Sexy, Speedy Slicer: CRKT Twist Tighe OTF Review

I know I could have planned things better. I’m 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.

In short: Not without its limitations, the CRKT Twist Tighe is a seductive, eager automatic knife for both EDC enthusiasts and OTF newbies alike. It’s stunningly lightweight, making it an outstanding pocket companion for many moderate-duty tasks. It’s 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 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 brand’s first-ever OTF automatic blade. And that’s fitting because it’s my first true OTF to test as well.

While there’s 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 that’s at least as fun to show off as it is to use.

Design, Specs

As exciting and showy as a dual-action OTF blade is, the Twist Tighe’s 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.

What’s 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. It’s also double-edged, so don’t expect to add any leverage to cutting tasks with your thumb.

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

I’ll 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 you’ve 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 won’t 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.

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 it’s always in the right position to cut.

Best of all, it makes one-handed cutting tasks a breeze. The pocket clip doesn’t 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.

Because there is no spine on the blade, you can’t put your thumb in a position to bear down and do hard chopping or cutting tasks. The blade isn’t 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. That’s a great choice for this knife because it balances the care required for an OTF knife.

It’s good practice to clean and remove debris from any blade, but it’s 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 I’d 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.

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 didn’t so much as dimple the plastic. When the blade is loose, it won’t lock out or retract.

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

Legality by State

Before you purchase an OTF knife like the Twist Tighe, check to make sure it’s 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 government’s policy on knives like this one.

CRKT Twist Tighe: Who’s It For?

This should not be your first knife. At $300, I hope you’ve handled your fair share of blades to know proper maintenance, care, and safety before investing in this beauty.

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.