CRKT Bombastic Flipper Knife Review

CRKT was born in Oregon in 1994. Columbia River Knife and Tool is an American company that is known for their distinction in design, selection, and quality. For over 20 years now, CRKT has put innovation and integrity first, making a commitment to build products that inspire and endure. CRKT collaborates with the best designers in the world and operates on a simple principle: that the greatest thing they can give their customers is Confidence in Hand.

This company was founded by Paul Gillespie and Rod Bremer. Both of these men were formerly employed with Kershaw Knives. However, this company did not truly take off until the 1997 Shot Show. This is when they introduced the K.I.S.S (Keep It Super Simple) knife. This was a small folder that had been designed by Ed Halligan. Within the opening days of the show, the entire years’ worth of product was sold out. That was when this company truly became a successful company and hit the radar of many members in the knife community.

CRKT produces a wide range of field blades and folding knives, multi tools, sharpeners, and carrying systems. They have collaborated with many of the best knife makers and designers in the world, including 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. CRKT also owns fifteen patents and patents pending. Some of these are the Outburst assist opening mechanism, the Lock Back Safety mechanism, and the Veff Serrated edges.

 

The Designer:

The CRKT Bombastic was designed by Ken Onion. Ken is considered the Real Deal. He was the youngest ever inductee into the Blade Magazine Hall of Fame in 2008. He is also recognized as one of the most innovative and successful knife designers of all time. In 1996, he created the first commercially successful assisted opening mechanism, and 20 years later he unveiled his award winning Field Strip Technology. He is also the designer of the successful Eros folder series, as well as the award wining Hi Jinx. It seems as if Ken Onion is never at a loss for ideas.

This means that you can be confident that the Bombastic will also include innovative and ground breaking technology, as well as looking aesthetically pleasing.

The Blade:

The blade on the Bombastic is made out of 8Cr13MoV steel. This steel belongs in a series of Chinese steels. In the series, there are a variety of different formulas of steels, with 9Cr steel being the top dog. However, 8Cr steel falls closely behind in terms of quality and durability. I wouldn’t recommend going anywhere near any of the steels lower than a 6Cr when you are choosing a knife blade, because after that, they are much too soft. 8Cr steel is most commonly compared to AUS 8 in terms of similar qualities, hardness, and durability. Between the two steels, the AUS 8 is the superior steel though. 8Cr steel is super easy to sharpen because of the softness that the steel has. And, you can get a very fine edge on this knife blade. Another benefit of this type of steel is that the edge will last for long periods of time. The biggest feature that this type of steel boasts is how inexpensive this steel is. But while it is nice to keep the costs of your knife down, keep in mind you do get what you pay for. So while this steel is an average steel that is going to get the job done and be a breeze to sharpen, it is just an average steel that is not going to excel at anything.

The steel has been coated in a Black Oxide finish. This finish is a conversion coating that blackens the blade of your knife. This is a great finish for steels and is used to mainly add levels of corrosion resistance to the metal. Another two big reasons that people use this coating is because of the way it makes the blade look (sleek, all-black), and to minimize the glares and reflections off your blade. Keep in mind that it is a coating finish, so it will scratch off after time and/or hard use.

There is also another version of the knife that features a satin finish on the blade. The satin finish is created when the knife is continually sanded in one direction with a fine abrasive—normally sandpaper. This finish works to showcase the lines of the knife and is a very classic finish.

The steel on this blade has been carved into a spear point blade shape. This blade shape is very similar to the needle point blade. But there are a few differences between the two. The spear point blade shape is a symmetrically pointed blade with a point that is in line with the center line of the blade’s long axis. Both edges of the knife rise and fall equally to create a point that liens up exactly with the equator of the blade. This blade shape is often found on throwing knives, but are also on a variety of other knife types. The main differences between a spear point blade and a needle point blade is that the needle point blade has a very sharp but weak point. The spear point blade has a stronger point, that is a little less sharp, but still sharp enough to pierce. The spear point has a slightly lowered point that provides you with more control over your cuts and slices. Plus, the controllable point is excellent for fine point work, such as carving. Another great benefit that comes with a spear point blade is that it rocks a small belly. This can be used for some cutting and slicing, however, it is not going to compare to a drop point or a clip point. The spear point blade shape is a great choice for someone who is looking for a good balance between piercing and slicing. This blade shape is considered a hybrid blade design and it is a very functional shape.

