CRKT Clever Girl Folder

[WValtakis]

No sigs on mobile (at least on my phone), but point taken.

Gotta rotate to landscape for sigs on mobile

 

[BladeScout]

.....which will also show post count and join date.

 

[sgt1372]

Interesting.

In terms of looks, I prefer the black Seismic w/the VEFF serrations but I've got enough black knives and CRKTs w/VEFF serrations already. My favorite CRKT black knife (which also has VEFF serrations) is an M21-14SFG and my favorite non-black CRKT w/VEFF serrations is the Fossil.

Although I like that the Clever Girl folder and Seismic both have 4" blades, I don't like either of them enough to buy them at that price just to have an Ikoma "deadlock" version of a CRKT knife. So, it's a pass on both of them for me (at least for now).

Street price for the Seismic is around $130. MSRP is $160; same as for the Clever Girl. So, the CG folder should sell for about $130 too. I agree that if CRKT intends to keep making knives in this price range, it definitely needs to "up its game."

I bought the Provoke w/an MSRP of $200 but I only paid $100 for it (w/a discount coupon but I also paid an extra $40 plus shipping for the sheath which should have been included w/the knife IMO in the 1st place.), so it was no big deal. But, if CRKT expects us to pay $130-200 for knives, it needs to start matching Spyderco in terms of materials/style/build quality and I don't think they're quite there yet.

 

[Silent H]

I bought the Provoke w/an MSRP of $200 but I only paid $100 for it (w/a discount coupon but I also paid an extra $40 plus shipping for the sheath which should have been included w/the knife IMO in the 1st place.), so it was no big deal. But, if CRKT expects us to pay $130-200 for knives, it needs to start matching Spyderco in terms of materials/style/build quality and I don't think they're quite there yet.

I got my provoke the same way, but I didn't buy the sheath. I got a decent discount on the Clever Girl Folder as well, but not the 50% unfortunately.

I'm really hoping CRKT is turning over a new leaf, and these D2 blades are them testing the waters for higher end blades. Fit & finish is still a gamble, but hopefully that's improving too.

My Clever Girl should be here Friday, so I'll post my first impressions then.

 

[sgt1372]

I got my provoke the same way, but I didn't buy the sheath.

I'd recommend buying the sheath if you intend the carry the Provoke for longer than a day at a time.

The Provoke will fit in my front right pocket w/theTaxi Wallet that I also carry there but its a tight fit and I dislike the clip, so I bought the sheath. The knife fits in it perfectly and it comes w/2 different DOT (Tek-lok knockoff) clips that attach easily to the sheath. Actually prefer the DOT clips to Tek-loks because they are so much easier to attach/detach to/from my belt.

 

[Comeuppance]

But, if CRKT expects us to pay $130-200 for knives, it needs to start matching Spyderco in terms of materials/style/build quality and I don't think they're quite there yet.

They're, uh, way far off. Their heat treatments are mediocre, the build quality is spotty at best, and the value for the materials used is easily the worst aspect of their business model.

Spyderco knives tend to be impeccably manufactured, and offer well-treated premium steels at (generally) good prices.

I'd buy a Clever Girl folder for $70 max. That still seems high to me.

 

[WadeWilson]

I’m with Comeuppance on this. CRKT doesn’t exactly have the quality track record one might hope for. I dig the design. I like D2 and the lock is intriguing. Just wish it wasn’t CRKT making it.

Edit for spelling.

 

[DocJD]

Interesting design , cool looking ...but CRKT !

So no reasonable expectation of a high quality , greatly functional , or reliable product . They have built down their rep for years , why change now ?

 

[Silent H]

They have built down their rep for years , why change now ?

What if they really are trying to change? They're making more knives with D2, and even released a few in other steels like M390, XHP and Sleipner. Obviously their f&f needs some work, but I've bought five CRKTs on sale in the past month, and the only issue I've had were some uneven edges. The D2 squid was super smooth and had a great action for something on teflon washers.

I've always hoped they could get better, especially because they have such good designs. This one excited me so I jumped on it. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but I hope they're turning over a new leaf, and I'm willing to give them a chance. I have a reasonable expectation of a high quality, reliable product. I'll let you guys know what my impressions are when it arrives tomorrow.

 

[DocJD]

What if they really are trying to change? They're making more knives with D2, and even released a few in other steels like M390, XHP and Sleipner. Obviously their f&f needs some work, but I've bought five CRKTs on sale in the past month, and the only issue I've had were some uneven edges. The D2 squid was super smooth and had a great action for something on teflon washers.

I've always hoped they could get better, especially because they have such good designs. This one excited me so I jumped on it. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but I hope they're turning over a new leaf, and I'm willing to give them a chance. I have a reasonable expectation of a high quality, reliable product. I'll let you guys know what my impressions are when it arrives tomorrow.

