CRKT Clever Girl Folder

Silent H

Silent H

Joined
Feb 1, 2018
Messages
1,668
CRKT is coming out with a folding version of their Clever Girl fixed blade, it has the Deadbolt lock they debuted on the Seismic earlier this year. I want to check out the Deadbolt lock, but I wasn't a big fan of the Seismic because of the 1.4116 steel on a $100+ knife. The Clever Girl Folder has D2 steel, and I like the design much better than the Seismic.

tuFMkAf.jpg


I ended up buying the Clever Girl today, I'll update this with my impressions once it arrives, but I am very excited for this knife.

I like the fact that CRKT has upgraded some of their knives to D2, hopefully they'll continue upgrading their steel. It's nice to see a company listening to the customers.
 
While I do not use fixed blades really, I do like the design of the fixed blade Clever Girl. This folder though, not a fan of the handle shape, nor the hump on the back of the blade where the jimping would be. Looks awkward.
 
I quite like the look.
It looks a bit like the Spyderco Persian.
I won't be buying one though as I don't do thumb studs and because I'm not that impressed by CRKT.
 
I'd get the Spyderco Gayle Bradley 2 with D2 steel instead of the CRKT. The GB 1 has been my EDC since introduced and it excels in everyday cutting chores.

 
GatorFlash1 said:
I'd get the Spyderco Gayle Bradley 2 with D2 steel instead of the CRKT. The GB 1 has been my EDC since introduced and it excels in everyday cutting chores.

Click to expand...
The GB rocks but I thought Spyderco only made the GB2 in CPM M4?
I couldnt listen to/watch the video because of the dialect or what ever that is.
 
Silent H said:
CRKT is coming out with a folding version of their Clever Girl fixed blade, it has the Deadbolt lock they debuted on the Seismic earlier this year. I want to check out the Deadbolt lock, but I wasn't a big fan of the Seismic because of the 1.4116 steel on a $100+ knife. The Clever Girl Folder has D2 steel, and I like the design much better than the Seismic.

tuFMkAf.jpg


I ended up buying the Clever Girl today, I'll update this with my impressions once it arrives, but I am very excited for this knife.

I like the fact that CRKT has upgraded some of their knives to D2, hopefully they'll continue upgrading their steel. It's nice to see a company listening to the customers.
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting. I hadn't seen this one. On paper and in pictures, this looks great. Love the blade shape. The lock is intriguing. Materials look good. I'll be looking hard at reviews of this when it hits the streets.

I do have a couple of concerns that not surprisingly revolve around the company. First, this is crkt. Fit/finish and quality control are always a concern with crkt, making any purchase a risk. Second, all d2 is not created equal. I can see them charging more just because it says d2. I didn't see any information on the country of origin but I'm betting China, which means Chinese d2. Lastly, price. MSRP is $160. What will the street price on these be? $100 might be acceptable if all the other classic crkt issues are fixed. $120 is really pushing it.

So, taking all that into account, this could be a hit or a major bust for me. Only time will tell. Crkt is still a budget brand and doesn't seem to know how to break out of that mold. Hopefully they can do it here because it looks like a great design.

GatorFlash1 said:
I'd get the Spyderco Gayle Bradley 2 with D2 steel instead of the CRKT. The GB 1 has been my EDC since introduced and it excels in everyday cutting chores.

Click to expand...

Are they making the GB2 in D2 now? Or did you mean m4....
 
craytab said:
I do have a couple of concerns that not surprisingly revolve around the company. First, this is crkt. Fit/finish and quality control are always a concern with crkt, making any purchase a risk. Second, all d2 is not created equal. I can see them charging more just because it says d2. I didn't see any information on the country of origin but I'm betting China, which means Chinese d2. Lastly, price. MSRP is $160. What will the street price on these be? $100 might be acceptable if all the other classic crkt issues are fixed. $120 is really pushing it.
Click to expand...

You're right, F&F on CRKT has been spotty in the past, I've been fairly lucky, the worst issues I've experienced have been blade play (usually fixed with disassembly) and dull factory edges. Chinese D2 is a concern, but I recently got the Provoke with a D2 blade, which came with a very dull factory edge. Sharpening it was a challenge, but their D2 was definitely pretty hard, so I'm willing to take the chance. As for the price, when I first saw a "teaser" from the designer, I was expecting the price to be closer to the $200 Provoke. I think CRKT recently changed their MAP policy (there was at least one thread about it on here), so I think it will stay right around $160, the good thing about their website is that they have frequent sales and it's fairly easy to find coupon codes.
 
