Gadget #7: CRKT First Strike

November 13th, 2005

This is actually a double-header gadget. We look at the Conneticut River Knife and Tool “First Strike”, and the Blackwater MOLLE adapter for knives with hard plastic sheaths. First, the CRKT First Strike:

CRKT makes interesting knives (our first Hobbit Hole knife was the CRKT 5700 folding knife), and this large tanto is no exception. It features a cord-wrapped handle that has been coated with resin for a secure grip, and full-tang construction ending in a “skull crusher” point. This is how the First Strike compares to the Camillus BK2 Campanion:

The BK2 Campanion has a more general-purpose blade, while the First Strike is more of a tano-style fighting knife. The BK2 has a full-width tang, and hand-filling plastic grips, which the tang on the First Strike tapers much more towards the pointed pommel, and is cord-wrapped.

The First Strike is held in the sheath by the pressure of an indented triangular area towards the pont, and the extra cord wrappings at the front of the handle. There is no safety strap, as on the Camillus. It’s a secure-enough arrangment, unless you plan to parachute with it, in which case it would not be rated as jump-safe.

The sheath is designed exxclusively for belt wear, with a handy belt loop that attaches with screws at various points around the sheath for carrying point up, down, horizontal, or on an angle.

The Camillus sheaths come with a belt loop, but we add a Patriot Performance Products modular knife loop (MKL) which allows mounting on armor and vests with PALS loops, like MOLLE or IBA equipment. I could not get the MKL to work properly with the First Strike.

That’s where the second gadget comes it. It’s the Blackwater MOLLE compatible modular knife sheath. It consists of a nylon sleeve with PALs straps on the back, and loops on the front, to attach other things to it. Inside it’s lined with the “hook” part of velcro. There is a long strip of “loop” velcro that is applied to the sheath.

After the sheath is placed in the sleeve, and all the velcro stuck together, we get something like this:

With this arrangement, the knife can now be attached to all the MOLLE-compatible vests out there.

My overall opinion of the knife, sheath, and adapter is that it’s quite nice, and you can bet your life on it. CRKT and Blackwater make quality products. But the Hobbit Hole will be sticking with the tried-and-true Camillus BK2 as its utility sheath knife.

That puts the CRKT/Blackwater combo into the category of “gadget”. As with all our one-of-a-kind gadgets, this knife will go to the first Soldier or Marine that requests it.

Please keep checking back here as we evaluate more unique equipment. If you like what you see, it can be yours for the asking.

Entry Filed under: Troop Tech