The many variants of the CRKT M16 have been a reference model for CRKT for quite some time now. I usually tend to avoid uber-tactical options when it comes to folders, with the exception of the CRKT Hissatsu (which I love), but I felt it was almost obligatory to pick up what is one of the most popular tactical folding options on the market and give it a fair shot as my EDC; at least to see what all the fuss is about.
CRKT M16 Kit Carson Folding EDC Knife – Amazon / Blade HQ
I settled on the pocket friendly 3 inch (7.62 cm) blade version with full stainless steel handles because it was the first that grabbed my attention. There are a plethora of other options, both in terms of size and materials, so be aware that from this moment on I am reviewing in particular the CRKT M16-01KS and not any of the other M16s on the market (not the M16-01KZ either, which has auto-lawks and plastic scales), as they do differ quite drastically from one to the other.
The M16 I chose is the most EDC friendly option, in my opinion. Closed, it’s a mere 4 inches (10.16 cm) long, in a very compact package. I thought it was interesting to have a super tactical folder with an aggressive spear point blade – usually aggressive designs tend to be quite a great deal larger.
It should be noted that I describe the CRKT M16 as small and not lightweight because with its full steel handles, it’s definitely not designed as a gentleman’s knife, with a pocket-busting 2.6 ounces of weight!
Aesthetically, I will cautiously say that I am a fan. The CRKT M16 is very blacked out and stabby in appearance, which normally is a turn off for me, but I think Kit Carson has made it work here – he’s certainly designed quite a solid knife. The M16 is very much a viable tool as opposed to a show piece or some kind of mall ninja crap, so I don’t feel like the styling of this knife forced compromises on its capabilities as a cutting tool, and that’s an incredibly important consideration. Sometimes, for whatever reason, we buy something that calls to us purely through visual appeal without taking into consideration performance at all. The M16, however, wouldn’t be a bad option at all performance-wise if you were trying to satisfy that itch for a blatantly tactical EDC.
I settled on the spear point option partly because I own no other spear point blade and I was curious regarding its utility.
After using it for a while, I will say that it’s less than optimal for EDC tasks in comparison to drop points or other more stereotypical blade options, and its primary grind bias is to pierce as opposed to slice. This should come as no surprise to anyone, as it’s called a spear point for a reason, but if you really like this style of knife, its 8Cr13MoV blade will be able to cut what you need for most urban tasks that I can think of; wouldn’t be my first choice for prolonged cutting chores, though.
To put it blunty (heh), the M16 is not a slicer with its relatively thick hollow grind, but most definitely not a folding pry bar either.
The blade is 0.098 inches (2.5 mm) thick, but features such an aggressive swedge as a byproduct of its spear point design that it appears to be much thicker than one would imagine. Its tip is somewhat reinforced, but still very fine and clearly intended for above average penetration.
The lock up on the M16 is extremely positive, with a satisfying thwack that resonates when deployed. It is (as you can see below) a steel frame lock made of 2CR13 stainless steel. I haven’t noticed any lock travel since I have owned this knife, and I haven’t actually heard of any lock failures either.
All in all it’s a well implemented lock with no frills or extra mechanisms of any kind. Just a thick bar of steel that mates with the entirety of the tang of the blade. Realistically, I don’t see it failing – ever.
My only criticism is that unlocking the knife is a chore. The framelock is stiff which is usually a good thing, but unfortunately CRKT chose to not add a cut out in the scale of the non-locking side, so unlocking this knife single-handed is sometimes a bit of a pain, especially if your hands are wet or sweaty, as the steel frame offers very little traction. In future, I may mod this by adding a cut out, as that will drastically improve usability.
You can see below how the primary grind is quite thick behind the edge. Cutting apples or other materials that force wedging is not exactly fun, but the M16 is still viable in those cases. At the end of the day, the CRKT M16 was never designed for kitchen duty, so I don’t think its lack of cutting performance in that department is a fair criticism. Look at the damn thing and tell me you’re surprised!
