Showing posts with label CRKT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CRKT. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Unpack: CRKT's Kith and Razelcliffe

 

Receiving and unpacking knives is one of my favorite activities.

I just got two from Columbia River Knife and Tool and they are both winners.  The first knife is the Razelcliffe, designed by Jon Graham and the other, the Kith, designed by Ken Steigerwalt.

CRKT Razelcliffe, Cool Knives
The top is the Razelcliffe and the bottom the Kith.

The Kith is a locking folder with a 3-inch blade ground from 8CR13MoV stainless steel.  It is a good knife steel, especially for a working knife.  Compared to D2 (you'll see why later), D2 tends to have more edge retention and hardness than 8Cr13MoV but is more expensive and less corrosion resistant.

The Kith utilizes a front lock set in the 3.75-inch glass-reinforced nylon handle.  It is relatively lightweight at 2.3 ounces; I get mail heavier than that.  I like the handle, but the contrast in the black handle is not from pigmentation but surface geometry. 


CRKT Kith, Knives, EDC, pocket
Unfortunately, the gray handle spots are just different reflectivity

It's a good length for many basic jobs at a campsite, fishing, in the office, or preparing the yard for winter.  The Kith has an MSRP of $40.  You can't go wrong at that price for a working knife.

 

Years ago, I had a Razel with a stag handle from CRKT.  I last saw it in the pocket of an Australian heading home to their anti-knife culture.  I hope he made it.  It was a very cool knife.

The Razelcliffe, let me suggest it would make a very icey club knife.


The Razelcliffe is also very cool.  The 2-inch blade is made from D-2 steel (see, I said we'd get back here).  D2 isn't quite stainless, but I never see rust on any D2 knives I own.  A little oil takes care of all my problems.  D2 takes and holds a good edge and can be resharpened with basic stones.  The Razelcliffe utilizes a frame lock and IKBS ball-bearing pivot.  That is very cool!

The G-10 handle is 3.25 inches long, and the knife weighs 3.3 ounces. 

The MSRP is $48, a reasonable price for a step up in cool factors. 

I've always thought CRKT over-engineers their knives.  You get a lot of knife for a reasonable price.  That’s invaluable in a world where you pay for a name.

 

Friday, December 30, 2022

Christmas Knife Connections

 Is it too late to brag about Christmas presents?

My wife got me a Microtech Zombietech 85 OTF for Christmas and backed it up with a vintage Zombietech tee-shirt.  It is way too cool and I’ve wanted one for years!





I’ve always liked Microtech.  They make a high-end knife with tight precision.  That drives the price up, but makes for an amazing knife.  Knife designer Greg Lightfoot has remarked that these tolerances are what makes Microtech factory knives so close to custom-designed knives: "It has the same quality as a handmade custom."


You might not be familiar with Microtech Knives.  You should be ashamed of yourself.


Beginning in 1994, Susan and Anthony Marfione created Microtech with a simple idea: Create the best knives possible.  Like many entrepreneurs they started in their apartment and later moved to a storage bay in Vero Beach, Florida.


Now headquartered in Western North Carolina Microtech Knives operates with the same mission statement:  Make the best knives possible.  This concept has grown the company to over 150 employees.


Quality stands out and there is a market for it.  Microtech along with Benchmade is credited with the responsibility for the resurgence in the popularity of tactical automatic knives in the 1990s.  These knives are seen as precision-made tools utilizing powerful springs and high-grade components.  They aren’t toys, as many auto knives are perceived.  


I have a few other Microtech knives from the Blade Shows, but nothing this fancy.  I’m really happy to have it.



On Christmas Eve Karen and I cooked pheasant paprikas so I had to dissemble the pheasant.  I used my CRKT Taco Viper and it worked great.


Pheasant and CRKT's Taco Viper


Since it was a new knife, I pulled out the poultry shears, just in case.  My wife got the shears from her mother, so they have to be at least 60 years old.  I know my mom had one, but I believe it is with one of my sisters.  At least I hope so.  It’s been a while since I needed poultry shears so I took a few moments to check them out.

