CRKT

CRKT Pilar Review

For a long time, I didn’t really ‘get’ CRKT. When I first got interested in knives, the company was well behind the curve. It seemed stodgy, outdated. Companies like Spyderco and Benchmade opened my eyes to what a modern pocket knife could be; CRKT just confirmed the pedestrian image I had of knives before I became a nerd about them. My only CRKT purchases were the requisite Drifter and a secondhand Tribute that I paid too much for.

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This was back in 2012ish, and I don’t think my dismissive attitude then was totally unwarranted. But when CRKT had its renaissance a year or two later, turning to collaborations with trendy designers to give their lineup a shot in the arm, I continued – wrongly – to ignore them. Probably this renaissance coincided with the height of my own knife snobbery. I was laboriously ascending the ladder of production knives, one incrementally more expensive purchase at a time, and didn’t think I’d ever want to come back down.

But this year, my and CRKT’s wavelengths aligned – I finally understood the appeal of what it does. There is huge merit in putting out really good designs in universally affordable trim. It doesn’t move out of this zone – like, at all – but I would argue it owns it. Even other makers that trade in the affordable knife market lack either CRKT’s sheer range, commitment to price point, or both.

The Pilar, undisputed star of CRKT’s 2017 lineup, seems to embody all of the company’s strengths. It seemed like the perfect knife to reacquaint myself with CRKT, so I picked one up. It’s an intriguing, fun knife, but does it measure up as a tool? Let’s take a look.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Pilar has a blade length of 2.4” counting the choil, and an actual cutting edge of 2”. The handle is 3.5” long, and its overall length is 6”. It weighs 4.2 oz. and is made in China.

I’m going to spend some time discussing the appearance and style of the Pilar. While normally (and rightly) secondary to a knife, they’re a central part of the Pilar. Its very best qualities are intangible, non-performance things and it would be a disservice to the designer not to talk about them.

So, yeah: this is a great looking design from Jesper Voxnaes. His tamer designs don’t move me, but when he cuts loose and gets a little weird I’m interested. One thing I wonder about is whether designers save their “best” designs for high-end collaborations. In this case, though, there’s no question Voxnaes gave CRKT A+ material to work with. Swap out the low-end materials for ritzier ones and the Pilar could be a GiantMouse or Viper release without missing a beat. It’s fun to look at, fun to hold, and fun to use. There’s a reason the Pilar is all over social media. It’s a gear geek’s knife, a knife nerd-seeking missile. Quirk is our catnip and this one has character for days.

The Pilar’s blade shape is a combination between a cleaver and a wharncliffe. As an all-purpose EDC tasker I find it adequate, never inspiring. There’s an ergonomic issue that plays into this (see below), but the blade presents two issues of its own. The first is length – there are common chores that the Pilar’s blade won’t be big enough to accomplish. This wouldn’t be a huge sticking point, but at 4.2 oz. I really think we need more utility. A lack of an acute tip also hurts. Opening bags or clamshell packaging, you’re going to have to fiddle with the Pilar to align its snubby tip where you want it.

I think we need to start considering 8Cr13MoV an unacceptable choice for EDC steel. Yes, it is easy to sharpen, but so are all bad steels. Edge retention is poor, and it discolors and smudges with any contact with skin. My prediction is that we’re about a year or two away from either CTS-BD1 or 14C28N becoming the default budget knife steel – and that day can’t come soon enough, because I’m done with 8Cr13MoV.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

If you count the half-and-half choil, the Pilar is fully 2/3 handle – and I’m not complaining. The thick scales are made from a lightly textured stainless steel, held together with an aluminum backspacer. The entire handle has been given a generous chamfer, addressing virtually all potential hotspots

At the risk of splitting hairs, there are two major ways in which a knife can be ergonomic: 1) is it comfortable to hold? and 2) do the ergonomics facilitate actual use of the knife? The Pilar excels at the former and somewhat flubs the latter. When you look at a picture of its handle, you think “Yes.” When you buy one and hold it you think “YES.” But then you use it and think, “Oh. Hm.”

The problem is, the choil puts your forefinger right up against whatever you’re cutting. There’s no ‘dead zone’ between the end of the choil and the start of the cutting edge. Your knuckle drags across cardboard as you slice it. Cut up an apple and you’re going to have to wash your hands afterwards. With only 2 inches of cutting edge, you really need to be able to leverage every last centimeter, and the interplay of the finger choil and the cutting edge makes this hard to do.

Although configured solely for righties, the tip-up/tip-down pocket clip is straightforward, unobtrusive, and durable. One nice detail is that it is set into a cutout, eliminating side-to-side wiggle. But yes, 4.2 oz. is way too heavy. Weight distribution can make heavy knives seem reasonable, but when you have a blade this compact, those four full ounces have nowhere to go. In lighter clothing like shorts it felt like I had a hockey puck clipped to my pants. Often it was easier to carry it loose in my pocket. This knife should have had a G-10 front scale.

Deployment and Lockup

CRKT and Voxnaes buried the Pilar’s thumb oval as far down as they could while still making it accessible for both right- and left-handed people. It works well, flicking out with ease and not so detent-heavy as to make slow-rolling impossible.

The no-fuss deployment works alongside a well-executed stainless steel frame lock. Engagement is comprehensive, with nearly the entire lock face meeting the tang and no play in any direction. Bonus points for the stylish little cutouts on the lock bar for disengagement – they look cool and work well.

