Why?
When CRKT Columbia River Knife & Tool sent me the Onion Homefront folder for testing and review, I just had to ask why make a folding knife that you can take apart? Sometimes, when it comes to some new products, I just have to ask myself “Why?” I just don’t know what else there is that is truly new, especially when it comes to folding knives. This is especially true when it comes to the various locking mechanisms. Then again, I’m not known for designing folding knives, although I have one on the drawing board right now. If you ask me, I’m better known for designing fixed blade fighting knives, as nothing else will do in combat.
Don’t Second Guess Ken Onion
Some years back, when I was the West Coast Field Editor for Knives Illustrated magazine, I interviewed world renown custom knife maker/designer Ken Onion for an article I was doing on one of his knives. We had a grand visit, even though it was via the phone, because he lives in Kaneohe, Hawaii and I’m in Oregon. I learned Onion is a real mad man. He’d have to be. He must have a tortured mind to come up with some of his knife designs. This is a good thing, if you ask me. He is also a wild man to talk to. I had a great visit with him over the phone. So, I’m not about to second guess any knife design that comes from Ken Onion.
Cleaning Folders
In the past, I’ve taken apart many folding knives. Some were a real bear to put back together, especially automatic folders. Wow! So, once again, I had to ask “why” a folding knife that the end user could take apart? When my folding knives get dirty or full of pocket lint, I do one of two things. I either spray the knife’s innards with some brake cleaner or I take it to the carport and turn on the air compressor and blow the dirty and grim out . It’s not big deal, right? Well, it doesn’t always get the innards of the knife as clean as I’d like.
Basic Specs on Onion’s Homefront Folder
I was more than a little intrigued by Onion’s Homefront folder. A quick look is needed. There are a couple of different models. I received one with a Tanto style blade, with partial serrations and a back coating. It’s very stealth looking. The blade was 3.427 inches long. And, it only weighs 4.3 ounces. The handle scales are glass reinforced nylon, which is tough stuff. It is a locking liner design, plus it has a blade flipper. There are no thumb studs, so it is quick to open. And, there is a pocket/clothing clip for easy pocket carry. Okay. It sounds pretty much not all that exciting at first glance, right?
What’s Extraordinary
There is a small lever on the left side of the handle scales. And on the rear/top of the handle scales is a small wheel. Hmm? I was getting a bit interested now. I looked at the written instructions that came with the Homefront, and I couldn’t believe what I read. It just couldn’t be that easy to take a folding knife apart and put it back together. Impossible! I was surely missing something in the instructions. So I went to the CRKT website and watched the short video demo on this folder. Well, it sure enough was “that” easy to disassemble and reassemble the Homefront. And it could be done a couple of different ways, too.
So, I had at it. I took the knife apart. Man, I just couldn’t believe how simple it was. Make sure the blade is closed, and move the little lever to the up position. Then use your thumb to rotate that little wheel on the back/top of the knife until it stops, and you can remove the handle scales and the blade. Wait? What? No! It can’t be that easy. I did something wrong! No, I didn’t it. It was that easy, and just as easy to reassemble the folder without messing it up. I tried this process at least three dozen times. And one of my daughters also gave it a try several times. It is just that simple. You can take the knife apart to clean. Just wash it out under running water and lube it. Then put it back together.
Testing and Durability
I was a little concerned how well the knife would hold up, being disassembled and reassembled time after time. But it worked great. The video on the CRKT website states that if the blade gets a little too much “play” in it, it is very simple to tighten the pivot screw. This just takes a couple of seconds to do.
Over the course of a couple weeks, I tested this Homefront folder on various cutting chores. Some of those chores included cutting open boxes from UPS or FedEx. It was put on every other cutting chore you can think of, where any folding knife would be used. The knife came razor sharp out of the box. And it stayed that way through my testing, even slicing blackberry vines with one fell swoop.
Okay. I hate to admit it. I was more than a little impressed with my sample. It also comes in another blade shape/style too , though I like the Tanto blade design myself. The tango is great for piercing things straight on.
Answer to the “Why” Question
So, I guess I answered the question I posed at the beginning of this article: “why” a folding knife that the end user could take apart. It makes cleaning the knife quick work. That’s the number one reason. And, if you use a folder a lot, like I do, or carry one in the pants pocket all the time, it collects pocket lint. It just gets dirty inside and is hard to clean. That’s not so with the Homefront.
I’m thinking that this won’t be the only folders we see from CRKT with this technology. I’m betting good money that we’ll see more folders. And we might even see interchangeable blades, too. This is just a guess.
It comes down to “why didn’t I think of that” in my own mind. It is so very simple, and it works. And it works very well. Like I said, I’m not about to second guess anything that Ken Onion designs. I’m smarter than that.
Production and Pricing
The Homefront is an outstanding knife. The Tanto blade model I tested retails for $99.99 and can often be found deeply discounted, if you shop around. The knife is made in Taiwan — not in Mainland China slave labor camps! CRKT owns one of the plants where their knives are made, and it leases the other one. Someone is at these plants from the U.S. headquarters all the time to make sure things are running smoothly and knives are made to their specs. Check out the new Homefront. I think you’ll be impressed with how easy the disassembly/reassembly is to do. Hey, even a gun/knife writer could do it.
– Senior Product Review Editor, Pat Cascio