Hey, everyone.
David C. Andersen here coming at you from the KnifeCenter, and today we’re taking
a look at the best CRKT pocket knives in 2019.
Let’s check em out.
CRKT as a company proved that they could work with overseas manufacturers and top-name designers
to bring innovative and affordable knives to people that wouldn’t normally have been
able to get them.
From AutoLAWKS, to Field Strip, to Kinematic opening, CRKT has a ton of technologies in
their roster, and they continue to pump out great designs from some of the biggest names
today.
We’re gonna start with one of their classic designs, and that’s the M16 and closely-related
M21 series, designed by Kit Carson.
What’s notable about these knives in the production sphere is that these series helped
popularize the flipper opening mechanism, which has proliferated across the industry
and it’s everywhere you look today.
But when this knife was introduced, it was unlike anything else out there.
This field-proven tactical knife has been a fixture of their lineup for a long time,
and it’s still one of the best designs of theirs that you can get today.
Having been around so long, there’s a ton of different variants available as well.
From drop-point, tanto and spear point profiles, multiple lengths, double or single guards,
colors, manual or automatic, the list goes on.
There are frame lock versions available, but the version I’m holding here is one of their
liner lock versions.
With G10 handles and dual liners it feels great in the hand, and it really inspires
confidence.
This knife also features something that you only really see from CRKT these days, and
that are Veff serrations, which are designed by Tom Veff, and they’re actually angled
to feed material into the cut as you pull back on the knife.
This style of serration works great, and it’s sort of a CRKT signature.
You don’t really see a lot of other folks using it.
This knife also features CRKT’s AutoLAWKS mechanism, which is a spring-loaded tab that
pops open when you open the knife, and holds the liner lock open.
This increases the strength of the lock, and you don’t even have to think about it since
it does happen automatically.
Next up is a knife that has reshaped CRKT’s lineup, and that’s the Homefront with Field
Strip opening mechanism.
Through the use of just two different parts: a thumb wheel at the back of the knife, and
a switch at the pivot, you can take this knife apart with no tools, and put it back together
very easily.
And while it may seem like just a party trick, it actually goes a long way to making it very
easy to keep your pocket knife clean.
Field Strip was invented by Ken Onion, and this knife is a Ken Onion design overall,
and you’re gonna see his name all over CRKT’s lineup.
A ton of great designs from him, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
The Homefront is a WWII inspired design, with a recurve drop point of AUS-8 steel, and this
is good for field work, combat, and even hunting and skinning, since it’s gonna be easy to
keep the knife clean.
There are versions with synthetic handles, but the aluminum version here is definitely
the best of the standard lineup.
And Field Strip has proliferated across CRKT’s range as well, so there’s a ton of great
designs utilizing this technology with all kinds of different styles.
But the most impressive thing about Field Strip to me is that, even after taking it
apart and putting it back together, the centering is perfect and the flipping action is still
superb every single time.
Next up are a couple of designs that were only released this year, but they’ve become
insanely popular in a very short period of time.
First is the Crossbones, designed by Jeff Park, who’s actually a protege of Ken Onion.
And this is one of our favorite executive knife designs, with an upswept blade and a
wickedly-machined aluminum handle.
And that handle’s what really sets this knife apart.
It’s made with two tone aluminum: it’s machined down, and the recessed areas have
a matte finish with a diamond checkered pattern.
Higher up we see a satin finished pattern that’s sort of in the shape of an X that
follows the frame of the knife, and that’s what gives this knife its name.
The pivot on this knife actually features IKBS bearings, and that’s something you’re
going to see a lot in the CRKT lineup.
These are more economical than typical cage bearings, and it allows them to bring super
smooth action to lower price points.
This also features 8Cr13MoV steel, which is a common entry-level steel for them, and it’s
actually quite similar to AUS-8.
It features respectable edge retention, corrosion resistance, and it’s easy to maintain.
Next up is another executive knife, also IKBS equipped, the CEO, designed by Richard Rogers.
This one has been insanely popular since its introduction this year, and it’s easy to
see why.
