A Year in a Paragraph
Over my year of owning a Krake Raken (Kraken), I can say that it really lives up to its hype. Buying it at Blade Show Texas, ever since I first flipped it I knew that I’d love it. Having a solid build quality, near perfect tune, and a balance fitting my preferences, it surpassed any expectations. This blade would be my vessel to improving in my balisong hobby.
Flippability – 10/10
With a light handle bias, the Kraken allows for beginners and advanced flippers alike to get the best experience possible. When I initially received it, I could instantly tell the thought that went into making the best design possible. Also, I’m always able to easily land tricks that I had failed countless times on other balisongs. I still grab for it whenever I want to know that I’m flipping to my best capability. This is truly the benchmark for a good balisong.
Durability – 7/10
This balisong has truly surprised me with its durability. Being naturally flawed from its aluminum construction, the Kraken puts up a fight against concrete with mine only having minor cosmetic damage. This is because the handles aren’t made from titanium, making it easier to dent and scratch.
Tolerances – 10/10
Straight out of the box, the tolerances were amazing, having virtually no play or tap. After a few months of flipping, however, it developed a small amount of play from constant dropping. This is, of course, very normal for any balisong and all it took was a manual tighten.
Price – 9/10
Priced at a comfortable $220 for the base model trainer, the Kraken boasts a 7075 Aluminum handle construction with a 410 hardened stainless steel blade. As an American-made balisong, this price is fair for the performance and materials.
Overall – 9/10
As evident in my prior statements, the Kraken is a very good balisong and I recommend it highly. Its flaws are greatly overshadowed by where it excels. It truly has all that a flipper ever needs.
Squid Industries as a Company
Releasing the Squidtrainer in early 2016, Squid Industries quickly made a name for themselves. A name of consistently good quality control (QC) and well-designed balisongs, releasing the Kraken in mid-2019 has been very well received by the community. Lately, the company has been receiving critiques as their once unparalleled quality drops because of the company’s large amount of growth, selling more balisongs than ever. However, this is still not an excuse for some of the horrible QC on balisongs they’ve been shipping to customers. Their product, the Nautilus, is the largest culprit of their worsening QC. Lucas Cao, the CEO of Squid Industries, needs to address this massive problem before continuing to release any new products.
Tune into The Roundup for more product reviews!