Three year hunt. Success! CKF Bragga

[Zaydok Allen]

I got very lucky last month and found a knife I’ve been searching for for about three years. This is the CKF Bragga. (CKF=Custom Knife Factory). It’s the first production collaboration that Kombou undertook, who is my favorite designer. His work is more functional art than traditional knives, but all of his designs are made to be practically used for everyday tasks. This is his one and only colaboration with CKF. His second design was a collaboration with BRR Knives called the Buwaya, which Bestech, who he designs for exclussively now, has brought back.

This is number 142 of only 200 that were ever made. As a lover of Kombou’s work I consider myself very lucky to have tracked down one in like new condition for slightly less than the original price.

I realize the design aesthetic is not for everyone, but to my eye it’s gorgeous. It’s one I’ll never voluntarily part with. It looks like it would be loaded with hot spots and awkward ergos. It's just the opposite. CKF knocked down all the corners, and it fits in my hand like a glove.

The execution of the the manufacturing is wonderful. Everything is really nicely done on it. M390 steel. Carbon fiber inlays, titanium, wonderful action. The edge is factory, but not particularly sharp. That can be remedied though. All the little details are what make this knife shine, whether you enjoy the look of it or not.

It’s a wonderful pocket companion.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

CKF makes stunning knives, I've owned four.

 

[Mk-211]

Very nice! Great looking knife.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

A few details I find interesting. The pivot and bottom screw are the only hardware involved aside from the lock bar insert. They are both T10 Torx head, which is not real common with a knife this size. The cutouts on the pivot is a matching blue as on the clip and backspacer. Nice highlight. The edges of the carbon fiber are smoothly cut, and the overall finish is very consistent. The satin finish on the blade is extremely even and I see no evidence of burns. The clip is an interesting design. It doesn’t have a traditional ramp like other machined clips, but it does work very effectively if you push it in and pull it out of the pocket fairly firmly.


The blade to handle ratio is pretty far off, if that matters to you. The clip is also a bit further down the handle than it should be. It results in the knife having a bit of point sticking out of the back of your hand. However this doesn’t bother me at all. I think it was done this way to accommodate the large screw that passes through the backspacer and into the clip. They might have avoided this by reducing that screw size and repositioning the screw and clip. Or they could have shortened the frame slightly. Either way, I don’t care. I like it.


I find it interesting how the lines on the frame and lock bar parallel those on the pivot collar and on the blade cutout. It’s sort of a nice unifying feature that sort of brings it together for me.


The final detail is about the designer. He is of Polish origin and is a very friendly man. I have messaged him in the past, and he responds. Very nice indeed. I sent him a picture to let him know his hardest to find design is still in use. He was happy to hear it.


Now that I think about it, I don’t recall if this was his first or second colab. The Buwaya may have come first.

 

[gotboostvr]

I really like that blade shape and grind. Should be a real useful knife.