Compare please the Kershaw Link to the Shallot

Yo Mama

Yo Mama

Joined
Sep 25, 2011
Messages
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I was hoping Kershaw would get out a larger Link, but intil then is the Shallot an alternative? Anyone that has both I'd appreciate comparison pics. I have the Aluminum Link and LOVE it. The Shallot looks like a winner I neglected to try. Made in USA, flipper, love the speedsafe, and blade shape.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

edit: i'm most interested in the Damascus version.
 
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I've got the AL link with drop point blade and love it but know nothing at all about the shallot. For whatever reason it never seemed to catch on. I've never really heard it talked about. I would guess it's a little thinner and lighter. Sorry I can't help.

Mike
 
I like the Shallot - it is comfortable in hand, slim in pocket...and (IMO) it looks great.
I have no experience with the Link.
 
I have them both, and I like the aluminum drop-point Link better-- more comfortable in hand and more useful blade shape. The Link is a heck of a slicer with a tip that's both usefully pointy and still robust enough to trust, and I just plain like the look of the constant-curve blade. I do hope they come out with a LE Link with 154cm or maybe B75P; I don't see them going to 14c28n.
 
Yalius said:
I have them both, and I like the aluminum drop-point Link better-- more comfortable in hand and more useful blade shape. The Link is a heck of a slicer with a tip that's both usefully pointy and still robust enough to trust, and I just plain like the look of the constant-curve blade. I do hope they come out with a LE Link with 154cm or maybe B75P; I don't see them going to 14c28n.
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this is exactly the kind of input I was hoping to get. The damascus blade looks really nice, but I'm more about function.
 
Yo Mama said:
this is exactly the kind of input I was hoping to get. The damascus blade looks really nice, but I'm more about function.
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If you're more about function, then I'd say go for the Link. I love my ZTs and higher-end Kershaws, but the Link is just a no-frills worker. Honestly, I could probably get by with only the Link in my pocket for the foreseeable future. It carries well, flips like a champ de-assisted, has a useful grind/very pointy tip, and the steel takes a great edge. Granted 420HC isn't a super steel, but you don't need it to be. Give each side 5 passes on a stone and it's back to slicing phone book paper.

So many of us have been whining for more affordable US-produced knives. Well, Kershaw has delivered.

 
grownstar said:
If you're more about function, then I'd say go for the Link. I love my ZTs and higher-end Kershaws, but the Link is just a no-frills worker. Honestly, I could probably get by with only the Link in my pocket for the foreseeable future. It carries well, flips like a champ de-assisted, has a useful grind/very pointy tip, and the steel takes a great edge. Granted 420HC isn't a super steel, but you don't need it to be. Give each side 5 passes on a stone and it's back to slicing phone book paper.

So many of us have been whining for more affordable US-produced knives. Well, Kershaw has delivered.

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I concur with everything John has said. I haven't carried mine much, but I purchased one simply because I wanted to show Kershaw my approval with my dollars for their efforts at bringing a good decently inexpensive American made knife to us. These sorts of actions are to be rewarded.
 
Quiet said:
I concur with everything John has said. I haven't carried mine much, but I purchased one simply because I wanted to show Kershaw my approval with my dollars for their efforts at bringing a good decently inexpensive American made knife to us. These sorts of actions are to be rewarded.
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Damn straight, brother! :thumbup:
 
Quiet said:
I concur with everything John has said. I haven't carried mine much, but I purchased one simply because I wanted to show Kershaw my approval with my dollars for their efforts at bringing a good decently inexpensive American made knife to us. These sorts of actions are to be rewarded.
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This is exactly why I also got a link!
 
I got an aluminum drop point Link because I like my ZT770CF so much and hoped it would be a great analogue for times I wanted to carry a less expensive knife.

And for the most part i got what i wanted.

While the general shape is the same, the Link is heavier with a thicker handle, isn't deep carry, requires sharpening frequently, doesn't deploy as smoothly, and did I mention requires frequent sharpening? Yes? Oh right. Nothing unexpected.

As far as "American made" goes, mine has it's issues. The secondary grind is very uneven but it did come sharp. Many screws were over torqued from factory and my star bit stripped them when trying to flip the clip and de-assist it. With the spring in it, the action was rough. I tried adjusting the pivot and eventually pulled out the spring, which improved one hand operation but it's still not as smooth as other manual flippers in the price range. Perhaps i got a bad one, but I haven't had these issues with kershaws manufactured over seas.
 
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