Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 39

Thread: CFK Knives "IPAK"

  1. #1
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,115

    Default CFK Knives "IPAK"

    First let me just say "I DID use the search feature to search for "CFK". "CFK knife" and CFK Knives"

    Have any of y'all looked at, used or tested these knives? Thoughts, opinions, information about them or the brand? They seem to be sold "exclusively" on ebay. Lot of negative posts on some knife making forums and blade forums because they have USA on the blade while it seems that most everyone feels that they are being made in some "other/Pakistan" county.

    So anyone care to give me your opinion of the product?

    Thank you.

    Dave


  2. #2
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    North Florida
    Posts
    44,846

    Default

    I had never heard about them, so the following opinion is just that....an opinion based on a quick review.

    After looking them up and viewing their ebay offerings, I believe that they are not hand made and that they are not made in the United States. I say this for a few reasons. First - any knife maker that only offers their knives on ebay is kind of weird to me. Secondly - some may look at their pricing and think they are getting a bargain. For Damascus steel, I cannot buy a piece of flat stock for the price point that some of those knives are going for. Third - many of the knife styles appear to be copies of popular knives that are sold elsewhere.
    Can't Means Won't

    My Youtube Channel

  3. #3
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,115

    Default

    Thanks Crash. Pretty much what I think also.

  4. #4
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,115

    Default

    Wow..I really expected/hoped for a little more feed back....

  5. #5
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,832

    Default

    I had nothing to add over what Crash said. I've never heard of them. Seems odd to me they would only sell in eBay.

  6. #6
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,115

    Default

    Okay, I am bidding on one just to see what it actually looks like and feels like. I will let you know how it turns out.

  7. #7
    reclinite automaton canid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Central California/West Texas
    Posts
    6,622

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Seems odd to me they would only sell in eBay.
    It's cheap, easy, reasonably safe and easily offers reasonable sales volume for items that will move themselves or for which you can generate enough word of mouth.
    Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice - Grey's Law.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    To see what's going on in my knife shop check out CanidArmory on Youtube or on Facebook.

  8. #8

    Default

    Uh, the pictures look pretty, but I doubt seriously that their Damascus is hand made just on the price alone. I've seen some Damascus knives I wouldn't give 2 cents for !
    Lamewolf
    Manu Forti
    Roadkill, its whats for supper !
    www.angelfire.com/electronic2/qrp

  9. #9
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,832

    Default

    You could also wholesale them through any number of knife distributors and create higher sales volume with less overhead.

  10. #10
    reclinite automaton canid's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Central California/West Texas
    Posts
    6,622

    Default

    Rick If you're able to produce that volume, sure.

    Lamewolf: it's an often overlooked fact that much of the cheap foreign pweld is also hand made (admittedly working a power hammer, as most who make more than a tiny amount use). It's just not made by well compensated hands.
    Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice - Grey's Law.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    To see what's going on in my knife shop check out CanidArmory on Youtube or on Facebook.

  11. #11
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,115

    Default

    I, personally, am not a big fan of pattern welded/Damascus steel. I think that modern steels like D2 and O1 are great for my use. So I am bidding on one that is made with 1/4" D2

  12. #12
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Central Idaho
    Posts
    12

    Default

    At one time I looked into CFK knives but decided against buying one for a couple of reasons. First as DSJohnson already mentioned, the negative comments on some of the knife forums made me leery of a purchase. Secondly I sent an email request through the ebay system asking about CFK knives which I never received a response. If a merchant doesn't take the effort to respond to an email, it is a red flag of poor customer service as far as I am concerned. For me it just isn't worth it taking a gamble on one of the CFK/IPAK knives.

  13. #13

    Default I was curious enough to bid and win three of these

    Quote Originally Posted by buckfynn View Post
    At one time I looked into CFK knives but decided against buying one for a couple of reasons. First as DSJohnson already mentioned, the negative comments on some of the knife forums made me leery of a purchase. Secondly I sent an email request through the ebay system asking about CFK knives which I never received a response. If a merchant doesn't take the effort to respond to an email, it is a red flag of poor customer service as far as I am concerned. For me it just isn't worth it taking a gamble on one of the CFK/IPAK knives.
    They really have kind of blown up out of nowhere. There are not a whole lot of reviews out there from people who actually have one of their knives in-hand. There are a few on YouTube though. The Jury seems to be out on how the blanks are forged and ground... and where. The story that there is an old family friend forging the steel in England seems really far fetched but you never know. More likely these do come from Pakistan via England to Oregon and maybe get some polishing and handles along the way. Maybe they are done entirely in Pakistan and just held to a higher quality level than other stuff floating around.

    Does anyone really think that if these are high quality and test out OK under actual use, that many custom makers would say one positive thing about them? That would be pretty foolish.

    I don't care for Damascus. I do like hard use fixed blades.

    I can say for sure that the pictures look great on EBAY and having purchased three of these CFK's that arrived yesterday I was pretty shocked. I didn't expect much for $50-$60. They are exactly what they look like in the pictures as far as fit and finish. Knives and sheaths were beautiful and rock solid.

    I can't vouch for the steel yet, but if it is actual D2, regardless of the origin, these will last.

  14. #14
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,115

    Default

    I have two of them now. They look and feel great. They seem to hold an edge well(so far) but I have not really got to use them for any real heavy use tasks yet.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  15. #15

    Default

    I joined the forum just to read this thread because this topic is pretty interesting to me. I am not new to knives but I have always had cheap stuff like Columbia River, United Cutlery, Gerber, Chinese made Kershaw, etc... lately I have been into the better quality production stuff like USA Kershaws and ZT, etc... mostly folders.

    Anyway, the only fixed blades I had were an old CRKT sawtooth 2000 bowie with leather sheath and an S&W with a a homemade kydex that someone gave me. If these knives are not US made (they cannot be) is it so much worse than buying Chinese stuff? I dunno, I have not decided yet. Anyway I am glad I found this thread and this forum. I can post some pictures of my EBAY wins soon.

  16. #16

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DSJohnson View Post
    I have two of them now. They look and feel great. They seem to hold an edge well(so far) but I have not really got to use them for any real heavy use tasks yet.
    I got a huge iPAK bowie (about 8"), a CFK bowie fighter (about 7"), and a hybrid bushcrafter which has a tanto/bowie tip and is close to the 1/4" stock in thickness all the way along its 6" or so blade. All with micarta handles. Interesting pieces.

  17. #17
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,115

    Default

    I "won" a couple of the IPAKS bushcrafters one have a 5" blade and the other has a 3.5" blade


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  18. #18
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    58,832

    Default

    The quality of American products made in China is controlled by the American company. If it's crap don't blame China since they are making it to set standards. I remember (as do many on here) that Japanese made stuff in the 60's were pretty much a joke. Made in Japan was synonymous with trinkets and junket transistor radios. We don't view them that way today. China will be the same way shortly. Pakistan will become the new China then on to Africa!

  19. #19
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,115

  20. #20
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,115

    Default

    Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

    So far they are holding an edge and seem like good knives. They come with a well made heavy leather sheath also

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •