Thoughts on the kershaw echelon

M.FREEZE

M.FREEZE

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Dec 13, 2012
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Do any of you guys who own an echelon have an issue with the absurd tension on the assist spring? I just found a NIB echelon in my box of stuff and handled it for the first time. I love the color, the blade shape, and the overall look of the knife. However I just can't get comfortable with opening it.
Also is it true this knife has been discontinued?
 
It is rumored to be discontinued but the Kershaw website still has it up??
If you use the thumb stub to try to open it is tricky,so I put my thumb in the opening in front of the stud (kind of like a spyderhole ) and it works pretty good.
This knife has so much promise, I kind of wish they would toy around with it a little bit to address some of the snags.definitely of my favorites,I have 2 of these awesome knives :)
 
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I recently handled one in a big box shop just because I wanted to check it out before buying. Opened like a charm, as good as any of my assisted openers. No issues with the display model or the one I had them show me NIB. Didn't pull the trigger on it, but definitely a possibility in the future.
 
I looked at the Echelon and really wanted to like it but never really could warm up to it after fondling it at a gun show. What I did fall in love with was the Knockout and it has become a welcome edition to my edc rotation.
 
I don't have any problem opening my Echelon,it's in my rotation. I like the color of the scales,the size and love the shape of the blade.
 
No issues with mine.

When I first received my Echelons, they were a little tight but after opening and closing them say 50 times - they loosened up nicely. The echelon opens smoothly and with a more solid "thwack" than my ZT 0350 does. I like a hard firing and non-loose assist opening.

Keep in mind that I have medium sized hands and the thumbstud on the echelon works beautifully for me - absolutely love this knife.

[video=youtube;m_qwDScu_Rw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_qwDScu_Rw[/video]
 
The Echelon is definatly on my list of knives to get. I hope its not discontinued. My initial impression of the knife was that we would see many variants of the design.
 
I agree that the torsion bar is too stiff on the knife. Also you have to open the blade much too far before the assist kicks in. It's a cool looking knife very original, although it does resemble a Strider SJ75. I'm going to de-assist mine and hope it has a decent detent. Otherwise I think I'll part with it.



Yes I did black out the scallop. :cool:
 
1robinhood said:
No issues with mine.

When I first received my Echelons, they were a little tight but after opening and closing them say 50 times - they loosened up nicely. The echelon opens smoothly and with a more solid "thwack" than my ZT 0350 does. I like a hard firing and non-loose assist opening.

Keep in mind that I have medium sized hands and the thumbstud on the echelon works beautifully for me - absolutely love this knife.

[video=youtube;m_qwDScu_Rw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_qwDScu_Rw[/video]
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A little fruity for a knife review but i found it very informative. I would subscribe to this guys channel.
 
I disagree with a lot of the above. I've had the knife for almost a year maybe more. When I first got it, there was a lot of black lubricant that stained the scales but I cleaned it no problems, then the assist feature would not engage. The knife would open 90 degrees and had to be pushed open for the assist to kick in.

I tried to break it in for two weeks with no luck. Frustrated, I just removed the torsion bar. Its a much better knife de-assisted, but the lack of a choil makes me conscious every time I use it for fear of cutting my index finger.

Now that the newer versions will have the scalloped designs removed I'm a little disappointed. However, if its being discontinued I'm fully on board-lets move on to the next design.
 
I think the torsion bar AO needs to be redesigned, then the knife would be great. Also they should offer it in black G10. I don't like the translucent green. It is a shame they lost the scallops.
 
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Moxy said:
I think the torsion bar AO needs to be redesigned, then the knife would be great. Also they should offer it in black G10. I don't like the translucent green. It is a same the lost the scallops.
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Because Kershaw really needs yet another black G10 handled knife in their line-up... /sarcasm. :thumbdn:

While it would be nice to see different colors for the Echelon handle, it is nice to see another color besides black being offered by Kershaw - I hope that unique still sells and mundane does not continue to be the order of the day.

If the assist is not desirable on the Echelon - I have read of several folks here DE-assisting the knife with positive results. It sounds like there may have been a batch or two that are harder to deploy than others - but mine was difficult at first - it's just wear in that loosened mine up. To each their own.
 
Nice thing about the color, don't like it, change it.

echelons.jpg
 
1robinhood said:
Because Kershaw really needs yet another black G10 handled knife in their line-up... /sarcasm. :thumbdn:

While it would be nice to see different colors for the Echelon handle, it is nice to see another color besides black being offered by Kershaw - I hope that unique still sells and mundane does not continue to be the order of the day.

If the assist is not desirable on the Echelon - I have read of several folks here DE-assisting the knife with positive results. It sounds like there may have been a batch or two that are harder to deploy than others - but mine was difficult at first - it's just wear in that loosened mine up. To each their own.
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Well they probably have lots of black G10 lying around. :rolleyes: Yeah black is a bit boring but light colors look terrible after seeing alot of use. I wouldn't object to some navy blue, or olive G10, but the translucent needs to go. Just my $.02
 
At blade they said it was discontinued because it was difficult to machine the thumbstud area, or something along those lines.
 
Its a shame really I was kind of looking forward to the opaque green g10 version. They had a first look thread where they showed it, was pretty rad!!!

No matter, the 0801 will satisfy me 5 times as much!!!
 
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