Search results: "assisted" (page 3 of 14)

This post was originally posted in August 2018 and is updated every year.

Formally known as Columbia River Knife & Tool, CRKT is a relatively new company in terms of big knife brands, having only been established in 1994.

However, over the nearly three decades the company has been around, it’s put out hundreds of different models. There’s a lot to love about CRKT, from its truly innovative designs to its collaborations with some of the top knifemakers. Unfortunately, the use of inexpensive materials leaves a lot to be desired by the knife community. In the last few years, CRKT has tried to remedy these failings.

Picking the 10 best CRKT knives was easy at first until I realized all the knives I was forgetting. The company puts out dozens of new models every year and discontinues a ton. Unlike many of the other brands, this list is a mixture of new and old.

Let us know if you think we missed any.

CRKT M16

We’ll start with the flagship series from CRKT: the M16. The late great Kit Carson, who pioneered the flipper tab, helped propel CRKT to where it is today, thanks to his M16 series. His knife was named one of the 10 best tactical knives of the decade by Blade Magazine, and the CRKT interpretation is nothing to scoff at.

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This post was originally published in 2019 but was updated in 2022 with newer models.

Over the past year or so, I’ve been going over the best knives from each brand. Some have been really easy to narrow down such as Spyderco and Kershaw.

However, few brands have been harder to pin down than Ontario Knife Company. Ontario, sometimes known more simply as OKC, has a surprisingly robust and diverse selection of knives that all serve a purpose and do it well. There are some obvious choices — ahem, the RAT folders — but there are so many other serviceable knives that could have been on this list.

These lists always carry some level of bias and subjectivity, but I feel like this list may contain more whimsy and randomness than others.

If I’m alive and kicking and still have this job, I’ll redo this next year and may swap out some others, but this is the list for 2019. Let me know which ones I missed in the comments.

Ontario RAT Folder

Let’s start with the easiest addition to this list: the RAT Folders. I’m cheating a bit because this includes the RAT 1 and RAT 2 folders. They are essentially the same knife but in different sizes.

The RAT folders are a perennial favorite among knife people because they are relatively cheap, reliable, and solid knives. The fact that they are now available in D2 at a low cost means they may be the best budget knife on the market.

Along with D2, you can get an assisted version, an AUS 8 version, and some with different blade finishes and handle colors.

Ontario Black Bird SK-5

The next no-brainer is the Ontario Black Bird. The series is designed by Paul Scheiter. The survival knife was named the best of the best by Field and Stream Magazine in 2011, and it’s evolved over the years. It’s a pretty simple bushcrafting knife with a 5-inch 420HC stainless steel blade and multicolor Micarta handle scales.

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It was another fantastic year of knives. So, with 2022 almost in the rearview mirror, we thought it was time to look at the best knives to come out this year.

Like all of our best-of lists, this selection of knives is biased and somewhat arbitrary. Here are a few qualifications. In order to qualify for this list, the knife had to have been available at Knife Depot. There are a ton of great knives out there, but we thought it would be somewhat odd to choose knives that we weren’t very familiar with.

We did take into account the reviews and opinions of others when selecting these knives, but they were pretty much selected by myself.

Let us know your favorite knives of the past year.

Kershaw Outlier

Let’s start with an easy one: the Kershaw Outlier.

The Outlier has been one of the top-selling knives of the year at Knife Depot, and the feedback has been positive all around. The design is nothing mind-blowing. It’s a tactical folding karambit, but it just works so well and the price is great. It reminds me of the great Fox Karambit, but at a much cheaper price price point.

It has a 2.6-inch hawkbill blade with a black glass-filled nylon handle. It can be opened with a flipper and assisted-opening mechanism or via thumb stud.

When I look back at 2022, I’ll think of the Outlier.

Hogue Deka

The Hogue Deka is not a new design, but 2022 saw the release of the definitive edition of the Deka.

The new Deka is one of the first production knives to receive the super steel MagnaCut on its blade. This steel is widely considered the best all-around steel ever made. For steel nerds, check out this highly in-depth article from Larrin over at Knife Steel Nerds.

Along with the MagnaCut steel, this version of the Deka has polymer handle scales which help cut down on the weight and price of the knife.

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