Watched the CRK factory tour

• 
  Support BladeForums!
  Paid memberships don't see ads!

Watched both parts on the Blade HQ youtube as a poster in another thread suggested to me to do ...
My takeaway as new to the brand: You certainly get what you pay for with a CRK! I was surprised as how small his plant is and how they pay so much attention to every knife they produce.
Chris Reeve is the embodiment of how successful small business’s make up the fabric of our economy. I’m glad his iplant is in Idaho instead of South Africa.

He is certainly a no nonsense guy who drives his employees towards perfection as they produce his knives by hand in many of the assembly stages.
Interesting that a few of the posted reviewers on youtube videos on tips on caring for a CRK were basically stolen from the factory tour... like how their last step is to wipe the handles with WD40 for a better customer presention when the buyer opens the box for the first time (I just wiped mine down with WD)

Or how the tech lightly swirls the two washers on a sheet of sandpaper to get just the right custom fit. I can see better now how the washers on their own will seat and wear in shortly to loosen the blade. Even Chris commented there can be small variances with those washers so some knives are not going to have the exact same action initially. My blade is already swinging freely when I hold the lockbar off the blade after only a week (true, I’ve been walking around the house moving the blade to almost open and near closed a lot which sped up the seating process).

One thing I thought was odd though near the end around the last two minutes last min. or two of part II, Chris is talking on the background and a knife with inlays and its turning on the screen. It is showing the lockup at like 90%. Is this normal for certain CRK models?

Also, cool the way BladeHQ has other youtubes posted for us to meet the designers/owners like Ken Onion, Spyderco etc.

And thx to the poster who pointed me to that CRK factory tour.

 

Thanks for that reply. I’ll post a pic of a screen shot later. Its a new completed knife. It caught my eye as it had wood inlays and looks the same as the one I have arriving today. Both my current 21’s have early lock up around 20%. Thats why I thought maybe lockup is model specific. Also was interesting watching how the tech grinds each blade edge freehand and how Chris designs the blade to be a little thinner just behind the edge to compensate for future sharpenings.

 

View attachment 886694 View attachment 886694

No, didn't have too. And thanks for being so concerned about "my" knife. I know you are only asking to show your buddies how cool it is to try and pile on the new guy and see how many likes you can generate from your followers.
Point is by asking questions and learning here (which is why Im here) as stiff as it arrived to me and it was only born 9/16 . . . after I took it apart and cleaned (who knows what they previous owner may have used (KY for all I know ) on it then I applied a little Finish line extreme fluoro grease (which many say is the same or similar as the CRK) then I applied a few drops of Nano oil to the grease. Got those recommendations from a few nice members in my other thread. One would think it would have been looser already being its a year old, but from its condition I doubt the previous owner opened and closed it a lot hence it was still stiff.

After walking around the house for a few days opening and closing it constantly (my wife thinks I trned into michael myers from halloween) the blade now swings free when I take the lockbar pressure off. I'm not saying the combo made the difference it was probably more of what others have noted just give it time for the parts to seat and the washers eventually loosen up a little. Chris also mentioned this in his vid I think when he was standing over the tech who was swirling washers around on sandpaper as he was custom fitting the blade to the handle.

My first Sebenza a small 21 had the exact same blade stiffness, it too is a year or two old. and the blade was not centered. I could not get it centered. So I sent it off to the spa. But never again, It ticks me off to lose it for so many weeks. I still don't have it back yet. I can put my own edges on with my WE system and watching vids on assembly and disassembly I can adjust anything myself in the future.

Point of fact my 3rd 21 (a 2nd large one) came a few hours ago. Perfect condition, gorgeous knife (born May/2017), I thought it was coming as the grey sand blasted finish, but it only is grey on the edges as its a shiny silver, I have not looked up what they call this finish yet, God forbid I should ask that in the forums as it will only serve to have the bats come out of the woodwork .

But this silver finish really is a nice contrast with the Beechwood inlays. I was really taken aback when I opened the box as in person its that gorgeous to me at least.
But this Knife has a free swing blade already! Snaps open like a flipper with just a flick on the thumbstud.

I'm sure (and I see this in threads) that a lot of new owners of a CRK find they hydraulic action of the blade extremely disappointing and send it back if bought online or re-sell it here. I would have if members didn't take the time to teach me about how a CRK has to get broken in. If we buy a knife thats a few years old already (unless it was a safe queen) what is a layman to the brand supposed to think about his $400 to 600 purchase. Thats how I felt about it and I have a dozen folders of varying brands.

I wonder how many D*ckheads have chased new owners out of keeping a CRK.
Many times these swell individuals start with: dont take this wrong or Im just t
rying to help you . . . thanks, but no thanks. Who even knows if they even own a CRK?

Pic of today's 21 with inlays attached.

Im on my way to my son's house in a few minutes, he lives 15 minutes north of me. He's 42 and owns few folders the best being an Osborne 940-2s that I picked up here for him. I'm going to gift him the PJ large 21 as a surprise rahter than re-sell it.
I can't see ever parting now with a CRK . . . I'm sure there are a few more in my near future.

P.S. if I sound arrogant at times . . . I've always lived by "You F with the Bull, You get the Horns . . . but I'd rather just banish the clowns to ignore and its made this forum so much more pleasant.