CRKT Otanashi noh Ken

Not impressed at first due to dull blade now I’ve sharpened it I’m really happy with the knife

I can see why this has now sold out.

Ordered at 1 in the afternoon, arrived next morning, as usual, excellent service! The knife is very nice, rock hard lock up, very easy to fl*ck open, and actually sharp enough to shave hair off my arm. Very cool looking knife, and brilliantly designed.

Always a big wow factor when I open a CRKT knife. This is a strong well built knife, absolutely l*l in appearance, extra locking mechanism for safety. Not that sharp but I prefer it that way as I don't actually use my knives. CRKT are becoming favorites in my collection. Thanks to Richard for his help.

Someone mentioned in a previous comment that this wasn't exactly razor sharp otb - I have to agree and in doing so removed a star from my rating. That being said, everything else is of the highest order, easily sharpened it to a mirror polish due to the AUS 8, sturdy lock up with no play, the LAWKS is a stroke of genius which gives me complete confidence when in reverse grip and employing a full force downward stabbing motion - the lock won't fail, a great super deep pocket clip, nicely textured G10 scales, that black unspecified coating on the blade has held up to some vigorous abuse and does not show any wear (tough as any DLC), and a nicely sized handle. Great blade, I feel my 4 star rating is a bit harsh because apart from the sharpness otb everything else is great - but when you spend over £100 on a knife it should be sharp when you get it, surely.

ok i dont own this knife , but i did buy an assisted opening , autolawks version and its awesome, opens fast and easily one handed and the autolawks system means its almost impossible to accidentally close while in use, yes it could be sharper but didnt take too long to hone. and has stayed nice and sharp. the handle is nice and big to help with grip. have to say the knife is pretty good and would give it 5 stars

I'm a big fan of this knife. It feels great with it's no nonsense minimalist handle. It deploys very quickly after a little bit of practice. It locks solidly thanks to the excellent decision to go with a frame lock. Mine is very sharp and the tip makes you go ouch! with the slightest touch. I've read and heard a few gripes about the position of the safety lock causing "discomfort" to delicate thumbs. My response is grow a pair princess and don't be such a baby. This knife was designed to be deadly, for use against an enemy when one really needs it, thumb comfort will be a minor concern in such a situation. I'm so glad that CRKT went for total shtf performance with this ace knife. I have a lot of fun just fiddling with it and admiring it. This knife has that inherent attractiveness that you find on perfectly designed tools.

Extremely disappointing in my opinion. The blade itself wasn't overly sharp OTB. The dual grind didn't help this - it would have been better designed with a clean upswept grind (at an acuter angle). The frame lock is good, but the additional manual lock is poorly designed as there is no place for the thumb to sit comfortably near the blade, reducing the effective holds for the knife as a whole. Also, just my opinion, but it doesn't feel right in the hand. It feels more like a shiv than a cutting tool, and considering why this was developed, it should be able to function admirably at both.

I love the entire "oriental line" from James Williams and CRKT, the Hissatsu, Hisshou, Heiho and others. The new offering is sharp, very pointy and locks up perfectly. The new Otanashi also has some features removed that make it a better fit for me, no outburst or auto Lawks. Add on a bigger blade and thinner handle and I must admit I love it. Recommended if you need a folding "cheese slicer" that doesn't need much carrying space.