Is it worth it???

A

abey67

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Feb 25, 2007
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Okay, I'm considering purchasing a Chris Reeve knife and I want to are they worth the price, what makes them worth the price, and which style would you recommend? A lot of questions but I work hard for my money and don't want to buy something I might regret. I don't have access to handle the Chris Reeve line up and would appreciate any suggestions or input you may have.
 
Mostly, I think it's worth the purchase,...but look where you asked the question.
My vote would be for a large micarta 21 as a first purchase..CRK's typically hold their value pretty well, so you wouldn't lose much on it if you found that it was not to your liking.
What makes them worth the price is usually intrinsic to the person buying them and their system of values. Some do it for the reputation for great service, some for the quality of engineering and tolerances. It's all up to the individual to what motivates their purchase from my experience.

Try out the exchange- Usually, there are some good deals there and on the Facebook CRK BST page if you are so inclined. :)
 
Sounds like you've never had a CRK before, so I'd say "yes, it's worth it if you like knives and haven't tried one." They're a knife that every knife lover should try at least once. My personal experience with them is that the small ones are too small even for my normal everyday needs, so I stick with large ones. I prefer either the micarta Sebenzas or the Wilson Combat Sebenzas for their enhanced grip. The Wilson Combat variant are probably my favorites. I like having double thumb lugs on the blade and they're standard on the WC Sebenzas.

Like bhyde says, CRK has their own F/S subforum here, so I'd suggest checking it out before buying new. You might also look in the Canadian exchange here on BF. Some things get listed there but the owner is willing to ship to the US. Wilson Combat is sold only through the WC web site.
 
Are they worth the money, that depends on several things. If you like knives and don't have a big budget, you might be better off buying several other knives for the price of one CRK. If you want a knife that hold tolerances as long as you own it and can be serviced to look new at any give time in the life of the knife, a CRK is the way to go. If you've out grown the knife of the month phase and want a simple, take apart yourself and clean knife, a CRK is the way to go.
I can't tell you they're worth it, that's something you'll have to determine for yourself. But, I can tell you that owning a CRK has quenched my knife buying habits. Now, I just buy other CRK's
A micarta inlay is my favorite, so, I'm bias and will say get a micarta inlay. It's the only inlay that CRK will re blast the slabs on.
It would be wise to follow bhyde's suggestion and buy a used one here to see if they're for you. There are some good deals right now.
Good luck and post pics if you get one.
 
Is it worth it? Good question that is tough to answer and really can only be answered by you in what you are using it for, what you want out of it and what you value.


It's kind of like saying is a Mercedes worth it? Is it that much better than the well engineered Honda? Sure you can find very good knives at a fraction of what a Sebenza costs but it may not tick all the boxes that you want.

I like knives in general and while I now have multiple Sebenzas, I still carry other types at various times.

Careful it is a fun but slippery slope.
 
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Only if owning a high quality knife is worth it to you. Most here on the forum own some form of CRK so they have determined it is worth it to them. I had never purchased a high end knife before my 1st Sebenza and I have never looked back. Many have found that buying lower cost knives was where they really wasted their money. They should have jumped up to a CRK right away.
A CRK is something you can be proud to own and will last a lifetime. If something goes wrong customer service is there to remedy the problem. There are many other knives that cut just as well, so that isn't what you get. So if all you are looking for is something to cut with and can't afford a CRK, you might be better elsewhere, but only if you won't still long for a CRK.
 
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Yes, it is.
IMHO it is a formidable cutting tool.
It is a pure cutting tool, that's why I love it.
You came here in 2007, what took you so long?
;)
 
Moderators might send you right back here, but you might get a broader variety of responses in the general discussion forum-we like them
 
I held off for around 15 years, talking myself out of buying CRK's, but finally got a Sebenza, and they are absolutely worth it.

The quality is everything I'd ever heard.
 
I have been buying knives for almost a year now and have bought a lot of knives. I saw the CRK's and thought they look so plain and boring. Well I bought my first CRK last week to see what all the hype was about and I couldn't be happier. These knives are awesome!! I bought the Umnumzaan and it feels perfect in my hand,it's so well made, and it looks amazing I don't feel like the pics do them justice. I have now bought another CRK large micarta sebbie Tanto and it's not gonna stop there. The Wilson Star Tac and Wilson sebbie will be after that. Go to my IG page @cjw5737 and you can see the knives my CRK is competing against and it gets just as much pocket time as a 2,500.00 knife . Prob more because I am not afraid to use my CRK. In my opinion these knives are worth every penny. They def know what the heck they are doing over there in potato country.


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Well, that does it. After all of the positive feedback, I'm in on purchasing my first Chris Reeve knife. Now, which one do I get, a 21, 25, etc...:rolleyes:
 
I think it may depend of your experience with knives and quality knives.... CRK are just knives. Well made and without nonsense but still just knives.

The first time I handled a 21 I was a little bit disappointed... I was expecting it to be smoother. I had the feeling my spyderco, ZT or BM were smoother.
But something about the overall built quality just kept me interested in them.
Because I like smooth knives my preference go for the inkosi and 25 for large versions
For small versions the 21 is nice for me


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I think it may depend of your experience with knives and quality knives.... CRK are just knives. Well made and without nonsense but still just knives.

The first time I handled a 21 I was a little bit disappointed... I was expecting it to be smoother. I had the feeling my spyderco, ZT or BM were smoother.
But something about the overall built quality just kept me interested in them.
Because I like smooth knives my preference go for the inkosi and 25 for large versions
For small versions the 21 is nice for me


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk
 
A large BG-42 Sebenza was my first foray into high end knives, and I haven't looked back since. To me, YES, it is worth every penny. The Sebenza IS the standard that I hold every other knife up to.
With that said, I feel that the Inkosi IS the BEST knife that CRK has ever made.
 
The 21 is my favourite. The pivot bushing and one-tool, no loctite maintenance are practical features I enjoy every day.

There are improvements in the umnumzaan/25/inkosi designs, most notably the ceramic lock interface, but the lack of a pivot bushing is too large a negative. I also think the extra stock thickness of the new knives reduces cutting ability to add a stoutness I don't require from folding knives. I have tried the newer designs but use 21s instead.
 
abey67 said:
Well, that does it. After all of the positive feedback, I'm in on purchasing my first Chris Reeve knife. Now, which one do I get, a 21, 25, etc...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Honestly I would look at your favorite knife and get the CRK that is most similar. If you're worried about the money I think you should get something you know you will like. As people have said, they hold their value well and can be sold with relative ease for a minimal loss.
 
Thanks for all of the help and comments. So nice to have this forum to get advice. I've narrowed it down to a large 21 or Inkosi. Any pros and cons on these two knives?
 
abey67 said:
Thanks for all of the help and comments. So nice to have this forum to get advice. I've narrowed it down to a large 21 or Inkosi. Any pros and cons on these two knives?
Click to expand...

The only thing I can come up with is, some of the 21's have to have a break in period. That's the biggest complaint that folks have started threads about.
For me, I view the 21 as a work/ non threating in public knife, where as, the Inkosi/25 as a work knife only.
 
Heck yeah! Buy one and find out why. If it doesn't pan out sell it a very little if any loss.... If you're even thinking about it, the answer is yes.
 
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