One issue of note here is the slickness of the scales. The Pilar is a small knife, and when closing it there really isn’t anywhere for your fingers to go. The barely-there texturing on the scales makes finding reliable purchase difficult. Glaringly unsafe? No, but annoying – and again, a G-10 scale would have fixed this.

CRKT Pilar Review – Final Thoughts

I have to applaud CRKT for this knife. With a design this good, many other companies would succumb to the temptation to bedizen it with all sorts of trendy features and materials, and price it in the $150-$250 range. This is clearly their best design of 2017 and it isn’t even the most expensive.

And yes, this knife cries – sobs, even – for a material upgrade. Me, I’d like to see a minor upgrade to G-10 scales, a liner lock, and CTS-BD1 steel. But the tradeoff with the current materials is that CRKT priced the Pilar at a stunningly low $25.

So check it out. It’s a deeply cool knife that I enjoyed reviewing, even when it wasn’t performing as well as I hoped. At $25 I can give it an unreserved recommendation.

I recommend purchasing the CRKT Pilar at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

CRKT Compact Batum Review

by Grayson Parker Leave a Comment

By the time this review is published SHOT Show 2017 will be old news. But as I write this introduction, the releases from SHOT are still fresh in my mind. After perusing everyone’s catalogs, I’ve noticed something; something that I’ve been waiting to see for some time. You see, it appears that the knife industry has finally realized that not everyone wants to (or is capable of) buying knives that cost upwards of $200 at a sustainable rate. Well…part of the industry at least.

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There was a bevy of budget and mid-priced blades released at SHOT, and one of the more impressive showings was put forward by CRKT. Apart from undercutting the Snailor market, they also expanded their collaborations with Jesper Voxnaes, who designed a few knives for them last year. The 2016 models didn’t seem to grab the attention of the knife community. I’d venture that the reason why is that they lacked Vox’s typical design language: bold lines, dramatic edge profiles, and a quintessentially Nordic minimalism.

Happily for us, it looks like CRKT realized the amount of money they were sitting on and tapped Mr. Voxnaes for some of that Danish magic. While most of these collaborations are enticing for one reason or another, I eventually ordered the Compact Batum. After more than a month of on and off carry, I think I’ve got enough experience to offer my opinion.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Batum has a blade length of 2.45”, a closed length of 3.71”, and weighs 3.6 ounces. The Batum is made in China. These are some pretty middle of the road performance specs, but it’s a big step up from the relatively chunky specifications on the Squid. By comparison, the Batum has a longer blade and a more comfortable handle for nearly the same weight. Fit and finish is likewise improved: centering is perfect, primary grind is symmetrical, and everything is nice and polished. The only “real” complaint I can register is that the secondary bevel gets a bit wobbly near the tip. Not bad for a sub-$30 blade.

I’m working on a standardized cutting test, but until then, you’ll have to rely on my ad hoc testing. That means two (incredibly unscientific) tests: one for edge retention and one for slicing performance. I don’t test rust resistance or chipping: not because they’re unimportant, but because those faults – if present – are typically revealed without any help. To measure slicing performance, I used the Batum on a diverse array of fruit, including apples, pears, and oranges. It quartered the pears just fine and peeled the oranges with ease. The Batum split – not sliced – the apples, but to be fair they were large and crisp. Ideal for eating, not cutting.

During normal use, the 8Cr13MoV held up fine. It’s the budget steel of choice for Chinese made knives, and I wasn’t surprised to see it featured on the Batum. I strop it twice a week or so and that’s kept it serviceable. The only opportunity I had to “rigorously” test the edge retention was using the Batum to break down a pile of cardboard boxes destined for the bin, during which it exhibited odd behavior. After a few boxes, it wouldn’t cut as cleanly, but when I checked the edge against my thumb it was still passably sharp. The Batum just kept slipping out during protracted cuts. It’s likely a combination of the dramatic belly and budget steel. As soon as the edge starts to degrade, the blade will start to slide more in cuts. This in turn means you’ll glance onto that steep belly and slip right out of the material.

That’s not to say I dislike the blade shape. While the belly is too dramatic for my tastes, it does occasionally come in handy. On a cutting board, it allows for great slicing cuts, much like the front end of the Spyderco Zulu. A buddy of mine who’s an electrician also swears by the Vox blade shape, as he loves the straight edge for cable work.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

I was on the fence about reviewing the Batum; originally, it was a toss up between it and the Pilar. Both looked interesting, but in the end the G10 scale of the Batum was the more attractive proposition, as the G10 substantially decreases the weight and improves the grip. Still, I had concerns. On cheaper knives finishing is often the first thing to go, and if the G10 was as raspy as, say, Cold Steel’s, I’d be put out to say the least. Luckily that wasn’t the case. Out of the box I was impressed by the fit and finish on the Batum. The G10 was perfectly textured: not rough enough to feel like sandpaper, but just enough to register a grip. Both the steel and the G10 scales are generously chamfered. Even the backspacer – one of my complaints from the CRKT Squid review – is perfect. Not only is the machining improved, but the dark grey doesn’t have the “off-white next to regular white” look that the Squid’s backspacer had.

The ergonomics on the Batum are tough to evaluate. When it first arrived, I noticed within seconds that the forward finger choil was too small for my hands. I couldn’t choke up on the blade without feeling like the knife was about to bite me. So – as shipped – the ergonomics were poor to say the least. Fortunately I have a set of diamond stones for my Spyderco Sharpmaker, and after a day or two of intermittent filing, the choil was big enough to accommodate a four finger grip. It was relatively easy fix, but buyer beware.

