CRKT Ripple (Aluminum) / Specs / Impressions / Issues & Fix
After purchasing and enjoying the CRKT Minimalist (Quick Thoughts) I decided to go ahead and try out another CRKT knife. This time it’s the CRKT Ripple. The biggest draw for me was the combination of IKBS and flipper, as well as the Ken Onion design. This has been something I have wanted to try out for a while. I had originally planned on picking up the regular Ripple. However, when looking around in store, the price on the aluminum Ripple was a big draw. It is very similar in design, with the differences being it’s less expensive, has aluminum instead of SS scales, a liner lock in place of a frame lock, and different blade steel.
Specs:
Length: 3.125in. (79mm)
Thickness: 0.10in. (2.5mm)
Blade: Modified Drop Point
Steel: 8Cr14MoV
Grind: Hollow
IKBS: Internal Knife Ball-Bearing System
Opener: Flipper
Handle: Aluminum
Liners: SS Liners (Nested & Partially Skeletonized)
Handle Length: 4.375in (111mm)
Overall Length: 7.50in (191mm)
Weight: 2.8oz (79g)
Design: The blade is just over 3 inches long and made of 8Cr14MoV steel with a hollow grind. It is a modified drop point with a lower swedge and fully rounded spine and weighs in at 2.8oz. It’s a flipper opener with IKBS (internal knife ball-bearing system) which is used to provide minimal friction at the pivot and to allow the blade to open smoothly. The handle is aluminum and has a ‘waved’ design from which the knife gets its name. There are 60 small holes cut out of the handle to spruce it up a bit as well as 'shave weight'. There is a slight thumb ramp on the blade with jimping on it as well as on the handle, flipper, and lock portion of the liner. The pocket clip follows the same cutouts and jimping as that on the handle and is right hand tip-down only.
Initial Thoughts: Walmart sells the Ripple for $30. There are actually two different packages that it can come in depending on which store you pick it up from. There is the typical brown box, as well as a blister pack version. I got the blister pack version which I must say is ridiculously hard to get into, and actually requires a screwdriver to get the knife out. After finally getting it out I was very surprised at how light the knife feels. It’s listed as 2.8oz, yet somehow seems lighter in hand than a Spyderco Delica (2.5oz). The weight feels evenly distributed throughout the handle and is well balanced. The overall design is really quite sexy with the ripple texture and small cutouts giving a pleasing look and feel to the handle. It is painted black with the higher portions of the handle bare aluminum, which CRKT calls a 'pocket worn' look. I am on the fence about the finish. It is hand done, so it can either look good or somewhat sloppy depending on the specific one you get. However, it is easy enough to mess with, and can be made to look more uniform with the use of a high grit sandpaper to better bring out and even up the peaks to bare aluminum. The pocket clip has good tension and blends in well and is not too wild looking as some of Ken Onions clips can be. One downside is that it cannot be repositioned and is tip down, right hand side only. There is zero blade play with no up-down or side to side movement, which is great as that can be a common issue, especially at this price point. The blade also centers nicely in the handle. Ken Onion makes some very ergonomic designs and this is certainly one of them. The aluminum handle has a nice curve to the back and very slight convex shape to it making it fit comfortably in the hand. There is also a good size finger groove with finger guard and the lanyard hole is easily able to fit 550 paracord.
Role: The role that I would put this knife in would be either as an EDC, backup blade, or general use folder. As long as you keep the tasks realistic to this type of knife, it should be more than able to fulfill its role. This could be a perfect knife for occasions when you wouldn’t want to pull out your big tactical style blade. This could be at the office or possibly out with the general public. The design and texturing of the handle make it look much less threatening than something like a blacked out tanto bladed knife. Overall, while bigger than some, it has somewhat of a gentleman’s style look to it.
Issues: When I opened the package I immediately noticed a problem. The blade just flopped around, in and out, of the handle. The retention was basically zero, and flipping the blade open with the flipper while closed would barely make it move. By turning the knife to the ground and giving it a light touch on the back of the handle, the blade would fall free. Even more, it would not fully lock up when opened, and a tap on the blade spine would cause it to close. My first thought was absolutely to immediately return it. I could also contact CRKT directly. I have no doubt that if I had contacted CRKT they would have remedied the situation immediately and courteously. But not really wanting to do either, I decided I would try my hand at fixing the issues myself. Both problems come down to one thing, the liner lock bar. Basically, the liner spring does not have enough tension in it, either to have the detent ball hold the blade in the handle, or to properly set when opened. Luckily, this is an easy problem to fix, as the liner just needs to be tensioned properly. Tensioning the liner would also help to get better retention and allow for a faster flip action, as well as a better lock-up.
*Please note that this will likely void your warranty. I am not recommending anyone try this, only showing how I did it.
