CIVIVI Ken Onion Jr. Krabby Review: A Mature Everyday Carry Folder

Introduction

CIVIVI has a new design out in collaboration with Ken Onion Jr., son of the blade hall of famer Ken Onion, whose work spans Kershaw, CRKT, sharpening tools, and the SpeedSafe assisted opening mechanism many of us have used without thinking about it. The Krabby is his own take, and it lands as a genuinely mature folder: a useful blade shape, sensible lock work, and carry details that show real thought rather than gimmicks.

At a street price of around $62 to $63 when available, it is an affordable way into a design that feels a step beyond a typical first knife. This review looks at where it excels and where a few trade-offs show up.

Blade and Locking Design

The Krabby carries a 2.7-inch 14C28N blade in a stonewashed finish, with an overall length of about 6.4 inches and a closed length of about 3.7 inches. The point is lined up with the spine of the knife rather than the center, which keeps the blade aligned when it meets the workpiece, and there is a bit of belly with small faceting near the front. The blade is thicker overall, yet the tip is narrower, so you get a finer point on a stronger blade.

It uses a liner lock with a hefty, slightly thicker liner. That adds a touch of weight, but the whole knife still comes in fractionally under 3 oz. The lock is a simple, thin design, though you may find yourself pushing down a little on it during use. Compared to more complex crossbar or axis-style locks, a liner lock is less fragile and suits a first or everyday knife well.

The release has a detent that pops through, which makes the opening action feel slightly firmer than softer crossbar-lock alternatives. Two thumb studs are fitted, but the pocket clip is right-hand carry only and not reversible, which is worth noting for left-handed users.

Handle, Clip, and Carry Details

The G10 scales attach in the center, which is a somewhat unusual touch, and they come in roughly four color flavors with a matching range of blade coatings. A G10 backspacer in purple, plus skeletonized liners, round out the construction.

The pocket clip is full size with a deeper, thicker reach so it gets over seams, useful for carpentry pants or clipping onto backpack straps. Since our pockets do not change size based on which knife we carry, a full-size clip that handles thick fabric is a practical detail.

There are three lanyard holes, a nod to the design’s personality. The finger choil area is fairly tight, with the thumb stud positioned close to the pivot, so the flick angle and thumb reach take a little attention. The handle has a fairly substantial guard rather than an exposed front choil, which encourages a firmer, less precision-oriented grip; if you like to choke up on a thicker spine for controlled tip work, that is a consideration.

How It Compares to Older Blade Ideas

Part of what makes the Krabby interesting is how deliberately it moves away from older habits. The classic clip point, made famous by knives like the Buck 110, has a long, weak, breakable tip with limited belly, and the tip tends to catch on things in both directions during slicing. The Krabby’s blade instead keeps the point aligned with the spine and emphasizes belly and faceting where the work actually happens.

That is what makes this feel like a 21st-century design: instead of batoning rebar or hammer abuse, it focuses on the features a knife user actually absorbs day to day, and whether the blade shape fits a real cutting lifestyle.

Things to Consider Before Buying

A few trade-offs deserve a mention. The liner lock is minimalist and thin, so some users will need to press it down deliberately. The thumb stud spacing and position near the pivot feel slightly tight, and the right-hand-only clip excludes left-hand carry. The substantial guard means less room for a precision forward grip compared to designs with an exposed front choil.

None of these are dealbreakers, but they are worth weighing against the strengths: a strong yet fine tip, a solid liner lock, low weight under 3 oz, and genuinely good carry hardware.

Who Should Buy the Krabby

The Krabby suits everyday carry users who want a useful, mature blade shape rather than a flashy tip, and who value light weight and solid construction over adjustable or ambidextrous features. At roughly $62 to $63 street price, it sits in accessible territory for a design with this level of execution.

CIVIVI’s production setup appears nimble enough to iterate on variations without overhauling the whole line, and with a couple of handle flavors and blade coatings available, there is likely a version that fits your taste.

Conclusion

The CIVIVI Ken Onion Jr. Krabby is a simple, fun, and well-executed folder: a thicker-but-finer 14C28N blade, a sturdy liner lock, full-size clip, and G10 construction, all under 3 oz and around $62 to $63. If you want a mature everyday carry knife from a new design voice, it is an easy recommendation.