Kershaw Select Fire steel?

V

verminous

Joined
Nov 29, 2010
Messages
257
My brother is always using his knives for screwdrivers and chipping or breaking the tips. Right before Christmas I happened to see the Kershaw Select Fire and thought, although a cheap knife, would be perfect for him. So I got one and gave it to him for Christmas. Yesterday he showed it to me and said he'd cut a cardboard box with it and all the serrations got all messed up and a couple of chips in the cutting edge. Just what kind of steel is on that knife? The knife seems really nice, and the concept is very good, the steel just seems to be pretty bad. The edge just kind of folded over on the serrations. I'm a little upset that his Christmas gift didn't even last a month, and he hasn't even really used it.

So anyway, what I'm wondering is if there won't someday be some better steel on that knife. Maybe another knife with the same concept but made in USA with a little better steel? Or maybe the steel on that knife is fine and that particular one wasn't properly heat treated or something? I know at the price of the knife one can't expect too much though...
 
The steel is 8cr13mov. I have a few blades in this steel and havent had any issues like this, especially with just cardboard. I will say that serrations do have a tendency (in my experience) to roll/chip and are a pain to sharpen so I do my best to avoid knives that have them. I used my Nerve to shave and cut through a few small wood pieces when I built our deck with no issues whatsoever.

It does sound like a bit more than cardboard was cut. Did there happen to be any of the staples in it he may have hit the knife edge on?
 
It was a heavier box (obviously since he was using the serrations to saw) but no, he didn't hit any staples.

Actually, my nephew got a Kershaw for his birthday and broke the tip cutting a box. I also was very skeptical and when he told me and I too guessed he'd hit some of those big staples. Hoever he didn't either. It was one of those big boxes from their new refrigerator. I'd be willing to bet that to break the tip he'd been putting quite a lot of sideways pressure on the blade though. But anyway that's a different issue from the edge rolling over from cutting a box. I am certainly not complaining as this is a very inexpensive knife. I just wondered if it's common and if by chance there wouldn't some day be a different steel offered as I really like the knife.

Thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top