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Kershaw Boa pros and cons
- Thread starter Manwe
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2001
- Messages
- 1,218
Pros:
-High-quality materials (T6 alum, steel liners, CPM440V blade)
-Sweet recurve
-Speed-safe (woosh!)
-Flipper
-Manual Safety
-Nice ergos
Cons:
-440V blade is hard to sharpen
-recurve is hard to sharpen with certain systems
-speed-safe will eventually break (at which point you send it into Kershaw, they have excellent and speedy customer service, I had my blackout back to me in less than 2 weeks.)
-I've heard that flipper is murder on the inside of your pocket (also heard that a little sandpapering can greatly help this)
-Knife feels cold most of the time (not much of a con, but hey, you asked)
-Manual Safety does slow down presentation (again, not much of a con)
EDIT: Another pro is that it looks danged cool! And another con is that it's kinda expensive.
-High-quality materials (T6 alum, steel liners, CPM440V blade)
-Sweet recurve
-Speed-safe (woosh!)
-Flipper
-Manual Safety
-Nice ergos
Cons:
-440V blade is hard to sharpen
-recurve is hard to sharpen with certain systems
-speed-safe will eventually break (at which point you send it into Kershaw, they have excellent and speedy customer service, I had my blackout back to me in less than 2 weeks.)
-I've heard that flipper is murder on the inside of your pocket (also heard that a little sandpapering can greatly help this)
-Knife feels cold most of the time (not much of a con, but hey, you asked)
-Manual Safety does slow down presentation (again, not much of a con)
EDIT: Another pro is that it looks danged cool! And another con is that it's kinda expensive.
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2002
- Messages
- 2,413
The biggest pro would have to be it's design. I really like that recurve and the locking speedsafe is a nice feature too.
The biggest con, as mentioned above, would be the difficulty in re-sharpening this thing. It's a tough steel and with that blade shape I'm sure it's given many a person a headache.
It's a Kershaw so you know it's a quality piece.
The biggest con, as mentioned above, would be the difficulty in re-sharpening this thing. It's a tough steel and with that blade shape I'm sure it's given many a person a headache.
It's a Kershaw so you know it's a quality piece.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2002
- Messages
- 3,834
I think YoungCutter hit pretty much all of them on the head. With that said, I think that the pros far outweigh the cons. I love my Boa and have carried it for most of the past year and a half. I will add, though, another con is that the only handle the satin finish comes with is that multi-colored handle. That's why it's the only black bladed knife that I own. Great knife.
-ZENGHOST
ps...a Sharpmaker is a must for sharpening the recurve and don't make the mistake I made of letting the edge get dull--I had to buy the diamond rods to whip that bugger back into shape.
-ZENGHOST
ps...a Sharpmaker is a must for sharpening the recurve and don't make the mistake I made of letting the edge get dull--I had to buy the diamond rods to whip that bugger back into shape.
The Tourist
Banned
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2001
- Messages
- 2,796
My wife owns one.
-She likes the pretty handle.
-She cannot destroy it.
-She is left handed and the spine toggle works great.
-It locks and she likes the security.
-It's sharp, her husband sharpens, and she doesn't care if that's difficult to do with 440V.
-She's a teacher, and it's too big for the classroom.
-She clips it to her left fron pocket and it's a bit clumsy.
-She still thinks it's a 'switch-blade.'
-She likes the pretty handle.
-She cannot destroy it.
-She is left handed and the spine toggle works great.
-It locks and she likes the security.
-It's sharp, her husband sharpens, and she doesn't care if that's difficult to do with 440V.
-She's a teacher, and it's too big for the classroom.
-She clips it to her left fron pocket and it's a bit clumsy.
-She still thinks it's a 'switch-blade.'
- Joined
- Dec 16, 1999
- Messages
- 383
Pros:
Design and construction -- cool blade shape, excellent steel, nice feeling handle, has that certain solid feel that well made tools exhibit.
Cons:
Speed-Safe. It's fun on my Chive, but the Boa I handled in a local shop was very weak and limp. 2/3 times it didn't even lock up. It's nowhere near as satifying as a true auto or the snappy little Chive. It's a gimmick anyway and only a matter of time 'til it breaks IMHAO.
