Mitch
Vicksburg, Ms

Feb 17, 2016

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

CRKT Kit Carson M21-04 - my favorite hunting knife

I own several knives. Buck folder, a Henckel sheath knife, etc....This M21-04 is great. Sharpens well, folds and clips to trousers, lightweight and a good gripper. BTW, I already owned two smaller versions of this knife. All in all you cannot go wrong.

Natural-Outlaw
Northern Wisconsin

Oct 31, 2012

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Dis Is A Big Knife

Make no mistake about it, this is a large, sturdy, reliable knife. The blade is just about 4-inchs long, Has a slight recurve blade that gives it a considerable belly. This is the only folding knife I would use as back-up for wilderness camping (have done it) or survival if I was focred into such a situation. With the Auto-Lawks it truly locks up tight until you push the button forward. I tried batoning wood and it did well. It also has enough belly to skin, big enough to field dress large game or any other chore that presents itself. It certainly is made for self-defense, yet like any pocket knife, you have to be able to get it out of yer pocket fast enough. I prefer a neck knife for defense. At the same time I have carried this folder closed in my hand when out walking the dog after 11:00 PM. This keeps it ready if needed. Just gotta flip it open in a situation. The spear point is strong, yet will penetrate with ease. Over-all a great utility knife or for defense. As I say that, I need to say, not only am I trained in knife defense and offense, but have used a knife in self defense. It did not go well for the other two guys. .

Chris
NJ

Oct 31, 2010

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Awesome Blade

I use this product as an EDC. Like the past reviewer says, it is big and a heavy, but its that feel that you want when doing chores and camping. Meaning, when manipulating it, you have great control. Also, the build quality is solid and doesn't make you second guess whether or not its gonna break. The G10 handles with the grooves offer a really great grip, even when hands are wet. The AUTOLAWKS as always a great feature. If you're worried that this blade is too big and heavy for EDC, then get the smaller version.

Patrick H
Monroeville, Pa

Aug 17, 2015

Pros: Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Overall Quality

Cons: None

Fantastic knife

Michael M
lawrenceburg,ky

Aug 05, 2011

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Excellent

love this blade everything on it is excellent this in my book is a utility blade

Turkey Buzzard
SOUTH AFRICA

Dec 21, 2015

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

BEST EDC KNIFE

AMONGST the 50 knives that i own both fixed and liner lock and traditional lockblades this is my go to edc knife i use it for cutting rope strapping peeling veg cutting leather i custome make my own sheaths for all my sheaths it goes with me into the wilds here in AFRICA and out into the indian ocean on deep sea fishing trips the laws lock turns this knife into a virtual fixed blade knife easy to open and easy to close one handed just love this knife

Mike P
Sonora,Ca.

Sep 27, 2012

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Pocket Clip, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Lock Ease of Use

Excellent Knife

Great, sturdy, double lock folder for under $50.00.

Stacey M
Bloomington TX.

Mar 20, 2017

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Great knife

Got in my new EDC knife. I love this knife it came ready to use out of the box. I like that the clip can be moved around so you can choose how you want to carry it. Tip up or tip down, right or left handed.

Ahmed Issa
Jeddah, Al

Feb 28, 2013

Pros: None

Cons: None

great

Happycamper
Seattle

Jul 22, 2011

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

M21 is GREAT

I love this knife, I have a M16-14SFG and i loved that one and thought is was the best heavy duty folder out there but i think this one is even better, the G10 handle is very very comfortable the blade is a good size and the geometry of the grind is shollow enough to be very sharp but not to much to be too fragile for some abuse, the Carson Flipper system is faster than assisted knives and there is nothing that can break, this is a high quality knife that wont break the bank, this is worth every penny and better than the other folders i own that cost twice as much, oh the AutoLawk is fantastic, even though ive never had a liner lock slip on me i know this one never will

Richard B.

Feb 28, 2012

Pros: Weight, Blade Material

Cons: None

Excellent

Drew
Annapolis, MD

Apr 01, 2014

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Material, Overall Quality

Cons: Sheath

Nice knife.

I carry this blade for e.d.c. and I'm impressed with the way it performs. It opens effortlessly and locks up nicely. The only con I can think of is that out of the box every screw needed to be tightened. But over all I am happy with my CRKT M21-04G.

Garrett Richie
Columbia, MO

Apr 11, 2011

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: Lock Ease of Use

Great Heavy Duty Knife

This is the first flipper and Carson design I bought from CRKT, and I was very impressed with how sturdy the knife was. From the blade thickness to the G10 handle to the AutoLAWKS liner lock system, the knife is able to withstand a beating. I carry this knife as a back-up to my Randall #1 when I'm deer/small game hunting, and it fits well in hand or glove and will NOT shut on you when the AutoLAWKS is engaged. The only problem I have with the design is the ease of use of the thumb stud, but I usually just rely on the flipper anyway, so it's not much of an issue. The AutoLAWKS can also be tricky at first for some, but with a little practice it's no problem and definitely worth mastering. Overall great knife, great buy from CRKT.

Brian B.
Fayetteville, AR

Oct 05, 2011

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

My New Buddy

Replaced an old knife I had carried for more than 10 years with one of these. Nothing but pleased with it - the flipper is the best way to open a knife one handed I've ever seen. Had a guy at work ask me if it was a switchblade once, it opens so effortlessly. The lock makes it an extra solid knife. Blade holds an edge thru all kinds of abuse, cutting plastic, cardboard, rubber mat material etc. daily. Used it instead of scissors just this evening to cut out something for my kids homework - its exacto sharp, and ain't been sharpened in weeks.

