Columbia River Knife and Tool has a reputation for taking designs from custom knife makers and manufacturing them at affordable prices while still maintaining a high level of quality. Their blades are used the world over by outdoorsmen, first responders and members of the military. We wrote about two of their new knives Shadowfox saw at SHOT Show just a few days ago.
One of CRKT’s more recent programs is Forged by War, which takes designs from military veterans and sells them with ten percent of profits going to the charity of that veteran’s choice. The program has received widespread praise for both the purpose and designs coming out. And for 2017, CRKT is bringing three new knives to the program that are sure to satisfy anyone from hunters to tactical professionals.
The Tecpatl is a push knife designed by Michael Rodriguez, a special operations veteran with more than two decades of experience. The blade is piece of SK5 carbon steel with a clip point black powder coat. The package comes with a Kydex sheath and clip for attaching to webbing. The blade instantly presents itself as a self-defense tool as well a work of art; laser engravings can be seen along the entire blade which are inspired by Rodriguez’s heritage and service. The charities that benefit from the Tecpatl are the Special Operations Care Fund and the George W. Bush Institute.
The CST is a first responder’s tool designed by Kelly Rodriguez. Using her experience as an Army medic, Rodriguez designed a tool that replaces trauma shears for stripping clothing away from a patient. I admit, I was skeptical of the design’s functionality until I saw the demonstration in the video below. The CST design has no moving parts and doesn’t require fine motor skills to operate. The blades are replaceable, so the operator can change them out when dull. The CST comes with a MOLLE compatible sheath, and CRKT also sells replacement blades. The charity benefiting from the CST is Operation One Voice.
The second Forged By War design by Austin McGlaun is a knife that excites me particularly due to my love for medium sized fixed blades. The Rakkasan is designed to be a utility blade and self defense tool for someone in harm’s way. The blade’s large G10 handle will hold solid even when wet or dirty. The blade is SK5 carbon steel with a big recurve belly that may even draw the eyes of hunters. The Rakkasan comes with a Kydex sheath with paracord for mounting. The charity benefiting from the Rakkasan is the Green Beret Foundation.
These are only the newest additions to the Forged by War Program by CRKT. To see the entire lineup, click here.
Image of Tecpatl knife from CRKT.com
