I really like what CRKT is doing

DeadboxHero

DeadboxHero

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
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Kershaw was the budget king for a while.

However I feel like they are taking a nose dive as far as offering 3cr on knives also alot of the designs this year don't connect with me.

Breaks my heart, I love Kershaw knives

I've been a CRKT hater. Alot of there designs are a buck short. Ugly pocket clips, goofy ergos. Tip down only.

But I've been taking a double take on there 2016 designs

They've really stepped up there game

Midtech designs in affordable packages

The BUKU by Lucas burly

The jettison by Robert Carter

The amicus by Jasper Box

The Tighe Tac by Brandon Tighe.

Good stuff.

Any one else noticed?
 
Yes, I have. Kershaw, after putting up the ZT line, seems to have putting there emphasis on the real lower ends knifes much like Gerber did a few years ago. I stopped buying CRKT knives about 5 year ago when I was sharping them each night after using them, would not hold an edge for long. With the 3V line up in there fixed blades, I think I need to try them out again.
 
I carried the Jettison on my last work shift and was pretty impressed by it. Definitely a good knife for the money. Generally, though, CRKT's offerings don't offer as good of a value as, say, Cold Steel, but the offerings are so basically different that it might be an unfair comparison.

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DeadboxHero said:
Kershaw was the budget king for a while.

However I feel like they are taking a nose dive as far as offering 3cr on knives also alot of the designs this year don't connect with me.

Breaks my heart, I love Kershaw knives

I've been a CRKT hater. Alot of there designs are a buck short. Ugly pocket clips, goofy ergos. Tip down only.

But I've been taking a double take on there 2016 designs

They've really stepped up there game

Midtech designs in affordable packages

The BUKU by Lucas burly

The jettison by Robert Carter

The amicus by Jasper Box

The Tighe Tac by Brandon Tighe.

Good stuff.

Any one else noticed?
Click to expand...

You are a respected reviewer here. I love watching your stuff and especially love reading your reviews here on BFC. So I asked this, have you taken the plunge on the knives you mention? Curious on your thoughts. CRKT knives are far better in my mind than in my hand.

I just destroyed a bunch of cardboard with this knife. Lots of value for $25. If CRKT marketed it, the damn thing would cost $75.

RjIi4goh.jpg
 
craytab said:
You are a respected reviewer here. I love watching your stuff and especially love reading your reviews here on BFC. So I asked this, have you taken the plunge on the knives you mention? Curious on your thoughts. CRKT knives are far better in my mind than in my hand.

I just destroyed a bunch of cardboard with this knife. Lots of value for $25. If CRKT marketed it, the damn thing would cost $75.

RjIi4goh.jpg
Click to expand...

I agree with this statement.
 
craytab said:
You are a respected reviewer here. I love watching your stuff and especially love reading your reviews here on BFC. So I asked this, have you taken the plunge on the knives you mention? Curious on your thoughts. CRKT knives are far better in my mind than in my hand.

I just destroyed a bunch of cardboard with this knife. Lots of value for $25. If CRKT marketed it, the damn thing would cost $75.

RjIi4goh.jpg
Click to expand...
I agree with you bro


They have simply piqued my interest.

Was curious if anyone else noticed


Can't bet the value of that Onterio

Heck, they even have a D2 Rat 1 with carbon fiber for real cheap.

Impressive

But

I really like the midtech style designs

What's also exciting is that Onterio Knives is also catching on

They also have a Robert Carter design, the "Prime" flipper

Not that attractive though imho

But has D2 steel



I think it's a smart move for any company to farm out designs with newer designers for midtech style knives
That are under $50

I want to see more of this! From other companies too.


Their 8cr protocol seems to be good.

I've sharpened several co workers knives with good effect

I also own a CRKT Civet in 8cr

I enjoy it for what it is

I'm thinking about picking up a BUKU as a guilty pleasure


But idk

I've got a hungry 1911 that eats alot of 45acp hahaha
 
DeadboxHero said:
I
I think it's a smart move for any company to farm out designs with newer designers for midtech style knives
That are under $50
Click to expand...

