CRKT M16-12Z Outdoor Folding Knife with Liner Lock, Black, M16-12Z

This is a great EDC knife. I've had it for a few months now (transitioned from a Spyderco Rescue C14SBL). Greatest thing about this knife is that it deploys so quickly and with a very reassuring click. I asked a State Police officer I know if it was legal immediately after deploying it in his presence, he told me "No". I asked him why not and he explained that it was spring loaded and therefore illegal. I then let him examine the knife and he realized there is no spring involved and the blade is just very well balanced so he retracted his ruling of 'illegal'. Second best thing about the knife is that you can easily close it with one hand, which is something that was more of a challenge with the C14SBL. You need to be careful otherwise you'll find out how sharp the blade is, but with a little practice there's no problem here. The blade itself is an AUS 4 SS with a bead blast finish. It's not as elegant as the polished SS of the C14SBL, but the function is the important thing and it functions just fine, thank you very much. The action of the blade deployment is smooth and the Zytel handle with its rounded edges sits well in the hand. I did find that the screws for the clip started getting loose soon after I purchased the knife and immediately bought the correct Torx tip (T6 for the clip, T8 for the handle) and blue Loctited all the screws. This has been the only problem with the knife and it was easily resolved. The last thing I'll say about the knife is that it has what CRKT calls the "AutoLAWKS" system which means that in order to fold the blade, you must pull a small red-headed lever with your index finger, which then allows you to slide the liner lock to the left with your thumb and fold the knife closed with your index finger. I've read some reviews where people hated the system and defeated it. I like it because it provides an extra level of security against the liner lock failing (which I have had happen to me with other liner lock knives). This knife is nicely put together and should serve for many years without fail. If lost or severely damaged, it can be easily replaced for very short money. Given that some knives go for upwards of $100 and even $200 or more, it's nice to have a dependable knife that won't break the bank should it get lost. Furthermore, CRKT seems to be a company with great customer service that stands behind its products.

This is an awesome knife. The Columbia River Knife & Tool company makes quality products at a fair price, and they have a lot of fine tools. But the M16 series of knives is my choice for EDC, "every-day carry". I have a CRKT M16 clipped inside my front pants pocket literally any time I'm wearing clothing. I've carried these knives for about six years now. I prefer the 3.5" version for carrying on my clothes, but my wife likes the 3" as a more "ladylike" size. What makes this knife so special? Why's it so cheap if it's so good? This knife is made from stainless steel. I have horribly abused my knife and I find that occasionally, I need to take it apart and clean the gunk from under the perforated Zytel scales. It rusts a little, from sweat and from being exposed to a marine environment. The particular stainless steel they use, unlike most stainless knives, will take and hold a good sharp edge. If you're a sharpening fetishist who is constantly sharpening your knife so that you can shave with it, this isn't the knife for you. If you want a knife for dealing with all the cutting tool needs in your normal daily life, this is perfect. The best feature of all is the "Carson Flipper." It's that little nub visible on the blade-side of the knife. When the knife is closed, you can open it with one hand, by placing your index finger on the Carson Flipper, and flicking the knife open. It takes about 30 seconds of practice to perfect, and it's smooth and positive. I have had MANY people look at me funny and accuse me of having "an illegal switchblade" when they see me open my knife. . . one second the knife is closed, the next I'm holding a blade. No muss, no fuss. If you buy this knife, I recommend you obtain the correct Torx drivers needed to service the knife. I'd also recommend you use "blue" Loctite to keep the scale screws from falling out, and you'll want to Loctite and tighten down the screws that hold the belt-clip. You'll need to adjust the tension and lubrication of the main screw (you can use a dime for this) until you get it how you like it. I've bought several of these knives. I lost one (it may have "grown legs"), I "retired" one that was looking battle-worn, and I'm now on my third. I've bought these knives for friends as gifts. I even sent one to my lover who was serving in Iraq at the time. You could spend several hundred dollars on a fancy pocket knife. Don't bother; get a CKRT M16-Z and you'll have a faithful companion tool until you wear it out twenty years from now.

