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CRKT M16: A Product Line Cross-Section
A Product Review by Phil Elmore
Columbia River
Knife and Tool has made quite a name for itself
in the “tactical folder” market. The company imports an increasingly diverse
selection of affordable, high-quality knives that set the standard for “budget
daily carry” among those who carry self-defense blades. One of the more
popular lines in the CRKT catalog is the M16 series. Available in multiple
sizes and blade styles, a representative cross-section of the line includes the
M16-03Z, the M16 Special Forces, and the M16 EDC Compact models.
M16-03Z
The M16-03Z is a very handy and pragmatic
tactical folder with a pleasantly narrow profile. If you like your knives
straight and pointy, this is the knife for you.
The Zytel (plastic) handle is comfortable but a little smooth.
The bead-blasted, three and a half inch blade has two means of opening: a
dual thumb stud and the “Carson Flipper.”
When closed, the flipper protrudes from the rear of the handle.
Sliding a finger across it slips the blade open. Once locked open, it
forms an integral guard.
The linerlock engages the tang completely on the left side.
It is secure and has a low profile to prevent accidental release. What I
like best about the flipper guard is that it provides insurance against lock
failure. If you are holding the knife properly and the lock disengages,
the flipper will prevent your finger from being cut.
I liked my M16 so
much that I had a custom leather belt sheath made for it by leathersmith
Gary
Graley. Carrying the knife in this sheath means that I have removed
the metal pocket clip. (With the clip, the knife is a “tip-down”
model.)
If you have a few extra dollars and you’re looking for a narrow
blade with clean lines and an integral guard, buy an M16-03Z. It’s worth it.
M16 Special Forces
The M16 Special Forces variant has a double
guard rather than the single “Carson Flipper” guard. To be honest, I
think I prefer the single guard, both aesthetically and in terms of
handling. This is a still a good knife, though.
The single-ground, partially serrated
Americanized tanto blade is
coated with black titanium nitride. It had a good edge when I
obtained mine (a second-hand knife in “like new”
condition). It handles well and is fairly light. The blade
measures 3.5 inches from the tip to the handle, while the knife itself is
just under 8.2 inches long.
The
Zytel handle
feels quite slippery to the touch, though the holes help provide some
traction. With the blade open, the double guard locks the hand in
place, so I don’t find the handle surface problematic.
This is one safe liner lock, too. The dual Carson
Flipper guard, like the single guard on the M16-03Z,
acts
as a built-in safety in case of lock failure. If you are holding
the knife and the blade starts to close, the guard will stop at your hand
long before the blade ever reaches your flesh. It’s nice to have a
full crossguard on a knife, though whether a folding knife of this size
really “needs” one is a matter of personal preference.
You’d
have a hard time making the lock fail, though, as it is equipped with a
Lake and Walker Knife Safety (LAWKS). This handy little gadget is
pushed into place using a peg (photo, right) positioned next to the
guard. When activated, a piece of metal physically stops the liner
lock from closing.
While the LAWKS is a very good feature, I found the little
peg on this knife extremely hard to locate and push by feel. It is
very small and shrouded by the surrounding plastic in such a way that I
don’t think I could deploy it quickly under stress. It’s a good
added safety feature, but not one that I imagine could be used in a
self-defense scenario.
Liner lock (black metal)
impeded by LAWKS
(silver metal), blade open.
The pocket clip on this knife, as with the M16-03Z, is a
little slim for my tastes. As shipped the knife is set up for
tip-down carry, which I prefer for safety. Judging from the holes
tapped in the handle, I believe the clip is reversible and can be switched
to the other side of the knife in either position.
Pocket clip on dress pants.
If you like the M16 line and want a very safe liner lock
that can be used for both utility and defense, this M16 Special Forces
blade is a good option.
M16 EDC Compact
For those who desire and even smaller M16, there is the EDC
compact line. My two samples came in black and O.D. green, with spear
and Americanized tanto blades respectively. The black spearpoint EDC is
the M16-01K, while its green-handled sibling is the M16-00K. Both have
nicely sharp, coated blades (like the Special Forces model). The cutting
edges are three inches long and beveled on both sides.
The knives open smoothly. The knurled faces of the
ambidextrous thumb studs (which double as blade stops) provide good purchase
for thumbing open the blade. The integral guards (forming the “Carson
Flippers” on both) open the blades in a single, firm wipe of one’s index
finger. There are thumb grooves on the spines of both knives at the
blade pivots.
The EDCs are, like their larger relatives, linerlocks.
The serrated liners lock firmly and are easy to release, though both engage
the middle to right portions of the blade tangs. Lock-up is secure with
no play in the open blades, but there’s no real room for liner wear. In
a small knife used for lighter duty, this is not a large concern (but it’s
worth noting).
The pocket clips on both knives are removable and configured
for right-hand, tip-down carry only. They are secured with three Torx
screws. While skinny, the clips have reasonable tension (they could be
tighter) and work well.
I have what I have always considered “ham hands,” but the
little knives feel good in my mitts. They cut well I used them for
utility tasks around my home office and the little guards give me a sense of
security when working with the knives.
It’s hard not to like these little M16s, with whose larger
counterparts I’ve been so happy.
The M16 Series
The entire M16 line is worth a look. Particularly at
the prices offered by CRKT, there are few better buys in the “tactical folder”
category. Given the wide array of blade styles and sizes from which to
choose, I’m confident you’ll be able to find a model that suits you.
I’ve found several.