The "do's" and "don'ts" of the CRK brand

kidcongo

kidcongo

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Jan 12, 2013
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Thinking about the questions of a CRK flipper, I realize in a funny way it is much easier to define what CRK is about by stating what the don't do as opposed to what they do.

So if you want to know what CRK does, here's what they don't do: :)

1: They don't outsource production
2: They don't offer a wide range of models
3: They don't offer any functional options on their knife models (IE...something other than decorations)
4: They don't use different locking systems..........(yah yah.......TiLock....I know, I know).
5: They don't offer different levels of quality, or a budget line.
6: They don't make flippers.
7: They don't use different steels.
8: They don't make knives with one colourful G10 slab (thank god.....really don't like those 'half-plastic' jobbies :barf: ....no offense :):)...just flaming the Strider boys).
9: They don't have negotiable prices.
10: They don't go on sale.
11: They don't bring out new models every year.
12: They don't mark the blades with the steel type.
13: They don't void your warranty if you take it apart.
14: They don't sell their name for use on mass-produces cheap knives (just forget about those CRKT Plastic Sebenzas....someone was drunk and the wrong papers got signed)
14: They don't care if you don't like 'Idaho Made!' :D
 
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What about those CF scales that KnifeArts sells? Do you think CRK makes those scales too without outsourcing? Just wondering...:)
 
ijha said:
What about those CF scales that KnifeArts sells? Do you think CRK makes those scales too without outsourcing? Just wondering...:)
Click to expand...

I would imagine they make them in house. I don't know why they could not. Do you know that they are made elsewhere?
 
2: They don't offer a wide range of models:
A. Large Sebenza 21
B. Small Sebenza 21
C. Large Sebenza 21 with Tanto Blade
D. Small Sebenza 21 with Tanto Blade
E. Large Sebenza 21 with Insingo Blade
F. Small Sebenza 21 with Insingo Blade
G. Large Sebenza 21 with Carbon Fiber Scale
H. Small Sebenza 21 with Carbon Fiber Scale
I. Large Sebenza 25
J. Umnumzaan
K. Umnumzaan with Tanto Blade
L. Chris Reeve Wilson Combat Star-Tac
M. Chris Reeve Wilson Combat Large Starbenza
N. Chris Reeve-Wilson Combat Small Starbenza
O. Mnandi
P. Ti-Lock
Pretty good line up IMHO.. :thumbup:
These of course are only the folding knives offered by Chris Reeve Knives. There are at least ten different fixed blade knives also offered.
 
mikepapa1 said:
2: They don't offer a wide range of models:
A. Large Sebenza 21
B. Small Sebenza 21
C. Large Sebenza 21 with Tanto Blade
D. Small Sebenza 21 with Tanto Blade
E. Large Sebenza 21 with Insingo Blade
F. Small Sebenza 21 with Insingo Blade
G. Large Sebenza 21 with Carbon Fiber Scale
H. Small Sebenza 21 with Carbon Fiber Scale
I. Large Sebenza 25
J. Umnumzaan
K. Umnumzaan with Tanto Blade
L. Chris Reeve Wilson Combat Star-Tac
M. Chris Reeve Wilson Combat Large Starbenza
N. Chris Reeve-Wilson Combat Small Starbenza
O. Mnandi
P. Ti-Lock
Pretty good line up IMHO.. :thumbup:
These of course are only the folding knives offered by Chris Reeve Knives. There are at least ten different fixed blade knives also offered.
Click to expand...


Yes I stand corrected, but compared to say Spyderco, Boker, or the variety you can get within a single model of Hinderer, it's a pretty tight line-up
 
I think that if we speak of model they are less. Tanto, CF scales are an option otherwise we have to list every wood inlay.
So let me reduce the list at


A. Large Sebenza 21
B. Small Sebenza 21
C Large Sebenza 25
D. Umnumzaan
E. Mnandi
F. Ti-Lock
 
I am going to copy and paste. It is much to early to think. :-) Great way to think about defineing someone or company and agree there are only 6 models. Now for that second cup of coffee.


Falco57 said:
I think that if we speak of model they are less. Tanto, CF scales are an option otherwise we have to list every wood inlay.
So let me reduce the list at


A. Large Sebenza 21
B. Small Sebenza 21
C Large Sebenza 25
D. Umnumzaan
E. Mnandi
F. Ti-Lock
Click to expand...
 
Ok, I must admit that I was stretching it a bit listing the different blade configurations.. but to be fair if you look at it as only six models then the others only offer half that many.
Strider:
SMF
SNG
PT
Sj75
Rick Hinderer:
XM-24
XM-18
With few exceptions I wouldn't compare Emerson, Benchmade, ZT, are Spyderco knife of the month clubs to any of the above, again just my humble and somewhat bias opinion..:D

Birdhunter1220 said:
I am going to copy and paste. It is much to early to think. :-) Great way to think about defineing someone or company and agree there are only 6 models. Now for that second cup of coffee.
Click to expand...
 
CRK is right in there with the big guns and is the best of them because of what they DO do. They do offer many different models and blade shapes ( regular, tanto, insingo ) What other company out there offers CGG/UG and the options to do your OWN design. What other company can you actually call and talk too with questions. I could go on and on, but you get the point. The only thing I still wish they did was the One Piece Knives.
 
What CRK does is make the modern one-hander folders I carry above and beyond all others... nine times out of ten, it be a CRK rocking my pocket! ;)

crk01.jpg


-Brett
 
One correction to #3: they do offer one functional option I can think of, in the 21 line: insingo or clip point blade.
 
Great observation Dangerously!! I think the "Tanto" would fall into that category as well.
All the best, Dave

D
Dangerously said:
One correction to #3: they do offer one functional option I can think of, in the 21 line: insingo or clip point blade.
Click to expand...
 
Without really taking a position on whether the product range is a lot or a little, I will say that I think it's always better to do a few things really well than to do a lot of things half-@ssed. :)
 
My favorite part about that list you have is #13. They don't void your warranty if you take apart your own knife.
Seriously, some other companies will not even try to warranty your knife if you're taken it apart to clean it.
 
mikepapa1 said:
Ok, I must admit that I was stretching it a bit listing the different blade configurations.. but to be fair if you look at it as only six models then the others only offer half that many.
Strider:
SMF
SNG
PT
Sj75
Rick Hinderer:
XM-24
XM-18
With few exceptions I wouldn't compare Emerson, Benchmade, ZT, are Spyderco knife of the month clubs to any of the above, again just my humble and somewhat bias opinion..:D
Click to expand...

Yes you are right but if we see well both Hinderer and Strider have two variant of the same "combat" knife.
The fashion in CRK folders is that you have completely different "weapon system".
You have the bold Umnumzaan, the versatility of Sebenza and the elegance of Mnandi, the innovative To-Lock.
In each circumstance you can have the right knife.
Dinner Jacket, ok, Mnandi is ready.
Citizen EDC a small Sebenza
Tough work Sebenza 25, Large or Umnumzaan.
Military/Police environment let's take the Umnumzaan.

my 5 cent
 
i like the fact they encourage you to take apart your knife and familiarize yourself with it. if you make something well enough there should be no problem when reassembled properly. and if you fail to get it working right, send it to them and they will do so for you. one thing not in their lineup that i would love to see is something similar to the hinderer takedown tool, but was less bulky and WAY less expensive (that is another topic, a tool a 1/4 of the price of the knife?really?). i was thinking something that could be attacked to the knife like a lanyard for when you go camping or outdoors. so that way if you need to make and adjustment or strip it down your not digging around for a allen wrench to do so, its attached to the knife.
 
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