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- Oct 17, 2012
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Note: The thread title is a play on words on the name of the knife, not me saying that I was cheated 
I just got a CRKT Swindle in the mail this last week. I carried it for a couple of days, and I thought that I'd post my impressions of the knife.
I picked up both of Ken Onion's earlier gentleman's folders right after each came out. Both the Ripple and the Eros are great little knives, and I'm always pleased when they come up in my EDC rotation. I was hoping and expecting the Swindle to be the same. The design is intriguing, and it has the IKBS system just like the other two. Alas, after carrying this knife for a while and using it several times, it's just not destined to be. I really WANT to love this knife, but it has so many glaring issues that it will NEVER be a favorite.
First, it's HEAVY for it's size. It's only slightly larger than either the Ripple or the Eros, but it weighs JUST under the combined weight of BOTH of the other two. The scales are really thick stainless with no effort made to reduce weight by removing material from the inside of the scales.
The next negative to this knife are the hot spots. The handle has no finger choil, and when the blade is open, the flipper sticks out from the bottom of the handle at a 90 degree angle. Add the gimping on the flipper and you have a really uncomfortable hotspot for your forefinger when holding the knife in a normal grip. The second hotspot source on this knife is the oddly designed pocket clip. In a standard grip, the thumb stud that lets you pull the spring-loaded clip out presses uncomfortably into your hand. More on the clip later.
Another thing that I didn't care for was the Ergos of the knife. The top edge of the knife is convex, and in a normal grip it leaves a void in the center of my hand that just feels 'Wrong'. I actually think it's much more comfortable to hold when you flip it upside down. Ergos on a knife are extremely important to me. If it hurts or is uncomfortable to use, I'm much less likely to pull it out of my pocket.
OK, Back to that clip.... The knife has a spring loaded clip on the top spine of the handle that supposedly let's it work either left handed or right handed without changing anything. Interesting concept, and if you wear tight jeans, this might work OK. But I wear either slacks or Dockers to work, and the pockets are rather loose. In this situation, the knife doesn't lie flat in the pocket, but turns sideways, taking up extra room in the pocket and getting in the way of my hand.
That doesn't mean that I dislike everything about this knife. The wharncliffe blade makes a good choice for a gentleman's EDC, and the IKBS system works flawlessly and smoothly. There is no play at all in the blade, and the lockup is very solid at about 40%, which didn't change at all after a couple hundred flips. The knife also has a great 'Cool' factor in the way it looks.
Unfortunately, for me the downsides outweigh the upsides by a wide margin, and I'd have a hard time recommending this knife to anybody as a daily user. I'll keep it and even carry it when it comes up in the rotation, but as I said earlier, the Swindle will never be a favorite, or probably not even in my top 100.
I just got a CRKT Swindle in the mail this last week. I carried it for a couple of days, and I thought that I'd post my impressions of the knife.
I picked up both of Ken Onion's earlier gentleman's folders right after each came out. Both the Ripple and the Eros are great little knives, and I'm always pleased when they come up in my EDC rotation. I was hoping and expecting the Swindle to be the same. The design is intriguing, and it has the IKBS system just like the other two. Alas, after carrying this knife for a while and using it several times, it's just not destined to be. I really WANT to love this knife, but it has so many glaring issues that it will NEVER be a favorite.
First, it's HEAVY for it's size. It's only slightly larger than either the Ripple or the Eros, but it weighs JUST under the combined weight of BOTH of the other two. The scales are really thick stainless with no effort made to reduce weight by removing material from the inside of the scales.
The next negative to this knife are the hot spots. The handle has no finger choil, and when the blade is open, the flipper sticks out from the bottom of the handle at a 90 degree angle. Add the gimping on the flipper and you have a really uncomfortable hotspot for your forefinger when holding the knife in a normal grip. The second hotspot source on this knife is the oddly designed pocket clip. In a standard grip, the thumb stud that lets you pull the spring-loaded clip out presses uncomfortably into your hand. More on the clip later.
Another thing that I didn't care for was the Ergos of the knife. The top edge of the knife is convex, and in a normal grip it leaves a void in the center of my hand that just feels 'Wrong'. I actually think it's much more comfortable to hold when you flip it upside down. Ergos on a knife are extremely important to me. If it hurts or is uncomfortable to use, I'm much less likely to pull it out of my pocket.
OK, Back to that clip.... The knife has a spring loaded clip on the top spine of the handle that supposedly let's it work either left handed or right handed without changing anything. Interesting concept, and if you wear tight jeans, this might work OK. But I wear either slacks or Dockers to work, and the pockets are rather loose. In this situation, the knife doesn't lie flat in the pocket, but turns sideways, taking up extra room in the pocket and getting in the way of my hand.
That doesn't mean that I dislike everything about this knife. The wharncliffe blade makes a good choice for a gentleman's EDC, and the IKBS system works flawlessly and smoothly. There is no play at all in the blade, and the lockup is very solid at about 40%, which didn't change at all after a couple hundred flips. The knife also has a great 'Cool' factor in the way it looks.
Unfortunately, for me the downsides outweigh the upsides by a wide margin, and I'd have a hard time recommending this knife to anybody as a daily user. I'll keep it and even carry it when it comes up in the rotation, but as I said earlier, the Swindle will never be a favorite, or probably not even in my top 100.
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Why would anyone keep a knife not fit to be considered in their top 100 as part of the EDC rotation? 