In the pocket, the Batum is an excellent companion. It carries quietly, and even though it doesn’t have a deep carry clip, it doesn’t leave enough of the butt end hanging out to alarm the masses. The clip seems like it could be a real paint scraper. I haven’t run into that issue personally, but that may just be luck.

Deployment and Lock-Up

For deployment, the Batum features Vox’s signature thumb…eye…thing. Folks online seem to love it; a deranged few like it more than the Spydie-hole. It’s arguable that it offers the ease of deployment that a thumbhole does without the larger footprint in the pocket, but I find the thumbhole easier to use most of the time. Mastering deployment on the Batum took all of a day on my end, so it’s probably not a major issue for most users. The teflon washers give deployment a slightly hydraulic feel. My only complaint is that the bit of the handle that covers the tang also blocks the path my thumb follows when I’m flicking the knife open. It’s less of an issue now, but you may need to spend some time getting acquainted with the Batum’s deployment.

I’m really tempted to just copy and paste the lock-up section from the Squid review. Nothing is really different here: lock up is stable at 50%, there’s no blade play in any direction, and there’s no lock stick. Disengagement is simple despite the lack of a cut out to access the lock. There is one improvement – if a negligible one – over the frame lock on the Squid, and that is the addition of an overtravel stop. Is it necessary? Probably not, but some will appreciate it, and there’s no real downside to its inclusion.

CRKT Compact Batum Review – Final Thoughts

For the money, it’s difficult to find a more compelling knife. There’s the perennial Alox Cadet, of course, but that’s hitting a slightly different need. You can find the Batum for around $30 after shipping, and I think it’s a steal at that price. It’s better finished than the Cryos that I’ve handled, the design is (in my opinion) much more attractive, and you don’t have to deal with an assisted opening. The ergonomics – once adjusted – are better than most knives in this price range. It may be a bit chunky behind the edge, but no worse than the Squid.

Knowing all that, who should buy the Batum? Well, fans of Jesper Voxnaes should probably line up. This knife has most of the design cues Vox is famous for: burlesque drop point, simple lines, and an open profile that’s strangely animated. While not perfect – the drop point is a tad overdone, and the choil may need tweaking – it’s one of the strongest budget knives to hit the market in quite some time.

CRKT Batum Compact EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Compact Everyday Carry, Satin Blade with Finger Choil, Thumb Slot Open, Frame Lock Stainless Handle, Reversible Pocket Clip 5451

List Price: $35.92

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I recommend purchasing the CRKT Batum Compact at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

CRKT Squid Review

by Grayson Parker 18 Comments

I’ve listened to Gear Geeks Live practically since its inception. My commute is around 4 hours round trip, so that’s a lot of time spent in cars trying not to look at my smartphone, and podcasts help with that. One particular episode is always easy to recall, and that’s the episode where Thomas W. (of KAI USA) drops in for an interview/argument. While most of that episode was spent arguing over whether the Cryo 1.0 is a good knife, one of the tidbits teased was that Kershaw was going to dive into the sub-$20 waters with a new product line.

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It sucked.

One could argue that this line was doomed to failure because of its dedicated use of 4Cr14, that they looked like the gas station knives Nick Shabazz has so much fun with, or because they all weighed more than a brick shithouse with a full septic tank, but I think the real reason they flopped was different. That reason, you ask? Simple. There’s already an apex predator in these waters, and that’s CRKT.

Before anyone cries Gerber, they don’t count. I’d sooner go near a blender in a Gremlins remake. No, the real top dog in the world of truly budget blades is Columbia River Knife and Tool. They’ve had their problems, sure, but on the whole their budget knives have been quietly successful among enthusiasts and big box shoppers alike. The CRKT M16 is the gateway drug for many a poor knife nut’s wallet.

Enter the CRKT Squid. Designed by Lucas Burnley, the Squid is based off the custom offering of the same name. Burnley is better known for the now ubiquitous Boker Kwaiken, but the Squid has a surprising following. Not only is there enough interest to warrant several special editions, but there’s enough demand that a small market for custom scales has popped up. How could a $15 knife be compelling enough to warrant this attention?

General Dimensions and Blade Details

This knife is portly. It’s an all steel 3.5 oz sandwich, and there is no getting around that. The 2.25” blade is housed in a 3.5” long handle. I won’t sit here and try to convince you that the weight is a practical issue: it isn’t. The balance isn’t great, but other than that, the Squid’s weight won’t come up in use. I’m still not a fan. There’s an argument to be made that more weight is a selling point for big box consumers, as they equate weight and quality. I won’t denigrate people who feel that way, but I know better than them and they’re wrong I respectfully disagree.

Overall the Squid is well made, especially considering the price point. Centering is good, the grinds are even and clean, and there aren’t any stray machining marks. The one complaint I can register is the aluminum backspacer. First of all – and I know this is subjective – it’s ugly. The off-silver/greyish color doesn’t look right alongside the stonewashed steel scales. Just anodize it. Black, green, blue, whatever. It’d fit the ‘cute’ aesthetic the Squid already has. Second, the backspacer is ground unevenly. It’s not a practical concern, but I’ve whined about lesser sins.

