- Laconico och CJRB, en superb kombination
CJRB is a brand I recently became familiar with and this was the first knife I acquired from them. The model is called Prado and is a result of a collaboration between CJRB and a famous knife maker/designer.
The result is visually striking and it piqued my interest. In addition, the knife is slightly larger than many other EDC-oriented knives. Those two factors were enough for me to go for it.
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| CJRB Prado |
The Prado is a Ray Laconico design and it shows. The design language is stripped down and simple which reminds me of the first knife I saw with his signature on it. It was the Gemini. That was a long time ago and this is a completely different type of knife. Above all, this one is bigger, the materials are different, and, not least, the lock construction is new in this context. To be honest, I think this is a better knife overall. It cuts better and, not least, the handle is more comfortable.
But it is perhaps to go ahead of the events.
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| Laconico's understated design language and CJRB Cutlery's know-how are a winning combination |
Short version: With the Prado, CJRB has let a Laconico design blossom. This model deserves success.
Blade
One of the more distinguishing features of the Prado is the blade. What we have here is a well-sized clip-point blade that measures a full 95 mm in length. Since then, CJRB has been brave and kept the thickness to a modest 3.1 mm. If you add to that a primary bevel that measures a full inch, 24 mm, you understand in which direction we are heading. Especially since the knife is also relatively thin behind the edge.
The appearance is certainly quite simple, but a substantial swedge makes the blade more interesting. It is not so pronounced as to form a "harpoon" but is not far from it.
Behind it, above the blade hole is a series of grooves that are more for indexing than for increased traction. Together they form an excellent place to rest a thumb.
The blade finish is a fairly glossy satin and the knife is exemplary marked. That is, the information is there but fits in with the theme of the knife, which is stripped down in this case. On one side you can find Laconico's name along with the steel type, although the text on the side requires a magnifying glass to be read. On the other side's ricasso, CJRB is found. Then there wasn't much more
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| A substantial clip-point blade is revealed when the knife is opened |
The material is steel which is somewhat unusual so far and is called AR-RPM9. The hardness is stated to be in the range 59-61 HRC. So far I have good things to say about the steel from a pure user point of view. By that, I mean that the factory edge was satisfactory. Sharp enough and straight. Not extremely durable, but on the other hand, it's pretty stainless it seems. No stains so far.
I use strops for polishing my edges. I usually do it fairly regularly to avoid resharpening knives too often. The Prado responds well to that method and sharpness returns relatively quickly.
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| The blade made of AR-RPM9 is discreetly marked |
The Prado is a superb working knife, I better get that off my chest immediately. The handle, which I'll get to in a moment, is top notch and its blade shape offers everything required. The tip is there to, for example, pry into stubborn plastic, most recently a while ago when I was trying to break into a bottle of Mirin that was going into a marinade. The tip penetrates well without being overly sensitive. Well done CJRB!
The rest of the blade, in turn, is long enough to be used for most tasks. This means that there is a piece of straight edge as well as a belly when needed.
What makes me happiest, however, is that the cutting properties are as good as they are. A high flat grind and a blade that is not too thick lays the foundation. The latter is also a good feature because it means that the knife cuts efficiently even when it is not razor-sharp. The thicker the knife, the sharper the edge must be to achieve the same effect.
Overall, there isn't much to complain about when it comes to the Prado's practicality. Especially not as CJRB/Laconico thought about future sharpening by giving us a proper sharpening choil.
Handle
The handle in this version is made of G10. As usual with modern knives, there are several colors to choose from. This 'aqua green' might not be the most subtle but there was actually a thought to it. It is easier to find such a knife when you are out camping and put your knife away in the autumn darkness or summer night. But black is probably the best-looking option if you go for man-made materials.
The surface is not among the coarsest for being G10, but provides a bit of friction. But on the Prado, it's more the shape of the handle that gives a secure grip. You have a generous indentation for the index finger and there is also a smaller finger guard which, however, is flat so you can place your finger there if desired. The rest of the curves are not as pronounced but work well.
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| The material in the superbly shaped handle is G10 in this version |
The G10 is found on the outside of an extremely light steel frame. But it is not only the handle material and the absence of metal that reduces the weight but also the fact that the frame is recessed in the sides of the handle. Of course, that also gives less material.
The knife is also open in the back and there you will find two spacers along with an extra bolt that acts as an attachment for a lanyard.
These two standoffs together with the pivot screw are what keep the knife together. This is another thing done right. All screws are the same size, T8, and not the smaller T6s that are often found in handles. This means that one driver is enough when it is time to disassemble the knife or adjust a screw. As long as you stay away from the clip of course. There you find T6s.
The advantage of larger screws is that they last longer. In addition, the screw heads are flat in this case, which is also an advantage. Not least, it looks better.
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| The greatly lightened frame is recessed into the handle sides |
Since it is a fairly large knife, of course, the handle is also quite large. It is just over twelve centimeters long and about three centimeters high at most. But then comes the surprise. The Prado is only 11mm thick, which is good!
Besides that, it is very soft to the hand because CJRB has remembered that you need to round the edges both in the back if it is open and in the blade groove.
