- a future "Evergreen"?
In the presentation of this knife a couple of months ago I wondered if Ken Onion designs the same knife over and over again and the follow-up question was whether or not it's a good thing? It is the last question that is most relevant in this case.
All major knife brands have their own successful models. Those who live their own lives a bit beside the trends and who thus become the "earrings" of the knife world and not infrequently cash cows for the companies. The Kershaw Blur is one such and now it seems that CRKT, after some experimentation, has a model that fills the same niche. Or at least has the potential to do so.
The knife I'm talking about is of course the one called Jake for short.
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| CRKT Jake |
The comparison with the Kershaw Blur is not as strange as it might first seem. Actually, knives should be presented on their own merits and not compared to others, but it is difficult not to do so in this case as the knives are quite similar in appearance, size, and function. Not least, they have the same creator, the Hawaii-based knife maker, and designer Ken Onion.
The name of the knife deserves an extra mention as it is said to be the name of one of Onion's fans and also a police officer who was looking for the perfect EDC knife. Based on that, Onion created a custom knife which, however, was a more solid frame lock with rubber panels in the handle. This is CRKT's interpretation of that knife.
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| CRKT's interpretation of a custom knife designed by Ken Onion |
Twitter version: CRKT Jake, one of the more exclusive knives in the range that also has the potential to become a future classic!
Blade
A drop point is one of the quintessential blade types. One such is found here, especially since this version is classic as the back only slightly "drops" which means that the blade is almost straight in shape. What this produces is a blade with a substantial belly that makes up more than half the edge length but still leaves a piece of straight edge closest to the handle to work with.
The length in millimeters is 84.43 mm, which might seem slightly odd. The reason is, of course, that the knife is designed based on inches and the length is 3.3", which is easier to read. The thickness of the blade ends up in the same way just over 3.5 mm and the height of the blade is 28 mm at most. The blade is actually slightly lower towards the handle.
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| An eight-and-a-half-centimeter or 3.3" drop point blade |
CRKT has gone from being one of the worst offenders when it comes to 'billboarding', posting entire texts on the blades to, in this case, being really tasteful. Logo on one side in a discreet format along with the designer and some form of a serial number on the opposite.
It is particularly modest since the blade is rather dark gray as a result of a longitudinally brushed look that has received some form of blasting.
The steel used is a step up from the 8Cr combinations so common for CRKT. Here they used 12C27 from Sandvik instead. But why the developed and better 14C28N was not chosen is beyond my understanding. With this choice, one of the knife's disadvantages arises.
But before we get into it, it can be said that the blade has a flat grind that extends over the entire height of the blade and that it tapers from about a third of the length of the blade. I measure the thickness behind the edge at 0.5 mm, which is not entirely impressive for a knife that aims to be an optimal EDC knife. What can be said in defense is that the edge is strong, but it would clearly have benefited from being at least a tenth of a millimeter thinner. But knife makers these days don't trust either their steels or their users. The latter rightfully so perhaps given some of the tests they are subjected to online. But that's a side track.
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| The blade finish is brushed and blasted and the steel is 12C27 |
Then there was the disadvantage of the steel. It is not the ability to take a good edge. Those of you who know your knife steel know that this steel is what is found in many old Mora knives. It can therefore be sharp. And it was on arrival. CRKT gets a pass on that front without being extremely good. Something that is good, however, is that the sharpening choil that is available is large enough to fulfill its function.
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| Jake has been allowed to act as a package opener at work during the test period. That means a lot of plastic and cardboard |
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| When the packaging for a new bed would be broken down into smaller pieces, part of the problem with the choice of steel becomes apparent |
The problem I have with the 12C27 in this design is that it gets dull quickly. After a while of cutting, it is clearly noticeable that the edge loses its sharpness. It becomes particularly clear when you tackle large amounts of cardboard. A material that is quite common in everyday applications. At least in my life as in this case when a new bed was purchased. Unfortunately, plastic is almost as common. Even in those materials, it is noticeable that the steel is not the most durable. The edge bites well when it is sharp but not for very long. It became especially clear when I took the knife to work (professional kitchen environment) where it had to act as a package opener.
In return, the geometry is relatively good for being so thick behind the edge. I predict that when I then re-sharpen the knife and flatten the edge angle, Jake will be a pure cutting machine. It is capable as it is now. It must be said in the knife's defense that it cuts relatively well even when it is not razor sharp, which is appreciable and it is a characteristic that can largely be attributed to the blade geometry.
