Customer Reviews

Columbia River Knife and Tool 2020 AG Russell Sting Razor Sharp Edge Knife

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I got out of the Army in 1989. We were able to buy Gerber Guardian boot knives in the PX then. when they were made in USA and we got 'em in camo to match our uniforms. That way we could wear them officially. These came HIGHLY recommended from any number of folks with experience in the field. You just won't believe the number to uses you will have for a sturdy fixed blade - as long as it's not too long, and as long as you have confidence in the toughness of it.

I got mine in 1985 and carried it daily and used it HARD in the field. The issue bayonet was too hard to carry and you WANT a fixed blade knife - preferably with an integrated handle - in the field. Nothing to break and I seriously doubt you could break the guardian...let alone this AG Russell (CRKT now) Sting knife. (tougher steel)

You can read all about how this is the toughest steel there is, samurai sword, etc...I just know you can't hurt it. I've used and abused this knife just like we all did our Gerbers in the old days. Cutting? sure...but when you just grab one tool, and it's on your body in the field...it can help dig a foxhole, etch a map on a stone quickly, pry open stuff, pry apart firewood, hand-drill holes in trees for rigging spikes, we even used our steel pots (helments) as a hammer and drove "starter holes" into frozen ground in Germany for our tent stakes...we used our Gerber guardians to bang this 'starter hole' as our tent stakes wouldn't do it. you get the idea here, we ABUSED our knives and this style of knife held up very well. To be honest, even if a rookie took another style into the field...it usually broke and was replaced with a fixed blade, intergrated handle knife.

more delicate stuff...You can fillet fish (a bit clumsy but it works), cut up your sausages, dress game, open your MRE's, cut cord, works good as a pick for backlashes on a baitcaster reel, even make an improvised spear with some cord if you really wanted to...the handle won't break - it's part of the blade.

I like the sheath retention better in the kydex version of today than the old gerber guardian sheath of old...and the multiple carry options are nice - but I've never tried the leg staps. Upside down on a pack strap, horizontal or right side up on a belt...retention is great with the Sting sheath package.

I still have my Gerber guardian - but it's deserved it's place of honor with my medals and a few trinkets of rememberence. The CRKT AGRussell Sting is every bit as capable - I've proven it over and over on trips...and it sharpens like a dream even though it rarely needs it. I own 2 and have given them as gifts. I believe the shape is easier to hold than my old Gerber and the steel tougher, the sheath better, etc...all with the same key feature of a fixed blade in a useable size and with integrated handle.

My buddy just back from Iraq (2 tours) signs the praises of his large, tactical folder with apparently unbreakable lock designs - like we did years ago, soldiers use a knife as a tool (and abuse it)...but doubt I'd ever trust it...not when I KNOW a fixed blade can't close on me without my permission. Also I think my Sting weighs less and is a better size to use than what he carried.

Finally - knife advice is everywhere, please just know this is just my experience and opinion - it's no more right or wrong than the rest...just know what I've learned on this hard use knife and wanted to share it to anyone interested.

This knife has to be among the best knives I have ever owned, used, and abused. I am a soldier in the U.S. Army currently posting this review from service in Iraq. I set out on a search to find a very portable but effective knife for everyday use, off-the-wall use, and everything in between. I have had the knife for a little over two months now and it definitely fits the bill.

When I pulled it out of its neat packaging tucked away beneath plastic bubbles the first thing I noticed was its weight. I was set back by the weight for its size, but soon came to find it a very comfortable weight. Although it isn't heavy by any means, it certainly isn't the lightest blade you'll ever find. The sheath is very light and sturdy, the straps are dual Velcro that adhere to any other part and don't let go. I have had it strapped by the inside of my arm, strapped to my ankle, and strapped to my back on my belt, the sheath is very comfortable wherever it goes; though I would not suggest sitting down in a chair for an extended period of time with it on the back of your belt.

The knife is constructed entirely of high grade 1050 carbon steel. My father was a metal fabricator, from what he has taught me, this is definitely made of an exceptional metal. It is very easy to sharpen and it holds its edge well. I have been able to shave with this knife after a short session with a whetstone. I have taken this knife to fabric, to wood, to cables, even thrown into a tile floor (which it stuck into without a problem, the problem was pulling it back out), NOTHING has done any extensive damage to the edge of this knife. Bear in mind though, abuse their product like I have countless times, and you are bound to void CRKT's warranty; just take comfort knowing you'll never need that warranty!