Tension and Detent Fix: I wish I had documented (pictured) the issues before fixing it, as well as the fix itself, but being caught up in the moment, I forgot. It’s a simple enough operation though, as it is a full screw together construction, which makes teardown very easy. The pivot screws are a size 9 torx and the rest (scale and pocket clip) are a size 6 torx. To get to the liner you only need to remove one side set of screws, the side with the pocket clip. Once the screws are removed, the scale and liner can come off. All that was needed was to bend the liner enough to give it some good tension. Having good tension helps the speed of the flipper action, which is tied to the amount of tension of the detent. The more tension, the longer/deeper the detent will sit to provide resistance until enough force is provided to overcome it, flinging the blade open. However, too much spring tension can make it more difficult to open and unlock and can cause the blade to hit the scale/liner when closing or closed due to the amount of pressure put on it. If there is too much, even adjusting the pivot will not remedy this. While opened, it is a good time to apply some lubricant, as it can be easily directly applied to the action. Once the liner spring is tensioned properly the knife just needs to be reassembled.
After adding tension to the liner, the handle retention is perfect and the blade flies open quickly and smoothly with an early, but full lockup.
It is obvious I ended up with a dud, which can happen with any manufacturer. Like I mentioned, I was planning on returning it. But, considering the price and the fact that I knew how to easily fix it, I decided to keep it. Even though it was just one part that was ‘flawed’, I find the issue (very little or no handle retention) to be very dangerous, especially in the wrong hands. Hopefully this is just an isolated incident. Someone could really hurt themselves, especially those not fully familiar with knives, and considering the price and location of purchase, this is certainly possible.
Final Thoughts: Overall, disregarding the liner/detent issue, this is a very nice knife. The design looks great and makes use of some good materials. Its light weight and great ergonomics make it a pleasure to hold and use. This being my first flipper knife, I can see why many people enjoy them. It is very addicting to sit there and continually flick, unlock, close, and repeat. It does however face an uphill battle in trying to get pocket time, having to go up against my usual EDC’s, the ParaMilitary 2 and Delica. It might get relegated to house duty or I might end up gifting it to a friend or family member, though that is definitely not saying that this isn’t a good knife. With that being said, I certainly don’t have an issue with checking out some more of CRKT’s knives, especially seeing how Ken Onions is currently designing blades for them. My next knife could very well be another Columbia River Knife and Tool.
Note: For those that like the style of this knife but want something with a better blade steel and different handle material, you should definitely check out the regular Ripple. It has a Stainless Steel handle with frame lock and an Acuto+ blade steel.
There is also a 2.7” blade version of each of these, for those that want a smaller blade, or are restricted by law.
After purchasing and enjoying the CRKT Minimalist (Quick Thoughts) I decided to go ahead and try out another CRKT knife. This time it’s the CRKT Ripple. The biggest draw for me was the combination of IKBS and flipper, as well as the Ken Onion design. This has been something I have wanted to try out for a while. I had originally planned on picking up the regular Ripple. However, when looking around in store, the price on the aluminum Ripple was a big draw. It is very similar in design, with the differences being it’s less expensive, has aluminum instead of SS scales, a liner lock in place of a frame lock, and different blade steel.
Specs:
Length: 3.125in. (79mm)
Thickness: 0.10in. (2.5mm)
Blade: Modified Drop Point
Steel: 8Cr14MoV
Grind: Hollow
IKBS: Internal Knife Ball-Bearing System
Opener: Flipper
Handle: Aluminum
Liners: SS Liners (Nested & Partially Skeletonized)
Handle Length: 4.375in (111mm)
Overall Length: 7.50in (191mm)
Weight: 2.8oz (79g)
Design: The blade is just over 3 inches long and made of 8Cr14MoV steel with a hollow grind. It is a modified drop point with a lower swedge and fully rounded spine and weighs in at 2.8oz. It’s a flipper opener with IKBS (internal knife ball-bearing system) which is used to provide minimal friction at the pivot and to allow the blade to open smoothly. The handle is aluminum and has a ‘waved’ design from which the knife gets its name. There are 60 small holes cut out of the handle to spruce it up a bit as well as 'shave weight'. There is a slight thumb ramp on the blade with jimping on it as well as on the handle, flipper, and lock portion of the liner. The pocket clip follows the same cutouts and jimping as that on the handle and is right hand tip-down only.
