I recently stumbled upon a new fixed blade knife that is manufactured by CRKT called the Obake. Columbia River Knife and Tool company offer a large assortment of knives and outdoor tools that can be very handy to carry. I can remember back to my enlisted days when going to the NEX or Naval Exchange and looking down the gear aisle to see what knives were being offered. Keep in mind this was early to mid 2000’s, and the only two brands that were being sold at the Coronado, CA NEX were SOG and CRKT. I would always choose the SOG SEAL Pup over the CRKT M16 and other smaller folding knives because they looked sturdier and anything with the acronym SEAL on it meant if it was good enough for them, then good enough to spend the $75 and add it to my kit.
So until just recently I have never really given CRKT a chance in trying out their knives and tools. I’ve been looking for a smaller concealable fixed blade that can be maneuvered around the waist and positioned comfortably for quite a while. I saw the Obake blade online and immediately had to know more about it. The CRKT Obake was designed by Albuquerque, New Mexico native Lucas Burnley. The Obake is a tactically inspired EDC knife that includes an etched blade and Japanese style cord wrapped ray-skin handle. It features a full tang fixed blade with a unique gray titanium nitride finish that is acid etched to give each individual knife a distinctive look. The handle has a katana style cordage wrap over the black and gray ray skin finish that provides an exceptional grip during all weather conditions.
What I think is even more impressive is the glass reinforced nylon sheath that provides consistent retention even in humid environments. At the curved end of the sheath, is a paracord lanyard that is designed to attach to your belt loop and keep the sheath in place for when you have to deploy the blade. There is a short video on the CRKT website that has the Obake designer Lucas Burnley talking through the design of the knife and explains more on how to carry his blade.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Blade Length 3.64″ (92.46 mm)
Blade Edge Plain
Blade Steel 8Cr14MoV
Blade Finish Titanium Nitride w/ Etch Pattern
Blade Thickness  0.13″ (3.3 mm)
Weight  2.4 oz
Handle  Cord-Wrapped Handle
Style   Fixed Blade Knife w/Sheath
Sheath Lanyard  Yes
Sheath Material  Glass Reinforced Nylon
Overall Length  7.63″ (193.8 mm)
I personally think this is a great knife. It’s small, low profile, but still has enough blade length to do any damage necessary when you need it. It is very lightweight and allows the knife to free flow in your hands nicely. These are running under $40, which makes it a solid buy. Check out CRKT knives if you haven’t heard of them, they are creating better products these days. I even purchased 2 Obake knives, one to carry and one to pack or keep in a vehicle for when I need it.
Author</strong> – Chandler Brookins is a former US Navy Veteran with multiple deployments to SE Asia and The Middle East, while attached to many Tier 1 Special Operation Groups. Chandler has also served as a Dallas Police Officer for 3 years, before focusing his efforts on civilian SERE training and security assessments.
