I really like what CRKT is doing

I am a real fan of CRKT fixed blades.

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Most coming from collabs, the designs, ergos, tolerances and performance are top notch.

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While the F&F and steel department could deginitely see an improvement, most of their fixed blades are a solid choice and give a run for their money to most similar offers from other brands.

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I am talking about the Miniamilsts, Obake, Dragon, Civet, Hissatsu, Clever Girl, Ultima, Hisshou, Hissatsu, Shinbu, FE7 and FE9, FTWS... their folders have been the oppostie experience for me, and deliver lower quality, performance and tolerances to similar priced offers from most other manufacturers.

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The Dragon I had was by far the worst fixed blade fit/finish wise I have ever owned or seen. The Shinbu I had came so dull it was amazing. The Hissatsu I had would not stay in the sheath. The minimalist was good for the price.
 
ThePeacent,

I'm on board with your thoughts. I think their fixed blades offer great quality for a good price. I mean who actually pays the manufacturer's suggested retail price?!!! I am particularly fond of James Williams collaborations with CRKT. I love the Hissatsu and am currently waiting on my Sakimori (O1 freaking tool steel on that badboy!) to arrive (should be here either Saturday or Monday). I was very into kenjutsu years back and always appreciated the combat applications of those traditional style knives. I feel James and CRKT collaborations are home runs. Quality seems amazing as well. Just my .02.

Side note, I wouldn't buy a folder from them of their standard sort (ie no collaboration) because they don't seem to get the QI attention they should. I also don't like folders hahaha. I'm a fixed blade kind of guy.
 
My biggest issue with CRKT is their heat treatment(unless its been improved). Their knives are way too soft and cant hold an edge worth a damn in my experience. If you compare their Aus 8, just as an example, to some other companies you will see what I am talking about. Their HT, quality, and pricing would have to greatly improve before they can compete with some of the other makers in their price range imo.
 
MarkN86 said:
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.
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I think Buck has always been well respected, and you do see them branching out into nicer materials. The custom 110 shop is really nice, too.

Another company that is kind of teetering where CRKT is would be Boker, I think. Just like CRKT, they have zillions of designs, and collaborations with some great knife makers, but the fit and finish reputation just isn't there yet. I would put them ahead of CRKT though, because the materials are there, at least in the extensive Plus line.
 
I recently got a Jettison as the replacement of my lost Spiderco Kiwi [1st gen]. Like the similar size and the blade geometry rocks. Nice little gentleman knife and a good price. Naturally I bought it from A.G.Russell :)
 
Just picked up a Jettison too (the larger model) and I am VERY impressed with it. One of the sharpest knives I have received from the factory in a LONG time from any company including those that offer knives in the $400-$500 range. I haven't used it enough to test the edge but it slices and has a thick enough blade to give a good thwacking job on any small tree even. Yet it carries super well in the pocket with deep clip. The fit and finish is excellent for a $30 knife and the smooth stonewash handle really catches the eye. The design is quite ergonomic in hand though a tad on the slippery side but to be expected in this category. The knife is well balanced and if they bumped up the steel to S30V, I wouldn't mind shelling out $150 to acquire such a knife. Also flips quite good as a manual.
 
I have to agree, I just got my buku and I would have been happy paying twice as much for it. It really has that feel of being an almost custom knife. I may have to grab one of those little jettison knives next.
 
I carried CRKT knives for years while I was in the service. What I found was that they were decent for the price paid. I can only remember once, maybe twice, that I was underknifed. At that point in my life I believed that CRKT was the cats meow and recommended them highly.

Then CRKT started making changes. First, they raised prices. Second, they took a step backwards with changes in blade steel. Shifted from AUS 6 to AUS 4, etc. Bottom line, more cash for less knife. When I replaced my old, beat up M16-02 with a newer version, I found the blade steel and heat treatment both lacking.

Now days, I look at their products and I may even handle something but then I look at the prices and hand the knife back to the salesman. Competitors seem to offer items with better fit & finish, materials for the same or less money. CRKT states that AUS-8 is their premium steel. Seventy-five dollars for an over-seas production knife with AUS-8? I can do better.

I have to give CRKT credit for working with designers to bring new ideas and products to the masses. They sure do make many custom designs somewhat affordable. It is my understanding they now have Sandvik steel in their line up. Only good can come from this change.
 
