Why no love for CRKT?

B

Blacplastik

Joined
Sep 7, 2017
Messages
149
I keep wondering why no one here likes CRKT knives?
I understand they use lower end steel, but the designs and IKBS bearings make some fun and cool looking knives.
I'm really impressed with my new fossil knife I got in a great deal under $30 with a coupon.
 
I carried a M16-14SFG with Veff serrations for about 6 years. It was built like a tank and stood up very well to years of abuse. It is a great utility knife.
I switched to carrying a Spyderco K2 as my work knife. Both are extra large folders but the K2 carries better, although I can't bring myself to abuse it where as my CRKT seemed to be a glutton for punishment.
 
I don't think that its a case of no one liking them, rather that over time, as your value equations change, most members move away from them. If there is a design you like, by all means, don't let anyone stop you.

They are entry level knives, and when someone is starting off, there is nothing wrong with that. I'd hazard a guess that there are few members here who have not either owned or handled a CRKT or at the very least something comparable.
 
I bought 2 of them.
First was a small M16 flipper, forget model Num, it literally fell apart in a couple weeks from just flipping it. Garbage.
Gave them another shot with a Swindle and that one is a very cool, well made lower end flipper. If this model was done with even mediocre materials, it would be a must have.
The problem I have with them is they have some really sweet designs, but produce them as cheaply as humanly possible.
I don’t see any more for me in the future.
Joe
 
have a bunch from over many years. still like many of them for what they are. its the high prices for what ya get problem. they have quite a few great designs from great makers but build them cheaply overseas and charge to much.
 
I think the issue is that they have so many great designs, which they tend to excecute fairly poorly. They have some good models too. I had a skeletonized ti Eros and a Ripple and they were awesome. I gave the ripple to my neighbour at the time and lost the Eros. They were awesome knives though, well made and designed.
 
palonej said:
The problem I have with them is they have some really sweet designs, but produce them as cheaply as humanly possible.
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^That^

As far as I know they do pretty much all their production overseas, and in the cheapest places it can be done overseas.

I prefer US-made products generally but especially if it’s a US-based company. There are many other US companies in similar price ranges that produce here still. Though most companies do some outsourcing, it’s an exception with some companies.
 
Not sure, my cousin has had a few that seem to have been better than what I've experienced with Chinese Kershaw's.
Some of their stuff is kind of stuped looking, but I could say that about most modern folder makers.
 
I still carry my cheap free range hunter as a great lightweight around the yard knife. As of recently you could still get the folder with the fixed blade for <$30, and I'd venture to buy another before giving mine up. Considering a Ruger model as well, though I feel they're a bit too high $ for a 2nd brand name.

Their strength is what you get for your $
Their downfall us you're still only getting what you pay for.
 
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Blacplastik said:
I understand they use lower end steel, but the designs and IKBS bearings make some fun and cool looking knives.
Click to expand...

You actually address it I. Your OP, possibly even realizing you hit very close to the truth.

Lower end steels, combined with poor workmanship kill it for most here. Yes, they have some cool looking knives, but most people here value function and build quality over “cool looking.”

I don’t care how cool a knife looks if it fails.

Edit to add:
In my personal experience, their customer service is lousy to boot.
 
I have the small little flipper..forgot what it's called. I visited their facility in Oregon while there. Every knife they make is made overseas. I had to adjust the pivot on mine to get it to flip smoothly.
 
There are highs and lows in all knife brands.
Let's just say, some other brand is riding the wave now.
They'll be back in the limelight
Just as soon as they pull some fancy awards.
To some extend, An up trend in brands are related to media hype.
Afterall it was CRKT which made it acceptable and
Even trendy to buy "made in Taiwan" tacticool.
I wouldn't disregard their influence in buying trends just yet.
 
Well when I first became bitten by the knife fever, the CRKT M-16 is what I bought.I then progressed to Spyderco and then ever upwards. I almost bought that tacticool Wakizashi that CRKT made, it was 200 dollars so I never did.
 
Back in the 1990s I bought about every CRKT I could. Then they started using low end materials & I stopped. About a year ago I sold all of them, don't really pay attention to them now.
 
They do a lot of cool collaborations that interest me but many of them are rather entry level. I think a lot of us would rather see some of those collaborations done at a slightly higher level. Collaborations between custom makers and production companies let us average folks afford them but CRKT's interpretations of many of them do not do them justice in my opinion.
 
I was interested in several of their folders but lost respect after researching the LAWKS system which is a ugly band-aid trying to cover over a weak lock . Contrast with Cold Steel's Triad - brilliant , simple and nearly indestructible . But even CS doesn't get the love it deserves on BF . Just too common and low end ?
 
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I had one of their liner locks, back when they were a new company (close to 20 years ago), where the lock failed on my index finger needing 3 stitches and causing many years of minor nerve damage. This was before they came out with LAWKS. So, I don't trust their liner locks (I dislike frame/linerlocks in general), and I can never trust a lock that requires another lock to be considered safe.

Things change, blah blah blah, and I'm not overly adverse to buying another CRKT if the design and lock intrigues me. That has yet to happen though.
 
Their steel choices aren't "lower end" there unsuitable for good cutlery.

Owned a couple of their simpler designs (k.I.s.s. And .h.u.g. And several others.) And while they were decently made they wouldn't take or keep an edge worth a damn. Which is not surprising considering they used aus4 and 3cr13mov in a lot of their knives. Those are great steels.....for bolsters.
 
DocJD said:
even CS doesn't get the love it deserves on BF . Just too common and low end ?
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I feel the same way about Cold Steel that I do for CRKT: some good designs but basically a mass importer of cheapest-they-can-make-it blades. I have other companies I’d rather do business with in the same price ranges.
 
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