Ruger/CRKT All Cylinders, by Pat Cascio

We’re taking a look at the collaboration between custom knife maker Bill Harsey, Ruger firearms, and Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT) today. And this one is a real winner.

Col. Rex Applegate and Custom Knife Maker Bill Harsey

I worked full-time for the late Col. Rex Applegate for three years, and he was not only my friend but my mentor as well. He taught me a lot about knife and gun fighting as well as military infantry tactics. It was more than I ever learned in the military. Applegate had his Applegate/Fairbairn double-edge fighting knife made by Oregon’s own custom knife maker, Bill Harsey. Unfortunately, I never crossed paths with Harsey in all the years I worked for Applegate, when Harsey delivered a batch of his knives.

Bill Harsey designs and makes knives, especially folders, that I dearly love. The man is talented, and he doesn’t live all that far from me. One of these days, I’ll have to pay him a visit and tour his operation.

CRKT Knives Made For Ruger

CRKT has a separate catalog from their regular line-up. It is loaded with Ruger knives, all made by CRKT for Ruger, and the line-up is very extensive. You can request catalogs from Ruger or CRKT to see all of the products.

The Ruger/CRKT/Harsey All-Cylingers Folder

Under review today is the Ruger/CRKT/Harsey All-Cylinders folder. It is one of the best designed folders ever, and it has that “something” that lets you know it is designed by Harsey, too. He has a certain “something” within all his designs. You know it is a Harsey designed knife, if you follow him.

A “Just Right” Long Blade and Tough Handle

I like a folding knife with a blade between 3.5 inches in length and 4. -inches long. Right there at 3.75 inches is about perfect for my use. The All-Cylinders has a 4.0-inch long blade made out of 8Cr13MoV stainless steel that has a black washed look to it, too. It’s very tactical looking. My sample had a plain edge blade. However, you can obtain it with serrations, if you like, too. The knife is 5.0 inches long closed, and it weighs 6.6 oz, so it’s no light-weight. It has some heft to it. The handle scales are black/gray G10, which is almost bullet proof stuff.

Locking Liner, Thumb Studs, Revolver Cylinder Style Blade Pivot, and More

There is a locking liner that keeps the blade firmly locked open. It also has dual thumb studs for ease of opening. The unique “revolver cylinder” style blade pivot pin is nicely done, and there is a two position pocket clip for right or left pocket carry, too. The blade came shaving sharp right out of the box. When the blade is opened, it just seems to balance perfectly in my hand, which is very, very nice!

CRKT Products Produced in Taiwan

Many CRKT products are produced in their plants in Taiwan. They actually own one of the plants outright and lease the other one. Every six weeks or so, an executive from CRKT travels to Taiwan and spends two weeks there, overseeing the operations to make sure everything is being done to their standards. If you can’t stomach something made overseas, then I don’t know where you shop. Take a day and walk around a Walmart. You’ll note that at least 80% or more of their products are made overseas. It is a global economy, and if you don’t have at least some of your products produced overseas, you can’t compete and you’ll soon close your doors.

Not Made in Slave Labor Camps

CRKT products are not being made in some slave labor camps. They are made in well-known and respected plants, so please save the hate mail. CRKT produces some outstanding products. If it weren’t so, Ruger, would have never teamed-up with CRKT, nor would Bill Harsey consent to having some of his knife designs made overseas. The high quality is there in CRKT products.

Testing

I carried the Ruger All-Cylinders folder for the better part of two months, switching it back and forth between my right and left front pockets. I switched off from my regular right front pocket carry, only because I was also testing and carrying other folders. The knife was used daily for all manner of cutter chores on my small homestead. And, I showed this folder to a lot of people, who all loved the way it felt in their hands. None complained about the 4.0-inch blade being too long or the knife being too heavy, either.

Cut Cardboard Boxes

Almost daily, I’m getting packages from UPS, FedEx, or USPSm and the boxes need to be cut open before they end up in the mouths of my two male German Shepherds, who delight in covering the living room floor with tiny pieces of cardboard that were once large pieces. (These dogs love to fight over pieces of cardboard, each huffing trying to scare the other, all to no avail. It is like Christmas for them. Then, the wife isn’t happy about having to pick up tiny pieces of cardboard, though.)

Blackberry Vines

Regular readers, I’m sure, are tired of reading some of the cutting tests I do with knives. One test in particular is slicing through super-tough blackberry vines that grow wild all over the western part of Oregon. If you love fresh blackberries, then Oregon should be your destination in late summer through early fall, because they are free for the picking. Of course, the vines have very long and covered with wicked thorns that seem to reach out and grab you at times…OUCH!

The All-Cylinders had no problems cleaning slicing through the thick blackberry vines. With a single swipe of the blade, it was easy work. I also “stabbed” the blade into stacked cardboard. The knife blade easily went up to the knife’s handle. The drop point blade is one of the most useful blade designs for all manner of cutter chores, and the knife was used in the kitchen for cutting veggies and fruits. I even used it at the dinning room table as part of my dinner ware for cutting various meats. Yeah, I really do that.

Re-sharpening

I needed to re-sharpen the blade once during my testing, but as I stated I carried and used this knife for two months. It really got a work out. The steel was easy to re-sharpen. It only took a minute or two on a set of ceramic sticks. I like knife steel that holds an edge and is easy to re-sharpen. Some stainless steels are Rockwelled too high and are brittle. Then the edge chips. Those are a real bugger to re-sharpen, too. That’s just not so with this Ruger.

Shopping For Deals

I’m on a fixed income in my social security days, and I have to be extremely careful how I spend my money. Because of this, I shop for deals. If something isn’t a deal, I pass on it. That doesn’t mean that I don’t purchase some spendy products. I do! I demand quality, and a deal no matter what the product might me. Full retail on the Ruger/CRKT All-Cylinders is only $89.99. And if you shop around, you can usually find CRKT products deeply discounted in the big box stores or online. Check this tough folder out. You’ll be impressed with it.

Be sure to check out the entire Ruger line of cutlery, being manufactured by CRKT. I bet you’ll find more than one item you can’t live without.