2021 #85 Crown Lifter

foyZlKZ5_o.jpg
Really great picture. :cool::thumbsup:
 
Just received my Crow Lifter from on of the GEC dealers. It took ages to get here as it ended up in a postal limbo at an USPS center in Chicago... It's fun knife to fiddle around with and I can't wait to put it to some use. Feels lively in the hand and rests well in a pocket.
Quick question for those with a Dead Skunk - how is the overall finish of the scales? Both observer and reverse side on mine are silky smooth but on the back and belly (I.E the small millimetre next to the liners) the scales feels different, unpolished and gritty and make a slight scratching sound when I run a nail over them.
foyZlKZ5_o.jpg

A special thanks to my daughter for leaving her toys all over and boost my artistic inspiration.
I think my glitter gold TC has the same issue you describe above. It feels to me like they just made the cuts and did not properly finish the sides to smooth them out. Its only noticeable by touch, as you cant really see it. Its really not a major issue for me, but it would have made the knife feel that much nicer had they smoothed out the sides.
 
Really great picture. :cool::thumbsup:
Thanks :thumbsup:

I think my glitter gold TC has the same issue you describe above. It feels to me like they just made the cuts and did not properly finish the sides to smooth them out. Its only noticeable by touch, as you cant really see it. Its really not a major issue for me, but it would have made the knife feel that much nicer had they smoothed out the sides.

I believe you just describe it much better and in fever words than I ;). Interesting to know how common this "issue" is and if it just on the '21 runs. My only other knife in acrylic - #86, tortoise, has a perfectly executed smooth finish.
 
I've left the lifter on my micarta and acrylic open for the last 2 weeks and it does seem to have loosened the pull atleast a tiny bit, thanks for the suggestion guys.
 
Lots of talk about the pull weight of the lifters. They probably came intentionally stiffer because of the forces applied when screwing using the driver.

Here's a write up I did - https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/ive-successfully-lightened-a-nailbreaker-backspring.1782247/ - about lightening the pull and adding a small notch. The spring bending method seems like it's working. Grinding is a little more involved, but if you know what you're doing won't leave a dent/gash.
 
When I first saw that the 85 Crown Lifters were coming, I got pretty excited. Good size and shape for my use, and, living in the Netherlands, there are lots of great Dutch and Belgian beers available that require a bottle opener. Of course, as has been posted occasionally, GECs are pretty hard to score these days. In Europe, it is even more difficult. I figured I would give it a try, though. I struck out entirely when they dropped, but I wasn't too disappointed as my expectations were pretty low to begin with. I figured maybe something would come along in the secondary market that wasn't outrageously overpriced.

Imagine my surprise when, last Saturday, I came across a brand new in tube dead skunk on a small retailer's website! It was even reasonably priced (factoring in shipping, customs, and value-added tax). Cheaper, in fact, than almost anything I have seen on the re-sale market. I was a little hesitant, because I didn't know the dealer, but I figured what the heck. No risk, no gain. So I placed the order...

The knife showed up today! The smell of the factory oil was apparent as soon as I opened the outer box. The knife is pretty awesome. It has very good fit and finish, with pulls of 6 (blade) and maybe 6.5 (cap lifter), smooth transitions, and zero gaps. The only flaw, which is negligible to me, is that both springs are very slightly proud at the half-stop (perfectly flush open or closed). Joy in Mudville, so to speak.

Apologies for the poor photo; it was almost dusk when the DHL guy showed up.

IMG_2500.JPG
 
I got my dead skunk yesterday, it sure looks different in person. It almost looks velvety in the inside of the acrylic. Its pretty interesting.
 
I am not sure if you can tell from this picture, I polished the bolsters, shield, and micarta.
5OtXoI8.jpg

Looks great. The micarta on this run look fantastic. If I had a “do over” I’d have gone with micarta instead of the DS.
 
Back
Top