CRKT Burnley OBAKE Knife ReviewFrom my perspective carrying a knife is a requirement to get through everyday life. With all the opening of boxes, mail, and urban daily survival tasks, it is a tool which I feel naked without however they can be a thing of beauty as well. One of my favorite designs are those which echo classic Japanese designs.
CRKTs new OBAKE, designed by Lucas Burnley, is not only a gorgeous representation of a traditional Japanese design, but each one is totally unique thanks to the etched grey titanium nitride finish. Your OBAKE's blade pattern be uniquely different from anyone else.
ABOUT CRKTA
CRKT - Columbia River Knife and Tool was founded in 1994 by Rod Bremer in Oregon. By working in unison with the top knife designers around the world, CRKT delivers a broad line of innovative custom knife designs in affordable production knives and tools. The result is that the hottest custom designs are available to the consumer for daily use at affordable prices.
FIT, FINISH, FEEL, FEATURES, FUNCTIONS
CRKT has several various types of knives which vary from a working quality which negate the pretty surface finishes and handle materials and then there are their top end premium offerings such as the OBAKE which show off CRKT's custom capabilities. The OBAKE is one of CRKT's most gorgeous designs and is stunning to look at and handle as just a desk knife, however you would be short changing the capabilities as an everyday defensive knife.
The Samurai sword blade and grind is designed to be an excellent piercing and slicing blade for defensive use. Additionally many metropolitan jurisdictions have restrictions on fixed blade knives with blades exceeding 4" so this is a great option if your local allows the carry of a fixed blade knife. The handle is made from a faux ray skin and paracord wrap and Lucas added a paracord lanyard on the sheath with a pewter skull bead. Its a little thing, but can add some utility and a whole lot of style.
The OBAKE includes a belt loop which can be attached to the glass filled nylon sheath, however my preference was to carry the OBAKE concealed under the shirt as a neck knife with a breakaway chain.
The Paracord and skull loop on the end of the knife can also be used as a carry system as well by using to loop to form a half hitch around your belt and then tuck the knife into your waistline.
With the lanyard at the bottom tip of the sheath, this allows a “tuckable” sheath attachment for concealment and still provides for a smooth and safe draw. Typically inside the waistband sheath knives pose a risk of exposing the blade edge to the user as the knife is drawn. As the OBAKE is drown the sheath clears the pants and then provides for a natural draw stroke.The CRKT OBAKE certainly could take the abuse with a ti nitride finish but would not may not be my choice to put the beatdown on for everyday heavy use, it is simply too pretty.
CRKT BURNLEY OBAKE SPECS
Dimensions
Open Overall Length7.63 inches
Weight2.4 ounces
Length3.64 inches
Thickness0.67 inches
Material8Cr14MoV
Blade-HRC56-58
FinishTiNitride Grey w/Etch Pattern
GrindHollow
StyleClip Point
EdgePlain
Handle MaterialBlack Paracord Wrap
LinerBlack Faux Ray Skin
Carry SystemGlass Filled Nylon Sheath
MSRP $59.99
SOURCES
CRKT - http://www.crkt.com/