Review KEVIN JOHN knive

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Kevin John isn't real, now known as CKF. As mentioned, Kevin John is a former cloner turned into a real boy, erm, knife producer. A Russian company with its knives made in China. Profit!

It's the original Russian knifemaker crew.

CKF (Custom Knife Factory) - A love story between Russian design and Chinese high-end knife-making!

atechreviews (57) in knives • 2 years ago (edited)
CKF (Custom Knife Factory) has been around for a while.
The Russian based knife company was established in 2012 by Mikhail Kulygin (Mike), a Russian Chinese knife dealer at the time. He was well known at the time by his nickname Kevin John on Guns.ru (one of the biggest Russian knife forum).
The nickname wasn't a coincidence - Mike was then one of the leading sellers (and some say even producers) of Kevin John made clones in Russia, mostly Sebenza, Strider and Hinderer knives, that had huge success. He learned to appreciate the level of craftsmanship, precision and QC that KJ provided, and wanted to bring it to the international knife market.
It all started with the Assymetric project, when a few forum members came together to make a production version of the awesome Alexey Konygin design. They turned to Kevin John to manufacture the knife and the project was very successful.
After that, he contacted with Russian designers - Alexey "Ratatuy" Konygin, Evg Muan and Anton "Tohus" Malyshev and they decided to collaborate with the new company - CKF.
The company's first knife was the amazing Decepticon 1, that was featured on the Knife Brand Maker (Jim Skelton's) channel, and the rest is history. They became so popular, that even nutnfancy agreed to show the knives on his channel.
CKF models are numbered limited production pieces, so they tend to sell out very quickly and usually keep their value over time. One of their latest creations is the Muscle (a collaboration with French knife designer Tashi Bharucha), my personal favorite knife from CKF so far.
Producing the knives in China also has it's drawbacks - some of their designs were "borrowed" even before they reached production and made by Chinese clonemakers. This happened with the Gnome, Assymetric fixed blade, T50 (later released as T90 by CKF) and the Medichi project (now known as Piston knife), that was cancelled because of the case.
I believe CKF will continue to cheer our eyes and hands with exclusive, quality models and I wish them all the best.

Hi! I am a robot. I just upvoted you! I found similar content that readers might be interested in:
http://chinaknives.blogspot.com/2016/10/ckf-custom-knife-factory-love-story.html
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wensynch said:
Kevin John isn't real, now known as CKF. As mentioned, Kevin John is a former cloner turned into a real boy, erm, knife producer. A Russian company with its knives made in China. Profit!

It's the original Russian knifemaker crew.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the interesting reading material.
 
Mikhail Kulygin (or Mike) is the owner of both Kevin John’s and Custom Knife Factory.
A friend of mine owns several of the fake /clone Hinderers and Striders.

I’m curious if these are still being made?

I’ve heard he gets the cold shoulder treatment at the US shows he attends….
 
Another resurrected from the death thread...
Kevin John is non-existing person, it's the name of the company that sounds non-Chinese for westerners. Something like Chinese version of "Haagen - Dazs", name with no meaning.
I already forgot the name of the actual factory that manufacture the "Kevin John" products but the are large and associated with some Russian orders,
at least in the past (2015), and they have very good quality. Their copies of the Deceptikon and Venom 1 were extremely popular in Russia at the time.
Unfortunately they copy designs and sell it under their name. I wouldn't bother with it,
there are tons of Chinese copies of the Kevin John's copies, prices vary from $50 to around $300+ .
Original Venom II could be found once in a while in Arizona Customs, not a big chance to get one, they are sold quick.
 
Huh, I never knew this about CKF, that they are made in China. It may be a necro thread, but at least I learned something (rare these days, as I am the everlasting know-it-all).

CKF designs never spoke to me anyway, just another reason to cross them off the list.
 
