Bad Kershaw. Bad!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Quiet said:
I wanted to weigh in on this topic after having read all of the posts before mine. I just gotta ask: what's wrong with Kershaw making cheap junk to sell to people who don't care? No, that's a serious question. Bonus points if you can give an answer that doesn't center around an emotional response.

Listen, I know several people personally who buy only cheap knives, use 'em until they're dull, then they throw them away and get a new one. They know I'm a big knife guy, they have been approached by me multiple times with offers of teaching them how to sharpen, but they just don't care. Not interested. And god forbid you mention the possibility of buying a knife that has better materials. "Fifty dollahrs fer a knife? Are you high?!"

There are always going to be people out there who want or need a knife in their pocket who will NEVER spend what we spend on knives, or care even the slightest little bit about the metal the knives are made of. 8cr, 3cr, Elma-wut?!, CPM? What's that stand fer?

THEY DON'T CARE.

So, clearly Kershaw understands that, so why would they bother putting high end, or even mid grade materials into a cheap knife that's just going to get used then thrown away, most likely, or sit in a drawer when the owner doesn't bother to learn how to sharpen it?

All this talk about how the brand's going downhill, puuuuh-LEASE. Kershaw is a large corporation who makes knives. Seems like some folks here need to remember that we, the folks who snap up ZT models like it's water in the desert, AREN'T the largest segment of their customer base. I would hazard a guess that Kershaw makes a lot more money selling Leeks, Chives, Thermites, and all of its other cheap folders than it does on every single ZT model it's ever produced. EVER.

So, come on guys, let's try to see this thing objectively. Kershaw is still a fantastic knife company, and frankly, I'm GLAD they are putting these cheap knives out there, because all it will take is one guy standing there one day, and using that silly Duck Commander knife (while it's still sharp) and he'll say to himself, "You know, my birthday is coming up, and I really love this little Kershaw. I wonder what else they make...."

And then it's going to be off to the races, and we'll have another Knife Guy joining our team. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

You nailed it, nice post :thumbup::thumbup:
 
All you sound like you know the industry so well. You should all start knife companies and see how well it goes...

Name one other company who sells knives from $15-$20 to $500+ and can appeal to the whole spectrum of knife users. And at the end of the day they're still KAI products with great CS and Warranties.

If VW needs to sell Beetles to Make Audi R8s and insane Lambos so be it.
 
Last edited:
Joshua J. said:
This stuff is physically incapable of hitting 60RC, it's like putting the name of a sports car on a wagon.
Yes, I'm biased with this stuff and yes, RC isn't everything, but this is just demeaning.

Kershaw, meet CRKT, SOG, and the zombie over there named Camillus. Have fun making crappy knives together.

Whether or not they have terrible products in their line-up matters to me because I can tell anyone on the street "buy Spyderco, just pick one, they're all good". I used to be able to do that with Kershaw, but I guess times change.
Click to expand...

So when someone says they need a sub $30 knife with a 3-3.5in blade, what Spyderco does he pick?

When they tell you they don't shop online, what Spyderco do you tell them to buy at Walmart or Dicks?
 
A Byrd ? Because thats what Spyderco did to seperate their "crap" knives, create a sub-brand.
Works the other way, too. See Kershaw/ZT, Lexus/Toyota etc.
 
Quiet said:
I wanted to weigh in on this topic after having read all of the posts before mine. I just gotta ask: what's wrong with Kershaw making cheap junk to sell to people who don't care? No, that's a serious question. Bonus points if you can give an answer that doesn't center around an emotional response.

Listen, I know several people personally who buy only cheap knives, use 'em until they're dull, then they throw them away and get a new one. They know I'm a big knife guy, they have been approached by me multiple times with offers of teaching them how to sharpen, but they just don't care. Not interested. And god forbid you mention the possibility of buying a knife that has better materials. "Fifty dollahrs fer a knife? Are you high?!"

There are always going to be people out there who want or need a knife in their pocket who will NEVER spend what we spend on knives, or care even the slightest little bit about the metal the knives are made of. 8cr, 3cr, Elma-wut?!, CPM? What's that stand fer?

THEY DON'T CARE.

