Kershaw Quality

[Johnny11758]

Furthermore, you see companies like Benchmade and Spyderco going to other countries to produce their low ends (Byrd and red box benchmade), which is fine, I suppose, but Kershaw is doing it here in America with fantastic quality (even if their steel grades might be lower than their competitors).

According to A.G. Russell's site, some of Kershaw's models are of Japanese origin--for example, the Double Duty, Double Cross, Splinter, Wild Turkey, Indian Ford, Squaw Creek, Sapphire, and Kaper--and Kershaw's Military Boot Knife comes by way of China. They are all of topflight quality, in my opinion.

 

[knightzerox23]

I can only comment on their kitchen knives and the 1600 onion knife. All the knives I have from them have been very good quality. Only the onion knife was not as sharp as I would like it but that doesn't matter since I will have to sharpen it again soon anyways.

For the price/value I think thier very fair. I usually recommend their kitchen knives as and excellent quality knife to use because of their construction and sharpness out of the box.

their service is also great. I recently broke the safety off my onion and sent them a quick e-mail. Next day I had someone respond and ask if I wanted to send it in to get it fixed or have them send the parts. I had them send the parts and in a few days I had my replacements, all free to me. =]

 

[Lil Timmy]

Furthermore, you see companies like Benchmade and Spyderco going to other countries to produce their low ends (Byrd and red box benchmade), which is fine, I suppose, but Kershaw is doing it here in America with fantastic quality (even if their steel grades might be lower than their competitors).

Kershaw is a subsidiary of a Japanese knife company, and most of their knives are made overseas.

 

[Alpha Knife Supply]

they offer virtually no variation in blade styles

There are some interesting opinions in this thread.

Blade Shapes:
Blackout = Drop Point
Blur = Multiple Shapes
Boa = Recurve Bolo
Bump = Onion Recurve
Chive = Spear Point
Leek = Spear Point
Mini Task = Warncliff
Offset = Onion Recurve
Random Task = Reverse Tanto
Ricochet = Drop Point
Scallion = Spear Point
Storm = Upswept
Vapor = Drop Point
Whirlwind = Clip Point
Whisper = Onion Recurve
Are you sure the Onion Kerhaw blade shapes look the same?

Next you compare the Spyderco Kopa and the Nakamura. In my opinion both knives are nice but they are not in the same class.

they have all this lame stuff on the bolsters.....
gimmick gimmick gimmick, right down to the clip.

The lame stuff is called mokume. It is similar to damascus. It is hard to make and significantly upgrades a knife. Is damascus a gimmick? What is your ultimate pocket clip? The blade is made with san-mai blade of VG-10 stainless-steel center core with 420J2 on the outside. The blade is very expensive to make. The woods are cocobolo and an asian burl that is getting harder to find and more expensive. It is usually about 4-5 times more expensive than cocobolo. Like I said earlier, these knives were never meant to be compared.

Have you ever used an Onion Kershaw? When Ken first showed me the Bump I thought the blade would not work that well. Ken said the blade worked well so I tried it. It is a cutting machine! It is easy to do light delicate cuts or slash through cardboard.

Before posting opinions about a knives I encourage people to buy them, test them and then post opinions based on their use.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

I have recently recieved this Black and Gold Leek, made in the USA, and it is doing well even without a superior steel. I like the ease of opening and the lockup is excellent. The blade is very thin and well suited to slicing lots of stuff at work. I have to give it a thumbs up :thumbup:

Edit: I dont think the leek can be called a spear point, it is a Warncliff with a slight belly.

 

[Alpha Knife Supply]

Kershaw is a subsidiary of a Japanese knife company, and almost all of their knives are made overseas.

Kershaw is part of Kai industries which is a Japanese company.

Kershaw has a huge factory outside of Portland Oregon. I've toured the factory. They make lots of knives there.

 

[Artfully Martial]

I've never seen or used a Kershaw made outside of the USA. I will concede, however, that I was apparently wrong about all of their budget line was made in the US. I will still persist in my belief that a greater percentage of Kershaw's low end knives (100% in my experience) are made in America relative to Benchmade or Spyderco.

And, come on, I send a shot out there like my comment about Kershaw and Spyderco actions--can't someone disagree with me here? I'm the guy in a parallel universe who, though he loves Spyderco, only seems to use Spyderco knives with mediocre actions.

I'm so impressed with the Storm that I consider it comparable to one of my all time favorites, the CRKT M16. And it cost about 25% less. Of course, I think the M16 is worth it, but if I had fewer dollars, I would definitely consider a lot of Onion's lineup.

