"Big Bark and Loud Growl"
Today, I received a new Junk Yard Dog II 1725CB for the purpose of review. It came in the standard Kershaw box with warranty information and instructions on how to open the knife. Also included is a leather look pouch with soft lining and seems to be extremely useful for storing away the knife.
To provide an overall evaluation I will use the scale 1-10 with 10 being the best for what it is. This means that I will start from the 10 and start knocking off points for any improvements that I feel could be made.
Overall Construction - 9.0
Great solid construction! There is definitely a quality feel with the construction. There is no creaks, rattling or squashable parts and the blade is always centered when closed. The clip tension is firm.
The overall length is 8.63 inches and the blade length is 3.75 inches.
The knife has a thick liner lock which locks into place with a reassuring 'clack' and has enough tension not to be accidentally released.
There is an interesting choice of materials for this knife. The handles are made of G10 which seems to be a trend in large tactical knives. The lining is thick stainless steel so rust shouldn't be much of a problem.
The blade materials are a very interesting choice since it is composition! The other well-known knife the uses the composite blade is the Tyrade. On the 1725CB the cutting edge is made of CPM-D2 for great edge retention and cutting edge. The rest of the blade is made of Sandvik 13C26 to minimise corrosion and provides high hardness. There is copper accent between both blade materials which certainly gives it a unique and interesting look to say the least! More on aesthetics later.
Maintenance should be straight forward since it uses standard Torx screws throughout so no need for special spanners that could get lost and tools that may be expensive.
I have little to say in terms of improvement of the construction but I did notice two points. This folding knife has a closed back. The material to close the back is some sort of plastic. The issue here is that it is not completely flush with the stainless lining and the G10 handles. Another point is that the blade can be moved very slightly laterally when the knife is in the closed position. Does this happen when it is open? It's hard to tell but I don't think so and I don't think this is a problem at all.
Finally, the knife is made in USA with lifetime warranty and that really shows in the quality and care taken to produce this product.
Design – 9.5
Starting with the handles they are not long at all (only 4.88 inches) and for a blade of this size seem quite compact. The design of the handles is flat so it would be easy to carry and it's not too small so they are extremely comfortable to hold. A major comfort and control factor engineered into the knife is the recesses at the top of the handle where your thumb and index finger sit. I can't stress enough how much of a difference it makes and it seems they got the amount and size of the finger recesses just right! The G10 handles have the typical hatching pattern but they are very effective. The G10 handles don't allow your handle to slip easily and would certainly be effective in keeping the knife in your hand during heavy duty work.
The clip on this knife, as you can see, is quite large and has some character! I personally really like it as it adds character to the knife. It's certainly large enough to be very effective at keeping the knife in your pocket. Overall, I really like the clip design and without it would really take some 'life' out of the knife (knives can now be alive?!
).
The overall size and feel of the knife is pleasantly surprising. The handles are small and compact given the size of the blade. Once the blade is opened the knife really feels like an extension of the arm. I really like the blade shape and size. It shape is suitable for multi-purpose work and the size certainly makes you feel like it's capable of any cutting task for a knife of this class. I really love the blade shape, looks quite unique and is a no-nonsense shape.
The knife features an ambidextrous index-finger opening system. It's not open assisted so you don't have to worry about maintenance of the torsion bars. An interesting missing feature is the thumb studs – there aren't any! To open the knife you have to pull down on the flipper and rotate the knife to open it completely. Once you get used to this method it offers very fast and smooth deployment of the blade. Without the thumb studs the knife (once opened) looks like a fixed blade which feels quite reassuring (strangely enough).
Overall, I can't fault the design for what it is. It's very smart and professional looking and the feature set is just right. The blade and clip are aesthetically pleasing and the G10 handles have definitely grown on me!
Comfort & Weight – 10
This knife is extremely comfortable to hold and use. It's really quite practical for almost any task. The finger grooves heavily contribute to the control of the knife.
The knife feels quite light and would be ideal for EDC. The weight and balance is spot on.
I have no suggestions for improvement here.
Finish – 10
The finishing is immaculate, no marring of the G10, no dents, dings, misshapes, etc. I also love the bead blasted mat finish on the blade.
Factory Edge – 10
Factory edge is really great and shaves hairs with one pass over the skin! I often notice that knives have uneven grind on either side of the blade. Looking at the tip of the blade, the grind on either side of the blade is EVEN! Made in USA.…
Usability – 9.5
The wide blade on 1725CB definitely seems to be up to the challenge of any task (including rugged ones) and is certainly dependable. The only issue I see is with some cutting tasks particularly poking. If the end was a little curved then the blade would be able to -slice- through objects just by poking them.
Overall – 9.0
For what it is I am –extremely- happy with this specimen! Kershaw have done an amazing job on the design ideas and execution. I'm now a fan of composite blades because it works well and looks unique and appealing. The 1725CB would be favourite EDC of choice and I feel –very- hesitant about parting with it...
And the phrase "Big Bark and Loud Growl" describes this knife well, or perhaps "Loud Growl and Big Bite".
Brilliant job Kershaw!:thumbup:
Now for the pics...