This knife cost me just north of $15.00. It has 8Cr13MoV. What else did you expect? It’s a budget steel, but a fine one, all things considered. I haven’t experienced any rust, and the microchipping I did run into vanished after a few passes on the Sharpmaker. Regular stropping is recommended. It’s listed as a hollow grind, and the stock isn’t very thick; only .11”. Unfortunately it’s not a particularly thin hollow grind, nor is it very high, which makes it somewhat thick behind the edge. For cardboard, paper, or packages, you’d never notice an issue. I did during food prep, but how often will you use a 2” knife in the kitchen? I’m guessing somewhere between ‘never’ and ‘when it’s the only knife that can cut.’ Is it a big deal? No, but it caught me off guard.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

Normally, I open up this section with a bit on the visual appeal of the handle. I try to answer questions like: is it attractive?, was it difficult to produce?, etc. For whatever reason, I can’t do that with the Squid. I’m not saying that the Squid is unattractive, but I think I’d be blowing smoke up the readerships’ collective asses if I tried to praise it effusively. The stonewash is nice, I suppose; but nothing that gets me out of my seat.

The ergonomics are okay. I haven’t noticed any hotspots, but the stainless steel handles are pretty slick. It’s a slim knife and doesn’t fill the palm very well. The custom versions appear to have thicker, contoured handles which would alleviate the aforementioned problems. Without a lanyard, the Squid is definitely a three finger knife, but on a knife this small you can’t exactly expect more.

Given its weight, I was surprised to find that the Squid was a pretty quiet companion. For the most part I carried it at work, which means thick pants and a good, sturdy belt to support those extra 3.5 oz. The clip allows for discreet carry, and everything about the Squid that makes the grip questionable makes it carry like a dream.

Deployment and Lock-up

Deployment on the Squid is a fairly simple affair. The thumb studs are well placed and not pokey enough to snag on pockets or split your finger. Sure, the detent is a bit weak for my taste, but you can slow roll or coin flip the Squid open, and that’s what counts. Teflon washers give the action a bit of a hydraulic feel. Not so nice that I develop carpal tunnel from flicking it, but on par with much more expensive offerings.

Regarding the lock, there really isn’t much to say. It’s a stainless steel framelock. I haven’t experienced any lock rock or blade play, and due to the absence of titanium there’s certainly no lock stick. However, I’ve experienced all three of those issues on framelocks that cost ten times what the Squid does, so maybe this is more of a feat than I’m giving CRKT credit for.

CRKT Squid Review – Final Thoughts

Ultimately, I don’t think I’ve bought into the Squid’s popularity. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why it’s as popular as it is. The Squid hits most of the ‘hype’ buttons the Cryo did at a lower price point, has (in my experience) better F&F, and in my opinion features a more attractive design. That said, it’s quite heavy for its size, the ergonomics are wanting, and it’s called a squid when that is clearly the body of a cuttlefish.

Furthermore, reviewing this knife has given me some perspective on the cottage industry surrounding the Squid. Most of my quibbles could be solved by a replacement scale: the weight would be cut by a third, the slick handle could be replaced by a more tactile material, and while I’m at it I could get that backspacer replaced. Will I order one? It isn’t likely, but hand me enough bottles of porter and you never know what might happen.

How does the Squid stack up to the competition? Well, that’s tough to answer. I’ll stand by my claim that CRKT is the boss hog of budget blades, but once you get up into the middle tier value knives it’s a different situation. As much as I put down Kershaw’s sub-$20 products, anything they produce around the $50 mark is pure gold. If you can save up it’s probably worth your time to do so.

Still, it can’t be overstated that $15 is a far cry from $50. For the money it’s tough to beat out the Squid. The design is friendly enough that your co-workers won’t be wigged out, useful enough that you’ll always be glad to have it on you, and cheap enough that you won’t regret buying it if you do purchase more expensive knives down the line. If that sounds appealing, give the Squid a shot. I’m glad I did.

CRKT Squid Folding Pocket Knife: Compact EDC Straight Edge Tactical/Utility Knife with Stainless Steel Blade and Framelock Handle - Black Stonewash 2490KS

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I recommend purchasing the CRKT Squid at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

CRKT Homefront K270GKP Review

by Dan Jackson 18 Comments

One of the hallmarks of a quality folding knife is to be able to take it apart and put it back together without any problems. That is one of the qualities I find most admirable in my Spyderco Sage 1, which remains one of my all time favorite EDC knives to this day. Certainly that is one of the draws to the CRK Sebenza; its unapologetic simplicity and ease of disassembly and re-assembly. I think it’s one thing to put something together properly at the factory and have it work well in the short term, but if it doesn’t go back together correctly after being taken apart then something is horribly wrong.

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So when I saw CRKT roll out the Homefront, a knife that was designed to be taken apart, I took notice. At first glance this may seem gimmicky in the same way Lionsteel made a handle that changes color when you hold it. The knife industry is a tough one to innovate in, and some of features touted as “innovations” can be questionable at best. But the Homefront was designed by Ken Onion, and CRKT has a history of executing custom designs well. So I approached the Homefront with both interest and a healthy dose of skepticism.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Homefront has an overall length of 8.3″, a 3.5″ blade, weighs 4.8 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. I have a soft spot for utilitarian folders with a 3.5″ blade. Some of my favorite user pieces fall into this category, including the Cold Steel American Lawman, Kershaw Blur, and Buck Marksman. In an age of high dollar titanium framelock flippers these are the unsung heroes of my knife collection. While I am as guilty as the next guy for wanting to check out high end offerings, these humble pieces keep showing up in my pocket to get the job done.

