Introduction
As some of you will remember, I've won a giveaway contest some time ago and thanks to ThowasW, I could choose any kershaw I wanted.
Kershaw has some of the best user/tactical knives around, but I chose not to take that type of knife, because I don't like using really good knives for outdoor and heavy tasks, because I want to be able to lend them out to other people without worry's, and not be afraid to damage them or loose them.
I'm also not really a collector, as I never buy something I don't intend to use. So I chose a knife that I can carry around every day around cheeple in the city, and use for various knifetasks. And when I saw the Nakamura, I was instantly addicted to it.
Long story short(I won't bore you with further details), the Nakamura arrived a month ago, but because my college exams started two days later, I didn't have the time to write a review, only to post some quick pictures.
Today I've finished my last exam, so here I am
.
First Impressions:
I liked the looks of the pictures I found on the net, but the real knive is even more handsome. Especially outside, the mukume bolsters give a very nice reflection, with variations in color depending on the sunlight. Really inspiring. The dimensions are perfect and the knife fits my hand nicely.
The Quince wood gives the Nakamura a warm, comfortable feeling in the hand. I haven't experienced that so much with other wooden handles. Fit and finish is very good, and the whole knife shines. The only minor thing I could find is that the wood doesn't fit the bolsters perfectly as the S-shape is slightly different, but it doesn't bother me as it is hard to see. The wood still looks very good. I don't have to describe the nice patterns in the wood, as you can see them in my pictures.
I find the knife also very easy to open one handed with the tumbstuds, and the action is smooth. The washers are phosphorbronze I think(they are dark in color). There is no bladeplay in any direction, and the lock feels very solid. Certainly for a gentleman's knife. I've tested it with a gentle "spine wack", and with the famous STR-method, and it kept locking like a vault. The liners are 1,5mm thick and the detent is very good. This knife certainly can't be considered a gravity knife and won't open in your pockets.
As I'm more used to framelocks, I closed the knife in a wrong way in the beginning and sometimes the skin of my thumb got a little squeezed between the liner and the scales when I closed the knife. I don't know if it is a common thing with liner locks, but I easily adjusted my closing method and haven't got problems with it anymore. So it was my fault and not the knife to blame.
A thing I read about on forehand was that the thumbstuds where a bit 'sharp' according to some. At first I found this too, and felt the thumbstuds pushing in my hip when carrying clipped to narrow pockets, but I think that's only when you pay attention to it. After carrying it a short time, I don't feel it anymore. Certainly not when I carry it in a sheath.
Blade Shape and grind:
I really like the bladeshape and grind. The point is very sharp and strong at the same time, and the knife has enough belly to spread something on your bread with. The blade spine is 4mm thick and flat grind with a small recurve. It came very sharp, but not hair whittling sharp. I love the clad VG-10. I don't always have the time to clean of a knife immediately after use, so I like the rust resistance of the 420J2. I didn't need to sharpen the VG-10 yet, as it holds it edge perfectly until now.
I especially bought me a sharpmaker to be able to maintain it as it should. But I discovered that the edge angle is 47 degrees now. So I will need to change the angle to 40 degrees before I will be able to sharpen the nakamura with it. I can't use my diamond stones because of the recurve, so I think the best way to do that is put sand paper around the sharpmaker rods so the angle will be kept perfectly. I haven't done this yet as I'm a bit afraid of ruining the point or other things a bit. And maybe the knife warms up too hard with sandpaper and can ruin the heat treat? So if you have any advise, I would welcome it.
As said, the point is the best I've seen on any knife. You can use it to slice very controlled and easily through various materials. I've already used it a lot for fine cutting of pieces of paper. It also pierces very easily for making holes without much resistance. I think it's also a very good SD knife, but that's not of great importance to me, as I carry knives for other reasons.
General feelings:
The looks of this knife are so appealing that everybody that has seen it has only been impressed of its beauty as of now. So the main goal is achieved for me: I can carry it around everywhere on a daily base without worrying for the reactions when I take it out of my pocket to cut something. Nobody with a normal mind will call it a weapon. I wont take it with me for things like scouting, because I don't want to risk losing or damaging it. But as SPXTrader pointed out correctly, it would be a shame to get it scratched up inside my pockets.
So I made an amateuristic sheath for it. And I've also got some pants with a hidden extra pocket inside the pocket, where I can put it in safely without the sheath.
When using the knife for a longer time, I find the design of the clip not optimal. The point of it 'stabs' a bit in your hand when holding it firmly. It's not a real problem, but I like the ergonomics better without it. But the clip is very strong, and certainly won't break when it catches on something.
I've summed up some some minor issues with the knife, but don't be mistaken, I really love this knife. I have never seen a perfect knife, and like to see the negative sides in a review myself, so I haven't hidden them.
And for some reason I find it difficult to describe all the good things about it, as there are too many It will certainly remain my daily edc for a long time.
I want to thank Thomas again for this great knife, and as soon as I've got a bigger budget to spent(I'm a student now), more Kershaws will follow for sure.
And now, pictures:
(Sorry, I still haven't had the chance to make better pictures than I did the last time, so I will repost them again):
I've also made a picture to compare the size of it:
Click for larger version.
And now it is time for me to go celebrate the end of my exams.
But if you've got any questions about the Nakamura, I will of course be glad to answer them as soon as I can!
