What do you all think of the CRKT M18?

R

Rifter

Joined
Dec 15, 2001
Messages
774
Well? I just picked up a M16 03Z and love it, so I was thinking that the M18 would be even better, its got better steel than my current M16 plus it has G10 instead of Zytel. but most importantly its still got the Carson Flipper :) So, is the M18 a big improvement over the M16 or should i just keep my M16?
 
Well Rifter, I certainly do like it alot better. I too have a M-16, and picked up a M-18 in November. The fit and finish is excellent, expecially considering the cost. The recurve blade grind is crisp, and the frost-like finish is really nice. I bought the smaller version because it fit my hand better. I do have bid hands, but I found the large model just too big. The flipper has an extraordinary fun factor, AUS-8 steel is a vast improvement, and the LAWKS system is nice. The G-10 inserts look cool too!

I would say "Go For It". In my opinion, the M-18 is a vast improvement on the M-16. There is really nothing I dislike about it. And once again, for the price, it can't be beat.
 
I replied to a thread earlier in the week where a guy needed a new knife and folks were telling him to get an M16. I had just carried my M18 for the first day and I liked it so much it had almost convinced me to buy an M16. You cannot go wrong with this knife. I agree with everything rifter said except I went with the big version. Great design well executed. A few tool marks but the fit is excellent and the finish is very good. Much smoother action out of the box than my Emerson Raven that cost twice as much.
 
Just placed a order for a M18, i got the smaller version with black scales, plain blade. I'll let you guys know how i like it when i get it.
 
I did get it, last week, it just took a while cause they didnt have it in stock and had to order it in. I was just getting as feel for it before i responded. My thought on it are good so far, its just a better version of the M16, better steel(Aus 6M Vs AUS 8) and better handle material(that G10 grips like a mofo). The action is much smoother than my M16, and the liner seemes more solid. All in all if you like the M16 you will love the M18. Plus the flipper makes it FAST to open. The LAWKS system is also good, makes it impossible for the lock to fail. I would rate it a great bang for the buck, im sure more expensive knives are better, but for the price it's pretty good.
 
I received a M18-04 a few weeks ago as an upgrade to my M16-04 and have some comments to make both good and bad. I’ve been carrying the knife almost daily when on horseback and have used it for some skinning and other chores around home.

The point of the blade on the M18 should be more protected and sit deeper in the knife handle when it’s closed. I can open the knife by touching the point of the closed blade with my finger. That’s how shallow the point of the blade sits in the handle. The M18 sits deeper in the pocket when compared to the M16. A knurled screw like the one that holds the blade on the M16 would make grabbing the M18 easier when pulling it from the pocket. The knurled screw is also slotted rather that using a TORX head and would make field adjustments easier. I’m impressed with the LAWKS system on the M18. It works very well and is an improvement over none at all. The grooves on the flipper should be on the sides like on the M16 rather than the end to prevent the knife blade from opening from rubbing while in the pocket. The M18 handle is noticeably thicker than on the M16. This is due to both the G10 handle inserts and the inset liner lock spring. The liner lock spring is not as wide or as long as the one on the M16. Maybe the LAWKS system takes some stress off of liner lock. I would prefer the thinner and lighter skeletonized handle of the M16. However the enclosed blade may help prevent it from rusting from butt sweat. The M18 handle is much shinier than the M16. I prefer the more subdued look of the M16. The side of the handle with the pocket clip looks almost naked, just shiny metal. Maybe the whole M18 handle can be built of G10 in the future. The spacer in the handle does not sit quite flush with the side panels, as does the spacer on the M16. The G10 inserts are also not flush with the handle. The G10 inserts are rough enough that I have used them to file my nails. I like the shape of the M18 blade better than the M16, even after the blade has been ground to a clip point. The M18 blade is very heavy. Using the flipper, it opens easier and faster than the M16. The M18 blade is more polished than M16. It should resist rust better. Maybe someday I can find the perfect knife.
 
I really like my M18. My model is the large M18-04 with the blue G-10 inserts. The action is very smooth and the blade does open faster than the M16 if you use the flipper. In fact, mine opens as fast if not faster than any auto opener I've seen. I also like the frost finish of the AUS-8 recurved blade instead of the typical bead blast finish on most other CRKT knives. Mine came with a very polished edge and had a nick on the edge out of the box so I removed the nick on a medium grit Gatco Tri-Seps sharpener. While it doesn't have the the highly polished factory edge, it cuts better than when new. I like the way the blue G-10 looks and feels on the handle, but I would have like the same inserts on the clip side and I would have liked a larger lanyard hole. Other than that, I think it's a solid folder and a good buy for the money.
 
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