Climber’s knives often seem under-designed, with strength cut back to save weight. The 14 K Summit Long’s Peak folding clip knife from Columbia River Knife and Tool takes inspiration from the climber’s choice of either weight or strength and provides a rugged answer.
Four ounces for a pocket clip folder with a three-inch modified drop point blade, probably will seem heavy to an ultra-light hiker or mountain climber concerned with every extra ounce of gear. Zinc alloy handle slabs do outweigh modern synthetics, even when they’re skeletonized with lightening holes as in this knife. With liners of 420J2 high carbon stainless steel and a blade of AUS6M stainless steel, the makers did not cut weight in the wrong places. The Long’s Peak is dependable and will be popular even with owners who don’t climb the high country.
Available in either plain edge or serrated edge styles, the Long’s Peak offers a long lasting razor edge in either build. Torx screws used in the handle and the pivot bearing allow adjustment but seldom need tuning. The Long’s Peak knife opens smoothly with one hand, using the left or right-handed thumb system, and locks into place with LAWKS — one of the most secure locking mechanisms on the market.
The LAWKS (Lake And Walker Knife Safety) system uses a thumb-controlled lever on the spine of the handle to prevent accidental blade closure. Open the knife with the thumb stud and push the lever forward — the knurled knob stays low and out of the way and pressure on the blade only increases the lock security. Pull the lever back to smoothly close the blade again. There’s no possibility of releasing the lock by squeezing the handle too hard, as with many liner lock knives, and twisting the handle won’t pop the LAWKS out of position. Save two ounces somewhere else — the Long’s Peak is worth the weight.
