I'll be Boycotting CRKT

Joe Talmadge said:
And for the obtuse reader, I'm not sure anyone has argued that CRKT hasn't achieved significant success, and positioned themselves well for even more success....

...This is a pretty classic business case -- of course there will be second-guessing, that's what makes the discussion interesting.
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took the words outta my mouth, Joe.

abe m.
 
I have a collection of CRKT knives. Most of them are AUS8 M16s. Perhaps CRKTs attemp to offer higher grade steel knives (AUS 118, ATS34) did not equate to profit so they are going to focus on lower grade steels. There is a big market for afforable knives otherwise we would not see huge volume of knives sold on t.v. knife shows.


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http://nbox00.tripod.com
 
Nonbox,
I'd refer you to my post #9 again. With the M16/M18/F4, 28 models out of 36 will still be using AUS-8 steel. Seems like they are pretty focused. I find it hard to believe that the Zytel models were ever Collector knives, and those Zytel models are the only ones that changed.
 
I find it hard to believe that anything CRKT is making, or has made has any potential of increasing in value. They are collectible knives, and may make for a nice collection for someone on a budget. But come on they are are made where they are for financial reasons. Any cheapening in materials really shouldn’t be a big surprise. They are in the business to make money. Even if it’s only a limited number of models, how much of their total production does it represent? Any cut in material cost improves the bottom line.
If you are American how many reasons do you need to buy American?
 
allenC said:
SethMurdoc is wrong:
Judging from the red class Benchmades that I have handled, there's nothing wrong with the fit-and-finish at all.
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thats why i put the rolley eyes there :D just to say that the only way that the bm red class could be comparable to a crkt folder made of 420js, while the benchmade is made of aus8a, is if the red class was really shoddily made. wich of course isnt case, but that would be one way for the red class to be lower quality then the crkt, even though the crkt is made of lesser materials. a bug can out perform a porche if the porch is only running on 2 cylinders and a flat tire.

Kit Carson said:
Nonbox,
I'd refer you to my post #9 again. With the M16/M18/F4, 28 models out of 36 will still be using AUS-8 steel. Seems like they are pretty focused. I find it hard to believe that the Zytel models were ever Collector knives, and those Zytel models are the only ones that changed.
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i think this is a major point in this discussion. they are changing part of their line up to 420 and aus 4. they make no slight of hand about the change over. of course they dont bash themselves saying "yes we are choosing to go with a poor quality steel", they choose instead to say its an affordable steel that sharpens easily and is corrosion resistence (true). and they still use high quality materials in the rest of their line. i dont see why this should warrant a boycotting of the company.

it is also possible that crkt will come out with higher end knives in the future, using ats34 or whatever other steel you want to see them use, while continuing to choose "lesser" steels on their lower end. diversity does not necessarily mean the downfall of quality for the whole.
 
I'm going to chime in since I'm a big fan of CRKT. I agree with murdoc and have to say, I am dissapointed, but we have to look at the possibilities that producing a quality (even though it's not super steel) product with lower cost materials may open the way for higher end, even more quality products in the future. I also agree that though they've lowered the cost of the materials doesn't mean that they've ceased quality control or that we should boycott them for their choice to keep their business running and continuing to produce well made knives. Eighty percent of the population isn't willing to pay top dollar for a high end product. Those that would, namely us, are the minority and those that won't are the majority looking for a quality working tool and don't care if the steel has less carbon and strength; only that it works. That's my 2cents. :)
 
imho if CRKT wouldnt have said anything most wouldnt notice the diff. if ya want good steel CRKT wouldnt be your top choice anyway. all the CRKT's i have ever seen were perfectly servicable though, most of mine are '6 IIRC, and all work fine, esp for the $$.
 
I do not advocate boycotting CRKT. I'm disappointed that CRKT introduced AUS 4 & 420J2 on some of their knives but I am not bitter about it; it's not the end of the world. I will continue to buy the AUS 8 CRKT knives. My next purchases are the CRKT M16 ti versions.




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http://nbox00.tripod.com
 
You do have to give CRKT some credit for letting us "po' boys" try some features usually only found in custom-made knives.

Like the Michael Walker BladeLOCK

Allen.
 
I've been collecting knives for about 25 years, and that would be the 'cheaper' type knives since I've never had alot of money to throw around. I don't believe most folks that use knives can tell by looking or occassional use what type it is. Even if you're doing alot of cutting boxes open everyday, which I've done for years, the lower quality steels work fine. I actually enjoy sharpening a knife. A knife is for cutting, and if the price is fair, I don't really care if it's 400 series, vg10, aus 4 6 8 34, 154cm, etc. whatever. What are you doing with that steel that it's gonna make a difference? :confused:
 
Gollnick said:
ROTF LOL!

No, I don't remember those days... and I doubt that anyone else does either because I doubt there ever were such days in general.

A business that puts ANYTHING ahead of profit save legality is a business that won't be in business very long.

if you think CRKT has made some bad changes to their product line, then let 'em know and, by all means, don't buy their product. But don't expect businesses to do things because of some sense of pride. Successful businesses don't (and never have) take pride in their product line; they take pride in their bottom line... after all that's what makes payroll.
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I agree if you're talking about *big* businesses, i.e. corporations. There are, however, plenty of small, privately-owned businesses that are run by artists (someone who sees her or his craft as a creative expression regardless of what the product is) whose pride in their work is their primary concern.
 
They will probably rectify all of these problems as soon as this thread comes to their attention!!! :rolleyes:
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Latest development, for those who haven't seen this thread by GarageBoy: CRKT: WHOA 154CM!!!! (Amendment to my earlier post a few weeks back)

The new Crawford collaborations are made in USA assisted openers in 154 CM. :D
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Well, there we go. Someone at CRKT has indeed taken Business 101! Very exciting to see where they'll be going with this.

Now all I have to whine about is their liner locks (and those new 154-CM ones without LAWKS? Can that be?).
 
jokrswylde said:
The bad part is that I just got back from my local knife shop and the dealer sold the guy in front of me on CRKT. He straight up told the guy that CRKT was a better buy than the Benchmade red class because the BM red class was a cheap version made overseas! Taiwan was stamped on the blade of the CRKT, but the dealer said it was o.k because they were always made overseas! I was stunned that a dealer, my dealer, was spewing this crap! He ended up selling a CRKT Crawford Casper to the guy for 14 bucks more than he could have sold the BM mini-ambush. He also informed the guy that the new S&W knives were well built and that he wasn't sure where they were made. R.O.C.!!!
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Ok, A: I would agree with the shop owner.
B: Overseas encompasses most of the rest of the world.
C: Taiwan is an industrialized democratic nation fully capable of producing high end products. The computer you typed that on was probably created in Taiwan. I mean, look at where American cars
have gone. Soon nothing will be made in America. Deal with it.

:D
 
shao.fu.tzer, check out the archives. You might be able to find an even older thread to resurrect. :thumbup:

Hope this helps!

- Torz
 
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