K.O.D. K.O.D. - CKF are not necessarily Chinese knives... This is a company that have collaborations with very good Russian and US designers and also,
they obtain knives from those brand names and customize it. One example I can think about is the Rotten Design, they sell custom models on the
FromRussiaWithKnives website.
Some models have their parts made in China, I don't know where, the quality of those parts is top of the line. They are shipped to Russia, where CKF is assembling it
by hand and the end result is very well built knife. You can't come across those lately, probably the last 4-5 years, they don't do it anymore as far as I'm aware,
but of course, I can be wrong.
As far as I know, CKF never sold counterfeits or copies of any kind, also most of the reputable Russian sites are very good in this matter.
Years ago, one or two questionable models from known Chinese copiers, prticularly the Venom 1 and 2 models, by KJ, would snick in their website,
but they dropped this practice and as far as I'm aware, the only drawback is the higher price and the fact they ship the knives from Russia,
it takes longer and it's more expensive, but SKF also is sold in few US sites, if you are lucky to get to the model before it's sold out... 😂
 
I've got a few Kevin John Venom and easily place them way above my CRK Small Sebenza and Mnandi and my Medford Praetorian T and pretty much everything else I own, including Chaves, Benchmade, Spyderco, D Rocket, ZT, Quiet Carry, QSP, & Kizer. Sorry not sorry. Don't care about the baggage others carry to the scenario. Actually happy to stand firmly against those morons.
 
POCEH KOCEB said:
K.O.D. K.O.D. - CKF are not necessarily Chinese knives... This is a company that have collaborations with very good Russian and US designers and also,
they obtain knives from those brand names and customize it. One example I can think about is the Rotten Design, they sell custom models on the
FromRussiaWithKnives website.
Some models have their parts made in China, I don't know where, the quality of those parts is top of the line. They are shipped to Russia, where CKF is assembling it
by hand and the end result is very well built knife. You can't come across those lately, probably the last 4-5 years, they don't do it anymore as far as I'm aware,
but of course, I can be wrong.
As far as I know, CKF never sold counterfeits or copies of any kind, also most of the reputable Russian sites are very good in this matter.
Years ago, one or two questionable models from known Chinese copiers, prticularly the Venom 1 and 2 models, by KJ, would snick in their website,
but they dropped this practice and as far as I'm aware, the only drawback is the higher price and the fact they ship the knives from Russia,
it takes longer and it's more expensive, but SKF also is sold in few US sites, if you are lucky to get to the model before it's sold out... 😂
Click to expand...
Ah so they are not a "knife maker" per se, more of an assembler?
 
JayDeep said:
I've got a few Kevin John Venom and easily place them way above my CRK Small Sebenza and Mnandi and my Medford Praetorian T and pretty much everything else I own, including Chaves, Benchmade, Spyderco, D Rocket, ZT, Quiet Carry, QSP, & Kizer. Sorry not sorry. Don't care about the baggage others carry to the scenario. Actually happy to stand firmly against those morons.
Click to expand...
Are they as quality as the rest of your aliexpress trash?
 
I guess we should have just assumed.
 
Little bit more for whoever is interested of Kevin John/Jon "original" models...
KJ is known mostly for stealing designs and putting his name on it. However they are few of his designs that goes for "original"
They are manufactured for KJ company by a large Chinese company that takes orders from multiple Chinese and foreign customers,
but the knives itself carry the looks like trade mark "Venom" which some how is distancing KJ association with the knife.
I knew exactly the manufacturing company behind KJ but I was interested about it long time ago (2014-15) and can't remember it.
I'm sure they are forum members that can throw more light on it.
The Venom line are basically the models I, II and so on up to 4 I believe and Harpoon, also the Attacker.
The Attacker have few variations, basically it is heavily "influenced" blade geometry of early Microtech Anex or similar models,
I'm not familiar in details with Marfione's custom work, someone to correct me if I'm wrong.
Kevin-John-Venom-Knife-ATTACKER-M390-Blade-Titanium-Carbon-Fiber-Handle-Survival-Outdoor-Hunting-Gift-Collection.jpg


The first Venom 1 (I believe, slightly different from the second from left to right, I never seen the first on Left variant)
743789471bc9377ad6c2c11bfc4ded39.jpg


...was another deviation, this time of another "original" Chinese knife - the flipper sold by I believe a Chinese company - MG, called "DAMM folder"
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post the source of the info, but this seems legit, please Moderators, take it away if it shouldn't be here:

DAMM – Awesome titanium flipper with ball bearing pivot system

Concise knife & gear reviews, news & deals about budget folders, edc gadgets, flashlights: Ganzo, Enlan, Sanrenmu, Y-Start, Harnds, Brother, Nitecore
steelreviews.blogspot.com steelreviews.blogspot.com
IMG_0565ke2.jpg


Here is a Russian video, curtecy of the Youtube User Col. Zorin, basically criticizing the Chinese about positioning the clips over the lockbar cutoff,
rendering the knife hard to pull out of the pocket.