The flipper is quite excellent with an above average design that facilitates deployment with very natural movement. I think this is pretty darn important taking into account the M16 is not assisted (again, I didn’t get the one with auto-lawks) and the flipper tab is very small. The flipper being so tiny would be an issue in terms of getting a good purchase on it, but thankfully, it’s drenched in pretty aggressive jimping, so getting a secure grip to flip it out is really not an issue.
Besides the positives of the flipper design, the deployment is not perfect. The lack of IKBS/bearing system and/or a spring assist means that you need to loosen the pivot just a touch too much to consistently get a reliable full deployment. After lubricating the washers and spending a solid 30 minutes tinkering with the pivot to get the optimum level of tightness for a speedy deployment whilst keeping blade play to a minimum, I do however think I have reached a good compromise.
This is of course less than ideal, as I don’t think a compromise should be required in the first place. Check out the excellent CRKT Ripple for an example of a non-assisted flipper done right!
It should be mentioned that with the M16, you do also get two over-sized, heavily textured thumbstuds as well, but in practice, they are all but useless. They function purely (in my opinion) as an aesthetic flourish; a blade stop and little else.
The pocket clip is tip down only and that’s definitely not my side of choice. I much prefer tip up, and whilst the pocket clip is perfectly functional with decent in-pocket retention, I just can’t bring myself to like it for that reason alone.
If your a tip down only kinda guy (lefties are welcome with this folder!), then this wont be a deal breaker for you, but for me, the M16’s disappointing lack of options is a bit frustrating. I wonder how much more work/cost it would require to add a 4 way clip…
The balance of the M16 isn’t optimal. CRKT should be applauded for actually trying to reduce the weight by peppering the scales full of holes, but it’s still too handle-biased. This is a direct consequence of having full stainless steel scales. Without switching to aluminum or titanium, I don’t see how this could be fixed.
As with many things in life, it comes down to economics. That’s something we unfortunately have to accept. Sure, they could have used superior materials or contoured the scales whilst pocketing the inside, but by how much would this jack up the cost? I think if you want a heavy duty folder (in theory anyway) without going for the plastic option, this is a compromise that you have to accept.
Comfort is pretty decent. The scales of the CRKT M16 are very neutral, and whilst pretty thin, I can definitely say that in-hand retention is very high. No need for texturing or jimping – this folder ain’t going nowhere once your hands lock in.
I think that whilst the ergonomics of the M16 are biased towards a traditional saber grip, it’s very close to a neutral handle, and thus can be held in more or less any grip you want.
Choking up on the CRKT M16 is not advisable. I did it for the sake of demonstrating everything (this is a review after all!), but it’s definitely not designed for this, and your pointing finger will rest on exposed edge. Not safe at all.
Reverse grip, however, is fine. Very comfortable as well. If I had to sneak behind any lines in a stereotypical Hollywood fashion, I think that this particular M16 (the 01KS) would be a perfectly viable choice to dispatch enemy sentries. That spear point is definitely the textbook definition of stabby!
The centering on the CKRT M16 is piss poor, and thats due to having to loosen the pivot so that deployment would be predictable. Once again a consequence of the design and price point as opposed to CRKT messing up.
Those blacked out oxide scales with black hardware are really quite stunning. It’s a shame the blade has an ugly semi-reflective painted finish, as a matte coating would have completed the look. I think CRKT should use the same blade coating they use on the Hissatsu, which aesthetically is pretty much my ideal knife.
This has proved to be a very difficult knife to review because everything I dislike about it was evident to me prior to my purchasing it. At no point did CRKT advertise this M16 as a lightweight EDC with excellent cutting capabilities, and as such it would be disingenuous for me to complain about the weight and lack of cutting performance.
This puts me in a conundrum. Taking into account the price, materials, and intended purpose, the CRKT M16 is actually quite a good deal and definitely lives up to its purpose. But would I recommend it? Not really, no.