Ray
British Columbia, Canada

Apr 29, 2014

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

CRKT M21-04G Carson Design folding knife

The M21 is my everyday carry knife, its light, extremely strong and made with excellent steel that holds an edge. One hand opening and closing make this a functional easy to use tool. The modest price also means great dollar value, I like them so much I have boight three and give them for gifts to friends. Well done Mr. Carson for a well designed knife and thanks to KnifeCenter for the fast delivery & service and low price.

Drew
Maryland

Aug 13, 2015

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Overall Quality

Cons: Sheath

A Big Ole' Blade

I carry my M21-04G every day and love it. Great utility blade, great for open boxes and cutting strapping. Some people think its too muck knife for EDC, but I feel it fits my hand well and rides nicely in my pocket. All in all I like my CRKT M21-04G

Tj
Pacific Northwest

Apr 05, 2012

Pros: Overall Quality

Cons: Lock Type

I hope this helps...

I've been carrying a Spyderco Delica for, literally, 15 years. I think I'm on my third one. It's an awesome pocket knife, but a bit small for defensive use. So over the past couple of years, I casually looked for an alternative. I wanted something easy to open, a blade around four inches long with a profile that could be used for a few common tasks as well as defense. The choices these days are overwhelming, but my financial resources are not. I ended up with the CRKT M-21 G10, plain edge. It's a great knife at a very reasonable price. It's big--too big for flimsy dress slacks pockets--and don't expect to fit much else along with it in the pocket of your jeans. It will probably raise some eyebrows if you pull it out at the office to open a box of donuts. But I like the size. It inspires confidence. The handle provides a secure, sticky grip, but it's not going to be very comfortable for prolonged use. The action is very smooth. The friction at the pivot bolt can be adjusted so easily, I can turn the slot with my thumbnail. This might be a drawback because it seems that if it got overly loose, it could lead to a less-than-ideal lock-up--you need to keep an eye on it if you're using the knife for repetative chores. But really, what's the knife for? It's not a utility knife; it's not a camping knife; it's a bit big to be a pocket knife. It's a knife for defense and other tasks that you just don't have the best tool for at the time. It's an easy way to always have a pretty big, sturdy blade on you that in a pinch could be used for any of the above tasks. It's built very well. I can slam this knife into a hunk of wood repeatedly without seeing any play as a result. It takes a great edge. I'm not a big fan of the finicky "auto lawks" feature, it does provide a bit of added security to the liner lock, but it also makes it tricky to close it with one hand. Which leads me to a design concern. Sometimes I can't get the blade to open on the first or second try when it's not set just so in my hand and I don't have room to give the knife a good flick with my wrist. I tend to spend time practicing accessing my gear, and I'm not all thumbs, so when I have a hard time getting a knife to open when I need it, I get concerned. The thumb stud does not provide a backup in this situation: it's almost impossible to open the knife with the stud. The alternative is to use the other hand and open it like you would an old-fashioned "Buck" knife. This makes me miss my Spyderco a bit, but it's not a deal breaker--when it does open correctly, and it almost always does, it's fast, crisp, and locks up solidly. Overall, despite any concerns I might have, it's a better knife at a better price than most of what I see out there. If it suites your needs, get it!

D.
Ga

Jan 10, 2014

Pros: Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Blade Sharpness

Cons: None

Great knife, but...

I got this knife this past Christmas (2013), and it is amazing. The textured G10 handle scales are really aggressive so if you don't have calluses on your hands you will. The knife was extremely sharp out of the box. My only problem is that this is marketed as a "hard use folder." No. For such a large and rugged folder it has a tip that is much too acute and a bevel that is way too fine. I was hoping that I could have a folder that could handle outdoor work and that I can carry everyday and that's just not the case. I'm afraid ill chip it if I use it for what I want to. Oh well, at the very least its good insurance when you're heading to a bad part of town. Great knife overall. I just wish it had a wider point and bevel.

James
North Parramatta, Other

Mar 25, 2020

Pros: Weight, Handle Material

Cons: Pocket Clip

ended up somewhere in the middle

Fantastic idea but very poor execution. BTW handle shape is beautiful and it’s very nice to handle it in any way. Flipp bar should be just a little bit bigger/ longer to give you fast and smooth flip open action. But: 1. 8Cr14 it's not so great as some other steels on the market (I’d pay far more for a quite better steel than 8Cr14), 2.flipp action is not so good (very oftenlu you'll hit AWTO lock bar or you'll not fully open the knife at all), flipp bar should be just a little bit bigger/ longer to give you fast and smooth flip open action Also, having a few versions of M21 (14SF, 14SFG, 14G etc.) I have to notice that you CAN’T combine parts of one with any of others, even same versions seems as have a different measurements, sizes and length of liner lock, pivot hole… even pocket clip is different in size, shape and measurements as well as all of the screws. So if you think to buy a 2-3 models to make your preferred configuration you’ll be very disappointed. As I said, fantastic idea – very poor execution.

Lostarchitect
NY

Jan 08, 2009

Pros: Ease of Opening

Cons: Weight

Great, but HUGE

This knife has a lot to offer. The Carson Flipper and AutoLAWKS are both great--but be forewarned, this knife is HUGE and HEAVY. I was planning on carrying this daily, but it's just too big. But for camping or hunting, it's excellent.

Paul
Deployed

Nov 30, 2010

Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening

Cons: None

Good knife, unfortunately nicked blade

This is a great knife with good heft and a clean opening action. I was very impressed when I got it, that is until I saw the nick in the blade. I've never received a knife like that before, pretty disappointing. I'd return it for another one if I could, but it is very inconvenient for me so I'll see if I can grind it out when I sharpen it. It looks like a manufacturing error, the nick seems to line up right with the rivet/spacer in the handle like it hits the rivet/spacer when it closes.