Why Buy a CRK?

007Airman said:
They have positioned themselves in the middle of the road where next level less expensive knives are passing them by with tighter CNC tolerances and the same quality materials plus in many cases much better steel.
I recently picked up watch repair as a hobby, if you work under magnification you will only be lying to yourself to say CRK is really better than the average ZT in precision and materials.
Click to expand...

This pretty much disqualifies your purported knowledge of the subject matter sir. It is patently false.
 
Last edited:
I walk in to my local knife store and see all the expensive ZTs . I don't know is it Canadian dollar or what. All our spydercos went up in prices these ZTs are reaching 500 mark. Everything costs an arm and a leg. Then you got these Chinese fakers, I mean makers with their nonsense commanding top dollar.
And finally I see this insingo inkosi and all of a sudden It doesn't look that pricy to me anymore and just makes sense to get. Of course because I also got the 21 drop point and I know these are great knives.
I guess you can say I can see value in these, but if you don't I can't help.
I see a nicely made ZT and then I look at that small stop pin. Just like in your Kershaw. Maybe you don't need a powerful looking stop pin lol, although isnt it going for "overbuilt" look?. That's the kinda feature or the lack of though given about it that makes the whole knife look cheap to me.
 
Last edited:
Bob6794 said:
Sebenza looks like it would be a good knife, but I don't value fit and finish and all that to the degree it takes it to and the premium it demands for it.

I'd rather take my Kabar Dozier with bad fit and finish for $20 and bring a small DMT credit card or my Lansky dog bone sharpener and beat the crap out of the knife. I won't feel bad about doing this to the Dozier but I would not dare do it to a sebenza with how much they cost. The small sharpeners negates any real advange high wear resistant steels have as a quick minute on the stone and your back in business.

It's one of those to each their own. I'm not the targeted customer but I understand sometimes you want to splurge on something higher quality. And I'm quite happy someone can fill this niche part of knives this well even if I won't ever buy one.
Click to expand...
I understand that fit and finish doesn't mean something to you, but it does to me. There's something about a mastery of engineering, machining perfection, coupled with mechanical beauty that I just absolutely adore in the knife world. I don't think I'd personally ever have a Dozier myself, but I respect them for what they are.

I like your approach to it however. We are all a target market for certain kinds of knives/brands/styles and we all like what we like. Thanks for your thoughts!
 
Sergeua said:
I walk in to my local knife store and see all the expensive ZTs . I don't know is it Canadian dollar or what. All our spydercos went up in prices these ZTs are reaching 500 mark. Everything costs an arm and a leg. Then you got these Chinese fakers, I mean makers with their nonsense commanding top dollar.
And finally I see this insingo inkosi and all of a sudden It doesn't look that pricy to me anymore and just makes sense to get. Of course because I also got the 21 drop point and I know these are great knives.
I guess you can say I can see value in these, but if you don't I can't help.
I see a nicely made ZT and then I look at that small stop pin. Just like in your Kershaw. Maybe you don't need a powerful looking stop pin lol, although isnt it going for "overbuilt" look?. That's the kinda feature that makes the whole thing look cheap to me.
Click to expand...
Alright, I think you might have pushed one of my buttons here. When we are talking Chinese makers, makers such as We Knives and Reate are Chinese and are absolutely KILLING it in the knife game. They make some really great knives and that is simply unquestionable. With that being said, CRK has earned a reputation and it seems to me he has earned his price point, even if I haven't handled one. Many have nothing but good to say of CRK, so I respect that. ZT and Kershaw are respectable as well in their own regards!
 
sfknifeguy said:
Alright, I think you might have pushed one of my buttons here. When we are talking Chinese makers, makers such as We Knives and Reate are Chinese and are absolutely KILLING it in the knife game. They make some really great knives and that is simply unquestionable. With that being said, CRK has earned a reputation and it seems to me he has earned his price point, even if I haven't handled one. Many have nothing but good to say of CRK, so I respect that. ZT and Kershaw are respectable as well in their own regards!
Click to expand...
Bro I'm taking about knives like this one
s-l300.jpg

That people bring up in comment section of YouTube talking down about CRK.
They are like omg bearings m390, carbon fiber. Why would I pay for sebenza when this thing is a steal at 300. But to me it's a waste of 300.
I have one clone for 60 us and its impeccable with cf and everything. Those CNC machines are indeed amazing. However, I can wedge something in the lock of my sebenza, that's on washers, so that the blade is free with nothing helping it and you won't detect any side to side with it, while it's dropping freely. No disrespect to your reate and we, I just think there are a lot of Chinese products appearing that don't offer you that Chinese discount. I'm probably wrong on many levels lol, no offense, but CRK is quality product with warranty support and are worth their weight.
For 1 folding knife for life, for multiple situations to live in your pocket it's a good choice.