Guess what?  They are made by Boker in the USA.  Boker is an underappreciated knife line. 



Boker and Chromium


Böker traces its origin to the 17th century as a tool maker in Germany.  By the 1860s the company had fractured with a branch of the family emigrating to North America and setting up plants in Canada, New York, and Mexico. The German and North American factories produced similar knives and used the "Tree Brand" trademark. 


Boker Poultry Shears


WWII rolls up and we can’t have a German company operating in America.  The outcome, Boker America, no umlaut, is established.  During the war the Solingen factory was destroyed and "Boker USA" took control of the trademark until the German factory was rebuilt in the 1950s.  It’s difficult for me to understand, but even during war, business law rules.


In the 1960s and 1970s, the company changed hands several times, with the New York facility (Hermann Boker & Co) shutting down in 1983.  In 1986, Boker reacquired the rights to the American brand and Boker USA was started in Denver, Colorado for US production.  They also make knives in Germany, China and Argentina.

 

All three companies, Microtech, CRKT, and Boker make nice knives.  You owe it to yourself to check them out.

Friday, June 3, 2022

Blade Show 2022 Day One

 The Blade Show 2022 opened with its usual whimper.  Neither Cobb Galleria nor the people from Blade are unable to figure out how to handle the crowds.  The Customer Appreciation Passes were not available until 10 am this morning, and the Show opened to us at 11:00 ~ a LONG line to get in the building and then another line (they called out last name letters alphabetically!) to get the actual badge!  It would have been much simpler if the CAP passes were available Thursday afternoon/evening, then anyone could have picked them up at their convenience.  

This was the line in front of us, and we were 1.5 hours early!

The line standing in the Georgia sun would have been much more manageable.  Still, I was able to pick up my pass and make it to my 10:30 class on Cryo-Quenching.

The class was run by Larrin Thomas, a Ph.D. in metallurgy who works in the automotive industry.  Perhaps more importantly, he is the inventor of MagnaCut, the new hot steel everyone is going crazy over.  

Larrin and carbide grain sizes with SEM

I have a lot of notes, but perhaps the most interesting is the rate of converting austenite into martensite occurs at the speed of sound.  It isn’t a chemical diffusion process, so it also happens at liquid nitrogen temperatures.  After an hour of graphs, images, and explanations, I’m still a little confused.  It reinforced how complex carbide size and location, metal crystal phase, and time is to temper a steel blade.  I’ve said it before, the heart of a knife may be the blade, but the soul is the heat treatment.

Many foreign companies were in attendance this year, Covid restrictions have lessened and countries are allowing overseas travel.  One of my favorite overseas visitors is Grace Horne.  She’s been making scissors for the last couple of years, and she sells out almost instantly.  Fortunately, some of the buyers let her display some of her scissors so you could see them.

Perhaps the most exciting news for me was the release of Rick Hinderer’s new automatic knife, the XM-18.  I’ve waited since April of 2021 for this hot puppy and it is finally here.  Rick is celebrating his 35 years as well. 

Here are a bunch of photos for your consideration.


Hinderer's new auto Just released at Blade Show


Santa Fe Stone Works


CRKT's new SPEC   I really liked the handle!


CRKT's Curfew   The white portion of the handle has an Ivory feel, but it is not


Engraving


Not every knife is what you call practical


This Chili Pepper is coming home with us - by Kizer


Winkler Knives


Italian knives from MKM designed by Jesper Voxnaes





The last two from Grace Horne  Who says scissors are boring?



Monday, June 14, 2021

Blade Show 2021

The 2021 Blade Show was unlike any I have experienced in the past.  There were many empty tables because exhibitors like England’s Grace Horne and South African Bossie Knives simple couldn’t travel to the U.S. because of covid-19 restrictions.