Today, I received a new Junk Yard Dog II 1725CB for the purpose of review. It came in the standard Kershaw box with warranty information and instructions on how to open the knife. Also included is a leather look pouch with soft lining and seems to be extremely useful for storing away the knife.
To provide an overall evaluation I will use the scale 1-10 with 10 being the best for what it is. This means that I will start from the 10 and start knocking off points for any improvements that I feel could be made.
Overall Construction - 9.0
Great solid construction! There is definitely a quality feel with the construction. There is no creaks, rattling or squashable parts and the blade is always centered when closed. The clip tension is firm.
The overall length is 8.63 inches and the blade length is 3.75 inches.
The knife has a thick liner lock which locks into place with a reassuring 'clack' and has enough tension not to be accidentally released.
There is an interesting choice of materials for this knife. The handles are made of G10 which seems to be a trend in large tactical knives. The lining is thick stainless steel so rust shouldn't be much of a problem.
The blade materials are a very interesting choice since it is composition! The other well-known knife the uses the composite blade is the Tyrade. On the 1725CB the cutting edge is made of CPM-D2 for great edge retention and cutting edge. The rest of the blade is made of Sandvik 13C26 to minimise corrosion and provides high hardness. There is copper accent between both blade materials which certainly gives it a unique and interesting look to say the least! More on aesthetics later.
Maintenance should be straight forward since it uses standard Torx screws throughout so no need for special spanners that could get lost and tools that may be expensive.
I have little to say in terms of improvement of the construction but I did notice two points. This folding knife has a closed back. The material to close the back is some sort of plastic. The issue here is that it is not completely flush with the stainless lining and the G10 handles. Another point is that the blade can be moved very slightly laterally when the knife is in the closed position. Does this happen when it is open? It's hard to tell but I don't think so and I don't think this is a problem at all.
Finally, the knife is made in USA with lifetime warranty and that really shows in the quality and care taken to produce this product.
Design – 9.5
Starting with the handles they are not long at all (only 4.88 inches) and for a blade of this size seem quite compact. The design of the handles is flat so it would be easy to carry and it's not too small so they are extremely comfortable to hold. A major comfort and control factor engineered into the knife is the recesses at the top of the handle where your thumb and index finger sit. I can't stress enough how much of a difference it makes and it seems they got the amount and size of the finger recesses just right! The G10 handles have the typical hatching pattern but they are very effective. The G10 handles don't allow your handle to slip easily and would certainly be effective in keeping the knife in your hand during heavy duty work.
The clip on this knife, as you can see, is quite large and has some character! I personally really like it as it adds character to the knife. It's certainly large enough to be very effective at keeping the knife in your pocket. Overall, I really like the clip design and without it would really take some 'life' out of the knife (knives can now be alive?!
).The overall size and feel of the knife is pleasantly surprising. The handles are small and compact given the size of the blade. Once the blade is opened the knife really feels like an extension of the arm. I really like the blade shape and size. It shape is suitable for multi-purpose work and the size certainly makes you feel like it's capable of any cutting task for a knife of this class. I really love the blade shape, looks quite unique and is a no-nonsense shape.
The knife features an ambidextrous index-finger opening system. It's not open assisted so you don't have to worry about maintenance of the torsion bars. An interesting missing feature is the thumb studs – there aren't any! To open the knife you have to pull down on the flipper and rotate the knife to open it completely. Once you get used to this method it offers very fast and smooth deployment of the blade. Without the thumb studs the knife (once opened) looks like a fixed blade which feels quite reassuring (strangely enough).
Overall, I can't fault the design for what it is. It's very smart and professional looking and the feature set is just right. The blade and clip are aesthetically pleasing and the G10 handles have definitely grown on me!
Comfort & Weight – 10
This knife is extremely comfortable to hold and use. It's really quite practical for almost any task. The finger grooves heavily contribute to the control of the knife.
The knife feels quite light and would be ideal for EDC. The weight and balance is spot on.
I have no suggestions for improvement here.
Finish – 10
The finishing is immaculate, no marring of the G10, no dents, dings, misshapes, etc. I also love the bead blasted mat finish on the blade.
Factory Edge – 10
Factory edge is really great and shaves hairs with one pass over the skin! I often notice that knives have uneven grind on either side of the blade. Looking at the tip of the blade, the grind on either side of the blade is EVEN! Made in USA.…
Usability – 9.5
The wide blade on 1725CB definitely seems to be up to the challenge of any task (including rugged ones) and is certainly dependable. The only issue I see is with some cutting tasks particularly poking. If the end was a little curved then the blade would be able to -slice- through objects just by poking them.
Overall – 9.0
For what it is I am –extremely- happy with this specimen! Kershaw have done an amazing job on the design ideas and execution. I'm now a fan of composite blades because it works well and looks unique and appealing. The 1725CB would be favourite EDC of choice and I feel –very- hesitant about parting with it...
And the phrase "Big Bark and Loud Growl" describes this knife well, or perhaps "Loud Growl and Big Bite".
Brilliant job Kershaw!:thumbup:
Now for the pics...
Last edited:
It's so nice I don't think I'll use it. It'll be a "case" queen 