Not even mentioning the way the blade is ground...
 
Last edited:
Sergeua said:
I walk in to my local knife store and see all the expensive ZTs . I don't know is it Canadian dollar or what. All our spydercos went up in prices these ZTs are reaching 500 mark. Everything costs an arm and a leg. Then you got these Chinese fakers, I mean makers with their nonsense commanding top dollar.
And finally I see this insingo inkosi and all of a sudden It doesn't look that pricy to me anymore and just makes sense to get. Of course because I also got the 21 drop point and I know these are great knives.
I guess you can say I can see value in these, but if you don't I can't help.
I see a nicely made ZT and then I look at that small stop pin. Just like in your Kershaw. Maybe you don't need a powerful looking stop pin lol, although isnt it going for "overbuilt" look?. That's the kinda feature or the lack of though given about it that makes the whole knife look cheap to me.
Click to expand...
You have no idea what you're talking about :rolleyes:
 
Alsharif said:
You have no idea what you're talking about :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I just have more refined taste, it's all good.
You know I'd rather get me some CKF that are still made in china by "fake it to make it" but they have more exclusivity to them and are made by good Russian designers vs something with no soul.
I guess there are some colabs with known designers, but I just don't care to be politicaly correct today and talking about one aspect of things.
 
Last edited:
^^Those are some refined words ^^
Like I said I'm out of here. Don't have to like me.

p.s
I'm rocking endura right now, cuz this frn is hella pristine and the action is drop shut and even assisted.
 
Last edited:
Sergeua said:
Bro I'm taking about knives like this one
s-l300.jpg

That people bring up in comment section of YouTube talking down about CRK.
They are like omg bearings m390, carbon fiber. Why would I pay for sebenza when this thing is a steal at 300. But to me it's a waste of 300.
I have one clone for 60 us and its impeccable with cf and everything. Those CNC machines are indeed amazing. However, I can wedge something in the lock of my sebenza, that's on washers, so that the blade is free with nothing helping it and you won't detect any side to side with it, while it's dropping freely. No disrespect to your reate and we, I just think there are a lot of Chinese products appearing that don't offer you that Chinese discount. I'm probably wrong on many levels lol, no offense, but CRK is quality product with warranty support and are worth their weight.
For 1 folding knife for life, for multiple situations to live in your pocket it's a good choice.

Not even mentioning the way the blade is ground...
Click to expand...

It's not completely pointless, ignoring the brand part. Let's say random brand has good fit and finish and quality control and if they have components they view as superior to what CRK is offering for less money their personal opinion isn't wrong.

It's personal opinion, we all have different tastes and value different things. They may not like the knife design you like or be able to tell the difference in fit and finish or even care.

I can see the argument on steel choice to, for the price you pay some of us want the absolute best and it's not viewed as that anymore. I can get s35v knives made by Buck for $50-100 and I doubt any of us can argue they won't make good users. So the percieved value for the steel choice isn't really there.

Some people swear by bearings but to each their own. I came back after a haiatus and it seemed like bearings we're all the rage as it was non existent before.
 
Sergeua said:
I'm rocking endura right now, cuz this frn is hella pristine and the action is drop shut and even assisted.
Click to expand...

Personally that would have been my vote for 'Gold Standard' in modern pocket knives.

There are knives with better tolerances, knives with better fit and finish, knives with more exclusive materials, and certainly knives that cost more; but when it comes to being a modern one-handed locking single blade pocket knife the Spyderco Endura does everything such a knife should do. The spydie hole is (IMO) the best one hand deployment method available; and the spydie hole with the location of the lock on the lockback makes it easy to close the knife one handed in a controlled manor without snapping or risking cutting your thumb. Engagement of the lock is positive, disengagement likewise positive. VG-10 is the standard steel and while it's not my favorite, it'll cut just fine. There are certainly knives that are more expensive, more rare, and built to higher standards; but I can't think of any knife that is functionally superior to the Endura as a modern one-handed single blade locking knife.

Then again, no one has ever accused me of having refined tastes.
 
Officer's Match said:
This pretty much disqualifies your purported knowledge of the subject matter sir. It is patently false.
Click to expand...

Well you would have had to run a CNC machine to know that I am absolutely correct, micrometer precision is simply the standard now in the knife world without exception and is only getting better.
Even hand made knives like my old yuna are as precise as crk.
While CRK owners may believe they have reached a pinnacle of machining they are falling behind and the proof is on shelves and in pockets all over the world. CRK owners are just blind and overly emotional, been there done that then I opened my eyes.
I always find input based on emotion to be hilarious, I prefer to make decisions based on facts.
 