The Homefront has that same “no bullshit” appeal that these other knives have. It’s simply constructed and geared towards functionality. But that is not to say that the Homefront is devoid of detail and visual interest. The knife has a military inspired aesthetic that has grown on me since acquisition. I am still not a fan of the oversize star on the pivot, but the rest of the design agrees with me, and the knife is nicely made and beautifully finished. In my mind this is a dedicated utility knife, and is one that could be pressed into a variety of roles as your situation requires.

The blade is a handsome drop-point design, with a prominent fuller, big belly, and a simple swedge terminating in a capable tip. You almost forget this is a Ken Onion design, except for that suggestion of a recurve. The blade features a hollow grind and a lustrous satin finish. The knife is ground reasonably thin and it slices well. This is a classic and useful blade shape.

One critique is that the edge is not sharpened all the way to the plunge line. Instead, you have about a quarter inch of unsharpened steel. The advantage is that you can use this as a poor man’s forward finger choil, but the disadvantage is that you lose that cutting surface and the knife can be a little harder to sharpen on some systems.

CRKT chose AUS-8 for the blade steel. I’m not a steel snob, but this is my biggest criticism of the knife. Given the near $100 retail price point (I paid $90 for mine, but now see the knife retail for a little over $80 on Amazon), this should be S30V, 154CM, or some other higher end stainless steel. Every other aspect of the Homefront is on par with a $100 knife, so it’s a shame to see the steel suffer here. Still, AUS-8 is serviceable stuff, and it will certainly work for a knife that is meant to be used. It is tough, doesn’t rust easily, and is easy to sharpen.

If you add up all my reviews I have probably written the equivalent of a full length novel on AUS-8, so I won’t belabor this further. At the end of the day I don’t mind the steel in a lower end knife, but would be remiss not to ding the Homefront for the choice of AUS-8 blade steel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is constructed of 2 slabs of 6061 aluminum that have been type-3 anodized a rich olive green. There is a partial geared aluminum backspacer, and a nested steel liner lock. The handle is modified to accommodate the Field-Strip take down system (more on that below) with the inclusion of a release lever near the pivot and a geared wheel at the pommel.

Fit and finish on this knife is immaculate. The lines are crisp, there is an absence of tooling marks, and everything comes together perfectly. The anodization is tough to capture with photography – it has a subtle depth to it that doesn’t show up well in the pictures. The anodization has held up nicely, but I don’t doubt if I drop it on my driveway it will show signs of wear like my Marksman.

The Homefront benefits from a simple approach to ergonomics, and is a comfortable knife in hand. The handle itself is lightly textured and the aluminum is a far cry from abrasive G-10 or rough patterning. There is a shallow finger choil, and a row of toothy jimping – aggressive enough to bite in sharply if you really bear down on the knife, but easy to avoid if you place your thumb on the spine of the blade. The geared backspacer and release wheel provide additional traction if you need to use the knife in a reverse grip, but largely stay out of the way when you are using the knife with a normal forward grip.

Ken knows how to design a comfortable knife, and this Homefront benefits from his decades of experience.

The pocket clip is an unassuming piece of folded-over stainless steel. It’s black, rectangular, and does a decent job of keeping the knife held in place in your pocket. The aluminum handles don’t offer much traction, so retention isn’t outstanding. It is a deep carry clip, and the Homefront all but disappears into your pocket. Beyond that, there isn’t much to report, beyond the handle being milled, drilled, and tapped for right side tip up carry only – not a big deal for me, but a potential source of contention for some.

The Homefront carries nicely in the pocket. It’s not overly thick, heavy or large, and it carries like you would expect it to. No complaints.

Field-Strip Technology

The Homefront is the first production knife to feature Ken Onion’s Field-strip Technology. It’s a system that allows the knife to be taken apart without tools in seconds by way of a lever near the pivot and a release wheel at the butt of the handle. Flip the lever, turn the wheel, and in seconds you have a fully disassembled knife.

I have had my Homefront for about 6 weeks at this point, and in that space of time I have disassembled and re-assembled the Homefront probably 100 times. Not out of necessity, but out of that neurotic fidgety compulsion that drives most knife collectors to obsessively and absentmindedly flick the blades of their folders. This is the same neurosis that is responsible for grown men spinning $100+ tops and the TorqBar. Plus I wanted to test the system out thoroughly.

I am here to say that after taking the knife apart obsessively the Field-Strip system still works great. I can take the knife apart and put it back together in under 30 seconds at this point. There was a small learning curve, but with a little practice the Field Strip system becomes easy to manipulate.

The bigger question is, “How handy is this?” I don’t work a particularly dirty job. I’m not in the military, or law enforcement, or anything remotely physical. So I don’t really “need” a knife that I can strip in the field, because, let’s face it, I’m never in the field.

But I can tell you this is a nice well implemented feature. I do occasionally take my knives apart, and when I do it’s at best an ordeal necessitating the use of torx drivers, a quiet space, a clean surface, and 10-15 minutes of my time. At worst you can mess up the knife. I have stripped screws, lost pieces under my desk, and have taken a knife apart only to find out it doesn’t want to come back together quite right.

There is value to this system whether you are trying to take your knife apart inside a tent or at your kitchen table. I wouldn’t want to take my Benchmade apart on a camping trip. But taking apart the Homefront outside is something I am completely comfortable with.