As some of you will remember, I've won a giveaway contest some time ago and thanks to ThowasW, I could choose any kershaw I wanted.
Kershaw has some of the best user/tactical knives around, but I chose not to take that type of knife, because I don't like using really good knives for outdoor and heavy tasks, because I want to be able to lend them out to other people without worry's, and not be afraid to damage them or loose them.
I'm also not really a collector, as I never buy something I don't intend to use. So I chose a knife that I can carry around every day around cheeple in the city, and use for various knifetasks. And when I saw the Nakamura, I was instantly addicted to it.
Long story short(I won't bore you with further details), the Nakamura arrived a month ago, but because my college exams started two days later, I didn't have the time to write a review, only to post some quick pictures.
Today I've finished my last exam, so here I am
.First Impressions:
I liked the looks of the pictures I found on the net, but the real knive is even more handsome. Especially outside, the mukume bolsters give a very nice reflection, with variations in color depending on the sunlight. Really inspiring. The dimensions are perfect and the knife fits my hand nicely.
The Quince wood gives the Nakamura a warm, comfortable feeling in the hand. I haven't experienced that so much with other wooden handles. Fit and finish is very good, and the whole knife shines. The only minor thing I could find is that the wood doesn't fit the bolsters perfectly as the S-shape is slightly different, but it doesn't bother me as it is hard to see. The wood still looks very good. I don't have to describe the nice patterns in the wood, as you can see them in my pictures.
I find the knife also very easy to open one handed with the tumbstuds, and the action is smooth. The washers are phosphorbronze I think(they are dark in color). There is no bladeplay in any direction, and the lock feels very solid. Certainly for a gentleman's knife. I've tested it with a gentle "spine wack", and with the famous STR-method, and it kept locking like a vault. The liners are 1,5mm thick and the detent is very good. This knife certainly can't be considered a gravity knife and won't open in your pockets.
As I'm more used to framelocks, I closed the knife in a wrong way in the beginning and sometimes the skin of my thumb got a little squeezed between the liner and the scales when I closed the knife. I don't know if it is a common thing with liner locks, but I easily adjusted my closing method and haven't got problems with it anymore. So it was my fault and not the knife to blame.
A thing I read about on forehand was that the thumbstuds where a bit 'sharp' according to some. At first I found this too, and felt the thumbstuds pushing in my hip when carrying clipped to narrow pockets, but I think that's only when you pay attention to it. After carrying it a short time, I don't feel it anymore. Certainly not when I carry it in a sheath.
Blade Shape and grind:
I really like the bladeshape and grind. The point is very sharp and strong at the same time, and the knife has enough belly to spread something on your bread with. The blade spine is 4mm thick and flat grind with a small recurve. It came very sharp, but not hair whittling sharp. I love the clad VG-10. I don't always have the time to clean of a knife immediately after use, so I like the rust resistance of the 420J2. I didn't need to sharpen the VG-10 yet, as it holds it edge perfectly until now.
I especially bought me a sharpmaker to be able to maintain it as it should. But I discovered that the edge angle is 47 degrees now. So I will need to change the angle to 40 degrees before I will be able to sharpen the nakamura with it. I can't use my diamond stones because of the recurve, so I think the best way to do that is put sand paper around the sharpmaker rods so the angle will be kept perfectly. I haven't done this yet as I'm a bit afraid of ruining the point or other things a bit. And maybe the knife warms up too hard with sandpaper and can ruin the heat treat? So if you have any advise, I would welcome it.
As said, the point is the best I've seen on any knife. You can use it to slice very controlled and easily through various materials. I've already used it a lot for fine cutting of pieces of paper. It also pierces very easily for making holes without much resistance. I think it's also a very good SD knife, but that's not of great importance to me, as I carry knives for other reasons.
General feelings:
The looks of this knife are so appealing that everybody that has seen it has only been impressed of its beauty as of now. So the main goal is achieved for me: I can carry it around everywhere on a daily base without worrying for the reactions when I take it out of my pocket to cut something. Nobody with a normal mind will call it a weapon. I wont take it with me for things like scouting, because I don't want to risk losing or damaging it. But as SPXTrader pointed out correctly, it would be a shame to get it scratched up inside my pockets.
So I made an amateuristic sheath for it. And I've also got some pants with a hidden extra pocket inside the pocket, where I can put it in safely without the sheath.
When using the knife for a longer time, I find the design of the clip not optimal. The point of it 'stabs' a bit in your hand when holding it firmly. It's not a real problem, but I like the ergonomics better without it. But the clip is very strong, and certainly won't break when it catches on something.
I've summed up some some minor issues with the knife, but don't be mistaken, I really love this knife. I have never seen a perfect knife, and like to see the negative sides in a review myself, so I haven't hidden them.
And for some reason I find it difficult to describe all the good things about it, as there are too many
It will certainly remain my daily edc for a long time.I want to thank Thomas again for this great knife, and as soon as I've got a bigger budget to spent(I'm a student now), more Kershaws will follow for sure.
And now, pictures:
(Sorry, I still haven't had the chance to make better pictures than I did the last time, so I will repost them again):
I've also made a picture to compare the size of it:
Click for larger version.
And now it is time for me to go celebrate the end of my exams.
But if you've got any questions about the Nakamura, I will of course be glad to answer them as soon as I can!
