CRKT Sting Delay

B

Bilker

Joined
Dec 13, 2003
Messages
149
Called A.G. yesterday to check on my CRKT Sting order status and was informed that the back order date has been extended to April. They are putting the blame on CRKT for the delay. Oh well, from Feb. to April on back order. I hope the product is worth the wait.
 
the delay may be in the sheath, from the few photos I've seen of it, it doesn't look very high quality. just my best guess.
 
Ta-daaa! My Sting arrived!

Great little knife. I really have to find some reason to carry it :) I know, I know, doubled edged ... but it's beautiful.

The sheath. I hope the sheath wasn't the reason they held it up. I'd have been just as happy if they shipped it in a cardboard sleeve. The sheath is useless. I have never seen such a complicated non-functional rig.

First of all, it comes with velcro arm staps. I am not walking around with a dagger strapped to my arm. Take them off. The belt loop is also a complicated affair of velcro strapping. Why not just a sewn loop?

The sheath itself is ... strange. Cloth over Kydex. The knife clicks into the Kydex, which rises up in back of the handle making it VERY difficult to get a grip to withdraw the knife! I have to pull it free with my fingertips. Not practical, or safe.

Leather would look good, but would cost more than the knife. I may strip off the cloth and cut back the Kydex.
 
Esav,

Glad to hear there's being shipped. I hope they're big sellers so AG and CRKT can expand the choices of blade finishes. If the sheaths are as impractical as you suggest, I'm sure someone will have an after-market sheath option in no time at all. How about the sheath quality? Is it a design/function issue, or are there material concerns as well?

One more question, about the arm straps. Since the Sting was originally designed as a boot knife, perhaps the straps are meant for your ankle? How would they work for that use?

Best Wishes,
-Bob
 
I have to laugh at the idea of a literal "boot" knife. Why bend down to retrieve a blade? And strapping it to an ankle? How high up -- where I can't get it without cutting off the pants leg?

Anyway, I'd have to lash it to my right leg to have it on my strong side, and any straps are just going to slide off my prosthetic foot. :D

In 1050, it's not a dive knife, either. But of course the straps aren't a problem, they come off easily enough, and are really pretty sturdy as lashing straps for gear. In fact, I've got a couple very much like them by Zefal.

The cloth looks strange, but that's not the problem. What is, is that someone is going to get cut jerking the knife out of this sheath. There is no good grip on the handle.

After-market sounds great, but then the sheath will cost as much as the knife. No longer as much of a bargain. If CRKT had made a simpler (cheaper?) sheath themselves, we'd all have come out ahead.
 
Apparently they are now shipping -- AG Russell just charged my credit card

If the sheath is such a piece of crap, it may be returned for credit.
 
Thanks for the quick review, Ed. Too bad that CRKT can't get their sheath-making done right. I'll probably still buy one and make my own Kydex belt sheath for it.
 
What I find so frustrating is that they could have made a simple ambidextrous Kydex sheath for a knife like the Sting. A short symmetrical blade, a no-frills design. By making a sheath with all the bells & whistles, they made one that plays out of tune.
 
CRKT often adds pretty useless features to their blades.
For example, the Neck P.E.C.K. (an great choice in the small utility fixed blade range, by the way) comes with a Zytel sheath with "belt loops" that are far too small to fit on any really sturdy belt, adding unnecessary bulk to an already oversized sheath. It certainly takes away quite a bit from the excellent value that knife offers.
 
My Sting was in the mailbox when I got home tonight and it will be going back to AG Russell. I don't know what CRKT was thinking on this sheath, but way too much sheath and straps, talk about a bulky sheath and it doesn't look that well made either. Like the knife, but don't feel like having a custom sheath made for it, like another poster, it defeats the cost of the knife. Oh well, live and learn. :(
 
The Neck Peck and Stiff Kiss also had overly complicated sheaths. Plus, the detent provided on both models made for an overly tight fit. Made it a real chore to draw the blade.

I note that both models have been discontinued.

Maybe CRKT will release a modified, simplified sheath for the Sting...
 
Esthetically, it's a loser, but the real problem is the back rising up behind the handle, that makes it impossible to get a good grip.

Even working to get my finger around between the handle and the sheath back, the detent is a lot like the Neck Peck I had, very tight. I can live with that, it's Kydex, it will wear a little looser.
 
I called CRKT the day I received my Sting and questioned them about that disappointing sheath Why it didn't match the advertised pictures, why the stitches were unraveling right out of the package, and who's legs were those short straps going to fit. The answer was "we didn't make the sheath" it was made overseas. I called Randall asked the same questions, they put the blame on CRKT. So I sent back the knife to Randall. It seems that I'm not the only person that thinks the sheath is less than desireable.
 
ShiveSam said:
I called CRKT the day I received my Sting and questioned them about that disappointing sheath [...] The answer was "we didn't make the sheath" it was made overseas.
Click to expand...
They sold it. Don't they know what they're selling?
 
7k7k99 said:
My Sting was in the mailbox when I got home tonight and it will be going back to AG Russell.
Click to expand...
I normally wouldn't return a knife over a disappointing sheath, but in your case it was probably the right thing to do. The knife is well-priced, but the cost of a replacement sheath will just about double your investment. Maybe if they get a few returns based on the bad sheath it will light a fire under them to remedy the problem.
 
Just received mine a few days ago. I have no problem with the knife but the sheath does suck :jerkit: . I have attached a small lanyard and that does help a lot, if you don't mind lanyards. The straps are too small as I could barely get them around my forearm. They would be good for attaching to a packback strap, climbing harness or ATV harness but not your body. My next step is to cut down the sheath back and take it from there. Fortunately with the low cost of the knife I will have no qualms about tweaking the sheath. Something new to play with ;) .
 
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