I know I could have planned things better. Im holding the working end of a line of twine that will become a delightfully hipster sunglasses hanger in my apartment. But in true Adam fashion, I embarked on the project before really thinking through the process.

　　One end of the twine is secured to a Command Hook while I pinch the free end against the wall to hold a straight line. In my eager haste, I placed several pairs of shades along the line to prove my idea a good one. But now I have only one hand free to cut the line and tie off the end while keeping the shades from falling to the ground.

　　Typical. But I still have an ace up my sleeve — or rather, a knife. I pull the emerald CRKT Twist Tighe from my pocket and roll my thumb up to the jimped trigger. A light press, and a 2.69-inch blade shoots out with authority.

　　I easily slice through the line and, with the same hand, fire the blade back and return it to my pocket in one smooth motion. This, I learn, is the beauty of an out-the-front (OTF) automatic knife.

　　(Photo/Zach Burton) In short: Not without its limitations, the CRKT Twist Tighe is a seductive, eager automatic knife for both EDC enthusiasts and OTF newbies alike. Its stunningly lightweight, making it an outstanding pocket companion for many moderate-duty tasks. Its not suitable for seriously abusive work, and it carries a healthy price tag — but it is as beautiful to hold as it is to look at.

　　Check out the GearJunkie guide to the Best Pocket Knives.

　　CRKT Twist Tighe Check Price at Blade HQCheck Price at CRKT

　　(Photo/CRKT) 8.5 How we rate products Specifications OAL: 6.78” Blade length: 2.69” Blade steel: MagnaCut Blade shape: Spear point Grind: Flat Lock type: Slide Opening type: Automatic Carry: Ambidextrous (swappable clip) Weight: 1.6 oz. Price: $300 Pros Virtually unnoticeable in the pocket MagnaCut steel Made in USA Outstanding grip Cons Dual edge has some utility drawbacks Legal restrictions vary by state Adam Ruggiero CRKT Twist Tighe OTF Review Equal parts artist and knifemaker, Brian Tighe stands as a top-10 elite designer in the knife world, according to CRKT. The brand thinks so highly of the Canadian toolmaker that CRKT tapped him to design its 20th-anniversary Buy Tighe knife in 2017.

　　Eight years later, CRKT again enlisted Tighe to tackle another milestone: the brands first-ever OTF automatic blade. And thats fitting because its my first true OTF to test as well.

　　While theres an aesthetic component to a knife worth its edge, the Twist Tighe is to production blades what a Rolls Royce is to daily drivers. This is a beautifully eye-catching knife thats at least as fun to show off as it is to use.

　　(Photo/Zach Burton) Design, Specs As exciting and showy as a dual-action OTF blade is, the Twist Tighes handle actually might steal the show here. While the carbon fiber feels surprisingly light in the hand, the unique swirling (twisted?) texture adds haptic interest and grip.

　　Whats more, the Twist Tighe carries a showy, green camo side and a nondescript all-black side, along with an adjustable pocket clip, so you can modify the clip both for aesthetics and left/right-hand carry. In fairness, camo is a bit of a misnomer, as the psychedelic green-and-gray color splashes look more like tie-dye.

　　The thumb trigger has jimping along both sloped sides to aid deploying and retracting this dual-action knife. The stonewashed spearpoint blade measures 2.69 inches long. Its also double-edged, so dont expect to add any leverage to cutting tasks with your thumb.

　　(Photo/Zach Burton) Sparing no expense, CRKT went with MagnaCut steel, the darling alloy for high-end knives today. It imbues the Twist Tighe with high edge-retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance.

　　The whole 6.78-inch enchilada (4 inches closed) weighs a ludicrous 1.6 ounces —less than a magic marker.

　　Testing Impressions Ill be honest —the first 20 minutes of owning the Twist Tighe will be purely an exercise in fidget fun. The deployment on this OTF is snappy and satisfying, outshined only by retracting.

　　Once youve had your fill of playing around, you can clip the Twist Tighe into your pocket and probably forget about it. The sub-2-ounce weight wont even fold the fabric on dress pants. And while the handle has both texture and dimension to it (i.e., its sides are not perfectly straight), I never once felt the form factor while it sat in my pocket.

　　(Photo/Zach Burton) After weeks of carrying this knife around, I found it a fair, novel EDC blade, but not ideal for all tasks. The double edge makes it a very handy slicer for opening packages and processing boxes one-handed since its always in the right position to cut.

　　Best of all, it makes one-handed cutting tasks a breeze. The pocket clip doesnt hold too tight, and the blade shoots out and back with ease.

　　The spearpoint blade shape is also ideally suited for poking, scoring, and marking —meaning I found the Twist Tighe useful for a variety of small, delicate tasks (like stringing together a questionable sunglasses hanger). But a serious chore boy, the Twist Tighe is not.

　　(Photo/Zach Burton) Because there is no spine on the blade, you cant put your thumb in a position to bear down and do hard chopping or cutting tasks. The blade isnt delicate — you could easily pare an apple or peel a potato —but for seriously tough material, I would refrain from trying to lever the blade through from the handle alone.

　　Note on OTF Blade Care The beauty of MagnaCut steel is that it requires less care and attention than many other alloys. Thats a great choice for this knife because it balances the care required for an OTF knife.

　　Its good practice to clean and remove debris from any blade, but its doubly important on a dual-action automatic. I never once experienced a problem with gumming up the track on this knife, but I was somewhat paranoid Id leave errant strips of packing tape on the edge that could get sucked into the handle housing.

　　The Twist Tighe is easy enough to maintain —just seven Allen screws. But do yourself a favor and give the blade a couple of good wipes before retracting it.

　　(Photo/Zach Burton) Finally, be aware that the blade can come loose if you intentionally or accidentally fire it into an object. This goes for most objects; I tried firing the spearpoint through the lid of a coffee cup, and it didnt so much as dimple the plastic. When the blade is loose, it wont lock out or retract.

　　Fortunately, all you need to do is gently pull the blade out until it relocks, and youre good to go.

　　Legality by State Before you purchase an OTF knife like the Twist Tighe, check to make sure its legal to own and carry in your state.

　　Some states, like New Mexico, Minnesota, and Delaware, outright prohibit the sale or possession of OTF (aka automatic opening) knives. Other states, such as California, Vermont, and Connecticut, have laws dictating how long an OTF blade can be. Still others, like New York and Washington, only allow designated classes to carry or sell them.

　　The American Knife and Tool Institute keeps an up-to-date list of OTF knife laws. Double-check your own state governments policy on knives like this one.

　　CRKT Twist Tighe: Whos It For? This should not be your first knife. At $300, I hope youve handled your fair share of blades to know proper maintenance, care, and safety before investing in this beauty.

　　(Photo/Adam Ruggiero) That said, for those who have rugged knives for bushcraft or heavy abuse, the Twist Tighe is a gorgeous addition to a knife lineup. Its gorgeous looks and snappy action are more of a looker than a fighter. But this sucker will still answer the call for single-handed tasks to help you out of a pinch.

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