Which model is this?

Sigp210

Sigp210

Joined
Oct 8, 2004
Messages
124
Hi. This one is coming up for sale here in South Africa, and I was wondering what model it is?
Seems to have features from a few early knives. Mountaineer, Aviator etc. But nothing that is an exact match that I can find. Was it a very limited edition knife or an early prototype or....?
Appreciate any assistance. Pity it is engraved with a name, possibly when manufactured?
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No-one?
Can we agree that this should at least be a CR, maybe a very early version or prototype? The blade grind looks odd, but maybe from the very early days? What do you guys think?
And how much would having someone's name stamped on the blade affect value, when the rarity of the knife is taken into account?
 
This is just my opinion, but someone else's name on a blade is a value killer. No matter the knife, that name is a no no for me.
 
You can wait for someone who collects the fixed blades to chime in (I don't), or you can send the photo to CRK and I am sure they can tell you.
Sorry I can't be of more help
 
My suggestion is to contact CRK to see what they say about it.

Super rare, early production, or something else, etc... Hopefully, they will know.
 
I totally dis agree about the name. I'm a big Randall collector, and a name is not a deal killer. If factory applied, it can offer provenance , and possibly be used to date the knife. In a military style knife like that, it was most likely used by an armed forces member. It also has no effect on the utility what so ever.
 
Interesting.. At the first look, it looks like a MK I (9 "blade with sawback), but the MK I has not a single guard.. The serial number is very big, usually the numbers are too much smaller. But the serial number is very low, so it may be one of the first MK products in South Africa, and the first models of course are never "perfect"..
But as already said the guys, the best way is undoubtedly send photos to CRK, Alycia will be very kind and will help you..
 
Well...the knife is mine. Almost lost her to someone with a last minute bid that more than doubled the price. But I really wanted this one, to do some research into.
That blade grind near the guard really is very different from even those that we are told are in the first knives. Very "primitive" compared to the later ones. Wondering if it is really that early, and hoping it is something unique as part of the CRK history.
Guess I'll have to contact the company and ask if anyone remembers or knows this one. Wanted to ask if anyone can pm me a contact email for them. The site only has a contact form, and would prefer to get this inquiry to someone who will be able to help.
Thanks in advance. Will post better pics when it arrives.
 
I have always written to Alycia at this address: customerservice@chrisreeve.com, but i think it's the same..
If you send it to them, they can clean it, sharpen and make a new birthcard (important from a collector's point of view)..
And........ We will be happy to see more pics sir!!
 
Interesting piece of early one piece history! Yes, please post more pictures and info when you get it!
 
Got the knife today. I am very pleased with it. Unfortunately it does have some areas of finish wear on the front of the blade, but nothing too major and the rest of the knife is excellent. I wonder if the scabbard is a very early one too. Logo looks different, and the stitching is solid but yellow with age. Good condition too.
This one must have some serious age to it. No idea who it is named to, but appears to have been done on manufacture, and not added later. I am also told (without proof yet unfortunately) that this came from the collection of a SERIOUSLY high up member of the South African Army. About as high as you can go back in the border war days. Trying to get some proof of that fwiw.
I cannot recognize this blade grind at all. It is completely different near the guard from those that have been posted as part of the first 40 knives.
If this is one of the first 40 (http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-Blade-Steel-Timeline?p=12731316#post12731316) then where does this one fit in? Compare the grind. Has to be VERY early. End of the blade grind was not nearly as finished off or shaped.
I know...I will contact CRK for an answer, so just showing the knife here basically. But it is an interesting one to think about. Serial is 27. Wondering if that is 27 of this model, or 27th knife. Hope for an answer from them.

So after a day of looking at the knife, I am putting it away when I happen to look inside the scabbard. I see a little piece of paper down inside there. Get some tweezers out, and see the pics for what was in there for the past 30 or so years :D
Wonder why it was never filled in? Those telephone numbers are also waaaaay back, can't even remember when. I hope the address will help date it. Nice little bonus since there is no box or paperwork.

So here for your enjoyment...the Chris Reeve Puzzle Knife :-)

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Just did a rough (had to mirror flip the pic) comparison of the knife that has been posted as one of the first 40, and mine. Didn't match the scale completely. Mine has a 7" blade.
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This is a very particular one piece... I had never seen a model like this.. And also the warranty certificate, I had never seen that 2-sided form, too beautiful!! Also strange that the knife has only a lower guard, the sheat and the knife seem in excellent condition, apart from the tip that seems slightly marked. In my opinion, this is a very early South African one piece!
Anyway, if one day you decide to sell it, I would be really happy to have it in my collection!
 
Hi there! I'm new to Chris Reeve Knives. I bought my first one-piece knife last week, an Aviator. I also just watched a video on youtube called "The Exquisite Blade The Legend Of Chris Reeve Knives Part1 (English)".

At 13:13, Chris Reeve describes an early knife called the MKIII. It looks an awful lot like yours. No top guard, engraved with a name, numbered. At 13:18 it shows a freeze frame of the name-engraved side, and at 13:21 it shows the numbered side. It looks very similar to your knife, which is spectacular!!!

Please give it a look and see what you think.
 
And then Chris Reeve goes on to describe the MKIII further in comparison to the MKIV in the video when he talks about the MKIV. He mentions that the MKIII's cutting edge is lower with regard to the handle than that of the MKIV, which your knife also looks to show.
 
Flannel man, you are a genius!
Yes, at 13:18 that is exactly the same as my knife. Same lines etc. And a few seconds later, he turns it over and that one is serial #4 and mine is 27.
So this is a MK III, which was followed by the MK IV. Awesome to know some info and that video is a keeper. Going to download it now. Wonder when it was filmed?
I see that engraving a name was probably standard for those early MK III's. He says that they made 70 or 80 of the MK III's before they went on to the MK IV.
Thank you for that.
 
Sigp210, it's funny how I had just watched the video. I was like...I think I just saw that knife...lemme check. I don't know much about these knives yet, so I got lucky. That said, I love these knives, and I intend to get more of them. Your new knife looks like a very special one, and man alive, what a score!!!
 
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