11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome knife, awesome value, October 3, 2007
This is an awesome knife.
The Columbia River Knife & Tool company makes quality products at a fair price, and they have a lot of fine tools.
But the M16 series of knives is my choice for EDC, "every-day carry". I have a CRKT M16 clipped inside my front pants pocket literally any time I'm wearing clothing. I've carried these knives for about six years now. I prefer the 3.5" version for carrying on my clothes, but my wife likes the 3" as a more "ladylike" size.
What makes this knife so special? Why's it so cheap if it's so good?
This knife is made from stainless steel. I have horribly abused my knife and I find that occasionally, I need to take it apart and clean the gunk from under the perforated Zytel scales. It rusts a little, from sweat and from being exposed to a marine environment.
The particular stainless steel they use, unlike most stainless knives, will take and hold a good sharp edge. If you're a sharpening fetishist who is constantly sharpening your knife so that you can shave with it, this isn't the knife for you. If you want a knife for dealing with all the cutting tool needs in your normal daily life, this is perfect.
The best feature of all is the "Carson Flipper." It's that little nub visible on the blade-side of the knife. When the knife is closed, you can open it with one hand, by placing your index finger on the Carson Flipper, and flicking the knife open. It takes about 30 seconds of practice to perfect, and it's smooth and positive. I have had MANY people look at me funny and accuse me of having "an illegal switchblade" when they see me open my knife. . . one second the knife is closed, the next I'm holding a blade. No muss, no fuss.
If you buy this knife, I recommend you obtain the correct Torx drivers needed to service the knife. I'd also recommend you use "blue" Loctite to keep the scale screws from falling out, and you'll want to Loctite and tighten down the screws that hold the belt-clip. You'll need to adjust the tension and lubrication of the main screw (you can use a dime for this) until you get it how you like it.
I've bought several of these knives. I lost one (it may have "grown legs"), I "retired" one that was looking battle-worn, and I'm now on my third. I've bought these knives for friends as gifts. I even sent one to my lover who was serving in Iraq at the time.
You could spend several hundred dollars on a fancy pocket knife. Don't bother; get a CKRT M16-Z and you'll have a faithful companion tool until you wear it out twenty years from now.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Smooth One-Handed Deployment *and* Closing, Inexpensive, High Quality, December 5, 2010
This is a great EDC knife. I've had it for a few months now (transitioned from a Spyderco Rescue C14SBL). Greatest thing about this knife is that it deploys so quickly and with a very reassuring click. I asked a State Police officer I know if it was legal immediately after deploying it in his presence, he told me "No". I asked him why not and he explained that it was spring loaded and therefore illegal. I then let him examine the knife and he realized there is no spring involved and the blade is just very well balanced so he retracted his ruling of 'illegal'.
Second best thing about the knife is that you can easily close it with one hand, which is something that was more of a challenge with the C14SBL. You need to be careful otherwise you'll find out how sharp the blade is, but with a little practice there's no problem here.
The blade itself is an AUS 4 SS with a bead blast finish. It's not as elegant as the polished SS of the C14SBL, but the function is the important thing and it functions just fine, thank you very much. The action of the blade deployment is smooth and the Zytel handle with its rounded edges sits well in the hand. I did find that the screws for the clip started getting loose soon after I purchased the knife and immediately bought the correct Torx tip (T6 for the clip, T8 for the handle) and blue Loctited all the screws. This has been the only problem with the knife and it was easily resolved.
The last thing I'll say about the knife is that it has what CRKT calls the "AutoLAWKS" system which means that in order to fold the blade, you must pull a small red-headed lever with your index finger, which then allows you to slide the liner lock to the left with your thumb and fold the knife closed with your index finger. I've read some reviews where people hated the system and defeated it. I like it because it provides an extra level of security against the liner lock failing (which I have had happen to me with other liner lock knives).
This knife is nicely put together and should serve for many years without fail. If lost or severely damaged, it can be easily replaced for very short money. Given that some knives go for upwards of $100 and even $200 or more, it's nice to have a dependable knife that won't break the bank should it get lost. Furthermore, CRKT seems to be a company with great customer service that stands behind its products.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Solid Knife, July 18, 2010
Bought this knife today. Very solid and heavy. The grip is a plastic-like material but it doesn't feel cheap at all. The quick flip open feature is pretty nifty and the lock is a great addition for safety as well. The clip works really well, it is also removable by taking out 3 small hex screws if that's how you want it. The blade is really solid and heavy with half serrated and the tanto end of it. This knife could take a bunch of abuse and still cut through anything. Plus if something does break on it the knife has a warranty on it. This is pretty much a $75 knife at a $30 price. Good buy.
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