In this article we’re looking at a very unusual knife from CRKT, the Snap Lock. This knife was loaned by a friend so huge thanks to them! I’m always excited to get to check out a new knife, especially one with such an interesting design from the mind of Ed Van Hoy.
The draw and namesake of this knife is its locking and opening mechanism, the Snap Lock. It’s a very unique lock where the blade is kept safely in the line of the handle with posts on the blade that are held in place by the spring pressure of the integral handle. When a lever attached to the blade, where the pivot would normally be, is depressed it presses the handle bars open thereby freeing the posts and unlocking the blade. The blade runs on a pivot that transects the blade vertically, rather than horizontally. You push the blade out horizontally, rather than vertically, with your thumb. Once it reaches the full open position the handle bars fall back down, enclosing the posts and locking the blade in place. It did lock up really solidly with no play, to my surprise, in both the closed and open positions. It’s a locking and opening mechanism that turns basically everything about the typical folding knife on its head, and it definitely makes for a unusual knife.
That said, I have to admit that it’s not an intuitive or easy to use knife for me. I tended to fumble with the opening, even after cycling it many times in an attempt to create some muscle memory. In the process, it would definitely be possible for your thumb or fingers to slip and get cut on the blade, moreso than on a typical locking folding knife. For that reason, I would recommend the Snap Lock as a novelty rather than a utility/EDC knife. If you’re looking for an every day carry that is easy to use, I wouldn’t recommend this knife as a first option. However, if you appreciate unique mechanisms and want a cool knife to mess with and enjoy, the Snap Lock might be a good option.
