Columbia River Knife Tool M16 14 Z Folding Knife By Peregrinus on Feb 10, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

(Before I begin: Range is rated as a "1" due to it being a knife)

I am in the military, and was looking for a good folding knife to use for everyday work. Things I was looking for were construction, durability, sharpness, blade quality, and safety features.

I bought the CRKT M16-14Z knife from my unit's kit shop.

Grip: The grip on the hilt is minimal, made from hardened plastic. However, it does not slip easily in the hand.

Tang: Being a folding knife, there is minimal tang.

Sharpness: Right out of the small box, the blade of the kife is very sharp. I just cut through a sheet of paper with little effort or resistance. There is a 1 inch long serrated edge close to the hilt, also very sharp.

Safety features: in the closed position, the knife cannot be "flicked" into the open position, which meets the laws of most places (check your local laws to be sure). There is a protruding portion on the back of the blade which is used to open the knife using your thumb. If pointed downwards, this motion will open and lock the blade with minimal effort. When in the open position, there is a small switch you can flick to lock the blade in place in order to prevent accidentaly unlocking the blade during use (to prevent injury).

Other features: The knife has a simple clip to secure it to ones belt, inside of a pocket, or wherever you want it.

Durability: I have yet to damage the knife as of yet, but one of my co-workers has had the same knife for a year, and brought it with him into combat in Afghanistan. His blade has a few small knicks in the edge, but is still in very good condition.

From what I've seen with the knife so far, it is a good all-around knife. It suits me very well in my profession, so I can say with confidence it would be well suited to those seeking military, camping, hunting, or general purposes for this knife.