Pros and Cons of Chris Reeve One Piece Knives

[Kestrel]

I've always liked the looks of the Chris Reeve One Piece Knives, such as the Shadow and Project, etc. I've just never really known why I would need a hollow handle.

What are your thoughts of these knives. I'm sure they are tough, they look good, good steel, etc. Are there any drawbacks? Do any of you use a hollow handle knife and what do you keep in it?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Kjay]

Hollow handle or not, the knives have had rave reviews for years. Well made, very tough, and work well for any task a knife is supposed to do. The only issue I have with the one-piece line is the round handle - I'd prefer an oval grip.

 

[hksw]

...they look good...

Have an early South African one (hex buttcap). Beautiful knife, IMO. Incredible quality. The sheath too. Don't use it though, a safe queen. Wouldn't trade it for an HK PSG1.

The benefits of the one piece is that it does away with the potential short tang weakpoint. (I say potential as I do think it is an issue but I've actually have never seen a survival knife fail there.) High structural integrity, no seperate or welded/soldered guard and handle.

They are a tiny bit heavier than a regular leather washer handled hunting knife though. (Except the SOG ones, those are pretty heavy. I'm directly comparing against a 7" Randall Model 1.)

There was a one-off that CR made a long time ago in a one piece hollow handle. It was basically a short sword/machete. IIRC, an 18" blade, or was it 24"?. Wish I had one.

 

[KingRuger]

the only problem with them are they are so expensive.

dont get me wrong, a nice strong knife, but the price is outta this world

 

[Kjay]

Expensive compared to what? Compared to a KBar - yes. Compared to some customs or other high end prodcution blades, I don't think they're overpriced. With CR I think you get what you pay for.

 

[Don Gwinn]

The weight and cost are the only drawbacks, and not large ones. (Yeah, yeah--"compared to Ka-Bars. That's right. Like it or not, since Ka-Bars work pretty well, knifemakers compete with 'em.)

The hollow handle is not really a strength problem for these knives, and the integral design is the only one that can really say that. Everyone else who affixes a hollow handle to a blade by various method is, IMHO, compromising the strength of the knife without providing a substantial benefit.

 

[Kestrel]

What would any of you carry inside the hollow handle?

 

[Joe Demko]

The earliest hollow handle knives I know of were manufactured in the 20's and 30's by Case. They never marketed it as anything but a waterproof match safe the same as what an outdoorsman might carry as a seperate item.
The hollow handled Randall, from what I've read, was originally made for a serviceman in Vietnam. He planned on carrying pills in it. Pain killers and water purifiers, IIRC.
I don't own any "screw cap" type hollow handle knives. I do own two knives from AG Russel that use a different system. They are full-tang knives that have a small rectangular area milled out of the tang. This is covered by a handle scale that can be moved by loosening a screw, screwdriver is provided as part of the sheath. So there is a small storage area in the handle. Randall used the same system in his Astronaut knife. There isn't much room in either the Russells or the Randall, so I don't know what one might keep in them.

 

[hksw]

What would any of you carry inside the hollow handle?

For me, it was collecting. Had (have) a few 'survival' hollow handle knives, not that I'm a survivalist. Purely for collecting. I liked the space saving/gadgetry idea at the time.

IMO now, however, I think if I were to need matches, fishing hooks, needles, etc. I'd just keep them in a water proof container some place in a backpack instead of a knife handle. More room there. Less likely to get lost, particularly the matches, if I drop the knife.

 

[Don Gwinn]

My uncle dresses his deer every single year with one of those Chinese cheapie "survival knives." He lost the cap/compass long ago, the cheap black spray paint is chipping off, and the blade is worthless. But he loves it. Says it's the perfect hunter.

 

[hksw]

Hah. I remember ordering a few of those Chinese survival knives back in the mid '80s with a couple of my roommates in college. When we got them they were literally as sharp as a bowling ball. The hollow grind was made on both sides of the blades but the edge was never put in. Instead, there was a flat about 1/32" wide at where the cutting edge should have been. It was hilarious when we got them out of the box to examine them. IIRC, the knives ran something like $6-$7 apiece (mail order).

We made it a contest on who could make the sharpest edges on their's. (One of the roommates won. Ground the edge first and finished with a steel from his Victorinox SAK.) The knife steel was (is, as I still have mine) very soft and easy to put a sharp edge on. K-bar-like cast hollow handle. Big bulbous external compass in the buttcap.

Certainly a POS as a rely-your-life-on knife but a good knife to practice on your sharpening skills and as a general utility knife.

 

[Jim March]

There's another advantage of the Chris Reeve design nobody thinks about: the ability to REALLY clean it, with no nooks'n'crannies for dirt/bacteria to hide.

That feature makes it an impressive combo food prep/wilderness survival knife.

 

[motorep]

I don't care for the round handle. Flat surfaced handles let you orient the blade and put more pressure into the cut. I own two Sebenzas,so I like Chris Reeve knives, twice I've gone into my local knife shop (Spyderco) to buy a fixed blade Reeve knife, but after handling (fondling) they just don't work for me. Give me a KaBar.

 

[Kestrel]

Maybe I should go with a Randall #14.

How is the strength and durability of a Randall #14 compared to a CRK?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[hksw]

Hmm. Never really used my Mod 14 and compared it against the CR but...The CR does 'feel' more robust but this could probably be simply due to the heft and the substantial tang (i.e., the entire handle) so this is IMO.

There is a wait of 3½ years for a new Randalls now, unless you want to pay for the premium of one already built being sold by someone. I think Randall do have knives on display and for sale at their shop, though. Not sure ofthe wait, if any, for CR knives.

If I had to pick one general pupose knive, I think I would choose a Mod 1. IMO, of course.

 

[13.45]

i have the cr aviator, and it's an excellent small fixed-blade

 

[Gabe]

If you decide to resale it at a later date you can send the knife back to CR for sandblasting and re-coating. It'll come back factory fresh for a nominal fee. Try that with Randall.

 

[Mute]

I can't think of a single con on the Reeves fixed blades.