Would you say Reate is close to CRK quality?

Wolverine666

Wolverine666

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Dec 7, 2009
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I’m considering buying my first Reate. It’s actually a Liong Mah Designs Field Duty which is manufactured by Reate. Looks great. Right up my alley.

To those of you who have firsthand experience with Reate and CRK , would you say that Reate is close to CRK in terms of quality/fit and finish?
 
I'd say they're certainly close. And they may be even if you consider that CRK rarely ever does anything new, so you would expect with a limited series of models that they rarely make changes to that it would be perfectly dialed in.

Reate has a lot more variety and regularly does new designs, so I would say they don't have the same sort of institutional manufacturing quality that comes from making basically the same thing for 30 years.
 
Nice. And I realize that the knives in question are very different (Reate Field Duty and CRK) design-wise. My main concern is that I want the quality to be there.

I was looking at picking up a new Sebenza , then I came across the Firld Duty and it just rang my bell.
 
My sample is very small - just one for each (Horizon D CF/TI vs large Sebenza 21). The Reate was better than the Sebenza in most aspects except two: ease of disassembly and retaining value. Considering everything, however, if I have the $$$ to burn I will still choose CRK and more specifically, a large Sebenza with wood inlay.
 
At the risk of summoning the cult with their torches and pitchforks I'd that that if anything I think the quality of my Reate-made Mini Bodega is higher than the quality of the CREWK knives I've owned (a handful of Sebenzas).
 
evilgreg said:
At the risk of summoning the cult with their torches and pitchforks I'd that that if anything I think the quality of my Reate-made Mini Bodega is higher than the quality of the CREWK knives I've owned (a handful of Sebenzas).
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Just out of curiosity... In what specific ways did you find the M-B to be higher quality than your Sebenzas?
 
I think Reate and some other makers are definitely close to CRK in terms of general build quality.

The one thing about CRK for me is their folders (Seb/Inkosi/Zaan) all feel like they are a solid piece of metal/Ti in my hand when opened. I have never experienced that with another maker. WIth other knives, it's always clear there is a frame and a blade held together by a pivot. You can tell they are all separate pieces. With CRK, I just don't get that feeling.

I know that sounds odd but that's just me. Also, I'm sure some people would feel the exact opposite of my opinion above about the knife feeling like a solid piece of metal being a good thing. Not sure there is a right answer.
 
Stumpy72 said:
Just out of curiosity... In what specific ways did you find the M-B to be higher quality than your Sebenzas?
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Just a gut feeling thing. It has a feeling of stout tankiness while simultaneously being smooth and tight. Everything that should be rounded off feels pleasantly rounded off. Joints match up exactly. The wacky blade grind is perfectly symmetrical. The action is ridiculously smooth without a hint of blade play. The entire handle is textured enough to always be grippy without ever feeling rough. The details all seem just right.

It's an oddball little knife, really. It feels absolutely perfect but stylistically so over the top and splashed with silly details that reduce functionality (e.g. a fuller with speed holes to make sure crap gets stuck in the knife if you use it). It's a novelty to me, but the thing reeks of quality when it's in your hand. It feels like a stout, smooth perfect little machine.
 
Yeah Reate is putting out some high quality stuff. Only issue I've seen is that their swedges aren't always symmetric. They need to remedy that.
 
aleforme said:
The one thing about CRK for me is their folders (Seb/Inkosi/Zaan) all feel like they are a solid piece of metal/Ti in my hand when opened. I have never experienced that with another maker. WIth other knives, it's always clear there is a frame and a blade held together by a pivot. You can tell they are all separate pieces. With CRK, I just don't get that feeling.
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Weird, I get the same feeling you describe above much more from my Mini Bodega than I do from say, my small Insingo.
 
evilgreg said:
Weird, I get the same feeling you describe above much more from my Mini Bodega than I do from say, my small Insingo.
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Haven't handled a Bodega yet but they've always intrigued me. Might have to try one out now.
 
(Typical BF response) O just save up and spend another $200 and get a Koenig.

But seriously now, that Reate does look very nice. I have no experience with them but I see where you’re coming from.
 
I just discovered the Tashi Bharucha Heat Seeker on Massdrop. Made by Reate. Reminds me of the integral they did called the Future. The Heat Seeker is not an integral but does have an integral backspacer. I really like it.
 
evilgreg said:
Just a gut feeling thing. It has a feeling of stout tankiness while simultaneously being smooth and tight. Everything that should be rounded off feels pleasantly rounded off. Joints match up exactly. The wacky blade grind is perfectly symmetrical. The action is ridiculously smooth without a hint of blade play. The entire handle is textured enough to always be grippy without ever feeling rough. The details all seem just right. It's an oddball little knife, really. It feels absolutely perfect but stylistically so over the top and splashed with silly details that reduce functionality (e.g. a fuller with speed holes to make sure crap gets stuck in the knife if you use it). It's a novelty to me, but the thing reeks of quality when it's in your hand. It feels like a stout, smooth perfect little machine.
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OK--so it’s more of a visceral or intuitive feeling thing than a specific issues thing. Your M-B description is actually surprisingly similar in many ways to how I’d describe my Olamic 247. I let a nearly NIB Reate-Made Bodega with a super price slide past me on the Exchange a few months ago and I’ve been kicking myself in the ass ever since. All that being said, I’m still partial to my Sebenzas. The blade centering and lack of play are magnificent and the ease and speed of disassembly, cleaning and reassembly are impossible to complain about. That CRK thumb stud is admittedly something that doesn’t inspire undying love, but the Seb is still the best all-around package that I have. IMO it’s a slicker, sleeker piece than my Reate Hills--which it should be, since it cost a lot more.
 
That’s another thing about the Field Duty , it’s only $400. Not that that’s cheap , per se. But compared to say a Large Sebenza 21 , it seems like a bargain.

For me , a high end ti framelock non-flipper under $400 = :)
 
My only issue with either company is the overwhelming Titanium-ness of everything (ok, most everything). I would be far more interested in both companies if there were more non-Ti handle options (and for CRK I mean the Sebenza, Umnumzan, Inkosi - and something other than the onlays). It is why I have been eyeing the Reate Crossroads a lot lately...
 
jceckrosh said:
My only issue with either company is the overwhelming Titanium-ness of everything (ok, most everything). I would be far more interested in both companies if there were more non-Ti handle options (and for CRK I mean the Sebenza, Umnumzan, Inkosi - and something other than the onlays). It is why I have been eyeing the Reate Crossroads a lot lately...
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Like a Knife Art Exclusive CF Sebenza or Inkosi?
 
Wolverine666 said:
I’m considering buying my first Reate. It’s actually a Liong Mah Designs Field Duty which is manufactured by Reate. Looks great. Right up my alley.

To those of you who have firsthand experience with Reate and CRK , would you say that Reate is close to CRK in terms of quality/fit and finish?
Click to expand...

I just picked up the Liong mah Warrior 2 V2 in micarta and I think it's actually nicer than my Lambert/Reate crossroads and Augustus and I didn't think that was possible. It's light, snappy and sharp with the tightest tolerances and looks amazing to me. Long story short, I think Reate is the nicest midtech production knife ever handled.

CRK is gonna hold value more if that is important to you.
 
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