Kershaw Outcast Review

[TOB9595]

Thanks to Samo for the headsup on this GREAT KNIFE!!

I got this for ~ $60 shipped.
It's a GREAT field knife.
It's 22 ounces of D2 steel, rubber handle, kydex sheath, 10 inch blade.

I had loved my HI Khukuris for outdoor bushwacking and such. They are heavier than this...Gotta weigh em. My BAS was my fav till this Outcast came along.

I whisked thru light brush and weeds like it had a motor on it. THin blade and long cutting edge helped in this.
I was concerned about the rubber handle blistering my hand. Surprisingly, not even a hot spot.

I lopped a 1.5 inch limb that was way overhead. Must have been over eight feet cause I didn't get a good swipe with the blade. Had to reach way high and didn't come down as I would have liked.

took two swipes till it was cut thru.

Course this was at the other end of the limb and I was watching out for them...Got stung anyway

Repositioned the bees hive into the woods. They circled and circled till they found the hive again. Industious little beggers....
Well I used it a mite and the edge was still sharp

So I took to choppin through a large trunk.

 

[TOB9595]

After 50 or so hatchet like cuts I stopped. It's damn hot and humid out nowadays!!!!!
But I was satisfied that I could cut through most anything...if I really need to. A saw is what I would use on this anyway.....Chipped out a good deal of wood when I was done with choppin.

So How will it baton...It's thin so will it break? I didn't have any end grain to baton thru so I drove it into some trunk.
The limb you see to your right was the baton stick.

Very IMPRESSIVE WITH BATONING THIS!!!!

When I was done beating it like a madman and sweat was pourin off me I figured I'd sit a spell and draw pull the knife and see what it's do. I figured the edge would have rolled
NOT!!!!!!!!!

Course I'm using several different areas of the blade. Belly for chopping and batoning. The belly drew thru very nicely but it's a bugger to pull cut and keep on a plane to get thin stuff with a belly. It keeps wantin to veer off to the side.

 

[TOB9595]

This piece is thinner than it appears ...

This is the edge when I was done with all this. I didn't steel or strop or sharpen thru the whole ordeal..

All in all a fantastic knife at a GREAT price.
Of course it is for general heavy cutting
Tom

 

[knifetester]

Thanks for the information and great pictures.

I got this for ~ $60 shipped.

Yes, it is a very good value.

My BAS was my fav till this Outcast came along.

Wow, that is a strong statement. I used a BAS for a while, and found it to be a *much* more powerful chopper than the Outcast. Of course, it was not efficient at lighter tasks, especially for us folks without neanderthal wrist strength.

Can you give us an idea of how the HI BAS compares to the Outcast on the tests you performed, that would be most informative.

I whisked thru light brush and weeds like it had a motor on it. THin blade and long cutting edge helped in this.

Yes, I think the Outcast is well suited for this type of work. It sure does not feel 22OZ in the hand (I have not weighed mine to verify the specs), it is feels pretty neuteral in the hand and could be used for long periods of light work before my wrist would tire too much to continue.

I think its role is most similiar to bolo type knives, heavy short machetes, rather than the 1/4-5/16" thick 9-10" class knives, like the Ranger RD9 shown.

Like the Bolo, Golok, and RCM, the Outcast seems better suited for lighter work, whereas the mass of the thick knives, blade heavy balance, thicker stock makes them more suited to thick wood work. The extra thickness provides mass which increases energy, makes them stronger so you can really lay into them, and throw chips better and do not bind in thicker woods.

Binding is a very real issue with thinner baldes in thick woods. Even if you are getting good pentration, your overall work rate will be very low because it will not be fluid since you will ahve to unstick the knife at various points. I imagine the Outcast is most similiar to the RCM in this regards and better than the Tram or Martindale due to the full primary grind and thicker stock.
For example:

So I took to choppin through a large trunk.

I really wonder how your BSA, if well sharpened would compare? My intution, having used the same two knives, is that the HI Khuk will blow through that size wood like butter.

After 50 or so hatchet like cuts I stopped.