This gentleman’s pocket knife absolutely disappears when clipped to your pocket; it’s
no bigger than a nice ink pen.
That slender blade with the IKBS bearings gives it a very refined action you’re not
going to see from larger knives.
And thanks to that slender profile, the blade is going to fit where others can’t, which
adds some agility to your EDC.
Next up is a design from another industry heavyweight, maker, and that’s Jesper Voxnaes,
and the knife is the Pilar, which is available in two sizes, this one here being the larger
one.
The sheepsfoot cleaver style blade fits perfectly into another trend that’s been incredibly
popular of late; that being the folding pocket cleaver.
It offers a different kind of style than the CEO, one that’s a little more raw, and a
little more aggro flair.
You can open the knife with the flipper, or by using the cutouts in the blade, and it
has G10 handles on this model that fold up nice and small in the pocket, but because
of the full finger choil at the heel of the blade, you can still get a full grip on this
knife when it’s open.
You can also get this knife instead of G10 with steel handled versions, and that’s
actually part of the reason for the popularity of this knife, because they make a perfect
platform for customizers and modders.
The final icing on the cake for this particular model is an upgrade to D2 steel from their
base 8Cr stainless.
So these are all solid designs, but as we round out this list, we’re gonna show a
few that really stretch their manufacturing capabilities.
The first is the Graphite designed by Glen Klecker.
It may not look like it, but this is actually a lockback design, only instead of a typical
leaf spring, it’s formed integrally with the handle.
This open build with a skeletal frame looks fantastic, and as you press down with your
thumb it actually locks up even tighter since you’re pushing down on the lock interface.
The advantage of this skeletonized design, besides looking cool, is you can actually
get a lock back with a flipper; something that’s not usually possible because of the
leaf spring that’s typically there.
The sheepsfoot blade is available with a plain edge or a serrated blade as you see here.
And this is actually another Veff serration variant, the Veff Flat top serrations.
What makes these special is they’re easier for the end user to sharpen when they inevitably
dull.
Serrations will hold their sharp edge for a long time, but they will inevitably dull,
and if you have these Veff Flat Top serrations, they’re gonna be easier to get back up to
snuff.
Next, we just had to include the new Clever Girl Folder, which is a well-designed tactical
model featuring their new Deadbolt lock.
And like the Field Strip Mechanism from before, we expect the Deadbolt lock to spread across
CRKT’s lineup.
Off the bat, the Clever Girl is a fantastic tactical design, as I said, with plenty of
grip in the handle, and a wickedly-upswept D2 blade.
But at its core is the strongest locking mechanism in CRKT’s arsenal, and it actually shares
space with the pivot.
The Deadbolt lock features a U-shaped bar arrangement, and you can see the back of it
from the other side of the knife, and it actually runs through the tang of the knife, much like
a deadbolt lock on your door, only with two points of contact going through the steel.
It is exceptionally strong.
Even so, it’s easy to release with a simple push of the button, and we can’t wait to
see this lock on even more knives in the future.
Now, love it or hate it, we just had to end this list with the CRKT Provoke: a highly-styled
folding karambit with kinematic opening.
Now this was created by Joe Caswell, and when he looked at traditional folding karambits,
he saw a problem area that no one was even thinking about.
To avoid the possibility of the blade accidentally folding closed when you don’t want it to,
he came up with this kinematic opening system that actually opens from the spine side of
the knife, and as long as you’re holding it, the blade is gonna stay open.
This combines the security of a fixed blade with the compactness of a folder, and it’s
almost as quick as a fixed blade, too.
The Provoke is already indexed as you draw it, then with a simple press of the thumb,
the blade snaps into place and it’s ready for action.
So what do you think of our list of best CRKT knives for 2019?
If you have a favorite here, or think we left something out, be sure to let us know in the
comments below.
In the meantime, to get your hands on one of these, or any of the other great CRKT knives
out there, click the link in the description below to head over to KnifeCenter.com.
And don’t forget to sign up for our KnifeRewards program, where you can earn free money just
for purchasing the knife you were gonna buy anyway.
I’m David C. Andersen, signing off.
See you next time at the KnifeCenter.