Ive been carrying a SOG Flash 2 for about 6 years and I love that knife, Perfect EDC knife. Now this M16-12Z may be a discontinued model but wow its a nice companion to my SOG. I carry both. SOG = right pocket and CRKT = left pocket. And you can reposition the clip for left pocket carry. I’m not much on spending 1-300 dollars on an EDC knife like a Benchmade and the CRKT and the SOG only set me back about 100 and they are awesome knives. I was hesitant at first to buy this knife too. Yeah they have the updated model with the rescue hook built into the flipper but that’s gotta cause some issues inside your pocket somehow. I went with the original model M16 and you will love this knife straight out of the box. Yes I was smiling when I unboxed it. The quality is amazing. Anyway here are my pros/cons Pros 1) Nice size for EDC 2) It just looks awesome 3) Autolawks system gives you extra confidence that the blade wont come back on your fingers 4) Reversible clip for left or right pocket carry 5) Will only carry blade point down. I don’t even notice this but its important to some people 6) Simple. High quality. Nice heft for a little knife Cons 1) It’s a little knife. If you have big hands or fingers, this knife might just look silly in your hands 2) The Autolawks does take some getting used to but its easy once you do 3) It’s kind stiff at first. Be prepared to work on it a bit 4) The belt clip is crazy tight. I mean like “fighting to clip it to your pocket” tight. I need to bend this a bit but need to be careful I don’t bend it wrong. This clips so tight that it pulls up my pant leg when I try and take it out. And two hands to put it back. Not sure this is a con because some knife clips are just too loose and you have to bend them tighter. Either way, this is a great knife for my left pocket. And yes I do need one in both pockets in my line of work as either my left or right hand could be busy. I looked at knives for days before selecting this CRKT. I’m glad I picked this one. And remember to always spend a little more on your EDC knives. I see guys all the time that buy TACTICOOL knives made in china on amazon for 7-8 bucks. Like seriously guys. 40-70 bucks and you’ll have a great knife for the rest of your life.

Purchased this to replace a ‘Benchmade’ knife. Overall quality is very good but the edge has needed sharpening twice already, and this is after light day to day use. My big gripe is the safety lock, which to me is an unnecessary gimmick that makes the blade closure awkward.

Best pocket knife I've ever owned. Awesome design. Indestructible. Had to replace the one I lost, but had been carrying for 15 years.

I was looking for a new daily carry knife at an Army PX in Kuwait. One of the MPRI contractors saw me, and came over. He recommended this knife to me, and pulled one our of his own pocket. After a quick demo and handing it over to me to try, I was amazed at how fast and smooth it opened by just using one finger on the tab. Not only is the blade secure while closed, opens fast and effortlessly, but it gives a good solid click as it locks open. It has a double locking feature, like the CRKT "MT Rainer" which is also popular from the PX. Where's it's different, besides being a lot lighter weight than the Mt Rainer, the CRKT M16's secondary lock is under spring pressure. I NEVER have to guess which way locks it, and it automatically locks itself. This isn't a bad thing, now I can go through the same, quick motions every time I close the knife. Being under a little spring pressure makes it easier and simpler having the second lock, and having a second lock at all is safer. A friend and I both had these for Iraq/Kuwait, and have continued at home. We've both also lost them on the job since we've been home, yet we sought these out and bought two new ones. This is a quality item, and even with all the wear and tear of out-the-gate missions, nothing ever loosened or broke. Could not be more impressed and will never go back to my other EDC knives, even the more expensive ones.

Best knifes in the market

I've owned 3 of these now, and also the much larger version of the same knife. I have used them for work, recreation, and carry one for self defense (because in Los Angeles county you can only legally carry a 3" folding blade). This is a superior quality knife, unparalleled in it's price bracket. Sturdy, reliable, sharp, and opens one handed very quickly. CRKT has also sent me small replacement parts free of charge on two separate occasions (and apparently they do this with any part but the blade itself). I love that the tension bolt adjusts the ease of opening so efficiently. They last me a couple years on average, but If I manage to destroy this one I will buy another, again and again.

Top quality. Realy ,the best blade ever beyond me expect tations. Large blade and realy tough lock system.i absoltly love it

Uma lâmina dobrável muito bem projetada e produzida. Tamanho compacto e leve, belo, bem acabado, robusto. É um canivete de tamanho menor, de abertura rápida e amigável para operar com uma mão apenas. Seguro para novatos no universo do EDC. Uma boa aquisição.

Inicialmente, pensei que se tratava de um canivete um pouco maior, mas percebi que, para o dia a dia, tem o tamanho perfeito. Muito bem construído, com travas de qualidade.

Genial tamaño, genial filo y genial apertura, lo básico para una navaja táctica de este estilo. La marca CRKT nunca suele defraudar.