Silent H said:
You're right, F&F on CRKT has been spotty in the past, I've been fairly lucky, the worst issues I've experienced have been blade play (usually fixed with disassembly) and dull factory edges. Chinese D2 is a concern, but I recently got the Provoke with a D2 blade, which came with a very dull factory edge. Sharpening it was a challenge, but their D2 was definitely pretty hard, so I'm willing to take the chance. As for the price, when I first saw a "teaser" from the designer, I was expecting the price to be closer to the $200 Provoke. I think CRKT recently changed their MAP policy (there was at least one thread about it on here), so I think it will stay right around $160, the good thing about their website is that they have frequent sales and it's fairly easy to find coupon codes.
Click to expand...
Yes, they did just implement a map like plan. If the price stays anywhere near $160 that would be really sad. We are talking benchmade bedlam territory (that's what I paid a few years ago, and the quality is there unlike crkt).

I really hope crkt gets out of their own way on this one. They'll never break their reputation in the enthusiast community if none of us buy their knives. $160 for a Chinese produced crkt is ridiculous. I mean, look at what many of these smaller Chinese companies are doing. I've been carrying this guy around for a while and at the price it crushes anything I've ever had from crkt:
rD3I40E.jpg
 
Insipid Moniker said:
At $160 there's no way. If I could grab one for $100 and reviews are decent I would be very, very tempted. The design and lock look very cool, but as craytab craytab says, CRKT gonna CRKT, so I'm interested, but cautious.
Click to expand...
Yup, at a certain point crkt is going to need to go above and beyond their reputation for enthusiasts to take the plunge. A high price is going to keep that from happening. It doesn't matter the cool design or lock or upgraded materials.

I mean, if I think about all the quality knives I've bought for around $160 or lower on the secondary market the last few years, the list is staggering and not something crkt can compete with in any way what-so-ever.
 
Every time I see CRKT coming out with a good-looking knife with an interesting lock or feature, I just wish it was being produced by a different company.

On paper the Clever Girl folder looks right up my alley: 4" upswept blade, clean lines, some visual pop, D2, nifty lock. But I worry about CRKT's ability to execute that lock well (it's basically a button lock with two pins, right? So two pieces that need to be designed to wear in without introducing blade play) and do a good job with the steel and overall fit and finish.

From, say, Kershaw -- at a Kershaw price -- this would be an insta-buy for me. From CRKT, I'm curious to see how reviews and its street price shake out but my starting point is "cautiously pessimistic."
 
Dadpool said:
Every time I see CRKT coming out with a good-looking knife with an interesting lock or feature, I just wish it was being produced by a different company.

On paper the Clever Girl folder looks right up my alley: 4" upswept blade, clean lines, some visual pop, D2, nifty lock. But I worry about CRKT's ability to execute that lock well (it's basically a button lock with two pins, right? So two pieces that need to be designed to wear in without introducing blade play) and do a good job with the steel and overall fit and finish.

From, say, Kershaw -- at a Kershaw price -- this would be an insta-buy for me. From CRKT, I'm curious to see how reviews and its street price shake out but my starting point is "cautiously pessimistic."
Click to expand...

I was going to make a post in this thread, but it looks like you already made my post for me.

The only addendum I’d add is that I’ll be waiting on two things. First, an independent HRC test - if that checks in at 60+ and the build quality seems good, I’ll then be waiting for one to pop up on the secondary market.

I would feel foolish were I to pay more than $100 for this knife, all things considered.
 
not at that price, crkt out of their minds. If they are trying to get into this priced field, they need to up their game. I'd never pay more then 40 to 50 for any crkt. There are way to many better options at that price, heck, even lower for d2 steel.
 
D2 4in Persian...tempting me to give CRKT another shot. But it will be 230$ most likely. Which is hard to swallow for a CRKT...
tenor.gif
 
Dadpool said:
List price on CRKT's website is $160.
Click to expand...

Well the Clever Girl Fixed Blade is 125 $ on the CRKT Website and sells for 135$ here. (EU Tax.) So probably 175 $ for the Folder.
Less but still a chunk of change for a CRKT.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top