So, clearly Kershaw understands that, so why would they bother putting high end, or even mid grade materials into a cheap knife that's just going to get used then thrown away, most likely, or sit in a drawer when the owner doesn't bother to learn how to sharpen it?

All this talk about how the brand's going downhill, puuuuh-LEASE. Kershaw is a large corporation who makes knives. Seems like some folks here need to remember that we, the folks who snap up ZT models like it's water in the desert, AREN'T the largest segment of their customer base. I would hazard a guess that Kershaw makes a lot more money selling Leeks, Chives, Thermites, and all of its other cheap folders than it does on every single ZT model it's ever produced. EVER.

So, come on guys, let's try to see this thing objectively. Kershaw is still a fantastic knife company, and frankly, I'm GLAD they are putting these cheap knives out there, because all it will take is one guy standing there one day, and using that silly Duck Commander knife (while it's still sharp) and he'll say to himself, "You know, my birthday is coming up, and I really love this little Kershaw. I wonder what else they make...."

And then it's going to be off to the races, and we'll have another Knife Guy joining our team. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Kudos for a well thought out response that doesn't take a jab at a company or individual. Seems to be getting few and far between on those around here.
 
Quiet said:
I wanted to weigh in on this topic after having read all of the posts before mine. I just gotta ask: what's wrong with Kershaw making cheap junk to sell to people who don't care? No, that's a serious question. Bonus points if you can give an answer that doesn't center around an emotional response.

Listen, I know several people personally who buy only cheap knives, use 'em until they're dull, then they throw them away and get a new one. They know I'm a big knife guy, they have been approached by me multiple times with offers of teaching them how to sharpen, but they just don't care. Not interested. And god forbid you mention the possibility of buying a knife that has better materials. "Fifty dollahrs fer a knife? Are you high?!"

There are always going to be people out there who want or need a knife in their pocket who will NEVER spend what we spend on knives, or care even the slightest little bit about the metal the knives are made of. 8cr, 3cr, Elma-wut?!, CPM? What's that stand fer?

THEY DON'T CARE.

So, clearly Kershaw understands that, so why would they bother putting high end, or even mid grade materials into a cheap knife that's just going to get used then thrown away, most likely, or sit in a drawer when the owner doesn't bother to learn how to sharpen it?

All this talk about how the brand's going downhill, puuuuh-LEASE. Kershaw is a large corporation who makes knives. Seems like some folks here need to remember that we, the folks who snap up ZT models like it's water in the desert, AREN'T the largest segment of their customer base. I would hazard a guess that Kershaw makes a lot more money selling Leeks, Chives, Thermites, and all of its other cheap folders than it does on every single ZT model it's ever produced. EVER.

So, come on guys, let's try to see this thing objectively. Kershaw is still a fantastic knife company, and frankly, I'm GLAD they are putting these cheap knives out there, because all it will take is one guy standing there one day, and using that silly Duck Commander knife (while it's still sharp) and he'll say to himself, "You know, my birthday is coming up, and I really love this little Kershaw. I wonder what else they make...."

And then it's going to be off to the races, and we'll have another Knife Guy joining our team. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Only gripe I have is the price I've seen of the starter series which was around $20 which is too much for a knife using that steel in my opinion as I don't see it meeting the price/performance sweet spot. I'd rather see it hit the $10 price point and it really start competing with the gas station knives and blow them all away. But at the current prices there are better options. I actually would have preferred it if they have moved to their 440a for this if that was an alternative for them as they did put a pretty decent heat treat on it. And despite the reputation 440a has around here it is a pretty decent steel with a good heat treat, not spectacular in any way but decent and worthy of dropping in your pocket in my opinion.

At current prices I've seen Rough Rider slip joints, Sanrenmu, Opinel, Svord, and a bunch of others are vastly better for the money. And considering I picked up my Kershaw Cryo for $25 and that has 8cr13mov, I kind of wanted a larger drop in price if they were to drop the quality of the steel by a drastic margin.

