Traditionally, Columbia River Knife and Tool — better known simply as CRKT — has operated in the mid-tier knife space, offering solid and reliable blades for a fair and accessible price. And while this MO has served the Oregon-based outfit well for the last 28 years, the company has opted to turn over a new leaf in 2022, stepping into decidedly more premium territory with the release of the all-new Butte everyday carry knife.
Penned by renowned knife designer Lucas Burnley, the Butte is constructed around a set of lightweight titanium liners sandwiched between a pair of black forged carbon fiber scales. Contrasted via anodized pivot hardware and a lanyard loop, the carbon handle is also equipped with a push-button Deadbolt locking mechanism — a first for a Burnley-designed knife — and mated to a 3.35” drop point blade that’s composed of CPM S35VN blade steel and fortified via a black titanium nitride coating.
Taking its name from the hills on the outskirts of Burnley’s hometown of Bend, Oregon, the Butte measures 7.49” with its blade deployed, and tips the scales at only 3.90oz — largely thanks to the carbon and titanium handle constructions. The Butte can also be deployed in one of two ways, using either its dual-sided thumb studs or its jimped flipper tab. Putting Burnley’s design to good use, CRKT is also offering a low-specced version of the Butte that features a D2 blade with a stone-washed finish and a G-10 handle.
Available now, the CRKT Butte EDC knife is priced at $125 for the G-10 and D2 variant and $300 for the forged carbon and S35VN version. Both are available on the brand’s website.