That must have been some iron hard wood!

So How will it baton...It's thin so will it break? I didn't have any end grain to baton thru so I drove it into some trunk.

Batoning across the grain like that is *much* harder than splitting wood with the grain. I split some kindling with the Outcast, it works fairly well.

draw pull the knife and see what it's do

Yes, I used mine for a draw knife as well, and saw simliar good perfromace. Recurves perfrom well here, since they are shearing through the wood while pulling through, since the edge is being presented at an angle to the material being cut. See JM's and Chad's posts on OSF several years ago regarding this.

This is the edge when I was done with all this. I didn't steel or strop or sharpen thru the whole ordeal.

Again, all I can wonder is how other knives, espcially the HI Khuk that this replaced as your favorite field knife would have faired? Based on my won use of HI Khuks and the numersous field reports, it would be not be phased by this work.

While I appreciate any knife reviews, if their is one thing that the Talmadge/Swaim/Stamp line of reviews shows is the importance of comparitve work, or at least performance compared to a baseline. It is hard for people like me to tell how well a knife performed unless it is in comparison to another knife.

Again, great information and thanks for taking the time to write it up!!
Are you going to be continuing the testing of the Outcast? If so, I look forward to it.

 

[TOB9595]

Good points. I think the BAS would have the chips fly with cutting down trees. Tho that is the least of what I usually do.
The batoning was to see if the blade would break or deform. It was wonderfully tough in this.
I plan to go to the same place I did some bushwhacking a couple years ago and try the Khuks and Outcast side by side.

My Khuk testing of Ganga Ram, BAS and WWII is here
I'm betting that the khuk will not do as well in thinner work like draw cutting.

I look for a knife for general camp chores and the Khuks excel at heavy work tho this is kinda minimal for me in the woods.

I'll also weigh the blades I test this weekend...

Thanks for the very good and informative reply, Knifetester
Tom

 

[knifetester]

Tom,
KOKO is a great looking Cocker Spaniel, sooo cute.

I plan to go to the same place I did some bushwhacking a couple years ago and try the Khuks and Outcast side by side.

I am looking forward to it.

I think the BAS would have the chips fly with cutting down trees.

Yep, that would be my guess too.

Tho that is the least of what I usually do.

And that is an essential point. While a big, heavy chopper might be great for someone taking down a lot of lumber (great for a knife, I would get a chain saw!), a lighter, whippier knife is better for the smaller stuff.

The batoning was to see if the blade would break or deform. It was wonderfully tough in this.

Yeah, if a knife can handle across the grain baton work in seasoned wood, splitting wood is not really an issue unless you encounter some serious knots.

Edited to add: Looking at the pics, I think I use a much heavier baton than you used, for me it is less tiring since I can let the weight of the cudgel do a lot of the work, I get the splitting done in less blows before my wrist or elbow start to give out.

The Outcast kinda reminds me of a lighter, shorter Kumar Kobra.

One thing is for sure, the Outcast would be a lot easier to carry than a big Khukuri.

I am not a huge Khuk fan becuase my wrists can not take the strain, but I really like the looks of the Ganga Ram. If I could use it I would get one.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

The batoning was to see if the blade would break or deform.

This isn't a concern except working around or through knots. I have seen some pieces that bad it takes over a hundred hits to split a small piece of wood, 3-5" thick, and these are heavy impacts with a two foot baton about 2-3" thick.

I'm betting that the khuk will not do as well in thinner work like draw cutting.

In terms of actual wood shaping ability they are ok, but there are problems with just general handling. The edge on my 22" AK can easily cut and carve woods, but it does strain the wrist heavily.

It looks like a nice design, does anyone know what they are changing the steel to, hopefully 1075 or similar.

-Cliff

 

[knifetester]

I don't think Kershaw uses any liquid quench steels, only air hardening.
I would bet something along the lines of AUS6 before 1075.

My guess, just pure guess, is that they want something that is stain resistant. Probably a big reason they chose D2 over a more impact resistant tool steel. But that is just pure speculation.

