Chris Reeve Knives Pacific Knife

Reviewed by corwin99 on July 3rd, 2011

I am a big fan of Chris Reeve Knives.. and of all the Chris Reeve Knives (CRK) fixed blades out there, the Pacific has got to be my favourite, with the Green Beret coming in a close second. The Pacific has a fantastic finishing and looks as well as great feel and balance in the hand, which can sometimes be hard to find all in the same knife.

The Pacific was given to me by a buddy on a trade for a watch or something, the exact item escapes my mind at the moment. When I saw it I immediately thought to myself… an improved Green Beret. Prior to the arrival of the Pacific, the Green Beret was my favourite knife. Both are designed as Special Forces knives designed by William Harsey along with Chris Reeve Knives and are offered in special editions available only to active and retired 1st Group Soldiers in the case of the Pacific, and US Army Special Forces for the Yarborough version of the Green Beret.

Blade
The Pacific features a fairly wide clip-point blade slightly reminiscent of a Kabar USMC knife, with a hollow ground CPM S35VN blade hardened to 55-57HRC with CRK’s signature Kubuli serrations on the back portion of the blade. Kubuli Serrations work quite well in my limited use of them, but I did not find them any more proficient than standard serrations even though they are supposed to be more aggressive. I suspect there might be a slight advantage in terms of strength as the sharpened portions alternate from one side to the other, making the blade edge less prone to damage.

Out of the box, the blade is VERY sharp, and can pop hairs with ease. The blade is on the thick side, so the knife is not the best slicer, but makes a great outdoorsman or survival blade. It does excel at chopping and has a Gun Kote finish for low-profile combat use. The blade measures 6″, which is a fine size, albeit smaller than some might like.

Handle
The CRK Pacific has a Canvas Micarta Handle, sandblasted for optimal purchase. The handle also has three small grooves cut into the side of it for improved grip. The Pacific has one of the most comfortable handles of any high-end production combat fixed blade that I’ve ever handled, and for that reason it is my favourite. For me, the handle is comfortable, and flexible in all grip types. The full tang blade protrudes out from the edge of the handle slightly but is fully contoured all the way around for a comfortable feel. It even has a glass-breaker point on the end of the handle.

Fit & Finish
Like all Chris Reeve Knives products, the Pacific is immaculately finished to a very high standard. The CRK is probably the best finished production fixed blade I’ve ever handled, obviously without mirror polishing and fancy materials that are also gloss finished there isn’t the same opportunity for a high-level finish as with many custom pieces.

The Spec Ops sheath that comes with the Pacific alone costs around $85, making the $325 price tag seem much lower than it actually is.

Overall
An exceptional knife, with all the earmarks of a classic. With the endorsement of the US Army First Special Forces Group behind it, the pedigree is all there as well. Once you handle this knife in person, you truly understand what a great value it is, with outstanding steel and immaculate fit and finish that CRK has become known for. Throwing in a top-of-the-line Spec ops sheath is a smart move by CRK, and makes the knife useable right out of the box.

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