what are yall's opinion about the CRKT Crawfoed/Kasper Fighting folder

I am a little astonished about the weight doubts. I carry the large Crawford/Kasper clipped inside the waistband and it doesn’t bother me.

Horus
 
The Crawford/Kasper folder is a pure weapon and not thought as a tool.
Bob Kasper is a knife fighting instructor and he designed this knife for self-defense and not for e. g. hunting or survival tasks.
I think from this point of view the quality of the AUS6 steel is (regarding edge holding) of small importance.

Horus
 
Horus,

I carry in my pocket, not my waistband, so weight's an issue in light dress pants. In jeans it probably wouldn't be.
 
Update on my Kasper: The lock recently failed, leaving me with a nice cut on the web of my hand. Until CRKT fixes these lock issues, I'm not going to recommend them anymore.:mad:
 
Originally posted by Horus
The Crawford/Kasper folder is a pure weapon and not thought as a tool.
Bob Kasper is a knife fighting instructor and he designed this knife for self-defense and not for e. g. hunting or survival tasks.
I think from this point of view the quality of the AUS6 steel is (regarding edge holding) of small importance.
Click to expand...

Horus,
It's nice to have a pure knife fighting knife, but most of us use even the most tactical of blades for tasks like cutting up apples, opening the mail, breaking down boxes, etc. Edge holding is important, because - should you ever need to use the knife for something really important, it still needs to be sharp after performing those other tasks. (Usually, there's not time to stop and sharpen your blade).

Just because it's for fighting doesn't mean it can't be used for utility. And, I'll be darned if I'm going to carry a knife that big and heavy and not be able to use it for utility.

As for the weight issue, I figured out I could just about carry two spyderco endura lightweights + one spyderco dragonfly lightweight for the same amount of weight. Weight is an issue; the KFF isn't the only think I carry in my pockets, and it becomes a load after a while. That being said: I still carry it (at least in jeans, not dress pants).

I haven't had any problems with the lock so far. It passes the spine-whack test with flying colors without the LAWKS engaged. Was the LAWKS engaged when your's failed, Zombie? I've found it's very uncomfortable to use without the LAWKS engaged. I don't think the lock is the strongest of locks, but it could be worse. I believe I still prefer a good lockback, though (like the Endura's).
-- Rob
 
I've been cut twice because of lock failure. Once was while doing the spine whack test. I expected the Kasper to easily pass it based on how sturdy the rest of the knife is. On the second whack, my hand slipped just as the blade disengaged, leaving me with a nice cut. The second time, I had hit the back of the blade on something accidentally while holding it. Luckily the blade didn't penetrate the skin, just gave me a scratch. I'm in the process of sending it back to CRKT. I talked to Rod and he was very helpful. Note that this is the third CRKT I've had to send back. When I do my spine whack test, I simply let the weight of just the knife come down against an object. I don't add any force whatsoever. Using this testing method, the knife failed at least 80% of the time...more like 90%. I'm very dissapointed, especially since I love the Kasper design so much. Getting cut really pissed me off...almost through it out the window...Since I got cut on a skin fold, it would randomly bleed when I was using my hands alot. CRKT is ok if you get a good one.
 
thats about how i test mine, i mean i dont rear back and smack the $hit out of it as hard as i can on my bench (i bench press 300+) i just give it a good lite wack - wearing the steel glove my cousin the butcher gave me by the way- and my CRKT small and large kasper, and the custom may i add, all passed no problem - i do this always now since i had a SIFU fold up on me about a year ago, was lucky no stitches that time - but i guess i have been lucky w/CRKT, everything i have gotten has been top notch, certainly 100%worth the $$ - hope ya get 1 like mine next time bud, good luck- oh and i tested with the lawks, will try tomorrow w/out and see what happens - i just reflexivly engage lawks when opening, and hadnt thought of testing w/out lawks, but will, and will post results afterwards guys....


sifu
 
Razoredy, baraqyal

I carry all my knives, with the exception of two lightweight folders (Spyderco Native and Benchmade 350) and the CRKT Polkowski/ Kasper (which I screwed on a pair of suspenders), clipped inside the waistband.
After I had read your replies I carried the Crawford/Kasper folder a few hours in my pocket and I must admit that it became fast annoying me.
I revise my opinion, depending on where you clipped the knife, the weight is of importance.


baraqyal

I don’t like “all in one” knives. I always carry two knives, one only for self-defense and one as backup. The backup knive I use for cutting tasks.
I agree with you regarding the limited versatility of the CRKT Crawford/ Kasper folder.