The problem is, that is all CRKT does. Remember the knife of the year a couple years ago? Made by lionsteel and designed by Ken. Nothing original. Nothing "them". Oh, and priced out of the market and made in limited numbers. They must sell enough to keep in business but it isn't to hardcore knife guys. If they dropped the price on some of their stuff I'd be handing them money. $90 for AUS8 or $60 for 8cr is not market price.

I hear you on the ammo. Couple boxes and you have nothing for a CRKT. Enough for a Utilitac II though :)
 
If CRKT could bring their price point down and their QC up, they'd be giving Kershaw a real run for their money. As it stands, they don't, and I'm amazed they're still in business to be completely honest.
 
Designs are great but the execution is rough. I've bought two CRKT knives and they've both arrived dull, with asymmetrical edge grinds. I returned them each and was disappointed in what I got back from CRKT. One was worse than what I sent in.

Maybe if I were a more capable sharpener I could buy with confidence. As it stands now, I can't buy from them.

I handled an Eros Small at a gunshow over the weekend and loved it. But guess what? Horrible edge grind!
 
craytab said:
The problem is, that is all CRKT does. Remember the knife of the year a couple years ago? Made by lionsteel and designed by Ken. Nothing original. Nothing "them". Oh, and priced out of the market and made in limited numbers.
Yea, that was brutal

They must sell enough to keep in business but it isn't to hardcore knife guys. If they dropped the price on some of their stuff I'd be handing them money. $90 for AUS8 or $60 for 8cr is not market price.

I feel ya
I hear you on the ammo. Couple boxes and you have nothing for a CRKT. Enough for a Utilitac II though :)
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Hahaha I see what you did there :)




I think $30-$40 is my max CRKT budget or sweet spot

$60? Forgot about it haha



Comeuppance, I agree but I feel like we are seeing that now

We'll have to see what happens 2017.

Hopefully Kershaw tones down the 3cr cash grab.
 
When the fossil came out I loved the looks. The materials are okay. The price is far more than I'm willing to spend on said materials. Then after a few reports of broken (read snapped) lock bars. No thanks. So much more reliable and cheaper options. I agree on kershaw. Don't like to see the 3cr cash grab. That said, CRKt has been in the cash grab business for too long now.
 
kylemiller said:
Designs are great but the execution is rough. I've bought two CRKT knives and they've both arrived dull, with asymmetrical edge grinds. I returned them each and was disappointed in what I got back from CRKT. One was worse than what I sent in.

Maybe if I were a more capable sharpener I could buy with confidence. As it stands now, I can't buy from them.

I handled an Eros Small at a gunshow over the weekend and loved it. But guess what? Horrible edge grind!
Click to expand...

I've checked out the Eros, it a cool blade.

That pocket clip is just ghastly though and I hate tip down carry.

The handle is also rather blocky but the action is very good.


Most of the factory knives I see don't have very sharp edges.

Spydercos seem to be an exception.

But I sharpen all my knives when new even the Spydercos. Except a few customs that have meet my standards (clean, pointy apexs no micro, great bite, smooth cutting)

Just my opinions
 
I don't have as many knives as most people here, but the only ones I've ever received just plain dull are CRKT and Ganzo, Enlan chinese crap. I got an EL-02 from Enlan that's so bad it's almost a chisel grind on the edge, and it's not far off from the CRKTs.

Again, love the design and would be flipping the crap out of the small Eros right now if not for that poor sharpening. If it meets the industry standard, than I've been very lucky with my purchases from reputable companies.
 
craytab said:
When the fossil came out I loved the looks. The materials are okay. The price is far more than I'm willing to spend on said materials. Then after a few reports of broken (read snapped) lock bars. No thanks. So much more reliable and cheaper options. I agree on kershaw. Don't like to see the 3cr cash grab. That said, CRKt has been in the cash grab business for too long now.
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Indeed, knives for non knife people.

CRKT, Gerber , and SOG are notorious cash grabers on the non knife people market.

However it does seem these companies are attempting to improve maybe by 2018 things will be different.

Broken lock bar on the fossil? Lame.