Deployment and Lockup

The Homefront is a sub-liner lock flipper. The flipper looks like a bayonet lug, paying further homage to the Homefront’s throwback military-inspired design. The blade runs on nested teflon washers. I am typically not a fan of teflon washers, but they work here. The washers are nested in such a way that they don’t fall out when you disassemble the knife, and my guess is that was the primary consideration when selecting teflon. Regardless, the blade flips open easily and the action doesn’t have that “floaty” feeling that is typical of teflon washers. It actually flips well, especially after a break in. The oversize flipper provides plenty of leverage, and the blade pops opens with a satisfying snap.

You can get a good look at the nested steel liner lock in the picture of the dissassembled knife. It’s unassuming, but it works well. The lock bar is easy to get at and doesn’t stick. There is a little side to side play, an acceptable trade off for a toolless design, but nothing more than you would find on an axis lock. Also, the blade centering is dead center every single time, without any tweaking on my end. This is super impressive to me, as so many knives get this wrong. It’s a testament to how well the Homefront is engineered and manufactured.

CRKT Homefront – Final Thoughts

It would be easy to dismiss the Homefront and its Field-Strip system as a gimmick. But I think doing so would be a mistake. At its core this is a well made and functional piece, and the Field-Strip aspect of the knife works surprisingly well. The knife comes apart and goes back together easily and consistently. This is a legitimate improvement over a regular screw-together folder, and CRKT did a good job with this. I’d like to see them carry this out with other designs and dial the system in even further.

I’d also like to see CRKT beef up the blade steel. I realize that this knife was manufactured in Taiwan, which means there are logistical challenges to getting quality steel to the factory, plus this was probably an expensive knife both to develop and manufacture, but at this price point you really need to be above the AUS8/8Cr13MoV tier of steel. Both Spyderco and Cold Steel have figured out how to get good steel to their Taiwanese factories, so it can be done. The choice of AUS-8 is not a deal killer for me, but I know it will be a turn off for many.

At the end of the day I think the pros to the Homefront outweigh the cons. This is an excellently executed knife, and it’s the most interesting edged tool to cross my desk in 2016. I think this knife is a good choice for both collectors of interesting and unusual knives, and I also recommend it for those who are considering the Homefront as an EDC piece. I purchased this knife with my own money for long term testing and evaluation. I’ll continue to carry and use the Homefront and will update this review if my opinion about the knife or Field-Strip system changes over time.

As I close this review out I can’t help but compare my Homefront to my Marksman. Both feature aluminum handles, classic lines, and solid construction. Both are unique and innovative in their own ways. And both are rock solid workhorse knives. It’s my pleasure to highlight unique offerings like these.

CRKT Homefront Aluminum Folding Pocket Knife: Take Apart Field Strip, Satin Blade, Flipper Open, Locking Liner, Aluminum Handle, Deep Carry Pocket Clip K270GKP

List Price: $85.33

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CRKT Hootenany Review

by Dan Jackson Leave a Comment

Last Update: March 4, 2018
Hootenany, noun, a social gathering or informal concert featuring folk singing, and sometimes, dancing.

I don’t read too far into names, but I had to look Hootenanny up in an attempt to gain a little context. If you ever meet Ken Onion, the designer of the Hootenanny, you will quickly learn he is a fun and lighthearted guy. Perhaps the name offers more of a view into the designer himself, than the product at hand.

Buy the CRKT Hootenanny at BladeHQ

The Hootenanny is Ken’s take on a folding hunting knife crossed with a modern Every Day Carry (EDC) piece. So perhaps the name harks back to old timey days, when people might regularly use their folding knives to prepare meals and whittle sticks around the cracker barrel prior to a good ole fashioned hoe down.

Either way, this struck me as one of CRKT’s best offerings of 2015, and I wanted to give it a shot.

General Dimensions and Blade Steel

The Hootenanny has an overall length of 7.84″, a 3.34″ blade, weighs 4.8 ounces, and is made in China. Since partnering up with CRKT, Ken Onion has seemed to favor thinner, lighter knives. I think that is a good thing. The Hootenanny is still a big knife, so any attempts to pare it down to something manageable are welcome in my book.

This is a “fish and fowl” knife, so it’s primary application is for hunting and processing small game. Extra length to the blade and handle are important for being effective in that role.

With that said, most people who buy this will likely use it as a EDC piece, and that is the main perspective that I evaluated Hootenanny from.

The Hootenanny has a slender upswept blade with a long curving belly and high hollow grind. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the blade is the run of jimping midway along the spine. All of these features were built into the knife with processing meat in mind. I’m not a hunter, and didn’t get a chance to take this one fishing, but I have used it in the kitchen. The knife slices well, and the upswept tip stayed out of the way when I broke down a chicken for dinner. I could see this having a place at a camp site, but did not test the knife in that capacity.

CRKT went with 8Cr13MoV steel. I’ve discussed this steel quite a bit (and you can always read further about knife steel on the knife steel page), but for the uninitiated 8Cr13MoV is a lower end Chinese stainless steel. It is easy to sharpen, but not particularly great in the edge retention department.

Given the ~$40.00 price point I think the choice of steel is appropriate here. You won’t find much else from a Chinese knife in this price range. I personally do not mind 8Cr13MoV at the right price. I was careless and my blade did develop a little corrosion during testing, so be sure to keep it cleaned and oiled like any other pocket knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Hootenanny is a bolstered knife, with a stainless steel frame, FRN (reinforced plastic) handle scales, and a FRN backspacer. The handle has some nice details, with flush mount bolts holding the scales in place, curving lines cut into the gunmental gray bolsters, bolsters that are integrated into the liners, and an oversize decorative pivot. The construction is solid and the finish work is good. The pieces line up, the tolerances are tight, and the end result is a thoughtfully executed handle that makes the most of its humble materials.