Horus
 
Originally posted by Horus

I revise my opinion, depending on where you clipped the knife, the weight is of importance.

I don’t like “all in one” knives. I always carry two knives, one only for self-defense and one as backup. The backup knive I use for cutting tasks.
I agree with you regarding the limited versatility of the CRKT Crawford/ Kasper folder.
Click to expand...

I always carry a backup or three too. Usually, they're smaller knives, like an SAK or a small spydie. I try to keep cutting tasks down to a very minimum with the big knife, especially in public. Still I think people who carry multiple knives are somewhat unusual (not on the forums, just in real life). :) Even if the KFF is completly dull, it'll still make a good stabbing weapon, so I guess it doens't matter that much.

I'll have to try carrying it in my waistband. Maybe that would help. It's really not all that bad in the pocket of jeans, just other pants.

SIFU1, I think you're right about the rust - I haven't had any problems with it yet. I think I may have jumped to conclusions after I got one very tiny rust spot, which may not have been rust after all (flaked right off).

For me, I suppose the self-defense thing is a moot point. I've never had to draw any form of weapon or had a weapon drawn on me. I guess that's just Utah, though. I doubt very seriously I'll ever need a weapon beyond my pepper spray and my ability to run away quickly, at least with any luck. I still like to be prepared. The KFF makes for a nice utility knife, and it gives that "I've got a big-arse knife" feeling as well. :)

Zombie, was the LAWKS engaged when it failed during use? How about during your spinewhack test? I'll have to be more careful when trying that test - I've never had my hand slip up on the handle, but I can see how it would happen. (I did, however, once have the ball detent come flying out of my knife. That sure was a lot of fun).
-- Rob
 
No, the LAWKS was not engaged, I did this on purpose. When it is engaged, it's basically impossible to get it to fail. It should lock up fine without the LAWKS engaged.
 
Well,

It isn't a Sebenza, but for the money, especially for what you can get it for in the for sale forum or at 1sks, it is one heck of a deal.

I am not much for aus6m because it is soft, but is sure sharpens up easy enough.

CRKT is hard to beat $ for $ IMHO..

;) ;)
 
Here's what I think, a little more forthrightly. I know my view irrates some CRKT fans, but I feel it was fairly arrived at. It's well-designed for its niche purpose (I don't feel it's a great choice for a general utility knife, but that doesn't seem to be what it was designed for anyway). Its fit and finish is excellent, especially for the price -- typical CRKT great price/performance ratio on the execution.

With the LAWKS engaged, it appears it's a reliable choice. Though note that in extended testing, there are reports of the LAWKS eventually working itself off.

Without the LAWKS engaged, CRKT's liner locks have too many reports of failing for me to feel comfortable with them, especially on this particular model, which seems to have by far the most reports of failures. Yes, the knives are otherwise very well done, even for twice the price. But at some point there's a level of reliability below which no price makes up for. This knife has hit it for me, but it's up to each buyer to make up his mind on that. Whatever you do, I would suggest reading the Liner Lock Test FAQ and testing your particular knife out. Frankly, I do those tests on every knife I own, regardless of lock type. And bear in mind liner locks have a way of passing the tests one day, but as the liner wears and the geometry changes, failing them later on. Spyderco seems to have seen the exact same phenomenon, and plenty of other posters have reported seeing it.

If you are sure you will always use the LAWKS for harder use, in my view, this knife remains a solid choice.

