CJRB Pyrite Review: The Knife That Irrevocably Changed the Budget Game

Introduction: The Button Lock Revolution

If we turn the clock back just a few years, acquiring a genuinely smooth, reliable button-lock folding knife meant you had to open your wallet wide. You were largely looking at dropping over $200 on an American-made Pro-Tech Malibu or hunting down a scarce custom maker. The budget market was entirely dominated by liner locks, frame locks, and the occasional stiff lockback.

Then came the CJRB Pyrite. Hitting the market at an astonishingly aggressive price point—routinely under $50—it completely democratized the highly sought-after “fidget factor” for the masses. It proved that a complex plunge-lock mechanism could be mass-produced overseas with tight tolerances, completely disrupting the modern EDC (Everyday Carry) landscape.

But the true magic of the Pyrite is that it isn’t just a gimmick or a desk toy. It is a legitimate, highly capable cutting tool designed for rigorous daily utility. Featuring incredibly clean, minimalist lines, total ambidexterity, and surprising build quality, it has rapidly become the new benchmark for what a budget folder should be. In this comprehensive review, we put the classic stainless steel handled version through its paces to see if it holds up to scrutiny.

The Pedigree: Artisan Cutlery & CJRB

To understand the quality of the Pyrite, you must look at the company behind it. CJRB is the budget-friendly subsidiary of Artisan Cutlery, a manufacturer known for producing high-end, intricately machined titanium frame locks. Just as Civivi spawned from WE Knife Co., CJRB was created to bring Artisan Cutlery’s strict manufacturing tolerances and advanced CNC machining capabilities down to an accessible price point.

This lineage is immediately apparent in the Pyrite. The milling is remarkably clean, the blade centering is consistently dead-on out of the box, and the hardware feels purposeful rather than cheap. You are effectively getting luxury-tier quality control applied to budget-tier materials.

Technical Specifications

The dimensional blueprint of the Pyrite is arguably its greatest strength. It rests comfortably in the “Goldilocks zone” of EDC knives—large enough for a full four-finger grip, but small enough to remain discreet and unthreatening in an office environment.

Deep Dive: What Exactly is AR-RPM9 Steel?

The vast majority of knives sitting in the sub-$50 category utilize D2 tool steel or generic Chinese alloys like 8Cr13MoV or 9Cr18MoV. CJRB chose to completely rewrite the script by outfitting the Pyrite with AR-RPM9. This is a proprietary Powder Metallurgy (PM) steel developed specifically by their parent company, Artisan Cutlery.

Because of this PM process, AR-RPM9 is essentially a super-charged budget steel. It takes a terrifyingly sharp, razor-like edge with incredible ease—much easier than D2. Furthermore, unlike D2 (which is only semi-stainless and prone to rust), AR-RPM9 is a true stainless steel, boasting excellent corrosion resistance. In rigorous real-world testing, edge retention performance sits very comfortably alongside Sandvik 14C28N or Nitro-V, making it an elite performer for the price.

The Plunge: Breaking Down the Button Lock Action

The button lock (technically a plunge lock) is the undisputed main event of the Pyrite. When the blade is open, a spring-loaded steel plunger snaps into a cutout in the blade tang, locking it securely in place. To close the knife, you depress the button, which moves the plunger out of the way, removing all resistance and allowing the blade to swing freely.

Unlike liner locks or frame locks that constantly press a tensioned metal bar against the side of the blade during closing, the button lock allows the blade to be completely “drop shut.” Because the Pyrite rides on a meticulously implemented system of caged ceramic ball bearings, the action is buttery, hydraulic, and shockingly smooth.

Crucially, CJRB managed to largely avoid the dreaded “lock stick”—a common flaw in cheap button locks where the button binds against the tang, requiring painful thumb pressure to release. The Pyrite deploys via beautifully chamfered dual thumb studs with a loud, authoritative “thwack.” You can thumb-flick it, reverse-flick (“Spydie-flick”) it from the back, or simply press the button and whip it open using purely wrist momentum. It is the ultimate fidget toy.

Design, Ergonomics, and Handling

The visual design of the Pyrite is highly unassuming, organic, and elegant. There are no aggressive, tactical finger choils, forced grooves, or harsh angles that dictate exactly how you must hold the knife. The neutral handle shape accommodates small and large hands alike, feeling just as comfortable in a standard hammer grip as it does in a delicate pinch grip for precise slicing.

