A "new" lockbak style from CRKT

[pfrsantos]

CRKT Offbeat Lockback. Very nice looking knife, with a very unique lockback mechanism.

[Poncho65]

Very cool design nice that it can be used either handed as well

[Ray S]

Nice looking knife but I don't believe it is a "new" design. I think A.G.Russell(RIP) offered one many years ago through his store. I'll have to check some of my old catalogs.

[ThePeacent]

Nice looking knife but I don't believe it is a "new" design. I think A.G.Russell(RIP) offered one many years ago through his store. I'll have to check some of my old catalogs.

very true
 

http://cutlerscove.com/jack-knives/ag-russell-one-hand-ss.htm

[toolguy]

Nice looking knife but I don't believe it is a "new" design. I think A.G.Russell(RIP) offered one many years ago through his store. I'll have to check some of my old catalogs.

Yes he did and I owned one.

[toolguy]

The A.G. Russell One Hand Knife™ has been our best selling knife since the first ones were shipped in 1988. The handle, which is machined from a piece of solid stainless spring steel, works in conjunction with the blade to create an unusual locking system. This locking system, and the location of a thumb stud on both sides of the blade, allows the knife to be closed or opened one handed using either the right or left hand. That's why we called it the One Hand Knife™. It was one of the first knives in the marketplace designed to be opened one handed with either hand. The original knife sold from 1988 to 2002. The parts (blade and handle) were made elsewhere and completed in our shop with the lock being fitted by hand. In 2008, we introduced the knife with blades of ZDP-189 and CPM-154 made in the U. S. A. Unfortunately, the knives are so difficult to make that we are unable to produce more in the U. S.

https://agrussell.com/knife/A-G-Russell-One-Hand-Knife-with-Not-Ivory--K87C-17NI

[toolguy]

This is the model I owned.The plain-jane model.LOL

[zoidberg]

http://www.crawfordknives.com/FRAME%20LOCK%20ASSASSIN.htm

We first designed and made this style of knife in 1979.

[toolguy]

http://www.crawfordknives.com/FRAME%20LOCK%20ASSASSIN.htm

We first designed and made this style of knife in 1979.

Pat may be a good designer but he wasn't half as wily as A.G.

This version of the knife is the oldest in Design. As the story goes, knifemaker Pat Crawford made a tactical knife out of a one piece handle with the lock incorporated in that same handle. A.G. got his hands on that one and thought he would be able to improve on it. He'd also discussed the matter with Pat on patents and stuff. Pat thought it couldn't be patented. This turned out not to be true however when A.G. patented his improved version and sent financial compensation to Pat for his original design.

https://iknifecollector.com/forum/topics/a-g-russell-one-hand-knives?id=3181080%3ATopic%3A858532&page=1

[VICMAN]

Here is mine

Click on pictures for best pictures

[toolguy]

Here is mine

Click on pictures for best pictures

The one I owned had a serrated blade.

The lock failed and I sent it back for a refund.

I always had a hard time opening that knife with one hand.Although,I could easily close it with one hand.

[VICMAN]

Here is mine

Click on pictures for best pictures

The one I owned had a serrated blade.

The lock failed and I sent it back for a refund.

I always had a hard time opening that knife with one hand.Although,I could easily close it with one hand.

On mine the texturing on the thumbstuds has become smooth and I have to start it using thumb and first finger pushing on the studs from both sides to get it to open one-handed.

The CRKT looks like it has much better thumbstuds than the ones on mine. it should be easier to open one-handed.

[AimlessWanderer]

 

This is probably the only style lockback that I'd consider owning (but i'd want to handle the knife first). One handed closing is more important to me than one handed opening.

[pfrsantos]

Wow! Nice, now we can't trust CRKT to be a non-knock-off company...

 

[toolguy]

Wow! Nice, now we can't trust CRKT to be a non-knock-off company...

 

It's made in China,so I'll pass.

[shark_za]

Just seen the price on these locally; really good value if they perform ok.

[ThePeacent]

Wow! Nice, now we can't trust CRKT to be a non-knock-off company...

 

It's made in China,so I'll pass.

wow mates, you're being a bit too harsh and judgemental especially having such a big lack of information.

Pat Crawford became part of the Knifemakers' Guild in 1973 and his early designs that later became famous in the folding knife world (the Casper, Leopard and the Frame Lock Folder among others) came to life soon after. His "Frame lock Folder" debuted on an important knife show in 1979 that Mr.Russell was also attending and it caught A.G's attention. 
After chatting for a while Pat concluded that he thought this design was not patentable and A.G. just went away with the idea without telling him his intentions to use and patent the design.  In short time A.G. tweaked the design a bit and came with his own version (technically and functionally identical) and patented it. 

