New CRKT models vs Condor

A

AmusingName

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May 10, 2015
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I don't know exactly how new they are, but I ran across a couple CRKT models recently on KnifeCenter that say "New Item" on them. These are the two I looked at:
http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/CR...lade-walnut-handle-leather-sheath&series=3119
http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/CR...e-walnut-wood-handle-nylon-sheath&series=3117

Anyway, they immediately struck me as being very similar to most of the stuff Condor makes; they have hardwood handles, 1075 steel, the machete has the same rough hammer-finish look that a few of the Condors have, the smaller knife basically looks like a stretched out bushlore, even the sheath on the smaller knife is very Condor-esque. Now, I know there's no way to always be coming up with new designs and new material- there's bound to be lots of repetition. But these two models seem *really* similar to what Condor is making and have the exact same materials, only more expensive. I'm not trying to accuse them of anything or complain about anything, but if it didn't say CRKT on the blade I would have assumed they were Condor without a second thought. Does anyone else get this feeling or is it just me? Or is there some sort of collaboration that I don't know about?
 
Abe Elias (the maker who CRKT collaborated with for these two) is a custom maker in his own right, with his own line of knives, and what he does is bushcraft-type knives.

I feel that it's important to emphasize that this was not an attempt by CRKT to make "Condor lookalikes". Rather, the design was driven by a custom maker whose knives are intended to serve the same function as many Condor products.
 
Shorttime said:
Abe Elias (the maker who CRKT collaborated with for these two) is a custom maker in his own right, with his own line of knives, and what he does is bushcraft-type knives.

I feel that it's important to emphasize that this was not an attempt by CRKT to make "Condor lookalikes". Rather, the design was driven by a custom maker whose knives are intended to serve the same function as many Condor products.
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Yup. If you check the Shot Show videos you will see Abe talking about his Saker. The Liong Mah - designed machete doesn't remind me of any of my Condors - the blade is different and the handle is a different design, plus I don't think Liong, who has been making customs for a good while now, needs to copy a production design.
 
On knife centers site on the page of the machete it says its made in El Salvador which kinda makes me think it could possibly be made by condor
 
Pope is right: I got ahead of myself.

If El Salvador does a better job with the HT than whatever place did my CRKT/Carson M16, I say "well done"!

(I haven't bought a CRKT knife in years, so this may be a non-issue....)
 
well..... same appearance doesnt mean same quality :D

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They do look more finely finished than the standard Condor knives. As well they should, since they cost twice as much.
 
Bob W said:
They do look more finely finished than the standard Condor knives. As well they should, since they cost twice as much.
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Not even twice as much. That Liong Mah machete runs $64 at Knifecenter. The Condor machetes that are similarly sized with the same materials(the Pack Golok and Village Parang) run $53-56, so only around $10 more for the CRKT. The Condors have nicer sheaths, though.

That said, with the Liong Mah design being made in El Salvador, it would not surprise me at all if it was indeed made by Imacasa-aside from their own brand and the Condor stuff, they also make machetes for Marbles, so it wouldn't be the first time Imacasa was making machetes for another company.
 
Knife certainly looks nice, but too expensive for Chinese 1070.
Like others have said, looks kind of like a refined version of a Condor product.
Pleasing to the eye.
 
I handled the crkt saker, what a great feel in the hand! Wonderful handle, good in all grips, great and very useful blade shape! Why oh why, would someone produce such a nice knife that has steel listed as between 50-55 rockwell hardness? I would buy it in a second if they had used better steel.
 
Shorttime said:
Abe Elias (the maker who CRKT collaborated with for these two) is a custom maker in his own right, with his own line of knives, and what he does is bushcraft-type knives.

I feel that it's important to emphasize that this was not an attempt by CRKT to make "Condor lookalikes". Rather, the design was driven by a custom maker whose knives are intended to serve the same function as many Condor products.
Click to expand...

It's CRKT, the expectations are pretty low. No reason to apologize for them
 
There was a shot show video floating around where they were confirmed to be made for CRKT by Condor.... I have the Mah Chete.... and its a VERY good quality knife, fit and finish is above Condor's other typical offerings ( of which I have many )......sadly the handle on it renders it almost unusable....it's literally the worst feeling most poorly designed handle I've ever owned on any knife ever.

Damn shame too cause that's the ONLY thing I didn't like about it.... but that's a pretty big " one thing "
 
They're made by Imacasa/Condor under contract with CRKT. CRKT set the prices. Now, the knife does come with the extra tool, and the handle has liners and stuff and seems to have been done to a fairly high specification. The machete looks seriously "meh" to me but that's the fault of the design rather than execution. The knife looks a lot like a fancier version of the Sapien.
 
The Saker using 1075 with HRC 50-55, no thanks there are plenty better knives on the market for the same amount of frog skins IMO. Condors 1075 knives runs 56-58 HRC. Condor machetes are around 52-54 HRC.
 
Yeah I think the 50-55 RC specification is a bit odd. Condor can easily make their knives harder than that, but I guess CRKT wanted it that way.
 
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