Columbia River Ashworth Turtle

Columbia River first noted Georgia custom knifemaker and Knifemakers’ Guild member Boyd Ashworth when his custom “Thomas C. Turtle” models won back-to-back Best Miniature Folder awards at consecutive Blade Shows. These innovative little jewels were marked by the use of Boyd’s own Damascus steels and exotic materials such as mother-of-pearl, wooly mammoth, fossil walrus, and gold. Consequently, you could spend close to four figures to own one.

Columbia River thought the concept of the pendant/money clip knife was brilliant, and came up with the new production Ashworth Turtle™ series. No, there are no exotic materials, but this is a useful pen knife suited to hundreds of daily tasks around the house and office, from clipping recipes to opening packages to sharpening pencils. The 1 inch razor-sharp stubby spear point blade is polished high-carbon stainless steel. Just press the blade tang to open with either hand.

In lieu of exotic handle scale materials, CRKT discovered advanced CPL composites, used widely in modern bowling balls. This material is exceptionally strong and tough. The scales can be injection molded in an almost infinite variety of colors and swirl patterns. Because of the molding process, the swirl patterns vary considerably, so every Turtle is unique.

The Turtle frame is high-carbon stainless steel, with a black anthracite titanium nitride coating.

CRKT engineered the Turtle to be convertible. It comes with one CPL handle scale on the front and a polished stainless money clip on the back. If you decide to wear it as a pendant on your favorite neck chain (not included), simply unscrew the money clip, and attach the second CPL scale on the back. Then fold out the hidden chain holder and you are ready to make a fashion statement.