The Hootenanny is a large folder and provides plenty of room for a variety of grips and hand sizes. The blade has a large foward finger choil, allowing you to move in close on the blade. The handle scales are lightly textured. The scales offer some traction, but aren’t as grippy as peel ply G10. There is jimping on the back of the handle, and also on the spine. All of these features are designed to hold your hand in place; presumably while gutting a trout or plucking bird shot from a dove. I used the knife in more pedestrian applications, and found the Hootenanny to be be comfortable and grippy. Ken knows ergonomics and that shows in the design and execution of the Hootenanny.

In the past, Ken Onion’s pocket clip designs have been criticized for being goofy. The clip on the Hootenanny is relatively subdued and discrete. It curves along the back side of the handle, and is really set for right side tip up carry only. Being a lefty, I prefer an ambidextrous option, but if you are only going to put the clip in one spot, this is the place to do it. The clip has good spring retention, and it buries the knife deeply in the pocket.

In practice the Hootenanny caries well for a larger knife. At nearly 5 ounces, you feel this knife in the pocket – especially with most of the mass being around the pivot. Still, the Hootenanny is a comfortable carry. The knife is thin and the pocket clip is strong, so you can clip the knife in place and then forget about it.

Deployment and Lockup

Like many of Ken’s designs, the Hootenanny is a flipper. The flipper is prominent, heavily textured, and easy to locate and flip. The detent is strong and the blade fires out with a loud metallic “thwack”. CRKT has done a good job with flippers in the past, and this Hootenanny is no exception. Inside there are what appears to be caged bearings, although CRKT has marketed this as an IKBS (Ikoma Korth Bearing System) knife. The action is smooth and the blade glides into the open or closed position.

CRKT and Ken decided to make the Hootenanny a bolster lock knife, which is basically a frame lock where scales run 3/4 the length of the handle. The bolsters are 2CR13 steel, and hold the blade securely in place. There is no lock rock or side to side blade play in my knife, which is what I would expect from a steel frame lock. My knife locks up around 70% – so it’s a later lockup, but it has stayed there since day one and there is no stickiness to the lock at all.

Here is a shot of the Hootenanny next to the Kershaw Blur:

My blade favors the lock side by a millimeter, but does not rub.

CRKT Hootenanny Review – Final Thoughts

The Hootenanny is a successful knife, and is probably my favorite CRKT design for 2015. This is a more subdued design for Ken. There is no recurve in the blade, the pocket clip is normal looking, the overall look is handsome with the dark scales and gunmetal gray bolsters.

The fit and finish of CRKT’s stuff has always been nice, and the Hootenanny is no exception. And I think given the budget CRKT made some nice choices here with the satin finished blade, IKBS, strong flipper and oversize pivot. The use of FRN keeps the knife reasonably light (that is a big reason why I decided to not review the CRKT G.S.D. – a handsome knife by a popular designer, but just too heavy for my taste).

If I had to complain, I would complain about the knife begging for higher end materials. Better blade steel would be at the top of my list. People harped on Cold Steel for years about their use of AUS-8, and now that everything is being rolled out in CTS-XHP, I think we need a new company to “encourage”. And CRKT is actually heading in that direction. They have collaborated with LionSteel, TOPS, and Condor to venture in to higher end products like the Hi Jinx, Hoodwork, and Mah-Chete. While CRKT is a company whose bread and butter is value and volume, the enthusiast in me can’t help but ask for a higher end version of the Hootenanny.

For around $40, the Hootenanny delivers a lot of bang for your buck. If you are in the market for a sturdy 3.5″ folder, you will be hard pressed to find much better at this price point. Perhaps the Kershaw Blur is the closest competitor, but these days they retail for well over $50.

The Hootenanny is a thoughtfully designed and well made tool, that works as either a folding field knife or large EDC.

CRKT Hootenanny EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Hunting, Outdoor, Everyday Carry, Satin Blade, Friction Grooves, IKBS Ball Bearing Pivot, Frame Lock, Stainless Bolster, Nylon Handle, Pocket Clip K300KXP

List Price: $42.13

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CRKT Eros SS Review

by Dan Jackson 8 Comments

Last Updated: March 3, 2018
It is cool to see the trickle-down effect at work. 5 years ago, if you wanted to buy a bearing equipped manual action framelock flipper you either forked over the dough for a custom knife, or it simply didn’t exist. 3 years ago, if you wanted one you had to shell out the $225 for a Zero Tolerance 0560. Today, you can get into bearing equipped manual flippers for as little as 30 bucks.

Buy the CRKT Eros at BladeHQ

I must admit that I was a touch skeptical when I purchased a CRKT Swindle. I figured at that price something definitely had to give. I was wrong. What an awesome blade. So when CRKT announced the release of a plain stainless steel handled Eros I was pretty confident that it would be worth my while. I wasn’t so crazy about the baroque handle or the $100 price tag of the original Eros.

At around $45, this plain version is much more in line with knives like the Skyline, Leek, Zancudo, and Rat II… all blades I would consider to be rockstar budget knives.

Like the Swindle, the Eros SS is a manual action flipper designed by Ken Onion and equipped with an IKBS bearing system. Where it departs from the Swindle is that it’s a little more traditional in its design and appearance.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Eros comes in two sizes: large (the subject of this review) and small. The large Eros SS has an overall length of 6.94″, a 2.84″ blade, and weighs 3 ounces. The small Eros SS has an overall length of 4.96″, a 2.03″ blade, and weighs 1.5 ounces.

