New CRKT tool - the Bivy!

[parnass]

At 7.7 ounces, the CRKT Bivy is heavier than a Victorinox Spirit and Leatherman Rebar and has fewer capabilities.  The knife blade looks difficult to resharpen.

[Tom Munch]

Yep, but it's a good pocketable size with OHO of the main tools and a pocket clip. That's part of what I want.

[Tom Munch]

I've got a couple of other tantos, including a CRKT M16. They take more time to sharpen, but I don't mind. I just hope the quality is a little better than some of the CRKT tools I've had.

[Tom Munch]

I got in the Bivy. It's definitely a real tool and not a toy. Here's a couple quick comparison pics. I'll post more tonight.

[sLaughterMed]

Holy cow those pliers are huge!

[Tom Munch]

Yep, it's beefy.

[Gareth]

Thanks for the size comparison Tom.

[Tom Munch]

Here are some more impressions of the Bivy so far.  As I posted above, it's a really beefy tool.  The scales are thick aluminum with a nice texture to them.  They look to be painted blue and black.  The pocket clip is a nice strong deep carry.  I don't mind that it's tip up and on the wrong side - it's just a different motion to get used to positioning it to launch the blade.  It's positioned perfectly for quick-launching the pliers, which may have been what was asked for.  The switches to launch the pliers and lock the drivers are a little stiff, but they work well and lock and unlock solidly.  The blade is big and impressive with the tanto profile.  It looks like the serrations would cut any rope you threw at them.  The pliers are certainly big, but not overly thick.  The pliers handle is a little uncomfortable to use since it has to clear the plier head as it folds, but there is enough at the end of the handle that you can press on comfortably - especially if you put it against your palm instead of your fingers.  The tips fit together well, and there is a nice wire cutter that I haven't tried yet.  The drivers are good quality, particularly the marlin spike which is thick and strong (what you'd expect considering who designed it and the purpose it serves.)  The Phillips head is 2D, but it fits screws better than almost every other 2D driver I've tried.  The flat driver is a little small, but is well machined, with a large bottle opener.  The whole tool is fairly thick, but surprisingly it still feels good clipped in a pocket.  I'll post some thickness comparisons.

Overall I could really see EDC'ing this.  It's more solid than any other CRKT tool I have.

[Tom Munch]

Thickness comparison - Surge, Wave, Bivy, X-Tract, MP1

[Gareth]

Thanks for the thoughts Tom.

I don't think it's appealing to me enough for me to run out and buy one, but it's good to hear that it does what it's supposed to.

[Tom Munch]

It's a great tool for someone who wants a very robust and quick-launching pliers and blade with a couple other tools. It's not dainty like other tools in its segment may be. If I was still doing oil-spill containment training on the river this would be my go-to tool.

[Grathr]

How does those serrations work with ordinary cutting tasks?
I have a Liong Mah #6 with the same type of serrations, and I did not like them much. But I might be using it wrong.

[Tom Munch]

I haven't used it enough yet to say. With aggressive serrations my experience would guess it's better for chopping through rope or cardboard or maybe small brush. It's going to tear very unevenly.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I have to say that I think I really like the look of this tool, and I can't wait to give it a shot.  It does look a bit bulky though- maybe this is better suited to a bag rather than a pocket?

Def

[Tom Munch]

I carried it yesterday in my front pocket with no trouble. It's thick, but it's short and smooth, so it didn't feel any bigger than a Wave in the pocket. I haven't tried it with tight jeans though.

I've found that if a pocket clip is attached to the center or left on the tool then the tool will settle in under the seam of the pants (in a right front pocket) instead of to the left of the seam with a right-side clip attachment. That allows your hand to more easily pass beside the tool into the pocket. When I realized this it made the center and left-side attachment point more logical to me on several tools like the Wingman/Sidekick and Signal. The Bivy is center-attached, so it sits under the seam just enough to benefit from this logic.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's ok, my tight jeans days are well behind me.... 

I think I am going to have to grab one of these when I get back on my feet.  I really do enjoy the out of the box thinking coming from the designers at CRKT, even if sometimes the results aren't the greatest.

Def

[Wanimator]

If they built it with plain stainless/ti handles and a little bit higher quality tools I'd like it a lot more.

[Tom Munch]

The handles are aluminum with a good texture. The tools are actually really high quality to my experience. Have you tried one yet?

[Wanimator]

The handles are aluminum with a good texture. The tools are actually really high quality to my experience. Have you tried one yet?

No, I plan on it though. I like the idea but the aesthetics bother me badly.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I had that issue with a few knives and tools over the years, and in many cases you really do get used to it after you put a few miles on a tool.  The most prominent one in my mind (for me) was the Benchmade Panther.  I really didn't like the square handle but eventually bought it simply because it was discontinued.  After some use I found that I really liked it.

Def

[Wanimator]

I had that issue with a few knives and tools over the years, and in many cases you really do get used to it after you put a few miles on a tool.  The most prominent one in my mind (for me) was the Benchmade Panther.  I really didn't like the square handle but eventually bought it simply because it was discontinued.  After some use I found that I really liked it.

Def

That Benchmade doesn't bother me. The handle's a little cheap looking but the blade looks alright.

[Tom Munch]

Yah, that Benchmade doesn't bother me either.

[Grant Lamontagne]

The blade is gorgeous, but the handle (at first anyway) felt like I was holding a piece of Lego so I avoided it at first.

My point is, it's worth giving things a shot- it's hard to tell how you really feel about something until you've put it to work.

Def

[Wanimator]

Yeah, like the Leatherman Rebar's awl pisses me off when I deploy it then close the pliers. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Exactly. 

Or how Leatherman advertises all of their one handed tools as being quick to deploy...... unless you are a lefty, in which case you don't matter. 

Def

[Tom Munch]

I have a Ka-Bar Dozier that looks like that Benchmade, and the handle is fine.

[Grant Lamontagne]

That looks pretty sweet actually.  I think I may have to check it out.

Def

[Tom Munch]

It's cheap can't remember where I bought it. It has a good blade. I liked the style of it too. You can get it with a thumbstud too, but I like the hole.

[Wanimator]

It can be had on the South American river for around 20-21. The thumbstudded version comes with a less acute tip and more colors.

[Tom Munch]

I got mine from AG Russell for just a little more than that several years ago. When I carry a 3" folder it's usually that or a waved Spyderco or a CRKT M16.