Crawford saw the first knives shipping with his lock design in 1988 (now named A.G.'s K87 One Hand Knife) which he had not let anyone copy or use, but since the didn't have the time or money he didn't patent it thinking it was to be expected that others would behave ethically and be fair. He was understandably pissed. 

A.G. was not stupid and wanted to avoid legal hassle which could have cost him a lot of $ and risked the success of his design  . Russell sent Crawford a $5000 check which Crawford sat on and then eventually cashed without comment (he was on financial instability at the time and could've used the money, meaning in Russell's eyes that Crawford accepted the check and this gave Russell the OK he needed to keep mass producing the unique locking mechanism

Crawford took the $, but never really got over it. So decades later he'd team with CRKT when A.G.'s patent finally expired to lawfully , ethically and legally make the design and sell it, with Pat's lock but CRKTs manufacturing and materials 

As for the Made in China thing, let us not forget that A.G. Russell's One Handed Knives were made in USA and Japan for the most part, but his most expensive variations of Pat's this model (Titanium with pocket clip, Cocobolo scales, and the variation with black G10) were made in China with great acceptance and success. Nowadays they are made in Italy

considering that quickly became A.G.'s best selling and most successful design, sending a $5000 compensation to Pat seems laughable today
Crawford has always stated he was in knives to make knives and had no desire to do all the legal wrangling needed to patent the lock. He basically gave the design to the industry for free.

[toolguy]

My comment still stands.

If it's made in China I will not buy it.

[microbe]

Interesting design and history. Personally I find the handle lacking in finishing, and feel it's to plain looking for 2018.

[ThePeacent]

Interesting design and history. Personally I find the handle lacking in finishing, and feel it's to plain looking for 2018.

well, consider that the design is from 1979, so look up for OHO folding knives of that time and come back 
Also consider its price point and that it is a "homage" model 

My comment still stands.

If it's made in China I will not buy it.

the China thing is a personal matter and it was a secondary (or tertiary) point that I made in my argument/post above. 
The main reason for my long winded post was this:

Wow! Nice, now we can't trust CRKT to be a non-knock-off company...

 

because if there is a knockoff of the design, that is A.G. Russell's one,
firstly because he copied and made the knife without asking permission or previous notice, to the surprise and disagreement of the original creator,
and secondly because CRKT collaborated with Crawford to make theirs, they give him full and all credit for the design and pay him a percentage of the $ they obtain from the sales of that model

 

[toolguy]

My comment still stands.

If it's made in China I will not buy it.

the China thing is a personal matter and it was a secondary (or tertiary) point that I made in my argument/post above. 
The main reason for my long winded post was this:

Wow! Nice, now we can't trust CRKT to be a non-knock-off company...

because if there is a knockoff of the design, that is A.G. Russell's one,
firstly because he copied and made the knife without asking permission or previous notice, to the surprise and disagreement of the original creator,
and secondly because CRKT collaborated with Crawford to make theirs, they give him full and all credit for the design and pay him a percentage of the $ they obtain from the sales of that model

Thanks but tertiary means the third not secondary.

It depends on whose story you believe.Since A.G. is not here to defend himself,I will rely upon what I read years ago.Crawford didn't believe the design was patentable.A.G. disagreed,took the design,modified it and then patented it.He then paid Crawford for the original design which wasn't patented .A.G saw the potential and unfortunately Crawford didn't.Russell was always a good business man and the profound impact he had on the knife industry is undeniable.

FROM WIKAPEDIA:

Russell went on to make knives as a hobby and profession. In 1964, Russell switched his focus to selling Arkansas whetstones and a year later began selling knives. In 1968 he started the first forum for selling aftermarket knives, the A. G. Russell List of Knives for Immediate Delivery, which later became The Cutting Edge. His mailing list was used as a basis for the first two knife magazines, Knife World, and The American Blade, now known as Blade. In 1970 he co-founded the Knife Collectors Club and the Knifemakers' Guild, both of which are the oldest continuously functioning organizations of their types.

Russell was the first member of the Knife Digest Cutlery Hall of Fame and produced the first commemorative pocket knife. Russell designed and produced the first liner-less pocket knife with all-plastic handles in 1970. In 1975, he designed a unique boot knife he called the "Sting", a small knife intended for hunting and personal defense. In 1987, he introduced the "A. G. Russell One Hand Knife" which was one of the first production knives to use a blade thumbstud for one-handed opening. In 1988 he was inducted into the Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame.

Crawford is an excellent knife maker but he is no A.G Russell.

[pfrsantos]

My comment was only due to the fact that I never saw them copying a design so completely. Ok, some ideas are adapted by different companies, with some distinguishable factors. This seems very copy-paste.

Still, no reason for me to dislike CRKT. Some of the knives I prefer are made by them. Awlso, no problem with made in china. Like everything else, there's good and bad. My Spydercos are awl of chinese origin and they work great.