Handle
The material that dominates this handle is anodized aluminum. Two substantial pieces, 4.5 mm thick, have been used and shaped into a sturdy and comfortable handle. Pockets have then been milled into the sides which house panels in black G10. A chamfered edge runs around the entire handle, rounding off the shape.
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| The handle is made of aluminum with recessed panels in G10 |
The handle is open in the back aside from a partial back spacer, also made in aluminum. It also serves as an attachment for a lanyard. The airy construction combined with the completely smooth interior makes this part of the knife very easy to clean. But to think for that reason that it is the knife is completely made for mud and sand is to stretch too far as there are other details that are more difficult to clean if necessary.
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| The back is open and the inside is smooth, which facilitates cleaning |
This construction consists of quite a few parts. You have panels that are screwed in place and under one of them you will find the screws that hold the backspacer in place. Then you have bearings and bearing cups for them to run in, as the sides, as I said, are made of aluminum. The knife also has a loose internal stop pin. All screws are T6 size except the pivot screw which is T8 size.
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| Jake consists of quite a few parts and screws. In addition to the parts in the picture, the knife comes with five more screws, a panel, and the lock bar |
The softly shaped handle is 107 mm long, of which around 100 mm is available grip surface. The thickness is a little over thirteen millimeters and the height is at most 32 mm.
The G10 panels embedded in the handle are quite coarse and give traction and thus provide a good grip. Speaking of grip, "jimpings"/grooves can be found both on the lock bar, the base of the blade spine, and not least on the aluminum part that forms the hole for the lanyard.
Speaking of aluminum, it can be stated that if there is any disadvantage to the material, it is the way it ages. Not with dignity can be said. So if "patina" or rather wear is something you worry about, maybe you should look at another knife. Having said that, it can be noted that the anodization on this knife has kept its color well and no major scuff marks have appeared. But then I've only had the knife for a couple of months too.
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| The balance is good and the handle is very sympathetic |
Opening and Lock
Jake is a dedicated flipper-opened knife. If necessary, you can also wrestle it open with two hands as the detent ball is not that hard, but it is not easily done.
With that solution, it is important to have a good flipper, and Jake has that, even if the function could have been better. It is not the flipper tab itself that is the problem. It is certainly small, but the shape is well thought out. This means that you can both push it down and pull it back, although it is the latter that works best. In addition, it has been milled out, which makes the appearance airy and makes it look more worked. The small grooves that are there to increase traction make no difference as it is the shape that gives the traction.
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| A small but good flipper tab |
What I meant by the function could have been better is that the detent is not perfectly tuned. This means that the knife does not feel as crisp when opened as it should. It's not bad, but it also doesn't belong to the top layer, which means that you have to deliberately press down and not be too "wet" in the execution itself, because then you stand there with a half-opened blade. Once you get used to it, though, it's nothing that causes problems or irritation.
Since Jake has IKBS ball bearings the blade should be faster but as I said it is not. But they are enough to give the blade smooth action. One thing that is less good, however, is that the pivot screw, like on so many flipper knives, has a tendency to undo itself due to the vibrations caused by the force from the blade. It wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact that the screw head is extremely shallow, which means that there is a risk of damaging the threads even with quality tools. A drop of thread locker is recommended.
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| The lock is a bit special as it is a "nested liner lock" |
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| I consider the pattern on the lock bar to be a bit too aggressive |
Jake has a liner lock of a special kind. Sometimes the construction is called a "nested liner lock", which is something that is used when the lock bar is made of a different material than the handle. Typically when solid G10 or, as here, aluminum is used in combination with the steel in the lock bar.
The function is very reliable. The lock engages with certainty at every opening and holds the blade in place with authority. If there is anything negative to object to, it is that the beveled saw teeth that the locking bar is equipped with for better traction are too sharp. Then, as usual, they are actually directed in the wrong direction to fulfill the function they are intended for. You don't push the locking arm forward, which is the direction they take, but to the side.
To Carry
The handle is certainly full on the Jake, but still not among the most voluminous. Rather, the knife can be considered in-between in that case, not too big, not too small. In return, the weight relative to the size is sympathetic. In real terms, that means just over a hundred grams in your pocket. Not much to argue about considering the size of the blade. Nor is the knife overly complicated to pull or put away.