The handle is just the right length and width for my hands to keep a very firm grip on it even with tough use. The coating over the knife has a nice smooth feeling to it; but allows excellent grip when the time comes. I have noticed some scratches in the coating from having used the knife on dense materials; but that can be expected with any fashion of abuse. The grooves and indents over the handle make it very ergonomic and easy to control, and if it strikes your fancy you can even tie it to something with the hole at the pommel and the edges of the finger guard.

Overall, this is an outstanding knife. You simply will NOT find a better knife, especially at this price! The next best thing is easily over $150!! This blade gets my vote in terms of portability, durability, and it looks pretty too.

This blade is yet another brilliant example of why CRKC is a trusted manufactuer of high-quality knives. While originally sold as a survival knife, many purchase it for its boot-strap component, coming complete with two adjustable Velcro straps and a sheath that is designed specifically for this blade. It has a nice release from the sheath along with a smooth, reusable form.

In terms of the blade itself, it is a high grade carbon steel that is virtually indestructible; at least that's what Columbia River claims, and I have yet to find them to be inaccurate. Trust me, i've used this blade for many activities that I wouldn't trust another blade to do, and it still retains the point, the edge, and the form. Truly a strong utility knife or a trusty survival knife in those unsure situations.

It's small and compact as well, which is nice for concealment as a boot-strap and also reduces it from being annoying upon wear. The straps are not the strongest or designed with the customer in mind as well as they could have, which, if you apply them wrong, will cause indentations in the leg upon use, but that's kind of a "user-beware" scenario vs. bad quality.

All in all, this knife is perfect for being an all-around knife, great for camping, survival courses, or as a secondary blade for combat situations. Highly recommended and worth twice what you'll pay for it.

This is the AG Russell Sting made by Columbia River Knife and Tool. It is one fixed blade- all 1050 steel including the handle. It comes with straps so you can wear it as a boot knife, but they can be removed and it can be belt carried. The sheath that it comes in is well made and not one of those cheesy sheathes that end up falling apart after awhile. Now the title does describe it as being razor sharp, but I'd call it sub-razor sharp since I couldn't actually shave with it out of the box. Don't get me wrong, it's still really sharp, I just like to keep mine sharp enough to cut hair so I ran it over an Arkansas stone for about three minutes to bring it in spec.

The company claims that this knife can do just about anything. Over the three weeks that I've owned it, it hasn't let me down. I've used it for everything- cutting meat, cutting rope, even scoring(cutting) drywall. I'm very pleased with the quality. I haven't had any issues with the tip bending and I've thrown it into lots of stuff.

The handle is not covered with anything so it feels a little small, but it's still a good fit for my hands and I'm a bigger guy. The only drawback to not having a plastic/rubberized handle is that this one gets pretty cold if you're working out in the weather.

It's an all over great knife that I haven't had to worry about. The knife holds an edge pretty well and hasn't otherwise needed any other attention. If you're looking for a knife that can be strapped to you in virtually any position, can be used to cut or pierce nearly anything and is cheap enough to buy two or three of them, then this is your knife.

It was smaller then I thought it would be but that is just my inability to read the dimensions. I kind of like the size though. What I really like is that this is a steel knife. You will not get the performance from a stainless steel knife that you will get from a hardened steel knife. But you lose the corrosion resistance. Of course real steel will rust. The cool thing about this knife is that they powder coated the entire knife blade. That way, the only exposed metal is the cutting edge. Just keep the edge sharp and maintained and you have a really good knife that will stay sharp longer.

This has been one of the best knives I have ever owned. Being one solid piece of metal (my favorite part) makes it sturdy enough for tough work both around the house and out in the woods, and it's small enough to travel with me on my belt or as a bootstrap knife when I'm out riding. As a previous reviewer stated, you have to watch out for rust, but that basically comes down to keeping the blade clean and keeping the sheath as clear of moisture and debris as humanly possible. Beyond that, I'd say this has been $35 WELL-spent.

The pictures do not do this tiem justice. This knife is a very well made tool. And you can only expect quality and craftsmanship from CRKT. First of all, this knife is very small(about 6 inches long). The knife will still fit perfectly into any hand. The blade is very sharp and the dual-edged feature is very helpful. The leg attatchments are very, very nice and the whole apparatus works very well. The entire set up is made of completely good materials, from the knife to the sheath to the straps. All in all this knife is a great buy for anyone that needs a tactical weapon or an easy to reach tool.