It’s super heavy, has annoying deployment quirks, and a lack of utility; which is fine because as mentioned – it doesn’t pretend otherwise. However, the issue is that you can buy a CRKT folding stabber that’s just as small, has superior utility with far better deployment (IKBS!), and is just as effective tactically in terms of penetration, and slicing. It’s called the CRKT Ripple and I think it’s by leaps and bounds a superior option to the M16.
This is quite subjective as I am a fan and holder of a few CRKT knives. But, this one in particular looks to be a great close-encounter, body punch knife. And, this may be a bit hypocritical, but my current favorite EDC knife is a Boker, especially while traveling in states that do not allow a conceal carry permit for firearms. My second sharpest knife next to my Turkish 12″.
For stabbing, I imagine its a pretty beastly option. Definitely would not volunteer as a test subject.
I own a M16-13Z that I’ve had for about 5 years. My experience with it has been about 95% positive. I recommend the Autolawks, since the LAWKS sans auto is cumbersome. Also, if you ever take the knife apart DO NOT muck about with the Autolawks spring. It’s a PITA to get back in correctly. Other than that the only thing I’d advise is a bit of blue loctite on the Torx screws for the flakes, and some on the clip screws as well. I have to say that mine came with what I suppose could be described as a “tapered chisel grind”, which makes it wicked easy to sharpen to a working edge quickly, and allows you to sharpen the serrations if you feel the need. Technically it’s not real sharpening, just thinning a bit off the back, but it still makes it quicker to get through heavy line. The untextured composite flakes can be slick, but a bit of jimping with a dremel cut off wheel fixes that if you didn’t buy the textured version to begin with. As long as you’ve got the dremel out, you may want to cut a “path” through the top hole in the flake, to the thumb stud on whichever side your dominant hand prefers. It makes it much easier to open with your thumb, or even with the ring finger of your dominant hand if you grab it upside down. I know this comment makes it sound like a lot of work to get this knife right. Don’t take it that way. It’s a great knife out of the box at a good price, and cheap enough that if you don’t like something about it you don’t feel bad about changing it. I never really thought of it as “tactical” though; it’s just a tough knife with a blade that comes out quick, and is big enough and sturdy enough to be useful for anything short of carving a turkey. I’ve gutted deer, fish, and grouse with it, used it in the kitchen anything you’d use a paring for, cut light and heavy lines, then sharpened it and used it like a razor. The only times it hasn’t performed has been when I’ve been at fault. Definitely recommend this knife, and I’ve bought 4 or 5 as presents for folks already. I’d buy another for me, but even after 5+ years of hard EDC use mine looks like it’s still got plenty of life left.
That 5 year of work is one hell of a testament- feel much better about mine now! Good to know about the auto-lawks, I shan’t take it apart to see how it works & will be extra careful when cleaning the knife.
I can second on the the longevity of the knife, the LAWKS without auto being cumbersome, and the benefit of loctite. I got my first in 2008 (can not remember the model but it was one of the midsize AUS-8 versions with aluminum scales), and carried most days for over a year until the benefit of loctite became apparent when i forgot to tighten the clip for a few days and lost it. I decided to try a smaller version as a replacement (M16-01Z – just LAWKS) which was fine, used most days for a couple years but preferred the edge retention on my original, and found the LAWKS of little value. So when i saw a factory second for cheap i thought i would upgrade (CRM16-13FDZ). Other then a star scratched on the blade marking it as blemished? I cannot find any issue and have carried it daily since then (2010). It has been through a lot with very little maintenance (I think i took it completely apart once) other then sharpening (still lots of steel left) and opens very smoothly and locks cleanly, even the Auto LAWKS still functions which surprised me. For deployment I have found the thumb studs to work well in conjunction with the flipper, and i can open as fast as my assisted opener (Kershaw 1660CB), years of practice i guess. I can only compare to that one though as I was so unimpressed with the assisted opener i have yet to try another, maybe i got a dud, as the mechanism did not last and even at its best did not open well or lock cleanly. For me the m16’s have worked well, and i have given a few as gifts and recommend them if asked.
