CRKT Ritter RSK Mk5

Obviously this is old news having been released six or seven years ago, but I just finally got mine! Now I wish I'd have bought it years ago! Great little knife. You can only expect so much out of a knife that small and that inexpensive but I think it exceeds all of the design goals set for it. The RSK feels like a bigger knife than it is due to terrific design by Doug and CRKT.

As a knife nerd there are obviously things I would change about the knife but considering the price I can't imagine how you could sell a knife this size and do any better. Right now Amazon has it for $15 shipped (it certainly appears to be the genuine article, complete with the Ritter CRKT branded tin).

I look forward to my next trip to put it through its paces.

I heartily agree. I've had mine for a few years now, and it is with me just about always in an altoids tin along with a signal mirror and some other stuff. it pretty much guarantees I will always have a blade with me if (when) stuff happens.....

I looked up the knife, and saw the page for it at CRKT website. It mentions self-defense as an application. But it seems to me that the knife is so small, using a normal grip would establish an unreliable hold on the knife. Now, there are people who have developed specialized techniques for fighting with seemingly awkward weapons. Some capoeiristas, for example, know how to hold a razor blade between their toes. But I'd think that the manufacturer's self-defense claim is pretty unrealistic for the vast majority of us.

Of course, the ad also says you can use it to construct shelter, dress game, etc. I guess that's more possible, but it'd probably be a huge pain.

I am pretty sure that "self defense" for any edged instrument can be chalked up to marketing hyperbole. I suspect that any knife in the hands of someone trained and reasonably proficient in knife fighting will do better than the absolutely best,most specialized defensive knife held by an absolute dufus (like me!). It's not what you have, it's what you know....

I like the shape of the blade. Wondered if a bolt on handle could be made to use 4 fingers. Something very light and hollow to hold stuff, or even the blade itself.

I spose you end up with something like this-
https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Eldris-F...V3TXXYSTAM005A7

I fiddled with the lanyard knot and adjusted it precisely to my grip. it made a significant difference.

I generally like lanyards on bushcraft knives and they're especially nice on small knives. Besides retaining the knife they make it easier to grip. My general practice is to use orange paracord to help make it easier to spot if dropped or accidentally thrown.

I am gradually replacing various paracord lanyards and zipper pulls with paracord (various brands) that contains a flammable strand useful as fire tinder. I doubt that I will ever need that capability (but you never know!) and it adds to pcord's versatility...

Just me, but if I had a knife with a very short handle such that the paracord served as an extension of the grip, I would not want to regard that piece of paracord as a consumable. I might wrap the firecord around it somehow, but I wouldn't want to compromise the knife's utility when there are so many other ways to carry fire starting material. YMMV.

True enough, and you make a very good point. But this is a case of having your paracord cake and eating/burning it too. The red flammable strand within the pcord can be extracted, leaving the cordage intact to fulfill its original function. I would probably prefer to use a fire cord equipped zipper pull and not mess with the knife. On the other hand, perhaps all I would have in some scenarios might be just the knife and I would have no other options. This really works with my lMF knives with a self-contained ferro rod which is an integral part of the grip. They now have fire cord lanyards. Therefore I have everything with that knife to have a decent chance at building a fire in some far out scenario where I don't have my Bic, storm proof matches, and all the rest of my stuff....Far fetched scenario but not impossible.


Bottom line is that adding a capability - fire tinder - to something like pcord with no increase in weight, bulk, and no impediment of its primary function - looks like a good deal to me.

For just a few more dollars you can get a powder coated version, apparently designed by someone named crawford or kasper and also apparently this black color makes it an excellent fighting weapon.

https://www.amazon.com/CKRT-Crawford-Kas...26ER70M1KAX0KF2

I first saw that a couple days ago and was kind of surprised/puzzled. It's by CRKT so I suppose the design was "in house" already. Whoever "Crawford Kasper" is s/he didn't have to do a lot of designing it would seem! It's almost identical to the RSK with just some minor differences. I'm not at all familiar with the nature of the deal Doug has with CRKT but it's surprising to see them market such a derivative item.

The listing on Amazon might have been mislabeled (possibly deliberately to get more views). The actual Crawford Kaserp appears to be knife marketed for "close quarter combat" (eyeroll):

http://www.bladehq.com/cat--CRKT-Kasper--646

I can't find the Crawford-Kasper knife on the CRKT website.

I am guessing painting the Ritter black and then calling it Crawford Kasper might get a few more hits.