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| A relatively small but strong steel clip that feels surprisingly anonymous in hand |
However, there are other things that make Jake a little more unruly in the pocket. One such thing is the G10 sides which are very coarse. At best, you can say that together with the clip, they make the knife sit more securely in the pocket. But what I mainly have in mind is the strongly grooved back spacer which, due to the positioning of the clip, sticks up a bit and is not at all pleasant to strike with the hand. It's something that happens fairly frequently if you're out walking and swinging your arms, for example. At least for me.
The clip, well it is a small simple spring steel clip. The tension is decent and you won't lose your knife for that reason. The space under the clip is also substantial to accommodate even slightly thicker fabric. The ramp is good and has the positive feature of not feeling it in the hand even though it is angled outwards.
Less good for the left-handed is that this clip cannot be shifted. Why, is a bit of a mystery as an extra pass with the milling machine would have provided the recess in the G10 side needed. There is nothing in the construction to prevent it. In return, everyone else gets a nicer presentation side with fewer holes in it.
To Conclude
A few years ago I had a series here on the blog I called "The Hunt for the perfect pocket knife". A series that petered out a bit but still feels relevant in some way. CRKT Jake is a knife that could easily be included in it. Here you will find an appealing appearance, a healthy blade shape, and a very likable handle.
The answer to the question of whether it is good or bad that Onion produces similar knife models from time to time can be considered answered. At least as far as Jake is concerned. It is the result of an incremental development where the basis is the Kershaw Blur but which he then worked to transfer to an equally successful model for CRKT. Along the way, there have been knives like Shenanigan, Prowess, and Hi Jinx, but now we may have arrived at the final destination, Jake.
Although the knife is said to be a "custom job" from a fan of Ken Onion who wanted the perfect EDC knife.
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| Jake is a very likable EDC knife |
The road to perfection is long and winding but Jake is a serious attempt in that direction that possibly falls on a couple of small details although they don't take away from the impression that quickly made this one of my favorites in the category. It is both stylish and practical and thus has a lot going for it.
But there is a little fly in the ointment. I don't know what it is with some companies and their "jimpings". They seem to think that the only way to get a good grip on a handle is to make it look like a hedgehog or maybe a porcupine given the geography. It's not that bad with Jake, but there are clearly places that didn't need to be so sharp. One such is the notches found on the lock bar. Considering the direction you press it in when it is to be released, they do not do much good for the function and you do not need to saw anything with it either. But it's worse with the grooves found at the end of the back of the handle. They are quite sharp and annoy me as I quite often hit them with my hand when I am out walking and have the knife in my pocket. It gets even worse when you have to put your hand in your pocket and almost tear your skin at them.
Another less good detail is that the user needs to apply thread-locker to the pivot screw. It loosens quickly and the grooves in the screw head are very shallow, making the risk of tearing the threads obvious.
Then it must be said that, like the Blur that I compared this knife to in the beginning, Jake would benefit from coming out in versions with more advanced steels. CRKT has previously stubbornly stuck to very simple steels such as 8Cr14MoV on the majority of their knives. However, they have recently loosened that stance with a couple of forays into the enchanted land of knife steel. Unfortunately, the small picnic moments have been accompanied by hefty price tags.
This knife would really benefit from being equipped with, say, S35VN. But already the step up to Sandvik 14C28N would be pleasant. Why they stopped at 12C27 is incomprehensible to me. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with price as the difference can't be huge. On its website, CRKT writes about the steel "Superior Performance: Sandvik 12C27 blade steel for excellent edge retention". A strange sales text considering that it is precisely one of that steel's Achilles heels. It does not hold its sharpness very well compared to more modern stainless steel.
I hope CRKT realizes the potential of this knife and changes their mind on that point. Although I don't think it's very likely.
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| CRKT Jake is a good friend even on the forest adventure |
Now it might sound like I'm negative about Jake, but that's absolutely not the case. These small changes would elevate an already very good EDC knife to one of the best in its class. As I said, the potential is there. In addition, Jake is a well-built knife and, as I said, the function is really good.
It pays to look around a bit for the best price in the EU. At the time of writing, it costs anything between 150-200€.
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Specification:
Length Overall: 202 mm
Length Folded: mm
Weight: 108 g
Blade Length: 84,5 mm
Blade Thickness: 3,53 mm
Blade Steel: 12C27, Sandvik
Handle: Aluminium, G10
Lock: Liner lock
Produced by: CRKT, made in China
/ J - get to know brother Jake
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