I hope that one day, if I'm making a product, the most scathing complaint people will be able to give me is that my products are too similar.

 

[RedEdge77]

kershaw knives are good for the money.

 

[Lil Timmy]

I've never seen or used a Kershaw made outside of the USA. I will concede, however, that I was apparently wrong about all of their budget line was made in the US. I will still persist in my belief that a greater percentage of Kershaw's low end knives (100% in my experience) are made in America relative to Benchmade or Spyderco.

You haven't seen many Kershaws then.

 

[jemelby]

Kershaw is a subsidiary of a Japanese knife company, and most of their knives are made overseas.

Yes, Kershaw is a subsidiary of Kia Corp, but most of their knives are made in the USA. One notable exception is the quince splinter, which is made in China. I am quite certain that their entire Speed Safe line is manufactured in the USA, and with the exception of the quince handled splinter, all KO designs are made in the USA.

 

[Artfully Martial]

A few, out of the vast many--versus 100% of the budget line from Spyderco or Benchmade.
I've looked at and held probably every Ken Onion folder minus the Seagal, Whisper, Bump and Nak.
This is the best you guys have against Kershaw? CRKT, Benchmade and Spyderco must be removed from the debate based on this premise, as they suffer the same "flaw."

 

[Blackhearted]

Blade Shapes:
Blackout = Drop Point
Blur = Multiple Shapes
Boa = Recurve Bolo
Bump = Onion Recurve
Chive = Spear Point
Leek = Spear Point
Mini Task = Warncliff
Offset = Onion Recurve
Random Task = Reverse Tanto
Ricochet = Drop Point
Scallion = Spear Point
Storm = Upswept
Vapor = Drop Point
Whirlwind = Clip Point
Whisper = Onion Recurve
Are you sure the Onion Kerhaw blade shapes look the same?

yeah, they do. putting 1/16" of a belly on a warncliff or sheepsfoot blade doesnt make it a spear point, or a drop point, etc. essentially nearly all kershaw blade shapes look very similar, save a few exceptions like the boa. want to see a variety in blade shapes? check out spyderco, SOG or CRKT. most kershaws look the same to me... in fact there is little differentiation in their entire product line - i can pick out other knife companies knives from a lineup based on their design but if you showed me a dozen kershaws id be stumped.
and im not trying to convince you - the question the OP asked was why kershaw gets so little attention and i am answering with an opinion of why i am not buying them. everyone is entitled to think what they wish and buy whatever they like - me, i dont like the onion style blades and i will pass until they have more variety. im sure they wont go out of business just because i dont buy their knives - but i am not the only person who has said something along these lines: so perhaps they should consider that by mainly marketing one style of knife they are shutting out a lot of potential customers. other knife companies have a variety - so while there are some spydercos, CRKTs, SOGs, Benchmades, etc that i loathe there are many others that i absolutely love. variety is the key.
that said, i have absolutely no biases against any knife manufacturer (well, except perhaps gerber - i cant abide them ripping off other knifemaker's designs). if a knife looks good, is well-made of decent materials and is priced fairly it is definitely getting my interest, no matter what company makes it or what country they make it in.

The lame stuff is called mokume. It is similar to damascus. It is hard to make and significantly upgrades a knife. Is damascus a gimmick?

honestly? yeah, sometimes. these days damascus can be a huge gimmick. well made damascus is a beauty to behold... unfortunately a large portion of it isnt well made, but is simply featured in a knife to jack up the price. just because a knife is made of damascus doesnt make it a good knife, nor does it make it a particularly well designed one. exotic materials alone do not make a good knife.

The blade is made with san-mai blade of VG-10 stainless-steel center core with 420J2 on the outside. The blade is very expensive to make.

the key point there being very expensive to make. when i see evidence that there is a significant performance benefit to counterbalance the waste of time and vast extra cost involved then perhaps ill become a believer too, but until then for my purposes i would rather just have the blade out of plain VG-10, save a bunch of money, and be done with it. san-mai is near obsolete in this day and age when super-steels are readily available for the entire blade. yes, most of the time its a gimmick.

and honestly, the bolsters could be made out of 24 carat gold for all i care - i just dont like the knife, period. i think it looks tacky, while there are many other knives available in its price range of comparable materials that have class. and keep in mind that i wasnt a spyderco fan until just a couple of weeks ago.

cheers,
-gabriel

**edited for grammar

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

the key point there being very expensive to make. when i see evidence that there is a significant performance benefit to counterbalance the waste of time and vast extra cost involved then perhaps ill become a believer too, but until then for my purposes i would rather just have the blade out of plain VG-10, save a bunch of money, and be done with it. san-mai is near obsolete in this day and age when super-steels are readily available for the entire blade. yes, most of the time its a gimmick.

cheers,
-gabriel

It is appearant that you dont know what the hell you are talking about.
Laminated steels obsolete? I think not. Have you ever heard of Fällkniven?
Laminated steel will never be obselete.
I had just written a bunch of stuff about the virtues of laminated steel, but I edited it out- Seek the knowledge if you wish, or remain ignorant.

