CRKT CEO Compact S35VN Review
Sorry for the delay. I wrote this whole review, then neglected to hit save. It is the first time I have ever done this. One good thing—I am more convinced of my opinion now.
For a few years now CRKT has been releasing upgraded versions of some of their more popular knives. I reviewed the first of these upgraded blades, a Pilar in S35VN, here. This is a bold strategy for a company that has made its name by offering innovative designs with cheaper materials at a budget price. For years, knife knuts have been wondering what it would be like if CKRT upped the ante on their designs and now we know. I have handled three of these CRKT upgraded knives (they really need to do some branding around this effort—CRKT Elite or some marketing speak name to differentiate the two product lines) and they have been uniformly excellent. That said, the CEO Compact is by far my favorite.
I have long loved the ultracompact design space, since my first run in with the performance ratio king the micarta-handled Al Mar Hawk. Over and over again I have tried knives of this size, from the AG Russell Lightn’ Bug to the Ti framed Al Mar Hawk. These knives really work for me because, during the work week, I need something significantly smaller to carry. Ideally it would drop in a chest pocket of a button down or a pair of suit pants and ride quietly during the work day. I understand that a lot of people don’t have this use case, but I do, hence my obsession with these slim, light, compact designs. The CEO Compact is also my favorite among this class of blades.
There is a lot good going on with this knife, so let’s take a look.
Here is the product page. The CEO Compact in S35Vn costs $115. Here is a written review. Here is a video review.
Finally, here is my review sample:
Availability Notes
These premium CRKT knives have been available exclusively through www.crkt.com. If you want to snag one you have to buy it straight from them. Thus far none have bee sold through retailers or other channels.
Quick Review Summary: A great gent’s folder and a sign of what CKRT is capable of in 2022.
Design: 2
If this were a large, hard use folder the squared off handle would be an ergonomic disaster, but Richard Rogers, the CEO designer, incorporated the pen shaped handle into a design that doesn’t care about the rear portion of the knife.
Fit and Finish: 2
There are two things that make the CEO here stand out from the typical CRKT offerings.
First, the materials. One thing that I think CRKT could upgrade pretty easily across their product line is materials, particularly handle materials. There is an abundance of plastic and steel, whereas similarly priced knives from CRJB or Sencut sport G10 handles. Here, though, CRKT shows they can do really nice stuff. This is not just shred carbon fiber, but pretty dense shred carbon fiber (see next to the Pena X Series Zulu Spear by Reate with its exceptionally high quality shred CF). That coupled with good blade steel and copperwashed liners makes for a striking package.
Then there is the overall finish of the knife. There is wobble in grind, no unevenness in the plunge line or stray marks on the handle. While CRKT has certainly done better in recent years, often these things have been a challenge in the past and there is nothing on the CEO that bothers me in this regard. I would prefer a tighter blade well, but that is a pretty small nitpick and not really a concern.
Grip: 2
Oval shapes do well in the hand and here the oval shape looks very much like a pen. The fact that the back end is squared off would be an issue in another design, but here, given the intended use, it has no impact. don’t expect this to stay put when caping a deer, but I don’t think people will be using this knife to do that. Compared to other similar designs, especially something like the Al Mar Ti Hawk, this is actually pretty grippy, thanks to the extra texture created by the shred carbon fiber.
Carry: 2
If you are going to purchase a knife like this, carry is why. You won’t find a better carry knife, especially for slacks or dress pants than the CEO Compact, which, given the name, is intended. Still the round shape with carbon fiber handles and a clip that 100% looks like a pen clip means that this knife will always play well with others in the pocket.
Steel: 2
S35Vn is the modern AUS-8. Its everywhere and relatively inexpensive. But here is the thing—unlike AUS-8 its actually pretty good. Even at the time the blog started, when we were in peak AUS-8 times, it left a lot to be desired in terms of edge retention. I have no complaints whatsoever with S35Vn. It doesn’t wow me, but it is well above something like S30V (which I hate to sharpen), VG10, or even the non-powder 14C28N. I also like it much better than CTS-XHP, which, over time has fallen in my estimation due to some serious rust issues I have come across (and one was on a knife that just sat in my Gerstner chest, and that is with dessicate packages in it).
