We’re getting close to Blade Show, which means that, at any time, a knife company might reveal the stuff they’ll be bringing to Atlanta next month. Today CRKT stepped up to the plate with a slew of mid-year releases, including a new Flavio Ikoma design and the return of Ken Onion’s Homefront.
Stickler
Jeff Park, he of Crossbones fame, returns for 2022 with another streamlined flipper. The copy says the Stickler was inspired by Melon Tester knives, a cult classic traditional pattern with a slim handle and long spear point blade. The Stickler translates that style into a modern gentleman’s folder: it has a 3.3-inch 12C27N blade with assisted deployment, liner lock, and a blue/silver, all aluminum handle.
Assisted Homefront
Park’s mentor and fellow Hawaii-based maker Ken Onion has a brand new Homefront on deck. The Homefront was the debut platform for the Field Strip technology, but this one comes with standard screw-together construction. This allows it to have an assisted open deployment for its 3.56-inch 12C27N blade.
Attaboy
Flavio Ikoma engineered two of CRKT’s featured pieces of knife tech: the IKBS pivot (along with Korth Cutlery) and the Deadbolt locking mechanism. He also created the small, stout Attaboy this year. It is of course equipped with IKBS and the Deadbolt, as well as an assisted-opening mechanism. Its 2.73-inch modified sheepsfoot blade is made from D2 steel.
Oxcart
Six years after the release of his Jettison collab, Robert Carter returns to the CRKT corral with the Oxcart. Its 3.05-inch harpoon blade looks ready for work, and the all steel handles and frame lock look ready to back up that claim. Like all of the folders above the Oxcart is an assisted opener, but it’s the only new knife in the bunch that has AUS-8 blade steel.
Compano
The Compano, a Mike Bond design, gets a new blade shape this year, swapping out its tiny drop point for an equally diminutive and adorable little sheepsfoot blade. This is a slipjoint knife, with an unconventional carabiner handle with forward finger ring.
Skeggox
James Williams, best known in the production knife world for his Japanese-inspired tactical folders, looked to the vikings for his latest design, the Skeggox. This is a rugged bearded axe with an edge length of 4.83 inches and an overall weight of 1.63 pounds. The steel is good old SK-5 carbon, an obvious choice for a production axe designed to soak up punishment.
Knife in Featured Image: CRKT Attaboy
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