Kershaw upping their game?
- Thread starter VernonRemington
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So you admit to going full troll...
Welp, enjoy the rest of your time here, it will be short if you continue with this nonsense. With that, I'm done responding to you in this thread.
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Let's get back on track!
I guess I see this sort of move as Kershaw keeping up with the flood of Chinese budget brands putting out knives in d2. Hopefully their heat treat is good, and it should be as Kershaw is a well established trusted brand.
For me personally, I'd have to really love the design of a budget knife to pay nearly $60 for an upgraded version in D2. At that price point you are getting into heavy competition, with even USA made products. The advantage of buying a Chinese made budget knife is low cost. For me, when you get to around the $60 price point, that advantage diminishes greatly.
I had a kemerson. The knife was fine and worked as expected. No issues. I just never could get use to the wave. I'm not some high speed low drag operator or anything so I decided the wave wasn't for me. Now, like I said earlier, if I thought the design was the bees knees I'd appreciate an upgraded version. For me, the kemersons aren't it but for some I can understand. If Kershaw came out with an upgraded Tremor they would easily get my money.
I guess I see this sort of move as Kershaw keeping up with the flood of Chinese budget brands putting out knives in d2. Hopefully their heat treat is good, and it should be as Kershaw is a well established trusted brand.
For me personally, I'd have to really love the design of a budget knife to pay nearly $60 for an upgraded version in D2. At that price point you are getting into heavy competition, with even USA made products. The advantage of buying a Chinese made budget knife is low cost. For me, when you get to around the $60 price point, that advantage diminishes greatly.
I had a kemerson. The knife was fine and worked as expected. No issues. I just never could get use to the wave. I'm not some high speed low drag operator or anything so I decided the wave wasn't for me. Now, like I said earlier, if I thought the design was the bees knees I'd appreciate an upgraded version. For me, the kemersons aren't it but for some I can understand. If Kershaw came out with an upgraded Tremor they would easily get my money.
Chronovore
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Given that so many Kershaws under $50 are made in China anyway, we've got to compare them with other Chinese knives at similar prices. Many of the Kershaws in that range are still using 8Cr13Mov and their Emersons mostly use 8Cr14Mov. Other Chinese companies have been upping their budget knives to steels like 9Cr18Mov, Acuto 440, or "Chinese D2". Ruike often uses 14C28N, which Kershaw uses in many of its more expensive American-made knives. Honestly, I think any of those would be better choices than 8Cr13Mov or 8Cr14Mov.
I'd love to see Kershaw "up their game" to any of those better budget steels. While D2 has been sweeping the budget world as a favorable alternative to 8CrWhatever, it would be nice to see them using one of the better stainless options.
I'd love to see Kershaw "up their game" to any of those better budget steels. While D2 has been sweeping the budget world as a favorable alternative to 8CrWhatever, it would be nice to see them using one of the better stainless options.
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I think the problem Kershaw will face with upgrading the steel is that they will upgrade the price. Nearly $60 for a Chinese d2 knife takes it out of budget knife territory for me. Chinese companies can offer the same quality of material upgrades for much less.
Chronovore
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I understand that. At least using the prices at BladeHQ, the CQC-11K jumps from $38.95 in 8Cr14Mov to $52.95 in D2, and the CQC-4KXL jumps from $44.95 in 8Cr14Mov to $56.95 in D2. That's a relatively small price increase. I'm not sure it would be a problem if you are already buying the 8Cr14Mov versions. The problem is that other Chinese-made knives with better steels are competing with the 8Cr14Mov versions.
For instance, Civivi has excellent knives in 9Cr18Mov that go for $42.50. Ruike has several knives in 14C28N for around $30-40. Steel Will has a bunch of D2 knives around this price range with several coming in under $40. Kizer's Tangram knives in Acuto 440 range from $20-40. However controversial here on the forum, Ganzo has several knives in D2 down in the $20-30 range that aren't so far off from the Kershaws in terms of overall quality. So does Kubey and a growing number of other Chinese companies.
Kershaw is a big company with a long history of making knives in China. I don't know what controls their prices or what barriers exist to competing with these newer brands. One idea I've seen floating around the web is that Kershaw has just gotten comfortable and still does a huge amount of business through "brick and mortar" big box stores where these other brands might not be available. Whatever the case, I think a lot of us here are shopping online where they are available and I'd bet that a growing number of people around the world are too. I'd be curious if anyone has more insight on this.
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I like that kershaw is going with some better steel but out of the 5 new models they just released the Emerson's are the only ones with d2. I like the design of the new cleaver, if they would of made it in d2 it would crush the gerber flatiron for a budget cleaver. With the upgraded steel and flipper it would be world's better then the gerbers to small opening hole and crappie action.
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Totally agree. I've got a ruike in 14c28n. I think it was $26 or so at the time. The quality, materials, and tech level (well done bearings) are excellent at that price, far beyond anything Kershaw can provide.
