Kershaw and Cold Steel hype?

I'm completely biased and a total Kershaw fan. Now that is out of the way, I'll tell you my experience.

I own around 100 Kershaws. I also have probably 50 other various knives. I've only had rust on 1 of my knives ever because I take care of them. I had about 5 small tack head sized spots on a Kershaw Storm II with bead blast finish. It sat on a night stand unused for several months where I regularly have glasses of water and it probably had standing water on it for weeks. I live in Oregon though and for 10 months out of the year we don't have weather, we just have rain so it may have been the humidity. I left some Brasso on it (same as Flitz according to the MSDS but available with stainless sink cleaning stuff, easier to find) and then wiped it with a paper towel. It took all the patina out but at certain angles you can just barely make out that there are spots that are slightly larger than the grain from the bead blast.

I'd read all of the complaints about the Kershaw bead blast. As an experiment I've left this knife and others sitting out in that same spot under the same conditions to see if it would develop any spots again. It has not in the 5 months I've been watching it. For bead blast I've had a Leek, a Bradley Kimura and a Nerve with their Chinese steel. I also have a CRKT M16-16T, a 0300 s30v with coated blade, and an 13C26 coated Blur that I'm watching the edge and serrations on for rust. No rusting on any of these anywhere so far. Making my whole test rather boring actually... This is certainly not a scientific sample size but I'm convinced that you have to really neglect a knife under pretty harsh conditions in order to have an issue with it. If you abuse and neglect your tools they are going to fail regardless of their design.
 
oregonknifenerd said:
I'm completely biased and a total Kershaw fan. Now that is out of the way, I'll tell you my experience.

I own around 100 Kershaws. I also have probably 50 other various knives. I've only had rust on 1 of my knives ever because I take care of them. I had about 5 small tack head sized spots on a Kershaw Storm II with bead blast finish. It sat on a night stand unused for several months where I regularly have glasses of water and it probably had standing water on it for weeks. I live in Oregon though and for 10 months out of the year we don't have weather, we just have rain so it may have been the humidity. I left some Brasso on it (same as Flitz according to the MSDS but available with stainless sink cleaning stuff, easier to find) and then wiped it with a paper towel. It took all the patina out but at certain angles you can just barely make out that there are spots that are slightly larger than the grain from the bead blast.

I'd read all of the complaints about the Kershaw bead blast. As an experiment I've left this knife and others sitting out in that same spot under the same conditions to see if it would develop any spots again. It has not in the 5 months I've been watching it. For bead blast I've had a Leek, a Bradley Kimura and a Nerve with their Chinese steel. I also have a CRKT M16-16T, a 0300 s30v with coated blade, and an 13C26 coated Blur that I'm watching the edge and serrations on for rust. No rusting on any of these anywhere so far. Making my whole test rather boring actually... This is certainly not a scientific sample size but I'm convinced that you have to really neglect a knife under pretty harsh conditions in order to have an issue with it. If you abuse and neglect your tools they are going to fail regardless of their design.
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Wow, that's some collection. Thanks so much for your input. I'm really, at this point, regretting trading of that Rake. I do love my ZT, though. Like I said, I got it off Knife Center, so who knows what condition it was stored in. I might have come with the spots and it just took me a day to notice. They were BARELY noticeable. I don't abuse my knives at all. I have in the past when I was still active duty and had the money to replace them, but now I don't. Thanks again for your input. I do believe one day I will be getting a Kershaw again.
 
MikeC said:
Say what, Cold Steel use AUS8A steel and while not the best at edge retention it is very tough. In fact the reason its edge retention is what it is, is due to the toughness, as toughness usually stems from a material being somewhat soft (i.e. so it will bend but not break if you will). I think you better check into AUS8A specs before you say its not tough. Also if you will notice how thin the edge is on the American Lawman which is held out there by Cold Steel to be hard use as is most of their line. Yet you don't here much on here about the blades chipping out or other breakage issues. You may here about some edge rolling but that is what typically happens with a softer tougher material (i.e. bend don't break). Just saying.

If I'm wrong someone please correct me.
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I didn't mean to imply that AUS8 is a weak steal. It isn't, and Cold Steel knows how to heat treat it to maximize its properties. I was simply saying that it isn't the best steel out there, so if it repeatedly comes into contact with metal or other really hard objects, it's going to sustain serious damage. It's by no means a bad steel, just not the best.
 
Out of the 17 Kershaw knives I have, I've never had any rust. But they all have coated blades and I live in a very dry climate. All of them have performed fine with the only thing replaced being a torsion bar.
 
I have 16 or so Kershaw knives and I have never had a single spot of rust on any of them, despite my living close to a river. I treat my Kershaws the same as my other knives, which includes a wipe-down with a Tuf Cloth and lube with a small amount of Tuf Glide. I can't speak to Kershaw's warranty service as I have never had to use it, which seems to me like the best recommendation of a manufacturer.
 
Yeah, my beadblasted Kershaws rust fast without treating them with something. I ended up getting a vibrating tumbler and putting them in with Blue Magic and walnut shells for a few days, and that improves the finish enough to fix the problem. I really wish Kershaw would stop doing it, but it sounds like they have no plans to.
 
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