Dealmonger: A Mean-Looking Knife For $28
By Stephen Cooke
I found this Van Hoy Snap Lock Knife by CRKT on Back Country’s website for $28. Check out the sweet opening mechanism: it opens sideways via a cam-locking system. Plus, it’s got thumb wheels on both sides and the clip is removable, so you can set it up to open from either side.
Van Hoy Series [CRKT]
Van Hoy Snap Lock Knife [Backcountry]
Street Pricing [Google Product]
July 12th, 2007 at 10:24 am
I like CRKT knives, but this and the KISS make me kinda nervous, having the edge exposed. It seems like it would be really easy to get it caught on something inside a pocket. I have a Stiff KISS (a fixed blade KISS that is no longer made) and love it. It spends most of its time attached to my life jacket or on my tool bag.
July 12th, 2007 at 10:43 am
I’ve got a Gerber Kiss style knife and I love it. The blade on mine is only sharpened on one side with a chisel style edge so it sits fairly flush. Great lttle knife design in general I think.
This one I don’t like though. Feels too much like they are trying for novelty of opening. I’m not sure it looks like it would be opened easily with one hand and I can’t figure out the purpose of the thumb wheels other then looking flashy. I mean, on most all knives the thumb nubs are there to give you something to push against to open, but on this knife, they seem silly. The piece sticking out would have been more then enough and the thumb wheel isn’t needed.
July 12th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
I was just over at Smokey Mountain Knife Works the other day and was looking at this very knife. While I love my other CRKT knife (Kasper) this one just felt awkward in my hand. Maybe I just wasn’t used to the opening mechanism, but then again…
July 12th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
I’ve got one of these, and it’s surprisingly practical. With years of sharpening the edge will move further away from the frame when the knife is closed, which could eventually mean it starts snagging things in your pocket, but as it stands there’s no risk unless you normally carry around a pocket full of rubber bands or something. The full-sized version’s a bit big for pocket carry, anyway.
The opening mechanism isn’t easy to use one-handed, but it’s easy to CLOSE one-handed, and it locks open very solidly.
There’s really no practical reason to buy one when there are so many cheaper conventional folding knives, but it’s also not just a novelty product.
July 13th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Just bought 2 of this knife because it looks cool and it was on sale for $15.
The thumb wheels do serve a purpose. When you push on the thumb wheels, they move the cams that spread the body of the knife open to unlock the blade. The body is actually a large spring that holds the knife in the close or open position. Very cool mechanical design!
August 3rd, 2007 at 6:29 am
Ray_L_Says,
Where did you get them for $15? I’m looking for a deal like that.
August 14th, 2007 at 1:11 am
as of now
http://www.steepandcheap.com/
August 14th, 2007 at 8:11 am
looks like they switched deals
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July 22nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
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August 4th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
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