Kershaw Spec Bump Opinions?

JPD1998

JPD1998

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Oct 18, 2004
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I just saw a Spec Bump mod 1596 on sale and was wondering if anyone owns this model or has handled it in person, what's your opinion?

I'm happy with all 3 of the Kershaw knives I already have , but the 3 I have were not in that price range.

As always thanks for the advice, you guys haven't steered me wrong yet.
 
On my opinion this is best Kersaw ever! And probably one of the best knife on the market today.

Pro:

1. CPM 154 - which is powdered CM 154 (ATS34) which provides very fine grains and provides very sharp fine edge as I understand in theory in comparison with hign vanadium CPM S30/90V which has vanadium carbides particles in steel, which may be more vear resistant but harder to make edge as fine as for CPM 154.

2. 3D - G10 scales - very comfortable.

3. Useful and original blade geometry

4. Advanced and very convinient lock.

5. Asisted opening, flipper, close lock.

Cons:

1. Clip only has one position

2. Close lock too small - hard to use, and hard to find for many...

This is great knife and only available with CPM 154 for now... not for too long - they stop using it and start use CPM S30V.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
I did a quick review on it a short while back: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=383596
Bottom line is really that it is an excellent knife and quite a bargain for the money. You get a very exciting new blade steel, VERY nicely contured handle, excellent lock and very good fit and finish for a very resonable price, not to mention the assisted opening.

I have since the review changed my mind about the initial resistance to opening. Since you can lock the blade, this is really not an issue, and the safety works very well.

My only remaining complained, is that the edge grind is too obtuse and the knife doesn't nearly show all of its cutting potential. You should see what this recurve can do to cardboard, once you reprofile the edge! But the same holds true for many knifes on the market and who knows, maybe Kershaw is listening.
 
The knife fits in my hand perfectly. Looks great and if your going to pick one up do it soon while the blade material is still CPM 154. I heard only the first run will be CPM 154 then their going to change it to S30v.
 
The Spec Bump has pretty much taken up permanent residece in my front pocket. I try to use other knives in my EDC rotation but I continue to come back to the Spec Bump. The lock is SUPER easy to use, the handle is very user friendly, the assisted opening deploys the blade with decent authority and the blade's shape, while weird looking is proving to be really useful for everyday cutting chores.

My one and only real beef with it is the stoopidly shaped pocket clip that allows for ONE and only ONE carry position, that being right side, tip down.:jerkit:
This annoys the crap outta me because this is a truly ambidextrous folder.:confused: :mad: :rolleyes:

I look at it and am amazed that such a great folder would have such a huge shortcoming.:thumbdn:

Aside from that little pet peeve, it's a near perfect folding knife.
If you can handle right side, tip down pocket clip, I would readily suggest trying the Spec Bump.


Mike U.
 
Definitely in my "knives to buy list"

I just hope they make a version without the coating on the blade, I prefeer natural blades.
 
Im going to get one but I'm just wondering...

should I wait for the S30v version or is the CPM154 good enough? I've never had an s30v knive and I keep reading really good opinions about it but I'm not giving the knive a hard use and maybe I won't feel any difference beetwen them.

any of you have used both steels and can telle is there any real difference if you don't give the knive a hard use?

Thanks a lot!
 
I don't have any knives in CPM154, but there is an article on it in the April issue of Blade. It has exactly the same chemical makeup as 154CM, but is made using Crucibe's powder process. Supposedly this gives it better characteristics. According to the article, it has the same toughness as 154CM when it is hardened to a point or point and a half harder. It also has a smaller carbide structure, so it should be able to take a sharper edge. It is also apparently very easy to grind and doesn't chew up belts the way S30V does, so a few high profile knife makers (Darrel Ralph, Tom Mayo) have been using it in there customs with great success.

Personally I would go for the CPM154 version. I don't think that in light cutting chores you are going to notice a significant difference, and there are lots of production knives out there that you can try in S30V, but the Spec Bump is the only knife on the market right now (outside of customs) that is useing CPM154.
 
Thanks a lot, I'll go with the CPM154 then... I like the scales of the handle more too than the radial ones in the s30v version.
 
Yeah , I think as soon as I find one on sale , I'll pick one up.

Thanks for all the advice..
 
I currently have the S30V one in my hands. It's going out for our passaround on Monday.

The Spec Bump is one awesome knife. I think it may be the best hand fitting knife I"ve ever held. It's also hard to have the blade hurt you upon closing because your finger is in the way and it has the flipper part hanging down in front of your index finger when open.

The lock on the blade is freaking great. It's like a Benchmade Axis lock but on the blade and with a coil spring instead of 2 omega springs. It's easy to disengage and also easy to use.

I find that it's almost impossible for me to use the thumbstud/lock to open the knife. I just use the flipper.

This is a large knife to have assisted opening on too. That thing flings out of the handle and snaps open hard. It's a really nice knife.

The G10 scales and the full liners are great. The clip is also great as it doesn't stick out too much and is nice and easy on the pockets. I don't care about tip up or tip down so I don't care about the clip placement.

I would wait to get an S30V model, as they are well worth it.
 
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