Blade Shape: 2
I like the kwaiken style knife, but the Boker Kwaiken was always a real slice or poke risk. Here we have nothing of the sort thanks to a slight but unnoticeable drop in the blade point. The CEO Compact has all the looks of a kwaiken with none of the hazards.
Grind: 1
Look, there are very few knives that I think couldn’t be made better with thinner stock or a more pronounced grind. Given the short blade height here, the CEO is one of them. Trying to taper this stock, which isn’t that bad, down to a reasonable edge in the half inch you have here is challenging. I would love to see an FFG version of this blade or one with stock found on traditional knives. Its not bad and given the use cases, unlikely to make a huge difference, but I have found the knife binds in more challenging material like sticky cheeses or dense cardboard.
Deployment Method: 2
When you have a knife this small and slim getting good flipping action is not easy. There is no weight to give the blade momentum after the detent has been overcome. As a result you need superior machining to the detent and the pivot, and the ideal geometry to the flipper tab. Fortunately, the CEO Compact has all of that in spades. The result is a snappy, powerful deployment. Of all the things that the CEO Compact does well, this is what distinguishes it from its competitors. This is a real flipper with real flipping action.
Retention Method: 2
A simple, pocket friendly, stamped steel clip that really, really works. Go figure. It also looks very much like a pen clip, meaning that no one but the most serious knife knut is going to be put off by you carrying a knife. If they recognize the clip, they probably won’t protest you carrying man’s oldest tool.
Lock: 2
One concern I had with such a slim frame was lock bar access. Fortunately, some real chamfering and a wider than need blade well allow for easy access. There is no blade play or lock stick and because this is a liner lock, pressure on the lock bar side is irrelevant.
Other Considerations
Fidget Factor: Very High
With a pocket friendly size, and finger friendly flipping, this is basically a fidget spinner that actually does something.
Fett Effect: Very Low
S35Vn and CF aren’t showing wear, so if that is your jam, this knife is a good choice.
Value: Moderate
Only CRKT considers these materials top of the line these days and as a result this knife is more expensive than it needs to be. The CF Elemental sports S35Vn and it costs $76. That said, this is a pretty unique design in CRKT’s line up and the material upgrades really mesh with the design philosophy behind the knife.
Overall Score: 19 of 20
I have had a bunch of CRKT knives over the years and only a few have been this fun. The CEO Compact is a really good looking knife with lots of nice touches, good action, and an incredibly pocket friendly design. If you wear slacks, this is a knife you should consider. It is not a Mnandi, but it also almost $300 less than a Mnandi. In the gent’s knife space, the Mnandi sets the bar, but the CEO Compact in S35Vn is not a slouch. I love these gent’s knife designs and as the Competition section below shows, this is one of my favorites.
The CEO Compact also shows that CRKT and its OEMs are capable of making truly excellent production knives. The step up in materials makes sense given the knife’s use case. Its probably time for CRKT to create some branding around these step-up versions of their knives. They are excellent and rival stuff Spyderco and Benchmade are making.
Competition
For me these are some of my favorite knives. I have all of these in my possession currently, so ranking them is pretty easy:
Chris Reeve Knives Mnandi: This is not a wholly fair comparison as this knife is as expensive as all the other knives combined, but it is, suffice to say, really good.
CRKT CEO Compact: Excluding the Mnandi this is the clear winner with good action, nice materials, and excellent carry.
AG Russell Lightn’ Bug: Aside from the 8Cr13MOV steel, this knife is a favorite of mine. It is better than the Hawk and a smidge worse than the CEO Compact.
Al Mar Ti Hawk: I like this knife, but man a Micarta version with a FFG blade would be a game changer in this product niche.
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