CRKT Hammond Cruiser

B

brad2008

Joined
Aug 5, 2008
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im in the market for an ''Entry'' as in my first one, so it doesn't have to be the best yet large solid folder for basic outdoors stuff like walking the dog, off roading, snooping around abandon warehouses, cutting rope ...... that's sort of thing, not gonna be out camping with it or batoning wood or whittling totem poles etc etc. so far I like the CRKT Hammond Cruiser but I hear it has junk steel ? I also like CRKT's ''the natural'' nice looking minus the handle an priced about where I wanna be, in the $50 range. could go up to $100 price wise but would rather not. any thoughts on these 2 knifes as far as quality goes ? or maybe you can recommend me another blade

Thanks,



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I have an older Hammond Cruiser , very solid knife, appears to be very well made and has a thick liner lock.

The newer ones are listed as having 8CRP14MOV stainless steel, so they're now made in China.

8CR14MOV stainless is not junk steel and is very capable. I've noticed the Cruiser line is being discounted all over the web so you might be able to score one at a good price.
 
I can tell from research and experience, 8cr14mov is almost on par with japanese Aus8

Had the CRKT M21-14SF (Aus8) but lost it so got the M21-14SFG (8cr14)
Hardly noticed any difference in performance

Even now don't see a difference in perf between my 14sfg knives and my aus8 cold steels

Apparently it's not as stainless or something like that so is cheaper.
For what you pay for an 8cr14 you get incredible for your money
 
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Both Seem To Be Decent Knives.
Some Others To Look At Would Be:
Anything From Kershaw - Excellent Knives And Excellent Prices.
Spyderco Tenacious - $30 And Amazing.
Spyderco Resilience - The Big Brother Of The Tenacious.
Spyderco Native - Around $50 With Good Steel Good Materials And Over All An Excellent Knife.
Spyderco Delica Or Endura.

Based On What I Know About Knives Now, Versus On What I Knew When I Started Out. I Would Be Super Happy To Choose A Spyderco As My First Knife.

But Kershaws Are Amazing Knives As Well.
 
The CRKT Hammond Crusier is a great knife! Build quality is good. Can't comment on the steel since I keep in in my car and haven't used it yet!
 
I own a CRKT Natural 2 (the smaller sized one) with black micarta handles and the fit and finish is very good on the one I have. Centered blade, no gaps to speak of, nice lock-up, smooth action, etc.. Heck, even the file-work on the spine is pretty even. The factory blade grind was not entirely consistent as the grind angle became less acute near the tip. A bit of work on the sharpening stone had that remedied in no time. Just a word of caution, due to it's very sturdy build it is also a very heavy and thick knife. It's so heavy that I rarely carry it, but I tend to lean towards smaller knives overall and YMMV depending on your intended cutting purposes.
 
I have a Hammond and I don`t really use it much anymore so I can`t tell you about edge holding but the build quality seems fine, quite stout in fact .I found the knife to be pretty bulky but comfortable in hand . I can`t think of a stronger feeling folder . If you want a used one cheap drop me a line.
 
If you have to stay within that budget range, then you will find some nice knives. But even with an "Entry" knife you can still go with a better steel if you so desire. I know you said it would be used for little odd jobs, or the like, but it is always nice to get a good blade steel when it fits within your budget.

Kershaw has several USA made knives that will fit in there. The JYDII can be had for around $55, and comes with Swedish 14C28N blade steel, or the same JYDII in a composite blade featuring CPMD2 on the cutting edge, for ~$85. Both of those knives can be had from kershawguy (member here at BF) for even better prices. And the JYDII is a larger style folder with a 3.75" blade and an oal of 8.63"

Like I said, it fit's within the stated budget. IF you were to go over your budget, to around $125, you could pick up a very nice Benchmade Axis Lock folder in the 275BKSN Adamas. Again this is a very heavy duty folder, and weighty at 7.7 ounces, but weighty is good (IMO).

But as said about the CRK&T, they are good knives and you can sometimes pick them up for a very low price, especially when the model is being discontinued. The CRK&T Crawford Kasper folder can be found at some online shops at $20, and this is a knife that regularly sold at $40 or up. At that price you could pickup a couple and be in good shape.
 
I have an older Hammond Cruiser, and it's an overall good knife. Steel is not really hard, but easy to sharpen. Everything is solid on it, and it will withstand some force. The handle is thick, and really feels good in the hand, but does not fit your pocket as well. If you clip it on, it's thickness and the texture on the handle makes it harder to get out, and if you just pocket it it's pretty obvious. This is a large knife, and intimidating to some people. It works really well when you use it, just a bit of a pain to carry.
 
cutter17 said:
Like I said, it fit's within the stated budget. IF you were to go over your budget, to around $125, you could pick up a very nice Benchmade Axis Lock folder in the 275BKSN Adamas. Again this is a very heavy duty folder, and weighty at 7.7 ounces, but weighty is good (IMO).



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im on the fence between the adamas $160 ish shipped and the Mchenry & Williams in D2 $136 shipped.......so much for the budget right ? what other steel choices are offered with the Mchenry & Williams ?? im not all that great at sharpning keep in mind
 
im dialing in on the benchmade knives an most likely also pick up a CRKT. something about those benchmades i just cant walk away from but im a bit mixed up as to what steel choice to go with. the D2 could work but like i said prior im not to good at sharpning an not sure how much that plays into things.....
 
Both are great knives. The handle on the Hammond will prove more comfy for lengthy use. For your description, and for the value, I vote for the Hammond.
 
brad2008 said:
im dialing in on the benchmade knives an most likely also pick up a CRKT. something about those benchmades i just cant walk away from but im a bit mixed up as to what steel choice to go with. the D2 could work but like i said prior im not to good at sharpning an not sure how much that plays into things.....
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D2 is an excellent steel, I have quite a few and they're not that hard to sharpen. The key is to not let them get too dull between touching them up.

I use a ceramic rod on my d2 Queen knives. They're not stainless steel, but they seem to resist rust pretty well with a light coat of oil.

You can get a good deal on the BM 710 in D2 if you shop around.
 
I'm not a huge fan of CRKT. They're passable, but outclassed by Spyderco, Kershaw, and Benchmade in my estimation. Benchmade has some excellent models (some of my favorites in your budget range are the HK line of Benchmade), and of course, most of Kershaw's stuff is in your range. You could get an S30V blur for pretty close to your budget. And it's hard to go wrong with Spyderco. Tenacious is a great starter, but you'll quickly get hooked, so you might just go ahead and go for a Manix 2 or a Para 2.
 
I was sceptical in the beginning. Particularly after I have tried to move the clip and just stripped the thread on all the screws - because they were too short for the different clip location. The handle is a bit too bulky and the knife is bit on a heavy side. But after comparing how the edge holds and the grind quality compared to so highly acclimed Buck Vantage - I am quite content with it. Not too bad indeed. Keep it in my garage somewhere ever since.
 
Another interesting CRKT that is large and probably sturdy, and low priced now that it is discontinued, is the Crawford Kasper.

I just bought a couple of the CRKT "big dogs" to play with, an M16 and M21.

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