And as for Kershaw, that is a good point about these new Chinese brands not being able to compete in Kershaw's bread and butter market. I believe Kershaw sells a vast, vast majority of its product in the various big box stores here in the USA. They do so with nearly zero competition from the up and coming of established Chinese brands that could otherwise offer very stiff competition.
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I love my Skyline (Pimped)
and beyond that, I'm not a Kershaw guy. I prefer the real Emerson if I need a "wave" and hard use knife. You get what you pay for. My $.02.
We need pics too. This thread is getting boring...............
and beyond that, I'm not a Kershaw guy. I prefer the real Emerson if I need a "wave" and hard use knife. You get what you pay for. My $.02.We need pics too. This thread is getting boring...............
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The Bareknuckle in 20cv for under 100 bucks imo is a great value! Always loved my Bareknuckle, and had to get the 20cv version and I'm loving it. I still consider it a budget ZT, the action is on par with any of my ZTs, and I feel it's a better knife than my 566cf, 0770cf, and 0770grybw.
Of course I also enjoy my Natrix and Natrix xl, and have no problem with 8cr13mov so...take my opinion for what it's worth!
Of course I also enjoy my Natrix and Natrix xl, and have no problem with 8cr13mov so...take my opinion for what it's worth!
yamsi12
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I have one of the 20cv Bareknuckles as well. The action is much better out of the box than my 7777 bareknuckle. The detent in the 20cv is perfect, the 7777 is a bit hard to overcome.
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My 7777 was a bit tough at first but it broke in nicely and the detent is wonderful. I also disassembled and cleamed/lubed/tuned it as well. My 20cv blackout feels like it's already broken in, although it needed a dab of oil in the detent hole because of the dlc coating. I expect it to wear in over time, but right now the action is great. Might take it apart after a little while to clean any leftover gunk from the pivot. Overall I'm very pleased with it! Even the factory edge is decently sharp. Well see if my sharpmaker will hit the edge for a little refinement, but if not I'll just reprofile it!
Monofletch
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Where else can you get these under $20!!!
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Great value for knives to give to the youngsters. I buy these sets when I see them and (along with Victorinox's), give them away to the right young boys and girls at local gun shows (with parents permission of course). I love to do it when the kid is looking over the table full of $5.00 Chinese gas station knives. 
Chronovore
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Great value for knives to give to the youngsters. I buy these sets when I see them and (along with Victorinox's), give them away to the right young boys and girls at local gun shows (with parents permission of course). I love to do it when the kid is looking over the table full of $5.00 Chinese gas station knives.
These are generally superior to the average $5 gas station knife. If that's what a person is perusing, this will be a step up. It's the same steel as Walmart's Ozark Trail knives, but a little nicer overall.
I had a Kershaw Hotwire in 3Cr13Mov. It's a sub-$10 Walmart Exclusive. The blade shape is great and it feels surprisingly good in hand. I could see it being a "gateway drug", as Frankie put it. The problem is that it just wouldn't hold an edge. Maybe that could be good if a person needs to learn how to sharpen. For me though... it was just annoying. I suspect the same will be true of these.
Just as I wonder why Kershaw couldn't use 9Cr18Mov, Acuto 440, Chinese D2, 14C28N, etc. in most of their current 8Cr13Mov knives; why couldn't they use 8Cr13Mov in knives like these? Does anyone know the difference in bulk pricing between 3Cr13Mov and 8Cr13Mov, or how much more it costs to process the latter?
I too have seen the 5000/520 fail. Must be the design.
SALTY
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The Axis lock on my beloved (D2) Adamas didn't fail - but one of the two Omega springs did. BM fixed it, sharpened it and sent the knife back to me in splendid condition. I was told that using only one of the two actuator buttons to close the knife is "bad" for the Omega springs. Learn something new everyday.
I love me my Kemerson CQC-11K and jumped on an additional one in D2. I am an Emerson fan - please don't call me a Fan Boy because despite my appreciation of Emerson knives, Ernie as a person and the borderline Hoarding Disorder number of Emersons I own, I call it like i see it can say that the fit & finish of the Kemersons seems better to me. I'm not some high speed- low drag black bag super-secret operator so maybe I just don't "get it" that the price of the Emersons doesn't line up with F&F - at least when compared to the Kemersons and their price point.
In fact, my favorite Emerson-esque' knife is the ZT630.
I love me my Kemerson CQC-11K and jumped on an additional one in D2. I am an Emerson fan - please don't call me a Fan Boy because despite my appreciation of Emerson knives, Ernie as a person and the borderline Hoarding Disorder number of Emersons I own, I call it like i see it can say that the fit & finish of the Kemersons seems better to me. I'm not some high speed- low drag black bag super-secret operator so maybe I just don't "get it" that the price of the Emersons doesn't line up with F&F - at least when compared to the Kemersons and their price point.
In fact, my favorite Emerson-esque' knife is the ZT630.