I really think that for Kershaw, an optimum steel would be A8. It is air hardening, China puts out a ton of it, it is very tough. Add a good HT and a thicker handle and this could be a great moderate use knife.

If they wanted to go pure stainless, I don't think AU6 is a bad choice, look at the Warner chopping blades for example. 420HC or 12C27 would be decent, for stainless, as well.

 

[neetones]

how you do you Outcast owners feel about the handle material? Is it as soft as Cold Steel's kraton? Blisters?

Nitin

 

[TOB9595]

Pics of the sheath.

Fits well in the sheath. Nice and tight. I wonder how long the knife keeper (lashdown for the handle) will stay together, feels a bit flimsy but with the materials used it may last longer than me

Weighs 22.8 ounces in sheath. Many configurations available with the eyeholes. TO move the TekLok or lash the sheath to leg or pack.

Belt keeper is efficient and BIG. The belt is a 1.5 inch Wilderness five stitch. There is no slide to take up slack of the belt size. dunno if this will be a concern in field use. I haven't spent much time in the woods with this on my belt.

The sheath has a split thumb ramp which I have come to enjoy from other kydex sheaths. It is an ease to draw.

The handle fills the hand when drawing and "unlocking" with the thumb.

Tom

 

[JTC]

Really nice review. Thanks for taking the eime to put up so many great pictures.


John

 

[MarkMM]

Great photos indeed and a superb review. I wish I had seen the pics and read the review before I got mine. I got to say the Outcast is a dandy little chopper IMO, and not a bad slicer. See pic below for my testimony to its slicing ability. Pic from 16May05, still healing.

 

[joe90]

Terrific Photo's!!!!

MUCH appreciated.

 

[Cutshaw]

Nice review and pics... I've thought about one of these due to the economical price.

Geez, MarkMM... that looks just plain wrong! Wow... kinda makes me hurt just thinking about it. Didja have much in the way of dexterity problems with those stitches pulling and such??

 

[MarkMM]

...Geez, MarkMM... that looks just plain wrong! Wow... kinda makes me hurt just thinking about it. Didja have much in the way of dexterity problems with those stitches pulling and such??

Stitches out in 7 days. Could not close hand for 3 weeks d/t swelling, bruising, and neuropathic pain. Severed ulnar sensory nerve rendering last 2 fingers largely insensate. Fortunate though, no bony or tendon involvement so I have good movement now. You're right--it was wrong.

 

[Larry S.]

To paraphrase "Slick Willy", "I feel your pain"!!!!

Seriously, I'd say you were quite fortunate.........but still....WRONG!:thumbdn:

 

[knifetester]

Mark,
Let me express my symathy for your injury. That looks and sounds like a painful experience. I truly hope you make a speedy and full recovery.

How did the injury occur? When you were drawing the knife?

 

[MarkMM]

Mark,
Let me express my symathy for your injury. That looks and sounds like a painful experience. I truly hope you make a speedy and full recovery.

How did the injury occur? When you were drawing the knife?

Thank you for your sympathies. Since you asked I will tell. I had been happily chopping with my new Outcast in the backyard that afternoon and it was late at night. I was tired and wiped the blade down and sheathed it up. It stuck in the sheath and I realized I has sheathed it wrongly with the blade down. I tried to ease it out but had to use undue force since it was stuck.

If you look at the fine pic above you will see the top of the sheath is flared for "easy release". Being upside down that flare on the spine side of the sheath was downward in my palm when the blade popped out of the flare and across my L palm. OwieZowie! I had soaked through 3 bath towels by the time the EMTs arrived 12-14 min later. I felt real stupid about it and am still reminded of the power of the blade. But as I said I was still fortunate.

 

[samhain73]

Ouch! Reading that gave me the willies! Glad that you are on the road to recovery.

 

[TOB9595]

Well, Mark....

It was a great review! You show that after an afternoon of hackin away it was still a fine slicer....

MOST of us use paper to demonstrate that, tho!

OUCH!!!!!!!
Tom