I personally love this knife. I have used in all kinds of environments from the Rocky Mountains to the Everglades in Florida and it hasn't shown any signs of weather damage. This Knife also holds an edge extremely well and is a dream to sharpen.

Maybe my expectations were a little high after reading the gleaming reviews of this knife but I am less than impressed.
The first thing I noticed was the discolored sheath. The nylon is purplish on the front center area over the blade. I'm not unhappy with the sheath's design as others are.
The next disappointment was the cutting edges (or lack of). Both sides from the center to tip literally will not cut paper. I can run my finger down the blade with moderate pressure without fear of injury. Sure, I can sharpen it and it will be fine but I expect better from CRKT. $32 may be cheap for a durable knife but it's at the high end for a Chinese one.
Maybe it was oversight on my part but I did not see anywhere in the description that this knife was made in China. The only indication is the "product of china" sticker on the end of the box. Still, the origin would not bother me if the quality was better than the typical chinese garbage sold at fleamarkets. Don't get me wrong. Not all Chinese knives are poor quality. This one, However, is.

The biggest disappointment I had was that I didn't get the 2 day shipping I paid for. I got a $50 prepaid visa card as a gift and since I was moving to Chicago I ordered this to carry for self defense and spent the rest of what was on the card for the faster shipping and even after processing it came about a week later, so I had to come back from Chicago to get it. Not a big deal, I obviously survived without it.

That said, none of that pertains to the knife itself. On to the product!

As another review said the nylon on the sheath does have a slightly purple tinted coloration, but it is so subtle that I never actually noticed it until I read that, and I've had it on my belt for months and I use it frequently. The sheath itself has two small velcro patches on it to attach it horizontally to a belt. The strips are about 1 x 1.5 inches and are well made and thick, no worries about my knife randomly falling off my belt like my previous belt knife. The outside strap on the folds has a loop attached, to which an included larger loop goes through. The longer straps to mount it on your arm/leg/boot go through that loop and are long enough to fit just about any body type unless you're utterly massive. It sounds like a lot of extra work just to have a loosely mounted knife, but I had it on my leg for visual effect during a game of airsoft running around in the woods, crouching down, lying prone, etc and it never snagged on anything or fell off.

The actual hard part of the sheath is very durable and isn't going to bend or break on you unless you're pounding on it with a hammer. As you can see in the picture, the sheath has a bump that fills the thumb indentation on the handle to hold the knife in place; the knife fits in like a glove and when I shake it up and down as hard as I can there is only a very slight wobble and absolutely no fear of it falling out, so it isn't going to come out of the sheath unless you want it to. That said, it isn't too difficult to pull out of the sheath, just give it a tug.

The only complaint I have about the product itself is just me being picky, before I got my first belt knife (extremely low quality, wasn't smart when I bought it) I wore a knife on a shoulder sheath that had it rest on my stomach, and the grip for said knife was rubberized, so it had a very tight grip. This knife is made out of one solid piece of metal and isn't rubberized, but the black finish does have better grip than plain steel. Another thing I had to get used to from previous knives is the way you have to grip it to have a firm hold, if you hold it in a clenched fist it is more likely to slip, but if you hold it with your thumb in the indentation pointing down the blade, wrap your index finger around the narrower part of the grip around the thumb indentation, and let your other fingers just fall into place comfortably you'll have a tight grip on it.

Another reviewer said he stabbed his wall with it and rounded the tip, I personally don't believe that. When I was cutting open a package I accidentally dropped it from waist height and it hit my floor tip first. My apartment's floor is cement with a normal layer of carpet over that, and after going through the carpet and hitting solid cement the tip only has a tiny chip on it, and I still use it to cut things.

Lastly, another reviewer said his knife rusted after a few months, I've used my knife for almost 7 months now, including a few times where it got wet and I have no traces of rust on the blade. Just make sure if it gets wet to dry it off with a towel if you're worried about rust.

Overall it is a great product, just expect to sharpen it and don't waste your money on expedited shipping.

The blade wasn't at all sharp when I got it, but a few minutes with an $8 walmart knife sharpener was able to give it enough of a cutting edge for what I use it for.