Well , I hope so too . But been burned before , too many times ...so I've learned to proceed with caution . I'll have to see some serious proof of fundamental corporate attitudinal alteration to ever trust CRKT without a ton of positive reviews beforehand .

 

[Dfunk1210]

They're really trying to push this Deadbolt Lock as some kind of premium thing. $120 for the Seismic was outrageous. This Clever Girl is even higher priced. They think that d2 will do the trick. No, they have no business going into that price range with this kind of showing.

 

[craytab]

What if they really are trying to change? They're making more knives with D2, and even released a few in other steels like M390, XHP and Sleipner. Obviously their f&f needs some work, but I've bought five CRKTs on sale in the past month, and the only issue I've had were some uneven edges. The D2 squid was super smooth and had a great action for something on teflon washers.

I've always hoped they could get better, especially because they have such good designs. This one excited me so I jumped on it. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but I hope they're turning over a new leaf, and I'm willing to give them a chance. I have a reasonable expectation of a high quality, reliable product. I'll let you guys know what my impressions are when it arrives tomorrow.

Please do let us know what you think, hopefully with pictures!

My problem with the upgraded models you mention is the huge price increase. Crkt has consistently shown they are unable to understand who they are in the enthusiast community. They haven't proven their inexpensive products are worth the cost to many of us. Why would we pay much more for anything they make? If this knife stays at a high price I think it will be a hard pass for many. Too bad. Looks like a good design with an innovative lock.

 

[Silent H]

Well, here it is! It's big, but it fits in my hand perfectly. the handle is pretty thick and the blade stock is 0.15". It does have a nice hollow grind, and it is very thin behind the edge. The lockup is rock solid, and the flipping action is good, but a little stiff. I'm hoping that'll break in a little more. The coating on the blade is great, but there are a few thin spots on the coating on the liners. Overall, I am very happy with this knife, and I look forward to using it.

 

[sgt1372]

Well, here it is!.

If you don't mind sharing, where did you get it and how much did it cost you?

If disclosing the ID of seller publicly violates forum policy because it's not a forum sponsor, please let me know by PM. Not planning on buying one. Just curious because, after a brief/limited search, I couldn't find a dealer that had one for sale and only saw it available on CRKTs site. Thanks!

 

[Dadpool]

Overall, I am very happy with this knife, and I look forward to using it.

Thanks for the photo and mini-review!

How would you say the overall fit and finish stacks up to other knives around the same price point?

 

[craytab]

Well, here it is! It's big, but it fits in my hand perfectly. the handle is pretty thick and the blade stock is 0.15". It does have a nice hollow grind, and it is very thin behind the edge. The lockup is rock solid, and the flipping action is good, but a little stiff. I'm hoping that'll break in a little more. The coating on the blade is great, but there are a few thin spots on the coating on the liners. Overall, I am very happy with this knife, and I look forward to using it.

I would also appreciate knowing how much you paid. Thanks for the pic and letting us know how it is.

 

[Sedit]

Very interesting knife

I hope I can buy one in Austria

 

[Murdamook]

Looks like a Benchmade Bedlam.

 

[Silent H]

I bought it direct from the CRKT website with a 20% discount code I had.

So today I tried to do some stupid stuff with the knife, just to see what it would hold up to.

I stabbed it into a tree:

I chopped a ~3" branch with it (it was dead and dry, been sitting on the side of my house since last summer)

I did some more wood shaving with the knife after that, and the finish held up really well:

All of those marks on the blade came off when I washed it with soap & water. There was no blade play and the lockup was still rock solid. The edge also held up really well, it still sliced printer paper after chopping, the paper only caught in one or two places on the blade:

I touched it up after on the sharpmaker, and I was pleasantly surprised that the factory edge was less than 15 dps, so I gave it a 15 dps microbevel on the sharpmaker. The D2 seemed very hard, It didn't sharpen as easily as my Benchmade D2 (imo the best D2 I've had), but it did take a nice sharp edge.

The action is still a little stiff, but it is breaking in, and I realized, it actually has an adjustable detent, which is pretty cool. I disassembled it (sorry no pictures of that), and it is pretty clear that a lot of engineering and design time went into the lock. It took me a few tries to assemble it just right, so I think they would have had to step up the QC at the factory, there is really no half-assing the assembly on this, otherwise it won't work right. I think the fit an finish is pretty good, the coating on the liners has a few thin spots, mostly on the sharper corners, otherwise it was near perfect from the factory.

I don't have a Benchmade Bedlam, but I think that would be the most apt comparison for this knife, maybe I'll pick one up soon so I can better compare them.

 

[N4SIR]

$160 for a crkt? no way.. there are way too many other knives in better steels at that pricepoint .. (even better ones in the same steel (civivi etc) )