Please educate me about Kershaw knives

Dekz,
Kershaw has way too varied a lineup for you to say "why bother??" with AO. If you like the flippers, then stick to them, there are plenty non assisted models to enjoy in the catalog. When you say something like "why bother?", I think you're missing the point a little bit. The point is to make great knives on a mass production platform for the end user. Kershaw has made a point of offering up great lockbacks, great flippers, great linerlocks, framelocks, studlocks, hawklocks, great unassisted knives, AND great assisted knives. Just because the A/Os are not YOUR cup of tea, please don't knock them and sour the idea for others who may find them quite interesting and appealing.

And as far as legality issues go, I think Kershaw can figure that out for themselves. Do they really need the end user like your or me to help them decide what the legally should or should not be manufacturing?! They already have people for that;)

I hope you continue to enjoy Kershaw's non A/O models:thumbup:
 
Dekz said:
That's the thing that bothers me the most SPX... It's other knives like my Groove, RAM, and JYDII that make me dislike AO even more. These knives show you that it just isn't necessary. Why would somebody bother with the extra parts and potential legal issues of an AO when these knives open just as quickly and easily?
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You are correct, It isn't necessary. But some like them, some don't.
That's what makes the world go round. A flipper isn't necessary, but
for some reason you like them, others don't. That's fine.
What ever floats your boat. I like both, even though there not
necessary.
 
not that it's a reason to buy a knife. . but kershaw's warranty service is second to none. whatever their stated warranty is, their actual performance defines the term 'customer satisfaction'.

should you get a knife, any way at all, that has a defect, they'll do whatever is possible to make you happy you bothered telling them.

like, ship a replacement, overnight, on my WORD I had a warped blade, and a pick up tag to ship the warped one back..

i'm satisfied they care. :)
 
Oh geez I've gone and pissed off the mafia :eek:

Ok let me back track just a little bit. I LOVE Kershaws, 50% of my collection is Kershaws. I own a couple of AOs (Cyclone and Leek), and I visit the Kershaw subforum daily. However I think this is an interesting topic and hope we can keep this going as a civil discussion and not turn it into an argument :D

SPXTrader said:
Dekz, Why bother with any blade steel greater than AUS8. Really, S30V, S110V, 14C28N, ZDP and the rest aren't necessary. Certainly composite blades aren't necessary. Its about pushing the envelope - creating something that is new, something that no one else has done before. That's how you stay on top. SpeedSafe was this way years ago. It has been proven reliable, dependable and legal. Kershaw and Ken Onion have refined the AO to where its now a mainstay.
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S30V, ZDP, other "super" steels etc, offer serious, demonstrable advantages over lesser steels (such as AUS8) without any disadvantages (besides cost). Composite blades are absolutely genius IMO, my JYDII is a composite, and I commend Kershaw on this innovation.

A composite blade gives you an awesome steel for a cutting edge, but still manages to keep costs down.

SPXTrader said:
If you like the flippers for one reason or another over the AO's, for whatever the reason from you had a bad experience with one or your government frowns on them thats all good. But to ask "Why bother" is a little off base. I think Kershaw has their thing down pretty well.
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jonnymac44 said:
And as far as legality issues go, I think Kershaw can figure that out for themselves. Do they really need the end user like your or me to help them decide what the legally should or should not be manufacturing?! They already have people for that;)

I hope you continue to enjoy Kershaw's non A/O models:thumbup:
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Concerning legality, and I admit this is my main issue with assisted opening; I think we can all admit that AO knives are legal because of a very small technicality. I can only imagine that the guys at Kershaw had quite a smug smirk when they thought of it.

I have no issue with this, again I have to commend Kershaw on finding an ingenious way to solve a problem.

However, I doubt that even 1% of police officers would know the legal difference between an AO and an Auto. And I think that anybody that is counting on that happening is in for a bad day eventually. At the very least a confiscated knife.

Is this Kershaw's fault? ABSOLUTELY NOT. In a perfect world, every officer would know that an AO is legal, and we could all carry them, pocket-clips proudly on display. Unfortunately this is not the case, and as such, I personally am not comfortable carrying one.

I am not at all saying that Kershaw should not produce them. I know there are a lot of people out there that enjoy them, and if that is the case, Kershaw is definitely the way to go. Legal issues aside, I would buy them too!

I think I've just been spoiled by my Groove/JYDII/and especially my latest purchase, the RAM. Every time I open my RAM I think to myself "why doesn't every knife open like this?"

When I said "Why bother?" I didn't mean "Why bother making AOs" I meant "Why would I bother buying one". Which is a subtle distinction I admit. When I see that these manual knives open just as quickly and consistently as an AO, it just makes me wonder why I would go for an AO which offers no advantage and comes with a few potential disadvantages.
 
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You think the RAM has spoiled you, I bought 4. :eek:
Why you ask....Because it's better then one. :D
That's how I justify it anyway.

As far as how many LEO's know about AO's, you
would be surprised at how many carry them instead
of auto's. ;)
 
I wonder how many times a police officer, at least in the USA, would take an AO knife away from someone but would not take away a RAM etc, or even a lock back. Hopefully I will never have to find any of this out beyond speculation.
 
I think Kershaw technology had just recently gotten past the A/O with their new flipper system, that is why there are an increasing number of fast flippers out there.

in my opinion, as long as it opens fast i'll enjoy it. i just can't stand knives that require 2 hands to open, or if you do it with one hand you might lose your grip and drop it... but they're right, if a LEO sees you opening a flipper knife at an extremely fast rate, they'd probably think it was an auto as well. in this world, or at least the US, the laws are out there to get you for just about anything, a/o or not, just don't go flaunting it.

and metals, sometimes i will pay for premium steel, sometimes i just don't care. my users, i'll take the basic stuff because its easier for me to resharpen and i dont care if i really damage it. and even the base steel Kershaw offers are pretty damn up there. i care more about where the knife was made more than anything, US, Japan, China...

and to the OP... get a Leek
 
Dekz said:
However, I doubt that even 1% of police officers would know the legal difference between an AO and an Auto.
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I think this really depends on where you live; my sister married a local police officer who collected knives and swords, after the divorce she is now dating another LEO who carries a benchmade. I have a cousin who is a LEO in town and he carries a knife. My sisters new boyfriend has seen me flick open my para multiple times and hasn't questioned me about it. Also I bought my sister a chive for Christmas to put it her flight suit so I am sure he is familiar with AOs by now.
 
My wife loves the Kershaw (Kitchen) Shun Knives made in Japan. Great knives. Expensive but she is worth it. I am not much of a fan so far of their folders. I like you like Spyderco Native ones better.
 
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