Joe
 
well i performed a soine wack test on my CRKT kasper, med kasper, and point guard , with out the lawks engaged - the med kasper and the point guard passed, but the large kasper did fail, w/out a very hard wack either may i add - wow - i woulda thought if any failed it woulda been the point guard not the kasper? go figure.....should i return it?? what do you guys think??? oh and checked my crawford custom again, it was fine even w/a pretty good smack, my SIFU also was fine, along w/my BM AFCK


sifu
 
I would defiently send it back...I've had to send 3 back, two Kaspers and one Point Guard...just mailed out one today actually. Go to the CRKT web site to get the email address and tell them the problem, they were very helpful.
 
When you come right down to it, I don't think it's too far off to say that linerlocks aren't (on average) acceptable as self-defense knives. (For that matter, you can argue very persuasively that no folder makes a very reliable "fighting" knife.) To me, the LAWKS is the only thing that makes the Crawford/Kasper even worth considering as a self-defense carry blade -- and even then I use it as a general utility knife.
 
When I joined the forums, I was a died-in-the-wool CRKT fan. I owned 5 or 6. I'd carried my M16-14 for the better part of 18 mos, with a couple of those months devoted to the KFF.

I switched back to the M16 after reading an article about the knife fighting teaching of Michael deBethencourt, at the Sig Sauer academy. He is/was a strong proponent of holding the knife essentially backwards. Always with the blade facing the inside, rather than the almost universal outside. This makes a great deal of sense to me, because the majority of forces on the blade serve to keep the blade open, rather than cause it to close. The M16's design is very well suited to this, because of it's relatively flat edge/handle underside form.

I discovered a second inexpensive folder exactly like the M16 in that respect. That knife is the Outdoor Edge Magna. Both, of course, are Kit Carson designs. If I ever get weirded out by my regular carry linerlocks, I'll go to one or both of those knives.

I must just be lucky. I have spine whacked every folder -- except one -- I own, mostly CRKTs, and all have passed easily. The vast majority of those knives are liner locks.

The "heaviness" of knives is very subjective. It is well known that many prefer their knives to be "hefty." Guess I'm one of them. I only wear jeans, except twicein the last 2 years. The weight of no knife has bothered me in the slightest.

Grip is extremely subjective. I thought maybe they used my hand to model for the grip of the KFF. It still is the best-feeling knife I own to grip. I bought the Timberline Wortac. Well done knife. So uncomfortable for me, that I decided to not buy the REKAT Carnivore, the handle of which so closely resembles the Wortac. I had decided to go with the flow and abandon linerlocks. I worried a great deal about BM quality, so had decided on REKAT. Leaves me only BM's Axis Lock.

Recently, I bought both the Spyderco Wegner, and a large CRKT Apache. Both zoomed right to the top of my favorites list. The Wegner is a very utilitarian knife IMO. The Apache is the best-designed folder I've found for straight fighting. I bought a Sebenza. Fear of burglars made me wear it all the time. But, couldn't stand not to carry the Wegner and Apache. So, put the Sebbie in a sheath on my belt. Now, I alternate between the Wegner and Apache, and occasionally, the Calypso Jr. I can do that mentally, only because I have the Goddard Ltwt in the left pocket.

So, am still with liner locks, with some lockbacks thrown in. My Apache is dedicated solely to any potential combat needs. The Wegner could see some utility work, but I carry the Native when carrying those two, and it can handle virtually everything. Yah, so I carry too many knives. I'm finally comfortable and happy with the knives I am carrying.
 
I don't think that the liner lock is the problem. There are some really good liner locks out there...unfortunately CRKT does not produce any of them. Their QC must be really bad. A quality liner lock like the Military is extremely reliable.
 
I guess I'm just superstitious; the only folding knife I really trust is a good rocker-lock, like the Buck 110. I carried a Bucklite with a one-armed bandit all through college (this was just as knife folk were starting to discover the Spyderco; my first true one-hander was the original Endura), so I guess I'm a bit sentimental about that design.

Still, I don't think any folder can really be trusted in the "combat knife" role, but then, since I'm no longer a mall ninja, that's probably not going to be an issue for me.

;)
 
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