Cheers
Good to know it will stand the test of time! Love getting real world feedbacks from my readers- thanks for dropping by Gerad!
I bought my CRKT M16 with a spear point blade about 16 years ago and it differs significantly from the current models. The knife is closed 4.72 inches long and has a blade of 3.375 inches . It weighs 3.21 ounces – therefore, I believe that the coated knife handles are made of stainless steel. The pocket clip can not be be displaced from its place located below the blade axis. As a result the upper part of the knife with the flipper is noticeable protruding from my pocket about one inch when I have the knife with me. This is too flashy for me. Therefore, the knife remains well preserved with others of my collection in a drawer and remained until now new old stock.
It does annoy me that CRKT recycles names for what happen to be (evidently) very different knives. Definitely keep your M16 safe- who knows, maybe it will be worth a lot one day!
Very well put together review.
Thanks Esteban!
The M16 (with Auto-Lawks) was my EDC for about 6 months (until very recently in fact) before I got tired of its quirks. You mentioned most of them, but one that you almost touched on is similar to choking up and that is the handle slipping when your hands are moist. The other thing is that Auto-Lawks was always an issue when letting someone else use the knife. Seemed like no one ever remembered how to close the thing.
I switched over to the SOG Flash II with the tanto tip as my EDC. It is actually a little heavier, but it is assisted opening and I like the slide lock on it. It also is a tip up pocket clip, but personally I am indifferent on that subject.
Howdy William! I agree that the Auto-Lawks can be a pain to close for the uninitiated, with that said my version of the M16 doesn’t have the Auto-Lawks- just a steel frame lock so I can’t comment on that.
I have a Flash II arriving this week- what are you thoughts on it in terms of quality?
Thus far I am mostly pleased with the quality of the Flash II. Call it a 4 out of 5. My biggest annoyance thus far, and this happens to so many knives, is that the pocket clip is wobbling a bit. The clip is a bit more exposed that on other knives that I have used as EDC which may account for it coming loose a bit faster to. The greater level of exposure allows the knife to sit deeper in the pocket, so it may just be a trade off. Looks like the screw for it is an allen/hex, which is not something I typically have on me. I guess messing with it will wait until I get home.
I noticed (just today) that you do not have any axes or hatchets on the website. Deliberate, or just saving it for later? I only mention it because I got first use out of my Fiskars X7 hatchet over the weekend while camping and liked it enough that I am thinking about getting their X27 as a new axe.
I just received my Flash II, so far I dig the lightness, blade grind and…not much else.
Look out for my review coming soon! Concerning the hatchet/axes stuff- I do own (and have used) such implements but I am pretty terrible with them compared to using choppers or saws. I will eventually get around to reviewing the much touted Fiskars X7 and others (Gransfors Bruks, Wetterlings etc.) but for now I am sticking to domains that I am more familiar with!
I do always feel like I will end up losing my grip and quickly losing a limb whenever I use an axe. I guess comfort will come with experience!
Thanks for dropping by as always, William.
With my M16, (the M16-10Z, which is significantly different in features from the one reviewed) the deployment was actually very smooth and easy to actuate out of box, and still is almost 2 years later with little to no blade play. This variance between mine and the sample reviewed may just be another result of this knife’s low price point, in that quality levels vary from sample to sample and I simply won the budget-option lottery with my example.
Howdy Josh!
It certainly appears like you won the quality control lottery. Even after polishing the washer & using ball bearing lube it didn’t deploy consistently without the pivot being loose.
I agree that price point does impact our experiences, if it was a 300$ knife we could reasonably assume that every sample is identical with no manufacturing oddities.