Initial Thoughts: Walmart sells the Ripple for $30. There are actually two different packages that it can come in depending on which store you pick it up from. There is the typical brown box, as well as a blister pack version. I got the blister pack version which I must say is ridiculously hard to get into, and actually requires a screwdriver to get the knife out. After finally getting it out I was very surprised at how light the knife feels. It’s listed as 2.8oz, yet somehow seems lighter in hand than a Spyderco Delica (2.5oz). The weight feels evenly distributed throughout the handle and is well balanced. The overall design is really quite sexy with the ripple texture and small cutouts giving a pleasing look and feel to the handle. It is painted black with the higher portions of the handle bare aluminum, which CRKT calls a 'pocket worn' look. I am on the fence about the finish. It is hand done, so it can either look good or somewhat sloppy depending on the specific one you get. However, it is easy enough to mess with, and can be made to look more uniform with the use of a high grit sandpaper to better bring out and even up the peaks to bare aluminum. The pocket clip has good tension and blends in well and is not too wild looking as some of Ken Onions clips can be. One downside is that it cannot be repositioned and is tip down, right hand side only. There is zero blade play with no up-down or side to side movement, which is great as that can be a common issue, especially at this price point. The blade also centers nicely in the handle. Ken Onion makes some very ergonomic designs and this is certainly one of them. The aluminum handle has a nice curve to the back and very slight convex shape to it making it fit comfortably in the hand. There is also a good size finger groove with finger guard and the lanyard hole is easily able to fit 550 paracord.
Role: The role that I would put this knife in would be either as an EDC, backup blade, or general use folder. As long as you keep the tasks realistic to this type of knife, it should be more than able to fulfill its role. This could be a perfect knife for occasions when you wouldn’t want to pull out your big tactical style blade. This could be at the office or possibly out with the general public. The design and texturing of the handle make it look much less threatening than something like a blacked out tanto bladed knife. Overall, while bigger than some, it has somewhat of a gentleman’s style look to it.
Issues: When I opened the package I immediately noticed a problem. The blade just flopped around, in and out, of the handle. The retention was basically zero, and flipping the blade open with the flipper while closed would barely make it move. By turning the knife to the ground and giving it a light touch on the back of the handle, the blade would fall free. Even more, it would not fully lock up when opened, and a tap on the blade spine would cause it to close. My first thought was absolutely to immediately return it. I could also contact CRKT directly. I have no doubt that if I had contacted CRKT they would have remedied the situation immediately and courteously. But not really wanting to do either, I decided I would try my hand at fixing the issues myself. Both problems come down to one thing, the liner lock bar. Basically, the liner spring does not have enough tension in it, either to have the detent ball hold the blade in the handle, or to properly set when opened. Luckily, this is an easy problem to fix, as the liner just needs to be tensioned properly. Tensioning the liner would also help to get better retention and allow for a faster flip action, as well as a better lock-up.
*Please note that this will likely void your warranty. I am not recommending anyone try this, only showing how I did it.
Tension and Detent Fix: I wish I had documented (pictured) the issues before fixing it, as well as the fix itself, but being caught up in the moment, I forgot. It’s a simple enough operation though, as it is a full screw together construction, which makes teardown very easy. The pivot screws are a size 9 torx and the rest (scale and pocket clip) are a size 6 torx. To get to the liner you only need to remove one side set of screws, the side with the pocket clip. Once the screws are removed, the scale and liner can come off. All that was needed was to bend the liner enough to give it some good tension. Having good tension helps the speed of the flipper action, which is tied to the amount of tension of the detent. The more tension, the longer/deeper the detent will sit to provide resistance until enough force is provided to overcome it, flinging the blade open. However, too much spring tension can make it more difficult to open and unlock and can cause the blade to hit the scale/liner when closing or closed due to the amount of pressure put on it. If there is too much, even adjusting the pivot will not remedy this. While opened, it is a good time to apply some lubricant, as it can be easily directly applied to the action. Once the liner spring is tensioned properly the knife just needs to be reassembled.
After adding tension to the liner, the handle retention is perfect and the blade flies open quickly and smoothly with an early, but full lockup.
It is obvious I ended up with a dud, which can happen with any manufacturer. Like I mentioned, I was planning on returning it. But, considering the price and the fact that I knew how to easily fix it, I decided to keep it. Even though it was just one part that was ‘flawed’, I find the issue (very little or no handle retention) to be very dangerous, especially in the wrong hands. Hopefully this is just an isolated incident. Someone could really hurt themselves, especially those not fully familiar with knives, and considering the price and location of purchase, this is certainly possible.
Final Thoughts: Overall, disregarding the liner/detent issue, this is a very nice knife. The design looks great and makes use of some good materials. Its light weight and great ergonomics make it a pleasure to hold and use. This being my first flipper knife, I can see why many people enjoy them. It is very addicting to sit there and continually flick, unlock, close, and repeat. It does however face an uphill battle in trying to get pocket time, having to go up against my usual EDC’s, the ParaMilitary 2 and Delica. It might get relegated to house duty or I might end up gifting it to a friend or family member, though that is definitely not saying that this isn’t a good knife. With that being said, I certainly don’t have an issue with checking out some more of CRKT’s knives, especially seeing how Ken Onions is currently designing blades for them. My next knife could very well be another Columbia River Knife and Tool.
Note: For those that like the style of this knife but want something with a better blade steel and different handle material, you should definitely check out the regular Ripple. It has a Stainless Steel handle with frame lock and an Acuto+ blade steel.
There is also a 2.7” blade version of each of these, for those that want a smaller blade, or are restricted by law.
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