For me the large Eros is the way to go. Frankly I can’t imagine using a smaller version of this knife, as this size is about perfect for me to easily manipulate the blade open and get a full grip. The small version is, well, really damn small. That is fine I suppose for some applications, but since the Eros is such a delicate knife to begin with I really appreciate the larger version. CRKT bills these as gentleman’s folders and every day carry (EDC) knives, and I used mine for light EDC work.

The blade of the Eros is a almost a sliver of stainless steel. This is among the most delicate of blades I have handled, which is fine if you mostly use the knife for letters and boxes as I have. My Eros has sat on my desk at work for months now and gets plenty of work opening the daily deluge of mail. The ultra fine tip and gentle curve to the belly is perfect for getting under the fold of an envelope. CRKT went with a thin hollow grind with a long swedge and deep satin finish. Just like on the Swindle, the spine of the blade has been rounded a la Chris Reeve Knives.

I love the extra attention CRKT has spent on the blade. It’s hard for me to capture in photos, but this is a beautiful little blade and is perfect for light use. Of course great care needs to be taken with the tip. This isn’t something you will want to process a deer with or use to remodel a kitchen.

The Eros SS runs AUS8 blade steel, which is par for the course for a small knife at this price point. I haven’t done anything too extreme with my Eros, but the blade has busted open plenty of boxes, cut lots of paper, and it holds up well to that kind of use. It is extremely easy to sharpen and maintain and is heat treated to 57-58 HRc. The satin finish should hold up better against rust better than the bead blasted finish we often see this steel come in. No complaints here.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Eros has full bead blasted stainless steel handles, leaving the knife with a faux titanium appearance. This is a simple handle design with 2 stainless steel standoffs, a slender lockbar cut out, and screw together construction. There is a lanyard hole, which could be useful if you decide to remove the pocket clip. All said handle construction is great. CRKT did not get fancy 3-D machining the handle like on the Swindle, but the simple handles function well and allows the eye to wander to the beautiful blade.

The Eros is a small but comfortable knife to use. I am able to perch all 4 fingers on this handle, with maybe a 1/4″ or so to spare, so it should accommodate most people. There is no jimping or texture to speak of, save for 4 notches on the flipper tab. Some may bemoan the lack of texture on this handle, but for light duty this is fine. I have had no trouble using this knife for light EDC tasks around the house and at my office.

The Eros has a pocket clip situated for right side tip down carry only. I have complained pretty heavily about most of Ken Onion’s funky pocket clip designs in the past, and this Eros clip still leaves something to be desired in my book. It isn’t terrible, but I would prefer a more standard clip. That said, this clip functions fine. It feels somewhat thin but is actually very secure slipped to the pocket of a pair of dress pants. Although the Eros isn’t ridiculously heavy, being a solid steel framelock it is a denser knife and I do notice it a little in pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The Eros SS is an IKBS equipped manual action flipper. The detent is well tuned, and the blade pops open reliably with the push of a finger. CRKT has done a great job with their IKBS flippers and I am no less impressed by the action of the Eros than I was on the Swindle. Today we may take stuff like this for granted, but I think the fact that for $45 or so you can get a nice bearing equipped manual flipper designed by a world renown custom knife maker is just incredible.

For lockup with have a stainless steel frame lock. Mine engages about 95%, and is very secure. There is no blade play. There is not much as far as a relief in the handle to disengage the lock bar, although there is a little scalloping for your thumb to grab on to. This isn’t a problem, but is another reason why I prefer the Large Eros over the Small version. Any smaller than this and it just gets kind of futzy to deal with. It is worth mentioning that the blade is perfectly centered.

CRKT Eros SS Review – Final Thoughts

I can’t help but compare this knife with the stainless steel Leek. As many of you know, Ken designed the Leek for Kershaw many years ago, and it has endured as a top budget friendly EDC choice to this day. It is also a stainless steel framelock flipper (although it does come in a liner lock version as well). I like the Eros a little more than the Leek. The addition of a satin finished blade with a slight belly and slightly reinforced tip is nice. I also much prefer the unassisted opening of the Eros over the spring assisted Leek. I like how the Leek is made in the USA, and would say that the build qualities are close to on par.

Another obvious comparison would be the acclaimed CRKT Swindle. Perhaps my favorite knife from CRKT to date, I think the Swindle is a little more interesting than this knife with its 3-D machined handles and swayback styling. Functionally, the Swindle is actually a little bigger and stouter than the Eros, although both should be considered EDC / gent’s folders.

All said, the Eros SS is a winner. This is more of a classic design from Ken, but it still has some of his flourishes. Those pesky pocket clips can always be complained about, but beyond that I have a hard time finding fault with the Eros SS. The tip is very delicate, and for that reason this is not a budget knife that can take a beating like my Zancudo or Rat II.

If you are looking for a more traditional gentlemanly high value framelock flipper then the Eros SS is well worth considering. Mine has performed admirably and I am impressed with how well made it is. For $45 you really cannot go wrong.

CRKT Eros EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Gentleman's Knife, Everyday Carry, Satin Blade, IKBS Ball Bearing Pivot, Frame Lock, Stainless Steel Handle, Pocket Clip K456XXP

List Price: $48.23

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I recommend buying the CRKT Eros at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.