The blade features a high, full-flat grind. Combined with a relatively thin blade stock of 0.11 inches, the Pyrite tapers down to a remarkably thin edge. This makes it a phenomenal “slicey” knife. It easily glides through dense cardboard, apples, and plastic packaging without wedging or splitting the material.

A Note on Grip: The standard stainless steel handle version is undeniably beautiful and slides in and out of the pocket with zero resistance. However, it can be quite slippery if you are operating with sweaty, wet, or oily hands. If maximum traction is a priority for your work environment, you should absolutely opt for the lightly textured G10 or Canvas Micarta variations.

Carry Experience & The Pocket Clip

CJRB nailed the pocket clip design. The Pyrite comes standard with a deep-carry, folded-over steel pocket clip. The knife sits perfectly submerged below the hem of your pocket, ensuring total discretion. Furthermore, the clip is inset into the handle scales, and the screws are flush (countersunk), meaning they won’t shred or snag your pants material as you draw the knife.

Because the button lock is perfectly symmetrical, the knife is natively ambidextrous to close. Generously, CJRB milled the handle so the pocket clip is fully reversible, making the Pyrite a flawless 100% ambidextrous option for left-handed users.

The Expanding Pyrite Family

Because the initial design was such a monumental hit, CJRB has rapidly expanded the Pyrite into a massive family of variations to suit every specific taste:

• The Pyrite Alt (Alternative): Swaps the classic drop-point blade for a highly utilitarian Wharncliffe (straight-edge) blade shape. It also removes the thumb studs in favor of an elongated thumb-hole for deployment.
• The Pyrite Bowie: Features a sweeping, aggressive clip-point/Bowie blade shape for those who prefer a more traditional, piercing-focused aesthetic.
• The Large Pyrite: Scaled up for users with massive hands or those requiring a longer cutting edge, bumping the blade length to nearly 3.5 inches.
• Premium Versions: If you want to move beyond the budget realm, CJRB offers limited editions featuring milled Titanium handles and ultra-premium S35VN powder steel.

Pyrite vs. The World: Budget Heavyweights

How does the Pyrite stack up against the other giants of the budget EDC community?

• Vs. Civivi Elementum (Original): The legendary Elementum is a standard liner lock and utilizes non-stainless D2 steel on its base model. The Pyrite wins decisively on steel quality (AR-RPM9 is vastly more corrosion resistant) and outright fidget factor due to the button lock.
• Vs. Sencut Sachse: Sencut (another WE Knife sub-brand) produces the Sachse, a direct button-lock competitor. While excellent, the Sachse features a slightly more aggressive, “tactical” aesthetic. The Pyrite feels more refined, gentlemanly, and fits better into a formal or office environment.
• Vs. Vosteed Raccoon: The Raccoon is chunkier, heavier, and feels more like a dedicated outdoor work tool. The Pyrite is slimmer, more agile, and better suited for lightweight urban carry.
• Vs. Kizer Cormorant: The Cormorant offers more deployment methods (front flipper, back flipper), but its highly polarizing, geometric “PlayStation” handle design isn’t for everyone. The Pyrite’s clean lines have universal appeal.

Maintenance, Tuning, and Care

Button locks require a bit more maintenance awareness than standard liner locks. Because the plunge mechanism relies on a perfectly clean channel, getting fine pocket sand, dirt, or lint trapped inside the button housing can cause the lock to feel gritty or develop “lock rock” (minor blade play).

You can easily keep the mechanism clean using blasts of compressed air. For lubrication, apply a single drop of high-quality pivot oil (like KPL) to the ceramic bearings. AR-RPM9 steel is a dream to maintain on a leather strop or a ceramic rod, requiring very little effort to bring back a hair-shaving edge. If you need to upgrade your gear, check out our comprehensive guide on the best knife sharpening systems.

Pros & Cons Summary

Final Verdict: The New Budget King

The CJRB Pyrite is undeniably a landmark knife in the history of production cutlery. It proved definitively that you do not need to spend hundreds of dollars to enjoy flawless, gravity-shut action and modern powder metallurgy blade steel. It is elegant enough to pair with a tailored suit, rugged enough to break down endless cardboard in a warehouse, and fun enough to sit and flip on the couch for hours on end.

Buy it immediately if: You want the absolute best action, fidget-factor, and edge retention available under $60, period.

Skip it if: You specifically need extreme handle traction for wet, outdoor work, or if you prefer the absolute structural simplicity of a traditional frame lock or back lock.

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