No other mfg? That's such an insult to many many other makers out there.
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Why Buy a CRK?
- Thread starter sfknifeguy
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Exactly my thoughts.You have no idea what you're talking about
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This is great for me to see! I actually saw a Large Inkosi for sale (or maybe it was a small), would you recommend I try one of those out as well as a Sebenza 21 or 25?
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That's exactly my thoughts on that knife. I think the Archaeo is flashy and functional. Good for the Chinese companies out there putting out great products too!
And yet people keep quoting me with emotionally charged opinions, kinda ironic?
Ajack60
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I'd suggest to see if you like the Umnumzaan first. Then you will know if CRK's are for you and go from there. If you like the size of the Umnumzaan, then the large Inkosi will be right up your alley for a second CRK. IMO, the Inkosi is the smoothest CRK out of the box.
The first CRK I owned was a right handed Umnumzaan. I tried to open it with my left hand and couldn't to save my life. Got rid of it. Being left handed, the Umnumzaan was the only right handed knife I couldn't open left handed. But, having one in hand and the feel of the knife made me venture after more CRK's. I finally scored a left handed Umnumzaan and never looked back. During my journey for CRK knives, I learned that it doesn't matter if one was made in 2000,2008 or 2018 they all feel the same. CRK has made subtle changes over the years but have never changed the quality. When Chris first introduced the Integral Lock (RIL), he didn't keep it for himself. He never tried to patent it. So, the knife world was free to use it.
The way I see it, the knife world is finally catching up with what CRK has been doing for the last 25+ years in terms of quality. That's why I buy CRK.
That was then this is now, watch what happens over the next few years.
Well, the Sebenza 25 is out of production, the Inkosi is the successor, so maybe better to try an Inkosi. (just easier to get)
Using this to touch on some other points related to it throughout this thread.
As far as catch up, and tolerances, and other knives narrowing the gap - it may be that CRK was just that far ahead, and now (as has been said) other manufacturers are narrowing the gap. But that doesn't mean that CRK has to find some way to jump way back out in front. Because that may not even exist. I see this in the compound bow world. People are dismayed that each year the bows only get a hair faster, or a tad bit quieter, or sometimes they don't get faster at all, they just get smoother or have less vibration. But that may be all that can be done. Some bow guys have said we may just be at the point where tech and manufacturing can't make any huge improvements in one area without sacrifice in another. Knives may just be reaching a plateau phase, where any real improvements get exponentially harder and more expensive. And those improvements could just be minor. How much more precise can the most precise machining get? How much smoother can flippers get? I would see steels as a front where improvements may still come in major ways, but I'm not a steel geek so I don't know. It may just be for some folks that the knife is about as good as it gets and will stay that way and has a great CS guarantee.
Anyway, so a lot of other makers are catching up or have caught up. Got it.
It doesn't really matter to me, since I don't like wacky over-milled scales, or care about flipper smoothness, or need all the best steels for my urban life.
I do appreciate the simplicity and understated elegance of a CRK folder. And I am late to the game. And I never got it until I held one. But they are damn nice knives. And they feel like a knife, not like a Transformer toy with a blade inside it.
It's ironic that you say others are emotionally charged, yet your need to badmouth CRK is emotionally charged in itself.
Of course there are other great manufacturers out there. Of my 3 favorite manufacturers, CRK isn't even my personal favorite. And I would hope by now that some other manufacturers of one-handed knives are catching up; it's taken long enough. Is it in every detail and component and longevity, as well as customer service? I would hope so, too.
Jim
vwb563
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To me Chris Reeve customer service is a major selling point over the competition. Need your handles refinished back like new? No problem. Need the blade re-sharpened or replaced? No problem. Need new bushing washers? No problem. Need the lock travel adjusted? No problem. Need a new pocket clip? No problem. These are just a few of the services offered by Chris Reeve Knives and ones that few others can even begin to match. A Chris Reeve knife is a lifetime knife.
You sparked my curiosity especially with the background with CNC machines. May I ask you why you believe CRK is unrivaled for their tolerances?
