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Bradley Kimura II Review
Update: I received a "Polished DLC" version of the Kimura II through a passaround here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ade-by-Kershaw)-Kimura-II-Polished-DLC-finish. See the end of this review for details on the DLC version.
Introduction
Balisong (or butterfly) knives are prohibited by law in some countries, in some US states, and in some local jurisdictions. Where they are legal, however, many balisong owners enjoy flipping them -- like Angelina Jolie in the video below. My flipping skills, however, are non-existent and I bought a Bradley Cutlery Kimura II to use for every day utility. Bradley’s Kimura series knives (Models I-VII) are manufactured in the US by Kershaw. The Kimura II has an MSRP of $139.95 and sells for $105 or so at our favorite online retailers. It has 5.00" handles and a 3.88" blade. It weighs 5.40 ounces.
[youtube]uDyvfRNQ9Sw[/youtube]
Blade
All Bradley Kimuras feature Sandvik stainless steel blades. The older models were 13C26 and the newer ones use 14C28N. The blades come in a variety of plain edged blades (spear point, clip point, tanto.) My Kimura II has a spear point design with a nice-looking hollow grind. As is typical with Kershaw made knives, my knife came very sharp from the factory. This could be a problem for folks who like to flip, so buy some extra Band-Aids if you do. Unfortunately, Kerhsaw's bead-blasted blades tend to rust and I am seeing some early signs of it in my Kimura II.
Handle
The Kimura series comes in a variety of handle patterns milled from shiny 410 stainless steel. They are also available in a rainbow or black finish and the latest models have inlays of carbon fiber or colored G10 (blue, brown, gray, green, olive, orange, red, or yellow.) This is an improvement to the earlier models, since the stainless steel can be a touch slippery. All the handles have a relatively square design, as compared to the rounder traditional balisong handles. The handles are comprised of two stainless slabs on each side, skeletonized for weight reduction and gripping surface and held together with Torx screws set in two heavy duty standoffs. All Kimuras also have a non-spring latch that can be repositioned to the left or right. My Kimura II does not have a pocket clip.
Fit & Finish
The Bradley Kimura II is well made and shows attention to detail. The blade grind is perfect. The edges of the stainless handles are rounded for comfort. The latch is easy to open and close and feels secure, but I have had it open in my pocket. There is quite a bit of discussion on BladeForums about the strongest lock to be found in a folding knife, but I think you can make the argument for a balisong as among the strongest, depending on your grip strength. When you are gripping the open knife, there is no bladeplay in any direction. It feels very much like a heavy fixed blade.
Not being a flipper, I can't speak to the balance or relative merits of the Kimura II for tricks, but as an EDC, it is not a bad choice. I can open most of my folders quicker than the Kimura II, but once open it is surprisingly useful for every day utility. The relatively long blade and handle work great for everything from food prep to cutting vinyl gutter material. The downside is that I've gotten a few looks and comments from folks about its being a butterfly knife. Everyone seems to remember the scene from Casino Royale.
Update: I received a "Polished DLC" version of the Kimura II through a passaround here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ade-by-Kershaw)-Kimura-II-Polished-DLC-finish. See the end of this review for details on the DLC version.
Introduction
Balisong (or butterfly) knives are prohibited by law in some countries, in some US states, and in some local jurisdictions. Where they are legal, however, many balisong owners enjoy flipping them -- like Angelina Jolie in the video below. My flipping skills, however, are non-existent and I bought a Bradley Cutlery Kimura II to use for every day utility. Bradley’s Kimura series knives (Models I-VII) are manufactured in the US by Kershaw. The Kimura II has an MSRP of $139.95 and sells for $105 or so at our favorite online retailers. It has 5.00" handles and a 3.88" blade. It weighs 5.40 ounces.
[youtube]uDyvfRNQ9Sw[/youtube]
Blade
All Bradley Kimuras feature Sandvik stainless steel blades. The older models were 13C26 and the newer ones use 14C28N. The blades come in a variety of plain edged blades (spear point, clip point, tanto.) My Kimura II has a spear point design with a nice-looking hollow grind. As is typical with Kershaw made knives, my knife came very sharp from the factory. This could be a problem for folks who like to flip, so buy some extra Band-Aids if you do. Unfortunately, Kerhsaw's bead-blasted blades tend to rust and I am seeing some early signs of it in my Kimura II.
Handle
The Kimura series comes in a variety of handle patterns milled from shiny 410 stainless steel. They are also available in a rainbow or black finish and the latest models have inlays of carbon fiber or colored G10 (blue, brown, gray, green, olive, orange, red, or yellow.) This is an improvement to the earlier models, since the stainless steel can be a touch slippery. All the handles have a relatively square design, as compared to the rounder traditional balisong handles. The handles are comprised of two stainless slabs on each side, skeletonized for weight reduction and gripping surface and held together with Torx screws set in two heavy duty standoffs. All Kimuras also have a non-spring latch that can be repositioned to the left or right. My Kimura II does not have a pocket clip.
Fit & Finish
The Bradley Kimura II is well made and shows attention to detail. The blade grind is perfect. The edges of the stainless handles are rounded for comfort. The latch is easy to open and close and feels secure, but I have had it open in my pocket. There is quite a bit of discussion on BladeForums about the strongest lock to be found in a folding knife, but I think you can make the argument for a balisong as among the strongest, depending on your grip strength. When you are gripping the open knife, there is no bladeplay in any direction. It feels very much like a heavy fixed blade.
Not being a flipper, I can't speak to the balance or relative merits of the Kimura II for tricks, but as an EDC, it is not a bad choice. I can open most of my folders quicker than the Kimura II, but once open it is surprisingly useful for every day utility. The relatively long blade and handle work great for everything from food prep to cutting vinyl gutter material. The downside is that I've gotten a few looks and comments from folks about its being a butterfly knife. Everyone seems to remember the scene from Casino Royale.
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