Unfortunately, this is exact copy of early Marcin Slyzc model called MS.
I had much better pictures of it but before I started paying for IS, I was using another site and it's gone now with all my pictures.
Lesson learned, $4 is not that much per month.
1677025825231.jpeg
Later Slysz developed another very similar, custom model, called Auriga, a full custom knife.
One can still see the similarities between the DAMM, MS and Auriga.

Video curtesy of Youtuber Status Knife ( https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/marcins_knives/ ):

I'm not going to comment much about Venom II, it's a decent looking knife with some dumb IMO features that Chinese just put there because of the mall ninja target market,
my particular gripe is with the tritium vial in the clips, that show everyone in the dark area where your pocket knife is...

So, I'd say this - whoever manufactures the KJ line knives have very good, to exceptional quality.
Regardless, even the models looks catchy, to me they have too much similarity with well known other models to be interested of.
Everyone else should decide for itself what to buy and why, I hope my information is actual and helpful, please if someone can correct me - do it,
I'm always happy to learn new things or correct what I think I know..

I got most of my information far back, as I mentioned circa 2014-2015 and most of the Venom info comes from few Russian forum I was checking at the time, they have extensive and detailed knowledge of most models made in China, sold in Russia.
I can ask completely out of curiosity, because it bothers me that I can't remember it, who was behind KJ manufacturing but I don't think somebody really cares.
 
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Insulting or Rude behavior
JayDeep said:
I've got a few Kevin John Venom and easily place them way above my CRK Small Sebenza and Mnandi and my Medford Praetorian T and pretty much everything else I own, including Chaves, Benchmade, Spyderco, D Rocket, ZT, Quiet Carry, QSP, & Kizer. Sorry not sorry. Don't care about the baggage others carry to the scenario. Actually happy to stand firmly against those morons.
Click to expand...

Dumbass.
 
JayDeep said:
I've got a few Kevin John Venom and easily place them way above my CRK Small Sebenza and Mnandi and my Medford Praetorian T and pretty much everything else I own, including Chaves, Benchmade, Spyderco, D Rocket, ZT, Quiet Carry, QSP, & Kizer. Sorry not sorry. Don't care about the baggage others carry to the scenario. Actually happy to stand firmly against those morons.
Click to expand...
That’s because your Sebenzas, Mnandis, Medfords, Chavez’, Benchmades, Spydercos, ZTs, QCs and Kizers are all counterfeits purchased off LiarExpress. Your experience with nice knives is undermined by your shopping habits.

(I left off D-rocket and QSP because we already know they’re trash)
 
Hackenslash said:
That’s because your Sebenzas, Mnandis, Medfords, Chavez’, Benchmades, Spydercos, ZTs, QCs and Kizers are all counterfeits purchased off LiarExpress. Your experience with nice knives is undermined by your shopping habits.

(I left off D-rocket and QSP because we already know they’re trash)
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No they're not, moron. My Sebenza was from knife center. My Benchmades from the same. My zt from Arizona and Cabelas. Kizer and quiet carry direct from maker websites. So yeah... you literally know nothing, but that's of zero surprise for a place like this and it's inhabitants. You're all pathetic losers. No surprise of course.
 
JayDeep said:
No they're not, moron. My Sebenza was from knife center. My Benchmades from the same. My zt from Arizona and Cabelas. Kizer and quiet carry direct from maker websites. So yeah... you literally know nothing, but that's of zero surprise for a place like this and it's inhabitants. You're all pathetic losers. No surprise of course.
Click to expand...

Excuse me, but that's professional losers. If you're gonna insult me, get it right!
 
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