This is the CRKT M40-15 – it’s part of the new M40 series with the Deadbolt locking mechanism, which are the spiritual successors to the M16 series (one of which I profiled here). I’ve been graciously provided a sample for evaluation, without conditions.
Now, I’m a big fan of the M16 series generally, and I hope to see a “first responder” M40 come out soon. Interestingly there is a “first responder” Provoke knife out already, which I’ll be talking about soon. Spoilers!
Anyway, back to the knife.
The overall build quality is solid, although initial impressions from many users (myself included) have been that the carbon-fiber-appearing glass filled nylon inserts in the handle feel a little on the cheap side. I do wonder if there is potential for a “premium” version of this knife, or aftermarket handle inserts…
I’m not necessarily going to argue with the impression of cheapness, but I will say they don’t actually feel cheap in practice – maybe it grows on you, or maybe it’s just that the fitment is tight and the weight of the knife is good in the hand.
To be completely fair, glass-filled polymers are the same stuff that polymer handguns and power tools are made out of, and they work great in those applications.
The M40 clip is a bit wider and shorter than the M16 clips have been historically; it flares out a bit more sharply at the end than the M16 clips do, which can be a bit of a snag hazard at times, but it’s not a critical issue – as anyone who carries a knife regularly knows, sometimes the clip catches on things, and that’s just how it goes – I may just not be used to this particular clip yet.
I am an unabashed fan of the Deadbolt mechanism that CRKT produces, and this knife does little to change that. The button has a different texture to it as compared to the Xoc or the Seismic, but the mechanism is identical, and so is my appreciation for it.
The blade is made of 1.4116 steel, a German stainless alloy – if you want to read up on it, take a look here. The basic gist without overcomplicating it, is it’s a good all-around stainless steel, often used in kitchen knives and the like.
It’s a spear point blade, which is one of my favorite blade profiles; it’s got all the utility of a Tanto with none of the annoying sharpening problems a Tanto has.
This particular model sports some brilliant Veff serrations – Tom Veff is a brilliant “edge-ologist”, as he styles himself. I’m disinclined to argue with the man, as these serrations are vicious. I’ve had a few occasions to use them on thicker items like rope or webbing, and they perform admirably.
This knife is a good carry size, although admittedly runs a bit on the large size – if you have small hands or want something more subtle, I’d seriously consider the M40-03 – it’s not a lot smaller, but it’s definitely noticeable. I was able to fiddle with one at SHOT this year, and it struck me as basically a scaled-down -15.
Additionally, the M40-02 is even smaller still, but it’s a Tanto, which I’m not generally a huge fan of.
I would expect to see more M40s coming sometime from CRKT, they have a reliable track record of new and innovative products, especially with a knife like this that lends itself so well to being the backbone of a product line.
If you want a good mid to large sized knife for regular carry, and have an appreciation for spear points and Veff serrations like I do, I’d definitely recommend the M40-15. MSRP as of this writing seems steep at 119.99, but there are often discounts and promos available, so if you want one but aren’t quite ready to pony up, keep an eye out for promos and snag one when the opportunity presents itself!
I’ll continue offering updates on this knife as I carry it around, and may even pass it off to someone else for some additional opinions as time goes on.
Do message me on Facebook or Instagram if you have any particular questions or tests you’d like to see of this knife – I’m open to ideas!
Until next time.
-T