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| The sturdy handle is one of the most comfortable I've come across on a knife this thin! |
Then there was the way the knife behaves in the hand and even there it is brilliant. Sure, some knives are even better but not many that are as thin as this one. Combining good ergonomics with such an easy-to-carry handle requires great skill and experience.
The length combined with the shape of the rear end of the handle in particular means that just about any grip works without complaint. Perhaps, one should not cut heavily with the thumb on the blade spine for too long. But that applies to most knives. Otherwise, the Prado is really comfortable in any grip you can think of and the flow between them is good as the knife is not only light but also well-balanced.
Opening and Lock
Prado can be opened in a couple of different ways just like all knives with this type of lock. Namely, you can pull back the locking bolt and let the blade swing out. You can also flick your wrist a little if you want to make it really quick. However, it is not necessary because the blade runs on ball bearings, whereby calmly and dignified also is an option.
Two hands is of course also an option, but what Laconico mainly had in mind is of course the oval blade hole.
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| Prado is preferably opened via a blade hole, but there are alternatives |
Like most things at the Prado, it is well executed. It is large enough to be able to get a piece of the thumb into it, while the depression in the sides of the handle makes it easily accessible. Then CJRB has chosen to round off the edges, which is nice. However, it must not be done with too much enthusiasm as it can cause the fingers to slip. Here it is excellently done.
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| The lock is easy to handle with exemplary spring tension |
The lock is of the cross-bar type
The lock is of the "cross bar" type, which means that it belongs to the same category as BM's old Axis lock whose patent has expired. The function in this case is very good. The blade is held in place in opened position without a tendency to play in any direction while it is very easy to disengage with either one or two fingers.
Another well-executed detail is the tension in the springs, which is extra important in this case. With a lock like this, it is what acts as a "detent" and thus affects how effective the opening should be. Really effective in this case.
To Carry
It is in this area that large knives with almost ten-centimeter-long blades and twelve-centimeter handles usually fail. But not this one. Of course, some space is required as the handle is long. But I have already mentioned that it isn't excessively high and, above all, thin.
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| The clip is painted metal and is fairly typical for CJRB |
Since the knife is also greatly lightened, the total weight ends up at a low 97 g. Under one hundred grams for a knife with good ergonomics and a larger blade is really good. It is felt or rather not felt in the pocket.
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| The ramp works and so does the tension. Then it would have been preferable if the clip was recessed in the handle side, but the screw heads are at least flat |
The clip is a bit generic for CJRB. There is nothing unique about it. It is certainly color-matched with the hardware, but it does not offer more luxury than that. The material is steel and it is attached with two screws in the side of the handle. However, it is not recessed in any way, which is one of the few details that has the potential for improvement.
Otherwise, it can be said that the tension is substantial and that the ramp may not be perfect but good. In addition, it can be moved to the other side for all left-handed people. Since the lock is also not tied to one side to release, the knife is completely ambidextrous.
To Conclude
The question is what meaning should be attributed to a name. This is what baffles me the most about this knife. "Prado" means meadow in Spanish I think. Otherwise, I don't know of any other meaning. But maybe there is one or something that matters to Mr. Laconico.
That man has somehow achieved something really good with this knife. The Prado is excellent both as an EDC knife and as a slightly larger folding knife for outdoor life. Especially if you are chasing grams in the backpack. Getting a blade around ten centimeters for the price of a hundred grams is not bad at all.
Even as an EDC knife or, in my case, a work knife, it is superb. Easy to handle with a good lock and a very smooth action. This makes it easy to pull the knife, open a package or whatever needs to be done, and let it pop back into place. At the same time, the slightly longer edge enables heavier tasks as well.
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| The Prado is an excellent EDC knifer in the somewhat larger category |
The steel was new to me and overall I appreciate it as a good budget/mid-range steel. The edge does not hold as long as the best steels on the market, but on several other parameters, it defends itself well against the competition.
As far as the handle is concerned, it can be stated that G10 is an excellent material, but if I had to change something, I would go for wood instead. I think it suits this design better by highlighting the design's inherent simplicity. But my thought was that this color would be visible if the knife fell into moss or a pile of dead leaves in autumn light.
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| CJRB Prado during one of last summer's adventures |
Having said that, I can only say that I don't find many disadvantages with the CJRB Prado at all. It is a well-thought-out design that both looks good and is practical. On top of that the materials are decent, but the quality is mainly reflected in the fit and finish. As said, there is much to highlight in that area.
And since the price tag is in the range of 70-100€ depending on where it is bought in Europe, there is not much to hesitate about if you are looking for a quality knife that can handle most things.
But think about whether black or perhaps a wooden suit is better looking?
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| CJRB Knives |
Specification:
Length Overeall: 216 mm
Length Folded:120 mm
Weight: 97 g (vägd av mig, uppgiven 97g)
Blade Length: 95 mm
Blade Thickness: 3,1 mm
Blade Steel: AR-RPM9, HRC 59-61
Handle: G10
Lock: Cross Bar
Produced by: CJRB, made in China
/ J - delighted
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