Up The Columbia River… Without a Paddle

CRKT has never made the BEST knives on the market, nor have they ever produced the WORST knives on the market. They specialize in affordable quality, and are willing to tackle lots of designs that no one else would. Yes, they have some duds here or there, and they tend to use soft steel, but they've been doing some great stuff over the years and especially recently. I think it's important to note that the soft steel we aficionados disdain is looked upon kindly by the average working joe who abuses their knives. It means the tips don't snap off and it's easy for a novice to resharpen without much experience or a space-age sharpener. The build quality is rarely short of excellent--for a recent low-cost high-value winner check out the Shrimp. One tough little framelock, with a nifty moonglow spacer. I love the orange one, and my lady has one in purple. :cool:
 
I have a M21 used as boat knife, a Drifter as a car EDC utility knife, a drifter bought for my wife's desk, and a Ripple ( second best smoothness in opening I have seen in market period).

No hate here, but not a lot of knives I like as far as design goes either.
 
I have only owned 2 CRKT knives, An M-16 That I was really enjoying when it was stolen (good enough to steal). I haven't used the m-21-04 much but I really like it although too large for EDC. Once again, I feel for what I paid a good deal.
 
Like a few on this thread, CRKT was the first quality knife that I ever purchased. It was a Tighe Tac and cost me about $65 in a store in Boston. I loved that knife and carried and used it for years.

I have a lot nicer knives in my collection now, but I still am fond of the value crkt offers. I have a few, but the nicest one by a LONG shot is the new ripple I just picked up. I love that knife. Definitely the nicest crkt i've owned and worth far more than the $75 I paid for it. Opening and closing it is more addicting than any knife i've owned, and that includes my sebenza and my microtech otf's (ok, maybe not more addicting than a microtech, but still). It's so unbelievably smooth. Absolutely lives up to the hype.

I want an eros now.
 
I bought an M16-13T when they first came out with them. While in the USAF, I took that knife around the world and it never let me down. I carry that knife everyday and just in the last year started to carry other knives. I don't know what any other knife would have done that that one doesnt. Easy to sharpen, flipper works outstanding, zero corrosion and at a price that won't break the bank. Like many have stated here, CRKT makes good knives at a good price. The best thing CRKT could do is to make a few runs in S30v or 154CM. Problem is, the price would go up and it'd still be a CRKT. Looking at getting the Ignitor now.....well, maybe after that Leek gets here that is.
 
timberweasel said:
There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of love for CRKT on the forum. Cheap steel, poor fit and finish, shoddy chisel grinds, and they have a sea of low-end variants polluting their stock which seems to confuse the end-buyer… the complaint list goes on and on.

But is Columbia River Knife & Tool really all that bad (rhetorical question, btw)? I would submit that their price-points are actually quite reasonable for their product-grades. You pay twelve dollars and you get a twelve dollar knife. Caveat emptor applies.

I own two CRKT knives and am satisfied with them: a Ripple 1 and an M16-01KZ. I paid around $100 for the Ripple (love it) and about $25 for the M16 (it’s ok,) and feel that I got my money’s worth in both cases. I now have a couple of Drifters on the way. I simply don’t feel the hate for CRKT and would consider buying more.

So…

Let’s not discuss how crappy CRKT is. I’d like to hear about some Columbia River knives folks own and are pleased with. We may have a lot of lemons on hand, so let’s make some lemonade! :D




...or maybe this thread will quickly sink to the bottom of the pile due to lack of interest... :o
Click to expand...

I for one have definitely noticed differences in build quality between the different price tiers of knives.

For instance: I bought a CRKT M1610KZ EDC blade (black) thinking it would be the same as the slightly larger orange version they sell at REI.

Boy was I wrong. The knife I have, barely flips open, and if I loosen the pivot screw any more, the blade hits the liner when I try to close it. I called CRKT, they were prompt to send a new pivot screw out, but unfortunately it didn't fix the knife.

The REI version however opens super smooth, and just feels like it is built 100% better.

All in all though, I think all their blades are non usa made, and suffer in quality compared to other brands because of it. Truthfully, spyderco is the only non-usa made knife (besides european) that I own.
 
For what it's worth the M16 EDC pieces are absolute rubbish. There's a reason they're so cheap compared to the rest of the M16 series. Worst fit and finish I've seen on anything with their logo on it. It's like they made a knockoff of their own knife. :p
 
I have been pretty lucky with CRKT. I like them.

I've had CRKT M1 Lightfoot which was one of the best folders I've had in terms of design, ergos and factory cutting performance. I now have the Hissatsu folder which I really like for it's design. I just wish it was lighter but sturdy.

I do wish they'd offer higher grade steels and sturdier construction in general.
 
Currently I only have 2 or 3 CKRT knives including the Bear Claw [ half the price of Emerson's famous La Griffe and, because the Claw has a thicker handle, more usuable] and the now discontinued 'First Strike' tanto which is simply constructed, but seems to be as sturdy a fixed blade as anyone would ever need.
My local knife store is bringing in the entire line in the next week or so and I'm going to substantially increase the number of CKRT's I own. I think I'll start with the black blade Hissatsu, as cool a design as I've ever seen. I'm also lured by the folding Hissatsu, the Hammond ABC "operator", the 'Sting", the double hilt M-16s [ as CRKT says; a rarity for folders] And of course I really like the gigantic' Hisshou' and the yet to be released, slightly smaller, "Shinbu'. These last two knifes are really the only CRKT models that could be described as expensive. In fact CRKT products are so affordable I'm going to have to be careful not to run amok.
 
