CRKT Fossil

cbrstar

cbrstar

Joined
Sep 7, 2015
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I recently picked up a few CRKT's from the Pawnshop and I was able to try this guy out for very little money. I feel like it's a design that you will either love or hate, but no one can say it's not a unique looking knife. In fact it's borderline pocket bling.

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As you can see in this pic this knife is fairly large with a blade just short of 4" at 3.96". They do make a smaller version called the Fossil Compact, but even then the blade is still 3.41". On paper that doesn't sound that compact to me. The handle fits my hand fairly well but the long pocket clip does seem to create an annoying hot spot. The clip also only has the one position of right handed tip up.

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The blade centering is good. The knife comes with IKBS bearings which I feel like help align the blade. The action is better then other CRKT's I've recently handled. But again the detente is way too strong and it takes a lot of pressure before it pops open. Perhaps it needs more breaking in?
The lock up is decent. The knife is technically a frame lock but the G10 scales hides it making it look like a liner lock.

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The knife was designed by Flavio Ikoma who's two CRKT's claim to fame is he designed the IKBS bearing system, and he designed the XOC that stupidly expensive CRKT no ones heard about.
IMHO I feel like there's some design ques that doesn't make sense.

1) The hole in the blade is not ergonomically in a good place to open the blade with your thumb. Though I imagine it's supposed to look like the eye socket on a dinosaur skull.

2) Whats with the 5 holes in the middle of the scales? It just looks weird an out of place. Did they originally have plans for you to be able to clip something in there?

3) Top of the blade where you place your thumb has sharp edges, but the rest of the top of the blade is smooth.

But one thing I feel like CRKT did well was the detailing of the G10 scales, and the reliefs into the liners. Does make the knife look interesting if not almost custom.

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With a blade steel of 8crMov13 I really wanted to dislike this knife. But then I saw you can buy one for only $57 bucks on Blade HQ, it's hard not to recommend it if the person really likes the styling. For the price you are getting a interesting attention to detail with the scales and IKBS bearings. Of course there's a lot of slightly more practical knives in this price range, but again I think it all comes down to someones personal tastes.
 
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I agree that the looks are, at the very least, interesting. If you got it cheap and it is even usable, then we are golden there. Seems a bit like a fantasy knife out of BudK but if you say it is solid it should work fine, even if it doesn't have the latest, greatest steel out there.

If you actually use the knife outdoors, please report back in a few to see how all those nooks and crannies look when you get it dirty, greasy and try to clean it afterwards.

Mikel
 
Tell you what about this knife. 40 bucks on Amazon. After I took it apart, wiped it down with acetone, polished the bearing contact areas, and applied some nano oil in all the right places the action on this knife is as good as most of my knives that were 10x the price. The blade shoots out with authority and drops shut buttery smooth like. A very satisfying fidget toy this one. Yeah it's kinda heavy but what do you expect for 40 bucks? Believe me this knife is worth your consideration. Just give it 15 min of TLC out of the box and you'll be rewarded. My nephew got mine. The "favorite uncle" bit is my kryptonite. But, I have another one coming on Thursday :D
 
cbrstar cbrstar just curious, do you know how to sharpen a knife and do you actually do it regularly? then you would know that the CRKT Fossil

;)
 
kreisler said:
cbrstar cbrstar then you would know that the CRKT Fossil

;)
Click to expand...

Not quite sure what your trying to say here? But to answer your first question. Is yes I do know how to sharpen and I'm quite good at it. Though I do use a lansky and spyderco sharp maker. I'm also a firm believer in honing.
 
My daughter got me one of these for Christmas one year. After she watched me unwrap it, she said “Daddy, you can take it back for something else if you want.” I had to keep it.
With a better steel , I might use it some. Not a bad knife for 45.00 though.
I keep it next to another special occasion knife I got from my wife, both in their boxes, unused except for slicing a bit of paper.
 
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