Many of the Japanese and Russian bladesmiths were missing.  Some of my favorites like LT Wright had only demo knives pushing everyone to web-based orders.  More than one vendor talked about an inability to get components including steel, also a continuing complication of Covid-19.


Burls and Steel  Knives  Contact them at Burlsandsteel@gmail.com


The aisles were larger and fewer tables were set up.  The people at Blade seemed confused.  E-mails were sent telling people they could pick up wrist bands at 8:00, but they weren’t allowed in until much later.  Karen and I were able to pick up our CAP passes the night before, but many people had to stand in line to get the passes that gave them immediate access.


And really, isn’t it time Blade cuts out the privileged ticket levels? The table holders get several “free-in-any-time passes” for their helpers and they pass them out to friends so they can get access anytime.  For a bump in cost, you can buy the early bird passes so you can get in at 10am Friday morning.  CAP, Customer Appreciation Pass got in at 11 and the great unwashed mass of humanity got in at 12 noon.


Still despite all the flaws the Blade Show is the greatest knife show on earth.


I stopped off to see Raegan Lee, a knife maker, out of New Mexico.  She has been making knives since 2015.  I saw her work two years ago and didn’t buy.  This time I bought one of her neck knives right away.


One of Raegan Lee's knives.  But Sunday Morning her table was down from plenty to a few.  Find her in Instagram 


Boker is expanding their line of Out-The-Front.  I got a California legal from them.  They are also introducing a line of battle-hardened Damascus knives.  With help from the National Museum of Americans in Wartime they are incorporating portions of M-1 Sherman tanks into very nice knives.   This will be a long-term project of limited yearly production.  Eventually English, German and other American weapons will be made into Damascus by Chad Nickols and then into knives. 


Always a new sharpening system on the market.



I had a chance to talk with Boker’s Kurt Ronacher about the donut knives they made for Blade HQ.  The knife, if you haven’t seen it was a Boker Dessert Warrior Kalashnikov Dagger Automatic Knife with a light blue blade, pink handle with colored sprinkles.  Blade HQ sold out almost instantly and they started appearing on eBay and e-stores.  They were fun.  Perhaps, just perhaps, we’ll see them again.  Kurt doesn’t want to promise, because it’s a Blade HQ exclusive.  But I’m hopeful.


Santa Fe Stoneworks


I noticed more and more slip joint knives made by companies that I associate only with locking blades.  Local laws limit the type of knives you can carry.  Ohio has just made a major revision concerning the legality of knives.  Now it’s more about that you do with a knife and less about the type of knife.


Rike Knife  Thor 7


Over at Rike Knife I was thunderstruck by the Thor 7.

It is an amazingly beautiful knife.  The blade is ground from Bohler M390, carbon fiber in a swirl of orange on a titanium handle with a flipper and it opens so nice.  If you are a lover of knives, this is one you need to add to your collection.


Yes, it’s made in China.  How can I put it?  Should I talk about the difference in standard of living and how an American made knife of this quality might be bouncing around $1K? Should I talk about workmanship from people who want a better life and see quality, pride and performance as their ticket?


All of their knives use ceramic ball bearings, some use ceramic roller bearings.  No big deal you say.  Yes, big deal.  These aren’t ceramic coffee cups we are talking about.  They are precision spheres of material at least a 1000 times harder than steel.  They will not be affected by sand, ordinary dirt or granite dust, they will work at higher temperatures and need less lubrication.  I can’t think of any American company using ceramic ball bearings.  And you know what?  They will learn how to use them in knives, then maybe electric motors and perhaps jet engines and tanks.  Start small with thing for which there is little to lose if it fails and build on the experience.


Perhaps I should simply say: If you can’t see and feel the quality in this knife, your opinion means nothing. And that’s the way it should be.


Roper Knife  

I have a Roper Knife at home.  Yes, I know you are surprised.  I actually own a few slip joints.  It is a well-made knife with quality workmanship. You’ll find them in AG Russell’s catalog.  But they are taking their game to the next level.  They are introducing a new high-end line of David Yellowhorse designs.  The initial runs are limited to 100 knives and they hope to do two or three runs a year.  This is really upping their game.