The black-handled version is only available with the blade covered in Icky Black Stuff(tm), while the gorgeous true satin bladed model is ruined by that gawdawful multicolored handle design. Even this would not in and of itself be all bad but for the fact that the colors they chose look like utter crap together.
Personally, I like my Commander better on all fronts as a recurved folding monster!
PM
Design and construction -- cool blade shape, excellent steel, nice feeling handle, has that certain solid feel that well made tools exhibit.
Cons:
Speed-Safe. It's fun on my Chive, but the Boa I handled in a local shop was very weak and limp. 2/3 times it didn't even lock up. It's nowhere near as satifying as a true auto or the snappy little Chive. It's a gimmick anyway and only a matter of time 'til it breaks IMHAO.
The black-handled version is only available with the blade covered in Icky Black Stuff(tm), while the gorgeous true satin bladed model is ruined by that gawdawful multicolored handle design. Even this would not in and of itself be all bad but for the fact that the colors they chose look like utter crap together.
Personally, I like my Commander better on all fronts as a recurved folding monster!
PM
Thanks alot for all info but this post raised another question. When I saw this I remembered looking at the Mini Commander a few months back so I went to the Emerson site to check it out, I loved it! Just a few moments ago I was on the verge of ordering a Boa but now I can not decide.
So now I must modify this thread to Kershaw Boa vs. Emerson Mini Commander.
since I can not decide I need all facts and opinions possible
to choose The Better Blade
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2002
- Messages
- 2,413
Ok so now that it's between the mini C and the Boa I would have to say go for the mini C.
It fits better in the pocket 'cos it's not quite as wide as the Boa. Personally I don't particularly like the Speedsafe mechanism either. As others have stated I think it works better on the Chive. The 'snap' on the bigger speedsafes isn't quite as satisfying.
All you need to do is try the 'wave' once and I'm sure you'll be hooked. I also prefer the G10 on the mini C as opposed to the aluminum on the Boa. It's lighter and probably more durable. I think it would serve you better over time.
Try them both out before you make your decision though. You may end up liking the Boa more...in large part it comes down to your own personal preference.
It fits better in the pocket 'cos it's not quite as wide as the Boa. Personally I don't particularly like the Speedsafe mechanism either. As others have stated I think it works better on the Chive. The 'snap' on the bigger speedsafes isn't quite as satisfying.
All you need to do is try the 'wave' once and I'm sure you'll be hooked. I also prefer the G10 on the mini C as opposed to the aluminum on the Boa. It's lighter and probably more durable. I think it would serve you better over time.
Try them both out before you make your decision though. You may end up liking the Boa more...in large part it comes down to your own personal preference.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2001
- Messages
- 1,639
I have both. The Boa is about a zillion times better / nicer.
I carry the Boa almost daily. The Mini-commander sits in my display case.
I carry the Boa almost daily. The Mini-commander sits in my display case.
calyth
#!/bin/sh of a man
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2002
- Messages
- 3,574
It breaks.
I've seen broken speed safe scallions that don't engage the lock, and I've seen a speed safe that completely does not move the blade at all. The beauty is that it reverts to a manual folder, so if you hated it, you might as well just not get it repaired
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2002
- Messages
- 3,834
Can't remember if there i a specific reference to sharpening recurves, but it will tell you how to align the rods to use the corners. With a regular blade, you are using first the corners of the medium rods, then the flats, and then the corners of the fine rods and finishing on the flats. For a recurve, you just leave out the steps with the flats.
stjames
Sebenzanista
- Joined
- Oct 26, 1998
- Messages
- 6,465
Originally posted by calyth
It breaks.
I've seen broken speed safe scallions that don't engage the lock, and I've seen a speed safe that completely does not move the blade at all. The beauty is that it reverts to a manual folder, so if you hated it, you might as well just not get it repaired
Ah, a reliability issue. I hope that is something Kershaw is addressing, I hadn't heard there was a problem in this area.