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Top 25 Pocket Knives that are Indispensable: #12 CRKT M16

July 27, 2016

TOP 25 POCKET KNIVES THAT ARE INDISPENSABLE: #12 CRKT M16
Brought to you by KnifeCenter.com

In June, we took a survey to learn which pocket knives our readers believe should never be discontinued. Respondents were asked to name as many or as few pocket knife models as they wanted, and no brands or blades were off-limits. 404 respondents named a total of 268 models and the average respondent named 4.1 pocket knives. 57 out of 404 respondents said the CRKT M16 should never be discontinued.

The CRKT M16 was both a disruptive and influential force in the knife world when it was first released in 1999. The knife was a Kit Carson / CRKT collaboration and best known as the first production knife to feature the flipper. Flippers are everywhere today and the one-handed opening method has become the most popular in existence. The M16’s lightning-fast, glove-friendly deployment was especially well received by the United States’ military. Hundreds of thousands have been shipped to active duty soldiers over the years.

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Companies continue to experiment with pivots, detents, and flipper tabs; but Carson and CRKT had it dialed in right away. The flipping action is fast and dependable, and while many modern flippers have a wide profile, the M16’s narrow, thin frame compensates for the added tab. The M16 remains a CRKT top-seller and one of the best-carrying flipper knives to this day.

There are over 25 variations of the M16 in production. Different blade shapes, handle materials, coatings, and blade sizes ranging from 3” to nearly 4” contribute to a voluminous catalog. CRKT has also just released a high end, Damasteel tribute M16 to commemorate Carson and his iconic design.

Visit KnifeNews tomorrow to find out which model is #11 on our list of the Top 25 Pocket Knives that are Indispensable.

Knife featured in image: CRKT M16 Combo Tanto, Desert Tan

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#23 Victorinox Cadet 18/404
#22 Benchmade Adamas 20/404
#21 Zero Tolerance 0562 21/404
#20 Cold Steel Ti-Lite 24/404
#19 Opinel No. 8 25/404 
#18 Zero Tolerance 0350 28/404
#17 Cold Steel Voyager 30/404
#16 Case Trapper 41/404
#15 Ontario RAT Model 1 43/404
#14 Benchmade Mini Griptilian 53/404
#13 Spyderco Manix 2 54/404
#12 CRKT M16 57/404
#11 Kershaw Skyline 58/404
#10 Kershaw Blur 62/404
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#08 Spyderco Endura 4 70/404
#07 Chris Reeve Knives Large Sebenza 21 75/404
#06 Kershaw Leek 76/404
#05 Benchmade 940 78/404
#04 Spyderco Delica 4 79/404
#03 Benchmade Griptilian 81/404
#02 Buck 110 Folding Hunter 90/404
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