CRKT/Ruger Hollow-Point Folder, by Pat Cascio

by Pat Cascio, Survival Blog:

Today, we are taking a look at the CRKT/Ruger Hollow-point Folder. It is a Ken Onion knife, and I’ll have more on that a little later.

Knives Are Tools
I love knives, all knives, big and small. They all have a use. I especially love well-made knives, because I don’t have a lot of use for junk knives. That is why our readers just won’t see me wasting my time reviewing junk knives. A knife is a tool, first and foremost. Many people forget that. Many claim that the knife is the first tool ever invented. I’m sure those first knives did not resemble what we consider a knife by today’s standards. But still, it did the job it was designed for— cutting!

Gun Companies Make Guns But Outsource Knives
Many gun companies offer up some knives with their name on it. And no matter how hard I try to convince people that those gun makers are not making those knives, they refuse to believe me for some reason. Gun companies are in the business of making guns! Knife companies are in the business of making knives! The machinery involved in making guns and knives are entirely different. So, that’s why companies that specialize in manufacturing certain products make those products and nothing more. One example is Smith & Wesson (S&W) handcuffs. They have been the first choice for law enforcement for many years. However, S&W doesn’t make those handcuffs. They are made by a company that specializes in this type of product and simply stamps the S&W name on the cuffs.

Still, it is like talking to a brick wall when I try to explain the above concept to some people All they know is that the product has the mark of that company on it, and they believe that company makes it. Another fine example are magazines for firearms. I don’t know of any firearms companies that make their own magazines. Instead, they leave it up to another company, who makes the mags to the specifications outlined by the gun maker. One of the biggest mag companies is MecGar, and they make handgun magazines for over 50 different gun companies and stamp that gun maker’s name on the magazines. I digress because many people refuse to believe it. The magazine is stamped “Ruger”, so they believe Ruger made it.

Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT)
I’ve been writing about CRKT (Columbia River Knife & Tool) www.crkt.com cutlery almost from the beginning of their company entering this field, almost. However, I believe I have tested and written more articles about their knives than any other writer. And, a disclaimer is due here. CRKT manufactures my OC3 double-edge fighting knife that I designed and custom knife maker, Brian Wagner, made for me. However, I have no real vested interest in CRKT per se. I don’t know how many CRKT products I’ve tested over the years, but I believe it is safe to say, well over 500 different knives and other products have crossed my desk. I’ve watched CRKT grow, year after year, with better products. And, hands down, CRKT is the leader when it comes to doing collaborations. By this I mean that they take a custom knife, designed by a custom knife maker, and produce it at a price point we can afford. I don’t know of any other knife company that is doing more collaborations with custom knife makers/designers than CRKT.

CRKT Teams Up with Sturm, Ruger & Company
A little over a year or so back, CRKT teamed up with Sturm, Ruger & Company to produce a line, an extensive line, of knives. All the knives are designed by well-known custom knife makers, too. Ruger didn’t just dip their little toe into the pool. Instead, they went whole-hog and had CRKT produce a complete line-up of fixed blade and folding knives, all stamped with the Ruger logo and name on them. One of the things I really admire about Ruger is the fact that, in my humble opinion, they produce firearms, at least most of them, for the blue collar worker. They make guns that are affordable yet at the same time some of the toughest guns on earth. What’s not to like here?

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