Sergeua said:
Bro I'm taking about knives like this one
s-l300.jpg

That people bring up in comment section of YouTube talking down about CRK.
They are like omg bearings m390, carbon fiber. Why would I pay for sebenza when this thing is a steal at 300. But to me it's a waste of 300.
I have one clone for 60 us and its impeccable with cf and everything. Those CNC machines are indeed amazing. However, I can wedge something in the lock of my sebenza, that's on washers, so that the blade is free with nothing helping it and you won't detect any side to side with it, while it's dropping freely. No disrespect to your reate and we, I just think there are a lot of Chinese products appearing that don't offer you that Chinese discount. I'm probably wrong on many levels lol, no offense, but CRK is quality product with warranty support and are worth their weight.
For 1 folding knife for life, for multiple situations to live in your pocket it's a good choice.

Not even mentioning the way the blade is ground...
Click to expand...
Just saying, I own that knife, it's definitely not 300 bucks lol. The most expensive version, with m390 is 250. The Damascus version is 208 I think. Exaggeration hurts your point.

It's definitely a nice knife and well worth the price.
 
007Airman said:
While CRK owners may believe they have reached a pinnacle of machining they are falling behind and the proof is on shelves and in pockets all over the world. CRK owners are just blind and overly emotional, been there done that then I opened my eyes.
I always find input based on emotion to be hilarious, I prefer to make decisions based on facts.
Click to expand...

I'm a CRK owner and am neither blind nor emotional about it at all. Truth be told, I couldn't care less who likes or dislikes CRK. All I care about is the excellent use and durability I've gotten out of mine. Other knife companies also put out great knives, which I use, too. I never tell a naysayer they 'need' to try a CRK, because they don't appeal to everyone. Do I think CRKs are perfect? No; nothing made by man is perfect. If someone really wants one, they can try one for themselves; if not, look elsewhere. There's plenty of other choices out there.

What I find pretty funny are some of the responses of some CRK haters out there, which in themselves are emotional. Such a waste of energy.

Jim
 
007Airman said:
Well you would have had to run a CNC machine to know that I am absolutely correct, micrometer precision is simply the standard now in the knife world without exception and is only getting better.
Even hand made knives like my old yuna are as precise as crk.
While CRK owners may believe they have reached a pinnacle of machining they are falling behind and the proof is on shelves and in pockets all over the world. CRK owners are just blind and overly emotional, been there done that then I opened my eyes.
I always find input based on emotion to be hilarious, I prefer to make decisions based on facts.
Click to expand...
First of all, I have professionally not just run CNC equipment, I've written code for them as well. Secondly, no other knife manufacturer even attempts to hold the tolerances that CRK routinely demands. You simply do not know what you are talking about here. You have a history of badmouthing CRK products, and frankly are not credible where they are concerned.
 
007Airman said:
I have owned several. They are no better than the myriad of nicer modern CNC made folders out there. Their claim to innovation is diminishing daily as the next high end maker puts out the next greatest knife.
They have positioned themselves in the middle of the road where next level less expensive knives are passing them by with tighter CNC tolerances and the same quality materials plus in many cases much better steel.
I recently picked up watch repair as a hobby, if you work under magnification you will only be lying to yourself to say CRK is really better than the average ZT in precision and materials.
Click to expand...


Can any other manufacturer say this?

Chris Reeve Industry awards

  • 1987 Knifemaker's Guild of Southern Africa "Best Folding Knife" (Sebenza predecessor)
  • 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 "Manufacturing Quality Award"
  • 2003 "Collaboration Knife of the Year" ("The Green Beret Knife", a collaboration between CRK and William Harsey, Jr.)
  • 2005 "Collector Knife of the Year" ("21st Anniversary Sebenza")
  • 2006 Grays Sporting Journal "Gray's Best" Award
  • 2007 "American Made Knife of the Year" ("The Pacific Knife", a collaboration between CRK and William Harsey Jr.)
  • 2007 "American Made Knife of the Year"
  • 2008 "Overall Knife of the Year" ("Umnumzaan")
  • 2008 "Field and Stream "Best of the Best" ("The Pacific Knife")
  • 2009 "Kitchen Knife of the Year" ("Sikayo")
  • 2010 "Overall Knife of the Year" ("Ti-Lock", a collaboration between CRK and Grant & Gavin Hawk)
  • 2018 "American Made Knife of the Year®" ("Impinda")
  • Source - Wikipedia
 
For me what makes CRK special is the precision, simplicity and longevity. The thing that gets me the most are the components that are really built to go the distance even the 21 is built to last to a greater degree than most of the hard use folders out there. The Inkosi is even more so.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top