The CKF Kremlin

[SACBALLZ]

I have a suspicion, though I will never be able to confirm it, that the same factories are making parts and pieces for a lot of these brands. That's how it works in the vast majority of other industries; you have the "basic" factories that are the biggest and turnout the most quantity, so they can do things the cheapest.

As for the HT, I will mention that CKF tends not to make any kind of HRC promises, so there's a distinct possibility they're treating to a jumble of different values with an inconsistent protocol.

I do have to be real though, I never carried any of my CKFs (don't own one currently), as a user, so I'm genuinely just speculating without even the aid of anecdotal evidence.

Do you know the story behind the CKF factory? I will say that what I've read about the host country, that most(if not all) of the factories there do not perform the HT in-house. It is sent out to a third party. Whether there is any merit to that, I do not know. I know historically their hrc's have been all over the place, mostly poor, but in the last few years a few of these companies have started to put out some pretty great numbers on certain steels. Whether that's because they have started doing it in-house, or the third party has gotten better, not sure.

 

[Leo Greer]

Do you know the story behind the CKF factory? I will say that what I've read about the host country, that most(if not all) of the factories there do not perform the HT in-house. It is sent out to a third party. Whether there is any merit to that, I do not know. I know historically their hrc's have been all over the place, mostly poor, but in the last few years a few of these companies have started to put out some pretty great numbers on certain steels. Whether that's because they have started doing it in-house, or the third party has gotten better, not sure.

As far as I’m aware, CKF claims to make parts in China and do finishing work in Russia. The specific details are nebulous. I doubt we’ll get specific info on what they’re doing with their factory.


There are definitely Chinese companies that do great heat treatments. Kunwu is known for really good heat treats. Unless Tuya has changed, they once sent back an entire batch of M390 blades (to whoever was doing the HT), because they didn’t hit 61-62.

On the other hand you have companies that are infamous for terrible heat treatments on both sides of the world. WE, Maxace, I’m looking at you.

 

[birdave]

This is one of three CKF Blavas.
Just got this one back from having DLC work done,..blade, pocket clip & stand-offs.
I buffed the frame, but not as bright as the one, top right, in the group photo.
Top right in the group photo has the original blue stand-offs.
Top left in group photo has polished stand offs, as well as a polished pocket clip and black electro anodized scales.