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| CRKT Free Range Hunter |
Recently I was given the opportunity to review the
Free Range Hunter fixed blade from
CRKT and couldn't refuse. I have been trying hard to shoot a deer to give this knife something to cut but as of today I still have my tag in my pocket. I'm hoping this weekend I'll arrow myself a deer and if I do I'll let the
Free Range Hunter do some work and give an update on how well it cuts, but from what I can tell it would have no problem with any animal.
The
Free Range Hunter series from CRKT is designed by
Russ Kommer who has been a commercial hunting guide since 1980. Here is some info about Russ from the CRKT website:
"Russ Kommer started making knives when one of his hunter clients brought a custom knife and dressed an entire moose without sharpening it. He began working with noted Alaskan knifemaker John Shore, who took Russ into his shop and showed him how to grind. He began making his own line of knives in 1997, and his custom catalog shows a range of fixed blade knives, including Bowie and Camp Knives, Fillet Knives, Hunters, Fighters and Boot Knives, all available with a variety of exotic handles and with engraving. He is the designer of the CRKT Bear Claw, Big Eddy, hunting knives including our Pro and Signature Hunters, 30-30, and Surf 'N Turf, plus the Kommer Fulcrum and I.F.B. He says, "I set out to make a quality knife that would perform and be comfortable to handle. I have found knifemaking to be my calling, and would like to thank all the people who have helped me along the way!"
The first thing I noticed about the knife when I took it out of the box was how light weight it was. It weighs in at a mere 3.6 ounces for an overall knife length of 9 inches. Here are the specs on the knife from the CRKT Website:
Dimensions
Overall Length - 9.0625 inches
Weight - 3.6 ounces
Blade
Length - 4.25 inches
Thickness - 0.135 inches
Material - 8Cr13MoV
Blade-HRC - 58-59
Finish - Satin
Grind - Hollow
Style - Clip Point
Edge - Plain
Handle - Double Injection
Carry
Carry System - Sheath
Weight - 3.3 ounces
The knife is very light weight but you can tell that it is very durable and candle a beating. It feels very comfortable in my hand with the finger grooves and it is very evident that the knife won't slip out of my hand because the grip is constructed of both hard and soft polymers, hence the double injection. It is a hard durable handle but has the grip that you need, I feel like I have complete control of the knife while holding it. I even let my wife hold the knife and asked her how it felt in her hand. She mentioned the finger grooves made it comfortable to hold so even in smaller hands it feels comfortable to hold.
The knife is very sharp right out of the box. I have of course yet to cut anything so I can't comment on how well it keeps an edge but from what I have read there have been many positive reviews about how well it does keep it's edge. The best thing about this knife is the value. This is a high quality knife that you can pick up from the
CRKT website for only $49. Being able to pick up a knife designed by a professional hunting guide that is sharp right out of the box for that price is hard to beat.
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| CRKT Free Range Hunter |
Overall I really like the
Free Range Hunter both for the design and the price. The sheath also has paracord weaved around it and the knife securely snaps into the sheath to prevent it from falling out. I think the overall design of the knife and the quality makes it a steal and would definitely recommend this to my hunting buddies looking for a quality blade at a reasonable price. You will be getting a high quality hunting knife for a very reasonable price in my opinion.
As much as I would love to keep this knife for myself, I am going to be giving this knife away to one of you. I am using Rafflecopter so follow the instructions and good luck!
You must click on the +2 or +1 next to the task in the Rafflecopter in order to be entered to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
