Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Kershaw

Okay, I know this is like going into the Custom rifle forum and asking people what they think of Savages, but...

How are Kershaws as far as decent edge holding, quality of build and so forth? I don't need to skin three elk and a cape buffalo without sharpening, just something that won't dull completely when I open two UPS packages and open a few envelopes. Specifically, I was looking at their Oso Sweet and Chill (where do they get those names?) and they looked like okay carry knives that are easy to open with one hand.

Not looking to spend $300 on somebody's custom pocket knife, just want a usable EDC that's easy to open one handed with a useful blade shape and doesn't weigh as much as my old Buck 110.

http://kershaw.kaiusaltd.com/knives/knife/oso-sweet

http://kershaw.kaiusaltd.com/knives/knife/chill#

I've carried alot of Kershaw's and used them for a variety of hunting fishing camping and utility tasks. While using a kershaw I have never wished it were another brand, or wished that it worked better. They have proven satisfactory in there performance. I still have an old one very similar to a gerber gator or buck 110. I think I got it in 4th grade? maybe 6th. Anyway- I still have it, and its fine. It has done everything that a kid uses a knife for, and a hunter, and a fisherman, and a backpacker, and an airborne ranger over these last 23-25 years. my mom has a bigass kershaw kukri that she uses in the garden.

I carry and use several "Leeks", they are EZ open and damn sharp

I have a few I use. They make both USA and overseas knives.


Dave

Thanks for the info. Going back to Sportsman's Warehouse today to look some more.

Especially thanks for the info on American vs. foreign (probably China, right?) and also that tip on the Leek, being left handed the reversible sides for the pocket clip is a big deal for me. The prices for the ones I mentioned made me figure they were probably made overseas. I just started perusing their website last night and hadn't really looked at all the options.

I have a leek and really like it for what it is. No complaints at all.

Kershaws are a fine value. I have a fixed blade that I bought in the mid -80s. Sharpen it properly, and you can easily gut and skin 3-4 deer/antelope before you begin to that it has to be sharpened.

It was $50-60 back then. I like it so much that I keep buying other knives so that I don't wear it out. Now I've bought custom knives. Replacement cost for that Kershaw, if you can find it for sale is in the $250 range.

i carried a Kershaw Skyline for awhile. seems like $40 at wally world. USA made.

Dave

I went to Cabela's and Sportsman's Warehouse and looked at a bunch of different folders - Benchmade, Gerber, SOG, Buck etc. and they all use the thumb assist stud on the blade. I must be as coordinated as a three legged giraffe because I'm sure I'd cut my thumb on one of those. I really like that index finger opening method of the Kershaws.

Looked a bunch of different Kershaws including the Leek, Blur, Scallion and Shallot. That Leek was nice and American made but I really prefer a bit more belly in the blade. The others were okay but either not the blade shape I wanted to a bit larger and heavier than I want for EDC.

Went to SW and looked at the Sweet and Chill again. The sweet has a good blade shape/size and is only 3 oz. while the Chill also has a good blade shape/size and is only 2 oz. The blades are both 3.1", not too long. Couldn't make up mind so I did the only logical thing - bought'em both.

After trying various carry positions - that right hand only clip does make LH carry a bit more awkward - the new Chill is riding in my back left pocket as this is typed.

Chill



Sweet

I've carried a Kershaw Echelon every day for the past year and a have. It's close to perfect for me.

never owned one. I hear they are 'ok', but I like my Spyderco, Benchmade, ProTech knives, and just have not gotten around to buying one.

I used a Kershaw Elk Spring, made in Japan, for many years. The blade on this folder broke twice by chipping where the blade engages the lockback. Kershaw replaced the blade both times fast and trouble free.

I broke the blade both times the exact same way. After cleaning an animal I held the knife by the blade and slapped it against my palm to clear the gore. I do this on all my knives and the Kershaw has been the only one to break.

Mine sharpens easily to a fine edge but the edge retention is not all that great, good and many would say acceptable but not great.

my kershaw leek was an excellent knife but some others i bought were'nt near as decent.knifeguy39

I've had a old boa with 440v for a long time that holds an excellent edge. I don't think the 440v is up to it's full potential but it makes for a great steel in a production knife. I've worked over a bunch of hogs with it and it holds up against that bristly nasty hair and fat better than most production knives I'm messed with.

Just my personal perspective, but their quality seems to be sort of all over. Some of their stuff seems sort of shoddy, while other stuff seems pretty good. The higher end stuff like the boa was/is done with premium materials and the quality seems great. Other stuff not so great.

I'm really bummed I lost my Kershaw sweet as I was very suprised how good of a knife it was for under $30. I even used it for a can opener several times and a couple passes with a diamond stone had the edge right back to nice and sharp.

I replaced it with a scallion but it's going back as the easy opening doesn't open the blade all the way, and it just doesn't have the same balance and feel as the sweet.

There are Kershaw Sweet still available on line.

Have a Gentlemans folder I really like. Of course it is discontinued.

They use several different types of steel and I think that could be the reason for the spotty performance. The Chill and Sweet use Chinese steel 8cr13mov which one reviewer called "blah", not terrible just not great.

The ones Made in USA like the Skyline use Sandvik 14C28N, but their different models use all kinds including S30V. After reading some reviews I went out and bought a Skyline as well.

Been carrying them all around and what I really like is the very slim size, light 2-3 oz. weight and index finger opening.

As I stated at the beginning of this thread, I don't need a pocket knife to skin several animals in a row without sharpening it. I have some nice knives with better steel (and much heavier) for heavy duty stuff. I just need something that is light weight, easy and quick to open and sharp enough for occasionally cutting cardboard or opening a package or stuff like that. That Chill is really working out great and so far it has kept its edge very well. And if it dulls, oh well, that's what a steel and a strop are for. Zip zop, 10 seconds, sharp again.

With the most expensive of the three - the Skyline - costing $32.99 delivered I'm pretty happy with them.

I've carried a Kershaw single-blade folder for over 30 years and like it very much. In fact, I just used it today to cut some ceiling tile for a suspended ceiling. It's slim and it holds an edge.

I have been carrying a kershaw leek around in my pocket for the last couple of years. I like it, I have lost a couple of them and still bought another.