CRKT 2784 Desta Folder Knife Review

Columbia River Knife and Tool, Inc. is better known as CRKT. This is an American knife company that was established in 1994. Currently, the company is based in Tualatin, Oregon.

This company was founded by Paul Gillespi and Rod Bremer. Both of these men had previously worked for Kershaw Knives, but decided to leave and create their own company. The company really didn’t take off until the 1997 Shot Show when they introduced the K.I.S.S. which is the Keep It Super Simple knife. This was a small knife designed by Ed Halligan and within the opening days of the show, the entire years’ worth of the product had sold out.

The company produces a wide range of fixed blades and folding knives, along with multi-tools, sharpeners, and carrying systems. CRKT has collaborated with custom knife makers such as Ken Onion, Harold “Kit” Carson, Allen Elishewitz, Pat Crawford, Liong Mah, Steven James, Greg Lightfoot, Michael Walker, Ron Lake, Tom Veff, Steve Ryan, and the Graham Brothers.

Through these collaborations as well as through their own designs, CKRT has come to own fifteen patents and patents pending. Some of the most popular of these patents include the Outburst Assist Opening Mechanism, the Lock Back Safety mechanism, and Veff Serrated edges.

Today we will be discussing the CRKT 2784 Desta folding knife.

 

The Designers:

The men behind this knife are Pat and Wes Crawford, who come from West Memphis, Arkansas. CRKT says, “The Crawford’s know what it’s like to combine old world traditions with new features. Pat, a Knifemakers’ Guild member since 1973, has been a pioneer in the combat folder genre, and was one of the first to use titanium and skeletonize his frames and handles. Wes, his son, has helped integrate exotic field materials including wood, ivory, and stag horn, into their offerings. They’re famous for the CRKT® Triumph N.E.C.K.™— and for pushing each other.”

 

The Blade:

The blade on this knife is made out of 8Cr13MoV steel that has been hardened to a 57-59 HRC. The series, which is an MoV series, originates from China and is most easily compared to AUS-8 steel. However, AUS-8 steel is considered the superior steel even though 8Cr13MoV steel does have a higher carbon content. This steel can hold up to your everyday carry tasks, but it is not going to excel at anything. The biggest advantage that this steel boasts is how inexpensive it is. For what you are paying for it, you get a quality steel that resists rust well as well as keeping its edge for long periods of time. However, you do get what you pay for, so this steel is not going to stand up to the newer super steels that are on the block.

The blade has been finished with a stonewash finish. A stonewashed finish is created by tumbling the blade in an abrasive material, which is usually small stones or pebbles. The finish easily hides scratches, while also providing a less reflective nature than a brushed or satin finished blade. A very positive benefit of stonewashed blades is that they are going to be very low maintenance and preserve their original look overtime. Also the stonewashed finish hides the scratches and smudges that occur with use and with time. This is an acid stonewashed knife, which means that the blade has had an acid treatment that darkens the blade before it undergoes stonewashing. The acid oxidation enhances a blade’s rust resistance by placing a stable oxide barrier between the steel and the environment.

The blade has been carved into a clip point. The clip point blade shape is an all-purpose blade. This is also one of the two most popular blade shapes that is in use today. While the most common place that you are going to find this knife is on a Bowie knife, it is also a popular option for everyday pocket knives, such as this one. The shape of the knife is created by having the edge of the knife run straight form the handle before it stops about halfway up the knife. At this point, it turns and continues to the point of the knife. This “cut-out” area can be either straight or curved, but on the Desta, it is curved. The “cut-out” area is known as the clip, which is where the blade shape got its name from. Because of the clip, the point is lowered, which provides more control when using the knife. One of the best things that this knife can do is pierce, because it is so easily controlled while also being sharp and thinner at the spine. These characteristics have less drag during insertion and can be withdrawn faster. One of the reasons that this knife is so versatile and all-purpose is because of the large belly area that is perfect for slicing. Of course, every knife shape does have its drawbacks. The clip point blade shapes biggest drawback is that because the point is thinner and sharper than the rest of the knife, it is more prone to breaking or snapping. Especially when inserted through hard objects.

 

The Handle:

The handle on this knife is made out of stainless steel. Stainless steel is going to be incredibly durable for your knife handle as well as being very resistant to corrosion. Unfortunately, this handle material is not going to be lightweight. Plus, stainless steel handles can be slippery, so the manufacturer has to carve in etches or ridges to give the user the needed texture. The overall pros of a stainless steel handle is that they are going to be strong, durable, and very resistant to corrosion. The overall cons of a stainless steel handle are that it is going to weigh the knife down and it can be pretty slippery.