 

[Lil Timmy]

A few, out of the vast many--versus 100% of the budget line from Spyderco or Benchmade.
I've looked at and held probably every Ken Onion folder minus the Seagal, Whisper, Bump and Nak.
This is the best you guys have against Kershaw? CRKT, Benchmade and Spyderco must be removed from the debate based on this premise, as they suffer the same "flaw."

The best we have against Kershaw? Dude what are you talking about?

 

[florijn]

I have a Blackout... I like the assisted opening but it's almost impossible to open left-handed, and the steel doesn't hold an edge very well compared to 154CM or S30V which are the standards I like anymore.

Might try a Bump sometime though- how are they for left-hand opening?

The left hand opening works well,
I have both green and bleu Bump, so I have tried.
However you don't use the thumbstut for opening but the
indexfinger guard as a flipper.
This works well and super fast.
The steel of the Bump is made from CPM S30V,
so will hold very well. :thumbup:

 

[Alpha Knife Supply]

Gabriel, relax. I wasn't trying to be confrontational. My intent was pass on some of my knowledge about Kershaw to you and other people. I felt some of the comments you wrote necessitated a response.

essentially nearly all kershaw blade shapes look very similar, save a few exceptions like the boa.

Some of the blade shapes are similar as a result of geneolgy. The Chive was released and was a big hit. The Scallion is an up sized Chive. The Leek was a result of stretching the Chive.

There are other different blade shapes. If you want I'll photograph some of my Kershaws to show the differences. The new Offset is a totally different blade shape. I don't know what to call it. Part of it is convex ground and part is hollow ground. It has a good belly for slicing and is recurve for heavy cutting. There is no other blade like it on the market. The only way the blade could be made was to use Metal Injection Molding (MIM).

i have absolutely no biases against any knife manufacturer (well, except perhaps gerber - i cant abide them ripping off other knifemaker's designs).

I agree with you about Gerber. It is a shame a good company went down the drain because of an ownership change.

these days damascus can be a huge gimmick. well made damascus is a beauty to behold... unfortunately a large portion of it isnt well made, but is simply featured in a knife to jack up the price.

Please provide some examples of gimmicky damascus.

Several years ago I did not like damascus. Then I started going I to hammer-ins and to knifemakers shops. The more I learned about damascus and mokume, the more fascinated I became. There are some great knifemakers in Canada. If you get the chance to visit their shop or go to a hammer-in I highly recommend it.

the key point there being very expensive to make. when i see evidence that there is a significant performance benefit to counterbalance the waste of time and vast extra cost involved then perhaps ill become a believer too, but until then for my purposes i would rather just have the blade out of plain VG-10, save a bunch of money, and be done with it. san-mai is near obsolete in this day and age when super-steels are readily available for the entire blade. yes, most of the time its a gimmick.

The key here is aesthetics. I'm sure that you as a 3D Developer understand aesthetics in your line of work. The amount of money spent does influence the outcome. There is a performance benefit to the sam-mai blade. A sam-mai blade like the Nakamura would not break as quickly as a solid VG-10 blade. Will the knife ever be subjected to this type of treatment? I seriously doubt it. The Nakamura is like a nice Waterford or Montblanc pen. Everyone can get by with a .69 cent Bic pen. However, some people like something nicer without stepping up to a custom made pen. Some people think these pens are a waste of money or tacky. Other people enjoy and collect them.

 

[Blackhearted]

Gabriel, relax. I wasn't trying to be confrontational. My intent was pass on some of my knowledge about Kershaw to you and other people.

my apologies.

