One Year of Carrying Nothing But a Large Plain Insingo....How Did I Get Here?!

JR88FAN

JR88FAN

Joined
May 5, 2013
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So it's been just about a year of carrying the same knife 24/7 and just about 365!

How did I get here? Why can't I get this thing out of my pocket??!

I am going to start with my knife history. I have carried most knives you can think of in just about any price range, from large scale production knives to full customs.
I buy them, give them a fair shot to earn their place in my pocket, and when they don't work for something I do with a knife, I sell them and move onto the next one.

I feel like this process describes my entire knife hobby.
Some knives last a few weeks, some a few months, but inevitably there always seems to be something that just doesn't work the way I need it to.

The only knives that have lasted longer with me are Striders, but that's not this story!

It's me. I am picky, and I expect my knife to do many tasks well without issue. To me, a quality tool is always worth more than whatever it's price tag may be.
I work with tools for a living, and I can tell you that any tool that doesn't meet my crazy expectations goes in the garbage.
More importantly, my knife is at many times when I need a tool for something, the only thing on me.

So, the Insingo;

I was always opposed to buying a CRK.
I will admit it straight up, fanboy knife that looked boring and dated.
It's sad that I had this really closed minded opinion, not sure where I picked it up, but sitting here typing this, it was actually a really good thing that I avoided buying anything CRK until a year ago...why?...well, I had used so many different knives that when I finally got one in hand and started using it, I could truly appreciate what I had.

So how did I end up with a CRK?

A really great guy who uses the hell out of any knife he owns somehow ended up with an Insingo.
(He's around here somewhere!)
He was as much a CRK fan as I was, but a few weeks after getting an Insingo and putting up with my abuse I started getting emails about just what an amazing knife this was (we have very similar ideas of what makes a good knife)
Emails about how we had made a miscalculation and how this plain and boring knife was actually void of the complaints we had about other knives and could handle all kinds of work with ease and had a huge fun to use factor (that's another big thing for me)

I couldn't take it anymore. I had my doubts but realized that when I inevitably ended up hating the knife and exposing it's flaws I could move it easily on the exchange.
 
So, here's what I got (bought new from a reputable dealer)

1482967256.5704.jpg


First impressions weren't mind blowing.
I mean exceptional F&F, great ergo's, excellent grind and blade design, but I've had knives that checked all those boxes...

It's not until you start using these knives that you realize that the mechanics of the knife, the ergonomics, the cutting ability, the feel, fun to use factor, the reliability of the lockup, the action, the way it works in different grips through different materials, the much tougher than it looks, the disappears in your pocket, the no gimicks just a solid tool that will not let you down, the ease at which it comes apart and can be cleaned, the pivot that just stays tight, pivot bushings and what tolerances really mean after many months of hard use, the no BS this a real tool that I enjoy using as much today as I did 6 months ago.

^^^that's a lot of points, but to sum it all up:

No other knife at any price has been this much fun to use day in and day out without one complaint about anything. The more you use a knife the more you tend to discover it's weak points, this has been the exact opposite experience.
These knives where made to use, made to use over the long haul, and made to last.

A big thank you to CRK for designing, in my humble opinion, the only true users knife on the market today.
I would pay twice the asking price for this knife because it's worth at least double that!

Here it is today, still looking really good for what I've put it through, and still as tight and mechanically perfect as the day I opened the box....oh, and still as much fun to use!

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That is quite a testament and a good review. It's hard to say why some people pick them up and then immediately dump them. The price, doesn't have the "bling" or some other built in function. It's elegant and simple.
Don't get me wrong, I like most of the knives that CRK makes, but there is one or two that I simply cannot own because they are just not a fit for my usage or style.

Great story and thanks for sharing!


Bill
 
bhyde said:
That is quite a testament and a good review. It's hard to say why some people pick them up and then immediately dump them. The price, doesn't have the "bling" or some other built in function. It's elegant and simple.
Don't get me wrong, I like most of the knives that CRK makes, but there is one or two that I simply cannot own because they are just not a fit for my usage or style.

Great story and thanks for sharing!


Bill
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Thanks Bill.

This is just my opinion based on the many knives I have used and how that relates to what I like in a knife and how the Insingo continues to be all of those things.

I really think you need to USE a lot of different knives to truly appreciate a CRK, but again, that's just my experience.
Maybe it's also getting to the point where you actually understand the beauty of the perfect balance between function and form.

Personally I think there is too much weight put on "form" in the knife world...
 
Nice write up.

I've been carrying my large plain Insingo since around October or November 2015, and it's my favorite one-hand opening knife by far. Along with a couple SAKs it's been my EDC. A couple months ago, I did get a S110V Military and carried that for a while, but have gone back to the Insingo. To be clear, that Millie is a keeper, but as far as an EDC that I feel 100% comfortable carrying and using for a variety of knife tasks, the Insingo is better *for me*.

This is not fanboyism. The large Insingo is just a great tool and daily companion. Its very simplicity is a big strong point for me. It's not as simple as people think to get bring a relatively simple design to as close to perfection as is humanly possible. Not to mention the fact that CRKs age very gracefully with use, far better than most quality folders out there.

Jim
 
Great write buddy!! And so true. I am glad , even know it took a lot of convincing ....., you decided to try one out and see how great the truly are. I knew it would be a winner for you.

There are times where I have strayed away from this knife, and even sold them, but I always end up coming back. I have yet to find another knife that can completely replace my insingo. Such a perfect design in every way.
 
Your Insingo looks gorgeous with its honorable "working man's patina."
 
Gizler00 said:
Great write buddy!! And so true. I am glad , even know it took a lot of convincing ....., you decided to try one out and see how great the truly are. I knew it would be a winner for you.

There are times where I have strayed away from this knife, and even sold them, but I always end up coming back. I have yet to find another knife that can completely replace my insingo. Such a perfect design in every way.
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This guy^^^^^!

Thanks man, I owe you for opening my mind up to CRK.
Not only did I find an incredible knife, but I found that bias based on zero experience just leads to you missing out on some really great things.
 
Danke42 said:
I really like that blade shape but maybe for some folks it's polarizing?
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All I can say is that you gotta try it.

I think it's the most beautiful blade of all time, but half of me thinking that comes from the way it works/cuts.
 
JR88FAN said:
All I can say is that you gotta try it.

I think it's the most beautiful blade of all time, but half of me thinking that comes from the way it works/cuts.
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For sure I agree. Anything with that shape tempts me badly!
 
Great write-up. I've been carrying my large PJ insingo for a few weeks. It EDCs like a total champ. The most paired-down, straight to the point, baddass, yet sleek and practical EDC of all time.
 
kidcongo said:
Great write-up. I've been carrying my large PJ insingo for a few weeks. It EDCs like a total champ. The most paired-down, straight to the point, baddass, yet sleek and practical EDC of all time.
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^^^ awesome job of summarizing everything I think makes CRK knives so good....using about 200 less words!
 
It is hard to beat a CRK. Some day when I become lower middle class I will be able to afford another!!! :p
 
Having received my first CRK yesterday, which happens to be a large plain jane insingo this thread makes me happy. I love this knife. It's a bit bigger than any other knife I've EDC'ed, but for the price I wanted "more" knife than a small at its price point. I bought it new, with the idea that it would be my working knife and one where every mark on it was my own. The blade shape is interesting and at first I didn't like it (looks like a blue whale to me), but was sold on its utility based on reading other people's experiences. However, now I've grown to love the shape. Hopefully I will feel the same way you do after carrying it for a while.
 
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