{"id":2666,"date":"2024-10-25T19:12:26","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T19:12:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=2666"},"modified":"2024-10-25T19:12:26","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T19:12:26","slug":"crkt-ceo-knife-review-the-armory-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=2666","title":{"rendered":"CRKT CEO Knife Review – The Armory Life"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Randall Chaney<\/a><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: In today\u2019s article, Randall Chaney offers his thoughts in this CRKT CEO knife review. The author is not offering advice or guidance on carrying a knife (or any other weapon) in a work setting. He is rather referring to his own personal situation. Springfield Armory provided this knife to the author for review.<\/em><\/p>\n

I<\/span> ask your forgiveness for moving from coworker to senior leadership during my career. My squared-away uniform morphed into a single-breasted suit and silk tie. The everyday carry (EDC) ceased being defensive and devolved to office-appropriate utility.<\/p>\n

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The CRKT CEO is considered a \u201cGentleman\u2019s Knife\u201d with sleek lines and a refined look. The specific model reviewed here has Springfield Armory branding and is available from the Springfield Armory Store.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In such a transition, the Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) CEO folding knife makes a superlative administrative aide in your upscale environment. Springfield Armory is here to support you with its branded version of the so-named \u201cChief Executive Officer\u201d model.<\/p>\n

The Why<\/h2>\n

One should not wander into the vestibule of a white-collar enterprise sporting the Ka-Bar-inspired Springfield Armory Field Knife<\/a> or an unnecessarily oversized tactical folder. As Major Toht asserted in Raiders of the Lost Ark, \u201cYou Americans, you\u2019re all the same \u2026 always overdressing for the wrong occasions.\u201d Dress to blend, not to offend. That was the intent when custom bladesmith Richard Rogers put cursor to CAD program to design the CRTK\u2019s CEO model, a boardroom-ready knife.<\/p>\n

\"CRKT\n<\/picture>
You don\u2019t have to wear a suit to carry the CRKT CEO folding knife. But when wearing one, the CEO fits right in.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Low-profile styling is certainly on the agenda. The CEO visually starts with glass-reinforced nylon (GRN) scales, which are patterned to resemble metal engine turning or carbon fiber or crazy concentric circles. It is largely interpretive. Due to this texture, the handle has a positive and grippy surface, but is not slick. Great choice here for a small folder. These scales look expensive but meet the reasonable price requirements of this sub-$50 knife.<\/p>\n

Details on the CRKT Folding Knife<\/h2>\n

The overall build of the CEO, opened or closed, is slender and elegant. Mr. Rogers wanted this knife to appear in a pocket to be a pen or similar instrument. The 9\/16th\u201d maximum width of the handle ensures its role as a discreet device with a practical purpose. To pair with its in-the-background intent, the CEO tapes at a shadowy 4.45\u201d in length closed and scant 2.10 ounces. Drilled voids in the right-side stainless-steel liner help to keep the package light.<\/p>\n

\"CRKT\n<\/picture>
CRKT uses a stainless steel liner and a Walker liner lock in the CEO knife. The handle is made of glass-filled nylon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The CRKT CEO\u2019s 3.1\u201d blade of 8Cr13MoV stainless steel is flat ground to a scalpel\u2019s keenness. It opens via the Ikoma Korth Bearing System (IKBS), a premium cage-less ball-bearing pivot that provides smoothness and stability to the forward rotation. Invented by Brazilian knifemaker Flavio Ikoma and the Lala brothers at Korth Cutlery, the IKBS is normally found on higher-end folding knives.<\/p>\n

\"cutting\n<\/picture>
Whether you are opening a letter or cutting fruit, the 8Cr13MoV blade is capable of making precise cuts. The author found the knife\u2019s flat grind provided scalpel-like sharpness.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

CEO\u2019s IKBS system ensures a quick deployment without the need for a mechanical assist. The blade is captured by the ubiquitous Walker liner lock for a reliable engagement. My test and evaluation knife perfectly aligned the lock bar to the blade face. The ball detent kept the sharp portion secure in the handle until it was\u00a0called to action. Some knives do not give this measure of confidence.<\/p>\n

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The machined thumb stud, which works the blade outward, is best approached with a gentle sideways nudge, as a slim knife can be difficult to\u00a0manipulate. In an office setting, I am less focused on a one-handed deployment. Knives can be scary to many desk-dwelling employees, so a deliberate, non-threatening dual-hand approach to blade opening is recommended. It beats a flashy wrist flourish and audible snap to peacock your steel \u2026 which will likely provoke a stampede to Human Resources.<\/p>\n

\"CRKT\n<\/picture>
The CRKT CEO knife is equipped with a thumb stud for single handed opening. However, the author prefers a two-handed opening technique that is less flashy and more acceptable in refined company.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The CEO\u2019s clip is folded over for deep concealment, keeping the knife riding low in its placement. From across the conference room, a CEO could be erroneously seen as an ordinary pocketed pen. The curved clip is affixed to the right side of the frame and configured for tip-down carry.<\/p>\n

While tip-down carry was first employed on early liner lock folders to prevent the blade from an unintended opening by gravity and motion, better-engineered detent ball engagement on modern knife liners makes this optional.<\/p>\n

A Refined Working Knife<\/h2>\n

Mr. Rogers is a talented knifemaker and designer. Strangely, his \u201ccorporate office\u201d is a working cattle ranch in Magdalene, New Mexico,\u00a0not some skyscraper in Gotham City.<\/p>\n

\"pocket\n<\/picture>
The low-profile pocket clip carries the CRKT CEO deep in the pocket. It\u2019s appearance could easily be mistaken for a pen by the casual observer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rogers says, \u201cI try to design knives with clean lines. I like knives that are slim and light, something that you can carry without noticing it until you need to cut something. I am constantly refining existing designs and trying new things.\u201d<\/p>\n

CRKT CEO Specifications<\/h2>\n