Several years ago I did not like damascus. Then I started going I to hammer-ins and to knifemakers shops. The more I learned about damascus and mokume, the more fascinated I became. There are some great knifemakers in Canada. If you get the chance to visit their shop or go to a hammer-in I highly recommend it.

i love damascus. however, i dont see a blade being made from damascus as ultimate proof of its quality, especially in this day and age where anyone with money for a blade blank or a 4 hour course on intermediate blacksmithing can make it. now before some people start freaking out: i am not downplaying how much skill and effort it takes to make a good damascus blade. however, i am saying that just because a blade is made from damascus steel these days has pretty much nothing to do with its quality. in fact, damascus is what many newbie knifemakers jump upon the first chance they get simply because of its desirability. i was merely trying to make you understand that just because something is made of exotic materials doesnt mean that it is a) high quality or b) well designed. design, materials, and quality are all different elements. therefore i am not impressed by materials alone, and i have very limited experience with kershaws quality because i absolutely cant get past their design aspect to buy them.
but before someone makes me out to be anti-kershaw or anything, they need to understand that to me it really doesnt matter what company makes them. when i buy a knife first i decide wether the design appeals to me aesthetically and fulfills the intended use, then i evaluate the quality of the knife (or failing this i go read up on peoples reviews of it), and then i consider what materials it is made of. unfortunately these days, many people buy knives in reverse: theyll buy a knife they might not even like simply because its made from the latest super-steel or has G10 scales.

Everyone can get by with a .69 cent Bic pen. However, some people like something nicer without stepping up to a custom made pen. Some people think these pens are a waste of money or tacky. Other people enjoy and collect them.

im somewhere in the middle. i have some expensive pens, however my favorite pens are plain stainless steel classic Parker or Cross ballpoints. why? because they add a touch more class than anything made of plastic would, they work great, and they dont cost a fortune. so if someone forgets to give it back or it falls out of my pocket i can replace it easily and cheaply. theyve never failed me, and ive been using them since i was a kid (i have some that are around 30 years old).

cheers,
-gabriel

 

[T.K.C.]

I personally REALLY like Kershaw/ Ken Onion's. I got hooked on them when I got one with (A Blackout), with my Blade subscription. Of all the productions I have had and either traded or sold, I have always kept my Kershaw/ Ken Onion's. There are of EXCELLENT quality.

 

[Kohai999]

Those that love them, love them, and those that don't.......don't.

Those that love them, simply buy them, and use them, and don't seem compelled to flaunt it.

General Knife Discussion has some of the highest concentration of "new" knife collectors/enthusiasts. This is a group that does not seem to cotton to the Speedsafe. That action is preferred by enthusiasts who seem to have more exposure to what is available on the market, and want something undeniably different, but still legal(for now).

Personally, I am way more into the "older" designs like the Trooper and the Wild Turkey, which are made in Japan. They are excellent knives. There is not really a production knife currently made that is like the Trooper. It is a dagger ground design with a very crisp fuller in the center, and a polished wooden handle. It is made in limited quantities, and is fairly expensive, but justifiably so. The Wild Turkey is reminiscent of the Silver Knights by Gerber, and equally cool.

While I do not care for Kershaw's choice of steel, and many of the designs, they have optomized the heat treat to get the best out of the steel they can, and chose that steel to allow it to be as inexpensive as possible (yes, for all you who choose to chorus up, I know that the steel has little to do with the price, but the labor and tooling of turning the blank into a blade does).

Ken Onion's designs reinvigorated Kershaw's viability, and Ken has a lot to be thanked for. Those of you not liking the current lineup, but craving a Speedsafe, should check out the older, discontinued Random Task, and Ricochet. 440 V steel and G-10 scales, and totally usable, as well as quite cool.

Chuck Bybee, my friend, you know better than to throw out pearls before swine. Those that get it, get it. Those that don't, come to General to look like they know something, so they don't get slammed in the teeth with facts from people that actually might know them, and when called to the carpet, just cry that they are stating an "opinion".

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Alpha Knife Supply]

While I do not care for Kershaw's choice of steel, and many of the designs, they have optomized the heat treat to get the best out of the steel they can, and chose that steel to allow it to be as inexpensive as possible (yes, for all you who choose to chorus up, I know that the steel has little to do with the price, but the labor and tooling of turning the blank into a blade does).

Ken Onion's designs reinvigorated Kershaw's viability, and Ken has a lot to be thanked for. Those of you not liking the current lineup, but craving a Speedsafe, should check out the older, discontinued Random Task, and Ricochet. 440 V steel and G-10 scales, and totally usable, as well as quite cool.

Steve,

I always value your opinion. Your years of purveying have provided you with insight and knowledge of factory and custom knives that few people have. Please feel free to clarify anything I write. I can always learn from you.

Green chiclet karma sent your way.