I know these are geared towards the general public which don't know better but I still like them to be competitive in the price/performance area of these which I haven't seen. I kind of wish they made a little spreadsheet on the back of those clamshell boxes with the various steel they use and the strengths and weaknesses of them like "8cr13mov, edge retention/good, corrosion resistance/great, etc" just to try to educate people a little bit more on that all knives are not created equal and maybe steer them towards a higher end kershaw at a later date if they realized blade steels are more than just carbon and stainless steels.

Beyond that though I really don't have too much of an issue with it and I'm happy their trying to compete with the competition at the low end, I just hope they step up their game.
 
Last edited:
In a thread so full of DERP, your reply is refreshingly insightful and gives me hope that common sense isn't totally gone. Thank you!

Quiet said:
I wanted to weigh in on this topic after having read all of the posts before mine. I just gotta ask: what's wrong with Kershaw making cheap junk to sell to people who don't care? No, that's a serious question. Bonus points if you can give an answer that doesn't center around an emotional response.

Listen, I know several people personally who buy only cheap knives, use 'em until they're dull, then they throw them away and get a new one. They know I'm a big knife guy, they have been approached by me multiple times with offers of teaching them how to sharpen, but they just don't care. Not interested. And god forbid you mention the possibility of buying a knife that has better materials. "Fifty dollahrs fer a knife? Are you high?!"

There are always going to be people out there who want or need a knife in their pocket who will NEVER spend what we spend on knives, or care even the slightest little bit about the metal the knives are made of. 8cr, 3cr, Elma-wut?!, CPM? What's that stand fer?

THEY DON'T CARE.

So, clearly Kershaw understands that, so why would they bother putting high end, or even mid grade materials into a cheap knife that's just going to get used then thrown away, most likely, or sit in a drawer when the owner doesn't bother to learn how to sharpen it?

All this talk about how the brand's going downhill, puuuuh-LEASE. Kershaw is a large corporation who makes knives. Seems like some folks here need to remember that we, the folks who snap up ZT models like it's water in the desert, AREN'T the largest segment of their customer base. I would hazard a guess that Kershaw makes a lot more money selling Leeks, Chives, Thermites, and all of its other cheap folders than it does on every single ZT model it's ever produced. EVER.

So, come on guys, let's try to see this thing objectively. Kershaw is still a fantastic knife company, and frankly, I'm GLAD they are putting these cheap knives out there, because all it will take is one guy standing there one day, and using that silly Duck Commander knife (while it's still sharp) and he'll say to himself, "You know, my birthday is coming up, and I really love this little Kershaw. I wonder what else they make...."

And then it's going to be off to the races, and we'll have another Knife Guy joining our team. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
 
Scurvy092 said:
I think 3cr is between 420j2 and 420HC
Click to expand...

Yes - it has slightly more carbide in it than does 420j2.

You know, easy to sharpen, won't chip or break when used as a prybar or scraper. Perfect for the person that wants a cheap knife to abuse.

Not everyone needs a knife that takes diamond stones to sharpen. In fact, many of the people I know that would buy a knife like these are people that would never sharpen the knife; you know the type, your friend that pulls out a knife that he was cutting shingles with last year and it still has tar on the blade, which is dull as all get out.

I don't think those people will care, and they make up a lot larger market segment than the steel snobs that live here at BF. Myself included.

best

mqqn
 
Last edited:
mqqn said:
Yes - it has slightly more carbide in it than does 420j2.

You know, east to sharpen, won't chip or break when used as a prybar or scraper. Perfect for the person that wants a cheap knife to abuse.

Not everyone needs a knife that takes diamond stones to sharpen. In fact, many of the people I know that would buy a knife like these are people that would never sharpen the knife; you know the type, your friend that pulls out a knife that he was cutting shingles with last year and it still has tar on the blade, which is dull as all get out.

I don't think those people will care, and they make up a lot larger market segment than the steel snobs that live here at BF. Myself included.

best

mqqn
Click to expand...
Do you have a link to where the breakdown of materials between 3CR and 420J2 is? I tiptoed it but everything I checked said they were literally the exact same steel.
 
Please continue to critique the knives and steels, but do not insult each other. This is not Whine & Cheese.
 
And with J_Curds commentary, completely ignoring the post directly above his.....thread closed.

We are not going to spend the long weekend babysitting those who cannot post properly.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top