Is Your RSK Mk5 Sheath Too Loose?

We have discovered that a small percentage of the RSK Mk5 production sheaths do not secure the knife properly due to tolerance stack-up. If you are concerned that your knife is not retained properly in its sheath, an easy test is to lift a standard 12 oz. beverage can by the lanyard and see if the knife is retained (see images below or video at: http://www.dougritter.com/video/RSK_Mk5_Sheath_Test.wmv ). A paper clip, as shown below, is an easy way to connect the lanyard to the can's pull ring. Do NOT jerk the knife upward as that invalidates the test. If the knife slips out of the sheath when the can is simply lifted up gradually and smoothly, then CRKT will be happy to replace your sheath.

WARNING: Use caution when performing this test to avoid injury. Conduct this test on the floor so that if the knife does come unsheathed, it will not drop or bounce in an unsafe manner. Wear shoes and take appropriate precautions to protect yourself if the knife comes unsheathed.




If your sheath does not pass this test, please contact CRKT at the contacts below to receive a replacement sheath. CRKT is retooling the sheath to allow for the tolerance issue, so please allow 30-60 days for the sheathes to be redone. In the interim, some owners have found that heating the empty sheath with a heat gun or hair dryer and squeezing the opening for a tighter fit provides a temporary solution (use care not to burn yourself on the hot plastic when doing this). We apologize for any inconvenience.

CRKT Contacts:

Email: info@crkt.com
Phone Toll Free: 1-800-891-3100

Doug, thank you for this info. I am going to try mine tomorrow. Thank you for your diligence.

Doug, I'm pretty sure my Mt Dew is heavier than your Coke Zero. Is it still an eligible test weight, when I get my Mk5? *looks innocent*

I am not so sure about that, but I may be a bit biased. I'll have to initiate an evaluation program to determine if that would be a valid test. Will advise once I have the grant application done and submitted for stimulus funding. Should only take a few months. Since you don't yet have an RSK Mk5, I see no need to rush it.

Typical salesman technique - notice how he uses 'zero calorie' diet cola for the test ;-)

I told Sue that somebody would notice, that our Forum members were too smart to be taken in by that subterfuge. <~>

That takes Moxie...

I bought two of these knives, and I knew one was a bit looser than the other. Sure enough, one fails, and the other doesn't.

Assuming Diet Mt Dew is valid. It's also zero calorie.

Could we get an adjustable sheath for variable tension, say, from Coke Zero to a Budweiser longneck 6 pack?

The sheath you had me send back, would have failed for sure, but the replacement they sent me passes fine!

Doug,

Thanks for being on top of this. Once again, it shows the commitment that you and CRKT have to make and promote quality products!

Mike

Well, I finally got around to testing the sheaths on my two Mk5's.

One was amazingly loose - it couldn't even move the can.

The other was tighter - it could almost lift the can - but not quite.

Thanks for the heads up Doug. Who ever came up with that test is to be commended. Simple and repeatable.

Ken

I received two MK5s in the mail today. One for the kit and one for my pocket. I figure that if I'm going to stick one in my kit then I should carry one around (as EDC) for at least a couple months, so I'm thoroughly familiar with it.

My first impressions of the knives are very good. They feel extremely substantial for knives of their size. I have a buck Hartsook that is slightly too big for the kit even without it's sheath (it's way too big with the sheath), and the MK5s, although smaller, feel much more durable, robust, strong... The MK5 certainly feels much more like the type of knife I want in the woods (or the city for that matter) when something goes wrong which requires me to get into my kit for a backup knife.

They both came sharp enough to shave with although I reprofiled and resharpened the one that I put in the kit, anyway. Mostly I just did this so that the knife would have one of my natural hand-sharpening angles on it. I figure this way if the next time I sharpen it is after something has gone wrong which required me to get into my kit for a backup knife and use it to the point of needing a resharpening with the small diamond hone that it also in my kit, then it will have a profile that I know so well I could probably touch it up in the dark with one hand.