I just bought my first CRKT knife last week. It's an Ultima, 7" plain edge tanto blade. I guess they've been on clearance for some time and the handle intrigued me, so I pulled the trigger on one. I general, it's a great knife for the price. I'll carry it while bow hunting and it'll sure serve it's purpose. The handle is a bit rough on the hands, but far from slippery. Decent blade, I'd buy another CRKT if the design sparked my interest. I like that they have innovative designs.
 
GRIM 62 said:
I have a CRKT Crawford/Kasper folder,that my wife got me a long time ago.I liked it and carried it for awhile,but never used it to cut anything.It did take a real good edge though,and was a smooth opener.Still have it.
Click to expand...


I also have a Crawford/Kasper that I carried and used for years until I let the clip get loose and lost. Spent several years & lots of money trying to find a replacement I liked as much (Kershaw Cyclone is nice, but not as big & Spyderco Resiliance came too late [it now shares EDC time with the Crawford tho]). Finally found one as new for sale on a forum board. Also bought 2 of the dark blade new models off ebay, not as heavy or smooth, but a close imitation. The M21 SF & the Hammond Cruiser are ok for the price, and the large Natural is solid and well made, but that thing...WEIGHS...A...TON.

As many have already said CRKT knives are what they are, not the best but not the worst.
 
I had a CRKT Halligan's H.U.G. and I really liked it. I know the knife steel was crap (420J) but I didn't care. Lost it somehow. This thread has me wondering if I can find another one for very little money.

Other than the knife steel being crap it was quite nice.

Also had a Rollock by them. Fun little thing. Once again crap bladesteel but it was pretty much the only way I was going to get something with that lock.
The lock system didn't really work very well and it had a bit of wobble. Ended up making someone else happy with it.

I've held some other designs by them that I'd like to own but either had other priorities with $$ or didn't have any spare cash.

They're a bit on the pricey side over here in the NL but that's the distributor's fault not CRKT's.

In short. I know they're not the best. But they do deliver some very cool very outlandish designs for good prices that most manufacturers would touch. I have a soft spot for them.
 
singularity35 said:
What are your experiences with the CKRT M4 Stag?

ckrtstagm4.jpg
[/URL] Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]
Click to expand...

Just got one (bone handle: they were out of the stag :( ) a couple of months back. Every bit as well made as the original M4 (have 2 of those, too - excellent knife that was a shame to see dc'd). They are slightly more rounded on the edges and a little bit smaller - nicer for edc - and the look is great!

I highly reccomend getting one!
 
The only CRKT experience I have was years ago with one of the M16 models, I think the EDC(bought at wally world).

This was after a long period of time where I had totally lost interest in knives, and it was cheap. Unfortunately, the "scary thin" liner lock failed, resulting in a very deep cut on my ring finger, nearly to the bone.

Still not quite sure how I managed to cut myself like that, but I immediately took it back to WM and returned it for a Leek that was immeasurably better. Too bad, since I lost the knife at work a few months later.

This was a blessing in disguise, as after that I found this site (among others) and discovered the magic of Benchmade, with a full sized Grip from Cabela's in D2. I've been addicted ever since.
 
Ive had great experiences with CRKT in the past. My M21 was one of the toughest and most well-designed knives Ive owned, to include Spyderco, Strider, Emerson and the rest.
 
glockfire said:
Ive had great experiences with CRKT in the past. My M21 was one of the toughest and most well-designed knives Ive owned, to include Spyderco, Strider, Emerson and the rest.
Click to expand...

Me too. The M21's are great, and I have the full set of Operation Iraqi Freedom knives with the Ti-Ni coating. Also have an M1, and both style bear claws, which are great neck knives. Maybe 6 or 7 others. Two of their knives, a Lake P.A.L. (now discontinued) and a Hawk DOG I bought converted to auto by DC Williams and have carried the PAL almost daily at work since 2003. I removed the scales on the converted Hawk to make it faster to work, and also have an unconverted version as well.

I have a pair of the Hissatsu's in satin and black, and was thinking about the Hisshou, but already have a CS Magnum Tanto 9" San Mai that is so freaking sharp it's scary and don't think the Hisshou is the same quality steel.

You get what you pay for, and to my mind the CRKT line gives you at least the value you pay for, and a bit more beyond that. And if you're at the beach and lose one it's not like your ZT, Emerson or Sebby got lost.

Norm
 
i own a
crkt edgie- decent knife i love the rubber scales on it, only gripe is that its hard to open but i love the sharpener built into the knife.

crkt m16 tanto- decent knife and for me its easy to sharpen but its pretty loose now. used it alot.

crkt m16 with spear point just bought it and its great. the flipper action is great.

crkt bull its a decent knife love the g10 but the flipper on it is hard to work.

crkt dogfish neck knife. its great, great size , came extremely sharp. also like the bottle opener on it for my bottled rootbeer i love to drink i'm partial to henry wienhardt's. also love the fish design and the sheath works great. one of my favorite knives.

crkt m21 its hard to flip the blade out. seems the blade is too heavy for this design, but i love the g10 scales and the veff serations.

they are hit and miss but still one of my favorite brands. and i never feel bad about buying one, they tend to be very affordable and i get bored of knives pretty quick.
i also dont make alot of money so it helps with my love of knives.
 
Last edited:
I've had several and my friends have as well. I still want a large M16 tanto. The Crawford Kasper folder was great. My buddy got their large chisel ground fixed blade. He was always happy with it, and I tried to talk him out of it a few times. They can have some issues, but the customer service took care of it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top