The Ruple 1, limited production of 125 total



I’m noticing more and more slip joints at the big name vendors.  While Knife Rights is working hard to remove the oppressive laws governing the sale, manufacturing of knives and the impact on collectors, many cities, states and countries continue to severely limit the type of knife you can carry.  Manufacturers, wanting in on even these limited markets are making more sellable slip joints.  In much of Europe and the rest of the world, locking knives are banned.  They have to buy slip-joints


Double Helix from WE on the bottom


Another Chinese company to watch for and if you make knives, watch out for, is WE Knife Co.  I fell for their Double Helix.  The locking mechanism locks the blade both open and closed.  It’s not a one-handed tactical knife but it is a unique knife.  Does it look futuristic?  You might expect Marian space marines to be issued this knife.  The two-tone blade is S35VN steel sheltered in a titanium handle.  Pulling back on the locking studs allows the blade to open or closed.  It’s very rad!


You know what he is thinking:  "Oops! Told my boss I was at my Grandmother's funeral."


We stopped by Cobratec knives to check out their OTFs.  Right now, the market is crazy for Out-The-Front knives.  Cobratec makes their knives in Meridan, Texas and I liked the way they performed.  I picked up a nice American Flag motif with a single edge blade of D2 steel.  I wasn’t able to meet with Chad Cochran the owner, but everyone in the booth was so nice, I bought one.  Did I mention Boker is selling OTFs?  Guess who’s making them?  You’re right, Cobratec!



I walked the show.  The Blade show is a great place for people watching.  One woman had a table covered with ‘Halloween candy’ she was giving out.  Her husband had the table next to her with his custom-made knives.  Another table was filled with Steel Warriors.  Steel Warriors?   Those little folding junk knives seemed so out of place at this or just about any show.  Still, I saw adults carefully selecting one for purchase.  Perhaps if you go to a knife show you feel compelled to buy a knife but you only want to spend ten bucks.  Perhaps a Steel Warrior is the answer to that dilemma.


Zac Brown’s Southern Grind makes a great knife.  But they were having trouble meeting sales production goals.  They were bought by Diamondback Firearms recently.  Zac is staying on as a creative consultant and designer.   Diamondback is cutting back on Southern Grind’s SKUs or for us laymen, Shop Keeper Units.  Having fewer options will improve scheduling and production .  They are also strengthening the technical and manufacturing side.  Does that mean Zac Brown is a great designer but not so hot of a business man?  Not at all.  It could simply mean Zac would rather makes knives than run a company.


We had owned a Diamondback semiauto in .380 ACP several years ago and liked it, but the slide didn’t lock back.  We saw that as a critical need and no longer have that gun.  We’ll have to see how Southern Grind shakes out.  Southern Grind should be back in production by September 2021, I am told.


 Another of Mickey's unique outlook on knives

Another stop, almost a pilgrimage for me, is visiting with Mickey Yurco.  Mickey makes some of the most unusual knives around.  Boker has picked up several of his designs and it looks like they are about to do another one.  I bought a thin scalpel-like blade from him.  Hannibal Lector would have liked it.  I like his leather work, but I wish he would make his belt loops about an inch longer .   They are too small to fit my standard belt  but might work with a dress belt. 

The Sunday Morning Crowd

I walked past Pro-Tec and a fellow was buying 16 of their knives.  I figure he had at least $3K worth of knives.  There was a time that you saw deals in high end companies.  Somewhere between 60 and 75% of the suggested retail.  Not this show.  Benchmade, who used to have a wall of knives to sell, had nothing.  No catalogs either, everything online.  We’ll see what they do next year.  After all why sent 10 people to Atlanta and show off some of your new knives if customers can’t buy them.  There were plenty of other vendors, like Smoky Mountain Knife Works selling new Benchmades.


