CRKT Pilar Large with G10 Handle Knife Review
CRKT: Columbia River Knife & Tool built in the USA. A daily carry knife you can depend on.
The Pilar was named after Ernest Hemingway’s famed boat and designed by Jesper Voxnaes of Denmark. He thought of Hemingway as a modern Renaissance man and wanted to create a blade that would hold up in any situation.
Blade:
High carbon stainless steel with a satin finish. Let’s give credit where credit is due, it came sharp! We have tried many knives that come with what we like to call a ‘manufacturer edge’ to allow consumers to acclimate to the knife before a super sharp edge is applied. We feel life CRKT thankfully skipped that step and provided a knife that any seasoned outdoors person could carry and trust right out of the box. The design of the high carbon stainless steel blade was a very efficient slicer but with the more pronounced tip, it allowed you to use it in more meticulous ways when needed.
Comfort:
I generally wear large sized gloves so I don’t think anyone would say I have tiny hands. With that said, the knife literally fit my hand perfectly and most importantly didn’t give me any hotspots where my index finger grips the knife. Before I got the knife, I was a bit worried about the indentation but it turns out that is my favorite part of the knife. The design really makes me want to throw my thumb over the back of the blade, which I really like for stability.
Reversible Clip
We’ve got options here. Unlike a lot of knives on the market, we get a choice with how we carry our knife. Do you want to carry the tip up or tip down? I prefer to carry tip up for easy opening directly from my pocket. It places my thumb directly on the G10 handle material which gives it more grip for when I flip the blade open.
Flipper Opening
With a little practice, opening the Pilar is as easy as an assisted opening knife. Right out of the box the blade is very firm with regards to its ease of rotation. When trying to initially flip the blade open, it was a bit tough. However, with practice and a subtle flick the wrist, the firmness of the blades movement is welcomed and ideal.
Once open, the flipper tab swings around to the inside of the knife and provides a safe and comfortable place to put your index finger.
Wicked sharp right out of the box
Great grip on the G10 side
Extremely comfortable in hand
Solid frame lock design
Two tone G10/Steel finish may not be most desired aesthetically
Frame lock thumb position takes some time to get used to
Comments or questions about the CRKT Pilar knife? Please drop us a line below, we would love to hear from you.