When I look at a company, I look at a few main things. One, how is their customer service, two how do their products relate to the market, three what is their gross rate, and four how long have they been open? Starting with the customer service, if it’s lousy, I don’t typically buy.
Finally, if the company has only been open for a few months to a few years, then it’s likely that they may fold. On the latter side, anything open for more than five years is considered reliable. That’s what I look at when purchasing, and Raven Crest Tactical hits all of my check-marks.
About Raven Crest Tactical
OTF Knife Buyers Guide
If you are looking at buying your first blade, then there is a lot that you need to know, like how are you going to use it, what size do you need, what type of blades are available, what blade shape do you want, and what steel property you need.
OTF Knife ModelsHow Are You Going to Use it?
There are many ways to use your knife for daily uses in the home, a survival tool, hunting gear, in the car glove box for emergencies, or maybe for self-defense. However you use it, you have to know what your intended purpose for the knife is to understand what to buy and exactly what you need that’s right for you.
What Size Do You Need?
There are no size preferences besides your own, but you would typically want smaller blades for daily tasks and small household chores to do. Big blades are typically used for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities on the latter side. Again, based on what you are using it for, you will choose the appropriate size. If you’re collecting, you don’t care about the size.
Small Blades Use
- For daily tasks
- For household chores
Big Blades Use
- For hunting
- For Fishing
- For Other outdoor activities
What Types Of Blades Are Available, And What Are They Used For?
What Are the Blade Shapes?
The first shape is Tanto, which has an angular shape, with two straight edges combined. The tip is solid because the spine keeps full width until it gets close to the point.
The Drop Point Shape is a common pattern used with many knives and is typically used for hunting blades. The tip is dropped from the spine in an arc, allowing the tip to be thicker.
The Clip Point is an all-around blade that is the most popular of the blades, as it’s used in bowie knives. The blade is concave or straight cutout towards the tip. The Spear Point is a double-edged blade with a symmetrical grind with the tip at the center of the blade.
What About Steel Properties?
There are three classes of steel.
| Good Class | Better Class |
|---|---|
| The first quality is Good. They are rust-resistant stainless steel that is typically made in Asia and offer good value for the price. | The second class is Better, a better grade of stainless steel, but they are more expensive. With a better edge holding ability, they require less maintenance than good quality. |
| They tend to be softer than the best performance and require more sharpening, but they do adequately hold an edge. | It’s relatively easy to sharpen and combines performance and value, making it a great steal for the price, and it is great at performing everyday tasks. |
| Best class | |
|---|---|
| Finally, there is the Best class, which is typically made in the USA or Japan. More elements are added to strengthen the blade, add superior sharpness of the edge, and be almost entirely rust-proof. | |
| Examples of the best class are AUS-8, AUS-6, 440A, 440C, VG-10, CPM S30V, 154CM, D2, and 8Cr13MoV. |
OTF Knife Maintenance Tips
There are many things to do with knife maintenance, and here are some tips to help with it.
- One of the first things is how often to sharpen the knife, and that depends on how often you use the blade, but typically give it a light sharpening once a week should do the trick. If you need a serrated blade sharpened, Raven Crest will resharpen it for you if you send it to them.
- Cleaning is easy after cutting, and often, you want to rinse the blade with water.
- Finally, carefully use the proper Allen wrench to tighten any loose screws.
State Laws & Legality
As a whole, a blade is illegal when sold over state lines or imported from outside the US. Many states allow the use of these blades in possession, sale, open carry, and concealment. These states include;
| Legal States | Illegal States |
|---|---|
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FAQ
Pros And Cons
- Raven Crest Tactical is great at everything and provides tips to help with any situation. They have a good price and amazing products.
- The one drawback is that they have too many products to choose from.
