Titanium ?

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Catbird

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I have a hankerin' to try one (or more) of the CRKT brand of knives. Even though the prices are reasonable, there is quite a difference in price for the same exact knife with different handles. For example, an M16 with a Zytel handle is $29, an M16 with an aluminum handle is $47 and an M16 with a Titanium handle is $87. [prices approximate]

For an everyday carry knife, is the Titanium handled one really worth the added expense? Is it that much lighter, stronger and/or more durable?

(In addition to getting the M16, I'm also looking at the Lightfoot model.)
 
aaahhhh..."un-obtanium"
I'm sure most of it can be contributed to production cost and material cost durring production. Molded Zytel is a quicker and much cheaper process than making the same parts out of Ti.
I'd get the Zytel handled knife and try it out for a while. If you like the fit, weight, finish, and durability then move up to the Ti. model. The cheaper knife can be kept as a back up if you were to lose the Ti model and needed a EDC that you were comfortable with. You could always keep it in your vehicle, or sell it later on Ebay or here to recover some of the initial cost.
HTH
Rupe
 
For an everyday carry knife, is the Titanium handled one really worth the added expense? Is it that much lighter, stronger and/or more durable?

No, you would probably not feel much difference in the weight, if you are going to use it as a hammer it is stronger but not necessarily more durable.

Is it worth it? Is a chromed .45 worth more than a blued one? Is a carbon arrow worth more than an allumium arrow? Depends on what you want and what you are going to use it for. You'll find it easier to just buy one of each, that way you do not need to make a decision! ;)
 
Thanks for the comments.

After speaking to "Roger" @ KNIFEWORKS.COM, I decided to order the M16, w/ the Zytel handle and the large partially serrated, tanto-style blade. FWIW, I also ordered the Lightfoot model. This will be my first experience with CRKT knives -- I've heard/read that they are very good quality knives for the modest prices... we'll see. ;)

My current knife collection is fairly sparse; I have a Kershaw Black Out, a Kershaw Scallion, a Cold Steel fullsize Gunsite model and a Benchmade Stryker. I have a Kershaw Rainbow Leek on order.
 
brownie -

Thanks for the link (wh/ I have now bookmarked). I don't know very much about the fine details of knives, so this will help me learn.

When looking online at knife pics and specs, it's difficult to get a "feel" for how suitable a certain knife will be in real life (for me, anyway).

I ended up by ordering the M16-14Z model (3.96" blade, IIRC). If it turns out to be too large for comfortable carry, I'll probably give it away to one of my sons and order the medium-sized version later.
 
I like the aluminum on CRKTs as a "sweet spot" choice. You get definite advantages (at least in my mind) over the zytel in strength and feel. You don't get nearly as big a difference by going from aluminum to titanium, however, and you spend more.
Nothing wrong with Titanium, but if the handle is going to be exactly the same shape and design there's not a lot of point in going with the Ti. If by ordering the Ti you got a slimmer or otherwise better-shaped or lighter grip with the same strength as the aluminum (which could be done with careful design since in most categories the Ti is much stronger than the aluminum) then that would justify a greater increase in cost. . . . but if you ask for a whole new design, then the cost would increase by much more than it does by simply going to Titanium.

So by all means, go for the Zytel first and if you feel like going to metal later, try to hold both. That should tell you which one you want.
 
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