The handle is definitely the most unique aspect of this knife. The front side of it (without the pocket clip) has been hollowed out. There is a slight ridge that is on the front, but other than that, the handle is very flat. To also keep the weight down, the handle has been further skeletonized by having rows of holes drilled on both edges of the knife handle. The side with the pocket knife looks solid. This style is going to keep the weight of the knife down, because it is made out of stainless steel.

The holes will add texture to the handle as well as the skeletonizing. While you aren’t going to have the best grip on the knife, you will have a good enough grip to get your everyday tasks completed.

The handle has a slow curve form the spine of the knife to the butt of the knife. The belly of the knife has an inward curve that is slow and shallow to give you a more comfortable grip. The handle of this knife has also been stonewashed, which matches the blade well while giving the handle a completed look.

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip on this knife is not reversible. The clip has been attached for tip up carry only on the traditional side of the handle. This is a drawback to the knife because you are not going to be able to carry it in the most comfortable position for yourself. The clip is a deep carry clip, which is going to help your knife fit more securely inside your pocket. This means that while you are going about your daily activities, you won’t have to worry about it sliding out of your pocket. Also, it will help to conceal the knife better than a standard clip would, which means people won’t be as aware of your knife in your pocket unless you want them to be.

The pocket clip as well as the hardware on this knife is all stonewashed.

 

The Mechanism:

This is a folding knife that has been equipped with a thumb hole as well as a lock back mechanism. This knife does not have a mechanism that makes it automatic or spring assisted, which means this knife is going to be legal in more areas than the other options. Of course, this also means that it is not going to be as efficient to open.

The thumb hole or window is a rectangle that has been cut out of the blade. This hole is in the same place that a nail nick or a thumb stud would be in. This mechanism is easy to use, which is one of its biggest advantages. People will be able to get the hang of it pretty quickly and it isn’t too dangerous to use. Spyderco was the company that really popularized this opening mechanism, but now plenty of companies use it on their knives. One of the biggest advantages when being compared to a thumb stud is that it doesn’t protrude from the blade. This means that it isn’t going to snag on anything or get in the way when you are trying to use this knife.

The lock back mechanism is what you are going to commonly see on classic folding knives. It is made out of a spine on a spring. When the knife is opened, this spine locks into a notch that is carved into the back of the blade, which will hold it into place. When you want to close this knife, push down the exposed part of the spine, which will disengage the lock and allow you to push the blade into a closed position. The lock back has plenty of advantages including how reliable it is in terms of strength and safety. For example, the area to disengage the knife is out of the way of your grip when you are using this knife, which means that it is unlikely that you will have the knife accidentally close on you when you are using it. Plus, when you are closing the knife, the lock back keeps your fingers out of the blade’s path, which minimizes the likelihood of cutting yourself. Of course, every locking mechanism is going to have its disadvantage. The biggest one for this knife is that generally, the user does need to use both hands to close the lock back, which is going to be inconvenient if you are needing to keep one hand on whatever it is that you are cutting. Of course, people have learned how to close a knife with a lock back with only one hand, but it isn’t going to be easy.

 

The Specs:

The blade on this knife measures in at 2.574 inches long with a blade thickness of 0.107 inches. The handle on this knife measures in at 3.664 inches long. The overall length of the Desta when it is opened measures in at 6.188 inches long. This knife weighs in at 2.3 ounces.

 

Conclusion:

When CRKT is talking about this knife, they say, “Two simple components designed to take on every last task.

This compact everyday carry folder is as sleek and simple as they come, but features an ahead-of-the-curve forward lock back folding mechanism—the tighter you grip it, the tighter it locks into place. Leave no daily duty left undone with the Desta™.

You’d expect nothing short of innovation from West Memphis, Arkansas designer Pat Crawford. He’s renowned as a pioneer in the combat folder genre, and has clearly demonstrated his expertise with the Desta™.

This unique everyday carry folder was originally designed as a compact self-defense knife, but evolved to be an easy-to-carry everyday companion. Both the blade and the handle feature a black stonewash finish as does the low-profile one-position pocket clip. A covert thumb slot blade deployment activates the smooth action and the forward lock back mechanism secures the blade in place. To close the blade, push up the spine of the handle near the pivot screw to disengage the lock.

Desta translates to joy and happiness—take down daily tasks with delight with this compact EDC.” You can pick up this knife today at BladeOps and have your new favorite EDC knife.