I've never owned a CRKT knife. Recently returned a Mah-chete for having a warped blade on arrival. That being said I chalked it up to a bad batch & decided to give CRKT another shot after seeing the Lucas Burnley designed Buku. If it is as badass as it looks in the internet photos and Youtube reviews then the large Jettison & Amicus will be next on my folding knives list along with the Clever Girl fixed blade.

The prices you guys are speaking of must be the elevated MSRP listed prices. The prices I'm seeing for CRKT's 8CR13Mov blade steel folders are right on par with any Spyderco, OKC, Schrade, Kershaw, etc folders. I mean under $40 for their version of Burnley's high triple digit custom Buku and under $30 for the Robert Carter Jettison...heck I'm all in.
 
RoadDog66 said:
I've never owned a CRKT knife. Recently returned a Mah-chete for having a warped blade on arrival. That being said I chalked it up to a bad batch & decided to give CRKT another shot after seeing the Lucas Burnley designed Buku. If it is as badass as it looks in the internet photos and Youtube reviews then the large Jettison & Amicus will be next on my folding knives list along with the Clever Girl fixed blade.

The prices you guys are speaking of must be the elevated MSRP listed prices. The prices I'm seeing for CRKT's 8CR13Mov blade steel folders are right on par with any Spyderco, OKC, Schrade, Kershaw, etc folders. I mean under $40 for their version of Burnley's high triple digit custom Buku and under $30 for the Robert Carter Jettison...heck I'm all in.
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I have a hard time believing that. The average price of a Schrade ranges from $13 - $20 for their entry-level SCH1XX, SCH2XX and SCH4XX models ,while CRKT starts out at around $20 with their entry level Pazoda (not the tiny Pazoda 2), and approximately $25 for the Drifter.
 
Periodically I like to check in with brands like CRKT, Gerber, and SOG just to see if anything new strikes my fancy or to see if maybe they managed to capture a little piece of their "former glory". Unfortunately the answer always seems to be....no. I looked at the knives you mentioned; the Tighe Tac and the Amicus seem okay but still nothing I'd purchase considering that for a little more money you can have better steel and presumably higher level of fit & finish. Tip down carry never bothered me at all (I still don't understand why some people hate it) but what does annoy me is when knives don't come very sharp from the factory. Yes, I know how to put a screaming sharp edge on my blades but my thinking is if you're in the business of making sharp objects than you better damn make sure they come sharp. At least get that part right. I actually am fond of their Homefront design and AUS-8 is a decent steel IF done properly (see Al Mar and earlier SOGs) however, that whole "field strip technology" is just silly and unnecessary and yes it is priced too high. I really do want to like brands like CRKT and hope in the future they can figure out the magic formula but as others already mentioned it appears they are more interested in appealing to the non-serious knife user.

I agree with MarkN86 and madcap_magician on Buck. Great iconic company that is still producing some fantastic knives. I have a Vantage Force Pro in ATACS camo that is just stunning both visually and performance wise. Paul Bos heat-treated S30V with G-10 handles that I've seen for as low as $60 is an absolute steal. That knife has actually gutted and skinned a few California blacktail bucks and earned a permanent spot as part of my hunting gear.

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RoadDog66 said:
I've never owned a CRKT knife. Recently returned a Mah-chete for having a warped blade on arrival. That being said I chalked it up to a bad batch & decided to give CRKT another shot after seeing the Lucas Burnley designed Buku. If it is as badass as it looks in the internet photos and Youtube reviews then the large Jettison & Amicus will be next on my folding knives list along with the Clever Girl fixed blade.

The prices you guys are speaking of must be the elevated MSRP listed prices. The prices I'm seeing for CRKT's 8CR13Mov blade steel folders are right on par with any Spyderco, OKC, Schrade, Kershaw, etc folders. I mean under $40 for their version of Burnley's high triple digit custom Buku and under $30 for the Robert Carter Jettison...heck I'm all in.
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Nope. The prices I quoted for the models that interested me were street price. The value for most of their models just aren't there for me. CRKT prices cheap knives out of the cheap knife game. Throw in the fit/finish and Q issues? No thanks. My money goes elsewhere.
 
