Kershaw Thermite stock clip position?

KLJTech

KLJTech

Joined
Aug 26, 2005
Messages
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Is the Kershaw Thermite shipped with the clip in the tip up or tip down position?

I've read that some have had issues with too much Loctite (or too strong) on the clips screws and had problems removing them. I prefer my knives to be set for tip up and I'm hoping that it'll be shipped that way.

I could always heat the screws a bit before removing them but if it comes set for tip up that won't be necessary. Maybe this issue was something that has been taken care of and only happened early on...I don't know.

Bought my very first Kershaw last week, the CQC-7 (6034T) and I'm so impressed with it for the money that I thought I'd give another Kershaw a try. It's kinda funny, you get use to buying knives in the $250 to $700 range for a few years and then you're surprised by how nice a $30 knife is made. I hope that the Termite is as impressive for the money as my CQC-7.

Thanks in advance!
 
All the Thermites I've come into contact with have been quality pieces.

They have all come tip down, though. I've never had a problem switching the position.
 
Mine came tip down. Like some I prefer tip up carry so I decided to switch it. Ended up using a bic lighter to get one of the screws out, it was definitely the loctite holding it up. I would recommend using a new torx bit and you might as well just heat it up to avoid any problems.

The thermite is a great knife for the money. I like the blade shape and the deep carry clip, though obviously the steel won't impress if you've been into $250+ knives.
 
I don't mind sharpening more often if it's required...I'm not expecting some sort of super-steel (whatever that is) at this price yet I've heard more than a few say they like 8Cr13MoV just fine. I read somewhere that it's comparable to AUS 8, but I'm sure it that both steels vary per manufacturer. Thanks for the info! Looks like I'll be moving the clip.
 
Mine came tip-down. The Thermite is a pretty nice knife. It is long and slim, so you get a lot of blade without a lot of bulk. 8Cr13MoV is a decent steel for that will serve perfectly fine for most urban EDC uses. It is similar in composition and performance to AUS-8.
 
It's a little harder than AUS8. For light to medium cutting it holds up better because it's heat treated a bit harder, but being a little softer AUS8 is a little tougher and less prone to chipping. At least that's what the numbers and my experiences reflect.

I will say however the spanto is one of the most disliked blade grind I've used. I felt it had the downfalls of spearpoints and tantos and none of the benefits, but you'll have to try it yourself to see if it's for you.
 
As mentioned, they all come tip down from the factory. My first one was a regular finish, I had major issues with removing the screws and swapping to tip up, they would not budge at all even after being heated with a soldering iron. Eventually, my T6 driver stripped and I returned the knife to Cabelas (they got the Thermite before most online sellers and I'm impatient). I eventually waited and ordered the regular and the Blackwash at the same time from BladeHQ and both came with a reasonable amount of blue loctite that came loose after moderate direct heat from said soldering iron. They also now include a spare set of screws with them.

This is just my observation, but it seems that the ones that came from big box stores (Cabelas etc) in the blister packs are the ones with screw issues, while the ones that came in the cardboard boxes, such as from BladeHQ, are fine.
 
As mentioned, they all come tip down from the factory. My first one was a regular finish, I had major issues with removing the screws and swapping to tip up, they would not budge at all even after being heated with a soldering iron. Eventually, my T6 driver stripped and I returned the knife to Cabelas (they got the Thermite before most online sellers and I'm impatient). I eventually waited and ordered the regular and the Blackwash at the same time from BladeHQ and both came with a reasonable amount of blue loctite that came loose after moderate direct heat from said soldering iron. They also now include a spare set of screws with them.

This is just my observation, but it seems that the ones that came from big box stores (Cabelas etc) in the blister packs are the ones with screw issues, while the ones that came in the cardboard boxes, such as from BladeHQ, are fine.
 
I noticed that they packed an extra set of screws with my new Kershaw CQC-7 Tanto. I assume that they're the same size so if I have any issues I can simply use the extra ones I already have on hand. I look forward to trying out the Thermite's version of the spanto grind.
 
The spare screws are for mounting the pocket clip for left-handed carry. The thread size is the same, but the length is different. They are sized to fit on the G10 side, which is thicker than the steel framelock scale (hence, a longer screw). If you do put those screws on the framelock side, you may want to check to see that they don't extend too far into the channel and hit the blade.
 
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