Chris Reeves Knives


CRKT has won my prize for the worst catalog in the knife industry.  With the exception of the wooden handled T-Hawks and a couple of the M-14s, the images are flat, dull and unappealing.  But don’t let that stop you from looking at their new lines.


The Provoke by Joe Caswell has transitioned to a colored Grivory frame supporting the blade and mechanism.  Grivory is a high performance super strong plastic that can replace metal in various applications.  It’s a good move; it drops the weight from 6.1 to 4.7 ounces.


I met Joe about three years ago and he designed this knife for police both as an aid to weapon retention and body control.  I think that is a little bit of a face saving fib.  It is a right-handed knife.  The majority of us are right-handed and we will wear our sidearm on the right side.  Grasping the knife on the left side is significantly more involved as compared the right side. The Provoke is an excellent right-handed tool for the ‘un-armed’ person.  But it has a few complications for left-handed deployment.


CRKT has improved and simplified their field strip line of knives.  The new version has lost the thumb wheel and gone to a simple latch.  Danish designer Jesper Voxnaes has designed their Cottidae with a 2.6 inch D-2 steel blade, IKBS ball bearing pivot.

But I really liked their PSD, or Particle Separation Device, by the innovative  Jim Hammond.  The 3.6 inch blade is a made from 1.4116 steel.  It also sports the IKBS ball bearing pivot and is assisted opening.


Perhaps the most interesting and perhaps least useful is the Ritual.  With its 4.3 inch excessively curved blade it is the knife you want to swing around you like a dead cat to make room in a crowd.  The handle is a pleasing blend of a blued stainless steel and a fiber reinforced white resin.  If the words ‘simitar swing’ mean anything to you, you know the knife.  I might just need one.


Like the moth to the flame, I'm drawn.



Spyderco's Counter Puppy kitchen utility knife


I’m drawn to Sypderco like a moth to a flame.  Situated in Golden, Colorado, they employ 150 people.  Sal did everything he could to have people work from home, make space to keep workers distant to reduce Covid-19 spread.


I understand they are expanding their production area.  Not offices, but honest manufacturing, knives-out-the-door, floor space.

I had a chance to handle an Endura made with K390 steel.  It’s an interesting departure.  It’s not really a stainless steel with less than 5% chromium.  But the vanadium content should make this a remarkable steel.  Keep your eyes open, you may be seeing this steel in a lot of their light-weight models.


They are tooling up to make a third Fred Perrin fixed blade to complement their Streat Bowie and Streat Beat.  I’m told it will be a neck knife called the Subway.


The knife world is changing.  There are more and more people trying their hand at it.   First time makers and even experienced custom makers specialize with fixed blades.  They are simpler than folders which require more machining and accuracy.  With blade blanks available ranging from simple blank patterns to elaborate finished blades, more people are trying their hand at knife making.  You saw it at Blade, you can find it online, people designing replacement handles, clips, screws and spacing bars.  You can disassemble your knife and customize it to be a one of a kind knife, solely to get ‘Likes’ or as an artistic expression of yourself.  The purveyors of such items don’t tell you that dissembling your knife voids the warranty, but I suspect most of these knives will be barbecue knives.  Only carried at gatherings of friends and family to be seen, shown and oohed and aahed over.


It’s all good, isn’t it?  But there are some changes coming.  The violence we see daily in the media will impact on your right to carry knives as politicians looking for a quick fixes which say much, but does nothing.  Similar circumstances lead to switchblades, balisong and bowie knives being banned.  Knife Rights is still battling those problems.  PayPal is currently attempting to define knives as weapons and not allowing transactions to go through, creating problems for custom makers.  Will this impact eBay and the many sellers, buyers and collectors that use that service?  I don’t know.


Here are a few photos of the “Greatest Knife Show on Earth” to show what you missed!


Primitive Grind  find 'em at joe.maynard @yahoo.com


 
Hofsommer Forge  Contact Cody at hofsommerforge@gmail.com


It was a great show!