Etna said:
I have a hard time believing that. The average price of a Schrade ranges from $13 - $20 for their entry-level SCH1XX, SCH2XX and SCH4XX models ,while CRKT starts out at around $20 with their entry level Pazoda (not the tiny Pazoda 2), and approximately $25 for the Drifter.
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I just bought a Spyderco Sprint Run Blue Persistence which was a good deal at $42, and a Rat 1 coyote for $30, although it is AUS8. My Buku was $37, and looking a their line the Jettison is $27, the Drifter G10, is $25, the Amicus SS is $40, the Hootenanny is $36, and Cryo Blackwash is $30. Just saying the CRKT folder prices aren't that ridiculous.

Now the Clever Girl is a bit pricey at $70 plus.
 
RoadDog66 said:
I just bought a Spyderco Sprint Run Blue Persistence which was a good deal at $42, and a Rat 1 coyote for $30, although it is AUS8. My Buku was $37, and looking a their line the Jettison is $27, the Drifter G10, is $25, the Amicus SS is $40, the Hootenanny is $36, and Cryo Blackwash is $30. Just saying the CRKT folder prices aren't that ridiculous.

Now the Clever Girl is a bit pricey at $70 plus.
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I don't recall ever labeling CRKT's prices as ridiculous. But the fact is that for the price of a G10 drifter @ $25, I can easily pack away two Schrade SCH107s that use both G10 and the same 8cr13mov steel from KnifeCenter, and still have 10 cents left over for use in the prohibitively expensive international shipping fee. :thumbup:

For what it's worth, the Drifter costs around US$37 - US$45 in my country. If i buy three Drifters from KnifeCenter and pay the $35 shipping fee, it's already cheaper than getting it at my local resellers.
 
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All their new stuff that has interested me isn't lefty carry friendly so they don't get much love from me.
 
Etna what i meant was they aren't that bad price wise. Didn't mean to put words in your mouth. Sure I can get 2 common everyday Schrade folders cheap, my point was the new line of CRKT suff is very well designed, unique, and not price prohibitive.

If money was no object then maybe I'd spend hundreds on hottest new steel on the market with some new carbon fiber/titanium/matrix handle. Right now I'm happy I can afford to buy a new knife made with decent materials every few months.

There are a lot of knife & steel snobs out there that like to make you feel bad for buying something you like that's in your price range simply because its not CPM-V or SV30. I'm happy to not be one of them.

And Etna that really stinks that you have to spend so much on shipping just to get them to you. Even local shops in the US like to gouge, so the internet is key.
 
Etna said:
I don't recall ever labeling CRKT's prices as ridiculous. But the fact is that for the price of a G10 drifter @ $25, I can easily pack away two Schrade SCH107s that use both G10 and the same 8cr13mov steel from KnifeCenter, and still have 10 cents left over for use in the prohibitively expensive international shipping fee. :thumbup:

For what it's worth, the Drifter costs around US$37 - US$45 in my country. If i buy three Drifters from KnifeCenter and pay the $35 shipping fee, it's already cheaper than getting it at my local resellers.
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I can relate; up here in the Great White North, the prices I've seen for knives at my local retailers range from wince-inducing to flat out robbery imo for a decent blade (besides the sub 30-$50 knives that the big box stores sell to the masses)! For example, my Kershaw Blur Model 1670TBLKST (which is a great knife, but by no means a premium blade) is listed on the Kershaw website as having a suggested Canadian MSRP of $155...I bought mine in-store for almost $190CDN after tax (which is about 120% of MSRP - the equivalent for the USD price would be ~$140)! :eek: I've turned to online retailers, but I still try to make sure I'm ordering from a Canadian location to avoid any hassle(s) that could potentially arise from trying to have a flipper or assisted folder shipped over the border, which also means that I can't easily take advantage of lower prices in the states.

EDIT: Sorry for the off-topic post
 
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RoadDog66 said:
Etna what i meant was they aren't that bad price wise. Didn't mean to put words in your mouth. Sure I can get 2 common everyday Schrade folders cheap, my point was the new line of CRKT suff is very well designed, unique, and not price prohibitive.
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Well designed and unique yes. And I also think they sell the most expensive 8cr13mov knives. :D

I'm really only interested in their M16-01 series, the Endorser, the Ripple 2 and the Outrage. The rest just don't have any appeal to me. And I look at the Pazoda and Drifter only because theu are the cheapest in CRKT's lineup at $20 and $25 respectively.
 
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