. They can always come in handy. If you do not mind some extra weight they could be coated in petroleum jelly...I keep meaning to try that coating
smile.gif
but I wonder if that could cause the o-ring to deteriorate.

[This message has been edited by Donald (edited 10 November 1999).]
 
That clarification comes from me e-mailing "Abodude" about the knives. As I recall, "double edge" refers to a double bevel, as opposed to a chisel grind. The Backpacker author was not apparently a "knife person." The knife hanging from his neck is a Erikkson #1 - red painted birch, light-gauge mystery carbon steel a bit under 4". The "extra knife" in the survival kit layout is a Frosts of Sweden "Clipper". "Abodude" says he wants his knives lightweight, oval-handled, and cheap.

Obviously room for a wide range of product in the knife market! Even in the "survival knife" sector.


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
I keep a Spark-lite firestarter with three tinders in my Mountaineer II. No room for anything else.

I think the one-piece, hollow-handle is what make the Reeves unique. Ergs? Maybe a cam-shaped or oval-shaped handle instead of a simple round one. Otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing.
 
Fill it full of dead presidents, if you get into trouble buy your way out.

Stay Well
Ken
 
I have Shadow IV and I just have few matches in it,but the dead presidents is a good idea also.

lbwheat
 
I read that magazine James, good article on that cover feature.
I think the hollow handle is great IMO. The only thing about the knife, is that the handle is circle, and that bothers some people. Theen again, if it isn't circle, the butt cap can't screw on, so it's a preference thing...

I'll take the cap
 
I suspect that the round shape is because that is what lathes do.Solid would be too heavy,so why not a cache?
 
No one packs a sharpening stone in the hollow handle?

I don't have hollow-handled knife, so I don't know how much room there is, but it seems like a small triangle stone (ala Spyderco pro-file or Gatgo TriSeps) could be trimmed to fit in there with the firestarter gear and dead presidents (use them for tinder when all else fails?).

 
I recently aquired a shadow IV in a trade and love this new knife. Especially the hollow handle concept. As far as mini kits go, there is actually a lot of room in the handle for one. The mini kit is supposed to be small so you will carry it at all times. Most larger survival kits get left behind for this reason. I currently have in the handle mine a ferro rod and needle from an easy awl. I am planning on adding small hooks, fishing line, snare wire, couple band aids and top it off with cotton balls (for fire starting) to keep the contents from moving. I am going to put a couple ranger bands, made from bike tube, around the sheath. They can be used to secure things, used as engines in twitch up snares or they can be used as a fire starter.
One other interesting thing about this knife that I have not seen mentioned, the butt cap can be used as the bearing surface for a fire bow if you want to practice really primative fire making.
 
I'll also never forget him. In fact my first ever quality knife I bought (Kershaw Avalanche) was from him.
 
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