The Bombastic knife that sports the Black Oxide finish sports a combo edge. This means that half of the edge is plain, while the other half (the half closer to the handle) is serrated. This edge gives you the best of both worlds, because you do have the plain edge for slicing, but you also have the serrated edge for the thicker or harder materials.

The Bombastic knife that has the satin edge features a plain edge. This edge is excellent if you know that the majority of your tasks will be some form of slicing. Plus, this type of edge is much easier to sharpen than a combo or serrated edge.

The Handle:

The handle on this knife is made out of stainless steel and GFN. Stainless steel provides you with exceptional durability as well as resistance to corrosion. However, this is not a lightweight material, so it is going to add a chunk of weight to the knife. The stainless steel can also be very slippery, so CRKT has added GFN to the palm portion of the handle to add texture and grip. GFN is glass filled nylon and is the same thing as FRN. This handle is one of the cheapest, but still one of the toughest handle materials to produce. This material is more flexible than G10, so it does not sport the rigidity that is often associated with that material, but it is a lot tougher. To create this material, the manufacturer arranges all of the nylon fibers haphazardly which is why this material is stronger than G 10. Because G 10’s fibers are arranged in one direction, it ends up being weak in all of the other directions. Because GFN’s fibers are arranged haphazardly, the material can be stressed in all different directions and not break down. There was a group of knife enthusiasts that did not warm up to this material, because they felt like it feels cheap and hollow. Plus, it doesn’t provide you with as much grip as you would find in G 10, or other similar materials. This material can be so cheap, because it is created in an injection molded process. One of the other major benefits to GFN is that it requires almost zero maintenance. The stainless steel on this knife is dark grey and the GFN is black. On the black version, the GFN is still black, but so is the stainless steel, making that version an all-black knife.

In the center of the handle, right near where the blade starts, there is a circle with a star in it. This is black on both versions. There is no finger groove, but the knife does sport a finger guard.

 

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip on the satin version is a dark grey to match the stainless steel parts of the handle. On the black version, the pocket clip is black, as I’m sure you would have guessed. This is a skeletonized pocket clip that is kept in place by two small screws. The handle on this knife has been drilled to carry your knife tip down, but the pocket clip can only be placed on the traditional side of the handle.

 

The Mechanism:

This is a manual opening knife that sports the flipper mechanism to help the knife open. The flipper mechanism is a triangular shaped piece of steel that is connected to the blade. This piece will jut out of the spine of the handle when the knife is closed. To deploy the blade, you pull back on this flipper and it efficiently flips the knife open. Then, the blade will lock into place because this knife also features a frame lock.

The main difference between a liner lock and a frame locks is that the frame lock uses the handle to form the frame and therefore the lock. The handle of a frame lock has two sides and is often cut from a steel that is much thicker than the liner of most locks. The frame lock is situated with the liner inward and the tip engaging the bottom of the blade. The frame lock is released by applying pressure to the frame to move it away from the blade. When the knife is opened, the pressure on the lock forces it to snap across the blade, engaging it at its furthest point. Frame locks are known for their strength and thickness. This is a safety mechanism that ensures that you won’t have to worry when you are using your knife, even when you are using it for harder tasks. The blade won’t snap closed onto your hand.

 

The Specs:

The blade on the Bombastic is 3.311 inches long with a blade thickness of 0.122 inches. When the knife is opened, it measures in at 7.938 inches long, with a closed length of 4.506 inches long. This knife weighs in at 4.2 ounces.

 

Conclusion:

CRKT has earned a reputation that they very well deserve. Over the years, they have introduced the knife community to many of the technologies that we now expect to find on our knives. They have collaborated with a  variety of differnet knife designers that means you have a variety of different looks and feels to their products. Basically, you can find anything that you want in one of the CRKT products.

To create such a great knife, the Bombastic starts out with an inexpensive steel that maintains a very fine edge for long periods of time. You can find your favorite style Bombastic flipper knife here.  The steel has been carved into a spear point blade shape, which provides you a great balance between piercing and slicing. This is a very versatile blade. The handle is made out of stainless steel and GFN. This combination gives you plenty of durability as well as a low maintenance knife handle. This knife sports the flipper opening mechanism. This knife will change the way you look at every day carry knives.