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This says it perfectly IMO. When I hold a CRK folder in my hand, it feels like a solid piece of metal. I can't feel the interactions and parts moving between the blade, pivots, washers, scales like you do in some knives. Yet they are still silky smooth. I hope that makes sense?
I get the same feeling from a Shiro even if it's on bearings. Everything is tight and secure yet still buttery smooth.
The only other knives that I have that come close to that are a Jarosz M75 and a Chuck Richards Counselor 2.0. Granted, I still haven't tried a few of the knives mentioned to be on par with CRK so maybe they are truly in or near the same level?
vwb563
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Murphjd25
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To me, personally, I much prefer the Large Sebenza over the Inkosi. I had a Large Inkosi Insingo at one time but ended up getting rid of it because IMO the XM-18 3.5 fit my hand much better then the Inkosi with its two finger cutouts, and just felt more natural then the Inkosi did. I’m carrying my Sebenza today.
marrenmiller
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I'm all for a well made knife, but I gotta say, it always sounds like hyperbole to me when people say their CRKs feel like a solid piece of metal. Maybe I had the wrong one, but my Umnumzaan just felt like a folding knife on washers. It admittedly was a very nicely made folder on washers, but it didn't feel any smoother or anything than other worn-in titanium frame locks with PB washers that I've had in the past.
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I have a very good friend who is not a knife collector, he is a user. He believes in using (not abusing) his knives as hard as they are meant to be used. He has a 15-year-old Sebenza That is used regularly. After 15 years as a working knife it was still very solid (good lockup, blade centering, no blade movement). It was ugly, but still very functional. He recently sent it in for a spa treatment and that thing is good as new. My next "big" knife purchase will be a large Sebenza. Watching him use his and see how his and how well it served him is testament enough for me.
I suspect the new school knife knuts may be looking for other qualities than what CRK has.
That was a leap forward knife. But now because of it's age it's become a "dad's knife"; the Buick of modern folders.
I don't think the new builders will try to match or exceed what makes a CRK. Instead they'll focus on what the new living through social media folks want. What makes the CRK knives great doesn't translate to their Instagram followers in the same way a purple rainbow recurve flipper that is one of five that they got via a lottery. The newer makers are going to pursue that demographic full speed.
There are good knives in that category also. It's just a different niche.
That was a leap forward knife. But now because of it's age it's become a "dad's knife"; the Buick of modern folders.
I don't think the new builders will try to match or exceed what makes a CRK. Instead they'll focus on what the new living through social media folks want. What makes the CRK knives great doesn't translate to their Instagram followers in the same way a purple rainbow recurve flipper that is one of five that they got via a lottery. The newer makers are going to pursue that demographic full speed.
There are good knives in that category also. It's just a different niche.
sharp_edge
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I am not a machinist nor a CRK fan (I bought one large sebenza and sold it shortly after). However, what you said is just not true based on MY experience of handling many folding knives of multiple brands. If I feel carefully, the 10+ ZTs in my collection all have slightly different actions. I don't need a loupe to see that their lockup % also varies. This is true for all Hinderers and Spydercos and Benchmades that I own/owned.
Micrometer precision might be true for watches and absolutely true for computer chips.
Insightful take on it. Looking at the CRK IG account, they haven't even posted since Jan 22, likely because they don't need to. They don't have social media auctions, or lotteries, or WIP porn shots for days and days. They look like they only post when something is going on. So I agree, a CRK probably does not have the flavor of the month like generating potential of some other knives - no exclusivity look at me value. CRK is not here to make someone feel like a beautiful and unique snowflake.
What's funny is a CRK shot garnered the most likes of anything I have put on my IG. So while CRK is not putting out a lot of content, it looks like CRK fans are looking for CRK content.
I dislike that type of system. People wanting things that only they can have, its dumb. It's smart for business though since those types of people are easily manipulated just look at supreme or funko pops. Put a limited on it, make it extremely hard to get, and these people go haywire...meanwhile, the people who really want one because its a nice item, are left in the dust lol.
To me, there is a huge difference between a company who makes such a great item that even in large quantities it sells out and is hard to get, versus a company who purposefully only makes a certain amount to attain that psuedo demand. False scarcity.
As for CRK, I plan to get one eventually