The only one of my first impressions that is not good was actually not with the knives at all, but rather with the sheaths. Both sheaths are extremely loose. I did the Coke Zero test and both sheaths failed miserably. Neither one would move the can even a little bit. But, I have emailed CRKT as per Doug's instructions, and now wait for a reply. For the record though, I used a can of Diet Dr. Pepper. I also did not disclose that information to CRKT, so they may think that I used Coke Zero!

I would like to add that CRKT replied to two emails from me, each on the very next business day. I am told that my replacements have been ordered. They will be sent free of charge. I should have them within 10-15 days of the reply to my first email to CRKT. It was a no-questions-asked type of situation. Well, I had questions, but they didn't.

Good customer service, I'd say.

These little blades look superb.
I THOUGHT I had two on the way from a US online store after I paid for em on 31st August, but the guy doesnt answer emails or messages thru his website & Ive started negotiations with paypal to try & get my money back.
Very disapointed as Ive NEVER had an issue buying kit from the 'States before.
Looks like I was CRAZY for trying to buy a BLADE from this website.

I'll probably wind up getting one from Heinnie Haynes in the UK, more expensive than the US at £22 but at least I know I'll receive it.

That's terrible.

Does www.agrussell.com ship overseas? They have the MK5 for $17 and their service within the U.S. has been superb as I've placed a few orders with them.

Good luck. They are a sweet little knife, I have a few and am giving some away as presents to outdoorsy friends.

Thanks for the tip. I'll check AG Russells site.
I thought I could save a few quid by buying from the US site, having em sent to a friend in NJ (THE Jerzee Devil Himself!) & he'd send em on to me.

Instead Ive lost $48 (about 30something quid!!)

Buyer beware, eh?

They ship to the Caribbean or did last year when my wife allowed me to make a few purchases ;-)

Was at my local Scheels today and asked about the MK5. They do not have it. They can order it, but wait time is 30 days... retail per the assistant is $26...Im thinking not only no but heck no..

If your friend takes them out of the tins they come in, they could be packaged very small for mailing.

You can find them a bit cheaper elsewhere. I got mine from AG Russell for 17.95 + shipping. When you look at the cost of a good solid, folder, it works out.

I finally got one of these babies & Im VERY impressed, couldnt be happier with it (Well...I guess it COULDVE been delivered by Megan Fox, but you know what I mean.)

I paid £21 delivered from Shop4lessuk.com & can see me getting one or two more, I think one of these would (someday!) make a perfect first fixed-blade for my nephew (he's STILL abit young at 20 months!)

Great job. Great knife.

It occurs to me that IF youre putting the blade in an SAS tin or Altoids tin kit, you could omit the sheath to save space & if you must "guard" the edge, just use some Duct tape or a piece of split tubing.

I received my RSK Mk5 yesterday. It came reasonably sharp and the sheath has good fit. It feels well and is easy to handle. I am happy with it.
My only complaint would be that the vendor left me drooling and anticipating for two month. That would be plenty of time to make it and bring to over the pond by ship (maybe they actually did this). But that would certainly not be Doug´s fault.

I cheated... I didn't have pop in the house so I improvised with a 12 oz flask of my favourite rum!
It failed about 50% of the time. It depended a bit on how I held the sheath. If held by the outside edges it lifted 10% of the time but if lifted by the sheath tip as in Doug's pictures it lifted 90% of the time!

Also an interesting note - I couldn't find the knife at an REI store in Colorado but I could get it locally in Regina at a knife specialty shop although I had to pay a bit more for it ($35 CDN)

Good!Thank you for your diligence.Doug_Ritter,haha!

I noticed the loose sheath when I recieved mine. Here is a do it yourself fix. I did the fix to both my sheaths. I removed the knife, took a C clamp and slightly preloaded the opening on the sheath. I then used a heat gun to heat the plastic, as soon as the color started to change I stopped the heat. I then let it cool. The retention is very strong after the mod. I will try and measure it in number of cans this weekend.

I tested out the modified sheath. My RK5 could hold two cans but not three, my sons could hold one can but not two cans.

First toyota recall not knife recalls.