I remember I was interested in the Kershaw strobe by Matt disk in

Same problem either a bad heat treatment one the lock bar or just too thin

The lock bar would snap off.

Thank God for reviews No?

Hahaha
 
DeadboxHero said:
Indeed, knives for non knife people.

CRKT, Gerber , and SOG are notorious cash grabers on the non knife people market.

However it does seem these companies are attempting to improve maybe by 2018 things will be different.

Broken lock bar on the fossil? Lame.

I remember I was interested in the Kershaw strobe by Matt disk in

Same problem either a bad heat treatment one the lock bar or just too thin

The lock bar would snap off.

Thank God for reviews No?

Hahaha
Click to expand...

I still think about the Diskin Hunter though. That blade shape looks amazing.

And yes, A company I have owned a lot of, SOG, is the worst of the worst. Mallninja garbage now, though their older stuff is very good and found cheap used. However, not even SOG would try to charge the prices CRKT does for some of these AUS8 folders. It is ridiculous.
 
craytab said:
I still think about the Diskin Hunter though. That blade shape looks amazing.

And yes, A company I have owned a lot of, SOG, is the worst of the worst. Mallninja garbage now, though their older stuff is very good and found cheap used. However, not even SOG would try to charge the prices CRKT does for some of these AUS8 folders. It is ridiculous.
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Yea overpriced AUS8 is no go

That CRKT Homefront really had me going until I saw the Aus8

S30v at that price would have been a different story

But I guess I can see were Ken and CRKT were coming from with the design easy maintenance. Easy sharpening.

It's a damn shame. SOG used to make very bad ass seki city Bowie style knives

Now they make tactical fantasy blades

Don't get me wrong I like some of there designs but it's very few.


Yeah the fixed blade Diskin hunter is a solid piece of 14c28n at a great price, might have to pick on up.

Love that steel.
 
I can definitely agree with what's been said in this thread. I have quite a few Kershaws and I don't want to bash the brand because they do make good knives. I've tried several models, high and low end, and IMO you really have to be picky which knife you get when it comes to Kershaw. I have a few Kershaws that are really great, and a few that have bent blades from the factory and edges that just will not sharpen. I also detest speedsafe beyond what is reasonable.

I bought a Sog Aegis for close to Griptilian prices with tons of vertical blade play and an unfixable loose pocket clip from the factory. I will not buy another SOG.

I've had one CRKT and handled a few more, and while the one's I've handled are cheap feeling and didn't hold a great edge, the designs are well thought out. There's a variety of designs for different intended uses that a lot of manufacturers just don't offer, there seems to be very little wasted space. Lots of small fixed blades that are fairly useful.

While Lynn Thompson is loud, the product Cold Steel is producing nowadays is even louder and can't be ignored. Tri-Ad and CTS-XHP may give Benchmade and their Axis lock a run for their money. If they started manufacturing in America at fair prices and their marketing toned down some they'd be a real force to be reckoned with.

I love Spyderco, and I hear the Byrd line is just as good as the Tenacious. The company that never gets mentioned and is overlooked constantly is Buck. While they aren't perfect, I've been carrying Bucks a lot lately and they've turned into one of my favorite brands just because they're less gimmicky than some and priced right. I really am impressed by their heat treatment of such a low end steel, they even offer higher end steels in some models. Holds an edge better than my 8cr13 Kershaws.

Didn't I read somewhere that CRKT was made up of ex-Kershaw employees, and that Kershaw was made up of ex-Gerber employees?

Edit: In my ramble I never really answered the question. Yes I've been watching CRKT and I have noticed some of the things they've been doing lately. Groundbreaking ideas with less than stellar execution though. Wish they'd tighten up the fit and finish and keep prices the same.
 
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I can only comment on the Minimalist, if I swapped the scales and blacked out the logo you'd think the CRKT was the bespoke blade. It was sharper than the "custom" out of the box with nicely symmetrical bevels. The Folts needed a reprofile and the scales while gorgeous are loose even with the screws cranked down, yes fixable but damn the CRKT is awesome for an eighth of the price. I'm intrigued by the Jettison and wouldn't mind a taste.
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