Kershaw knives were among the first folding knives I ever got. At the time, it felt like I was stepping into the knife world.
However, that was a while ago–and I’ve learned quite a bit about knives since. So, looking back with all that I’ve learned since, how good are Kershaw knives?
Here’s the quick answer:
Kershaw has great budget and middle-tier knives. They’re known for their high-quality budget knives and cheaper offerings of types of knives that tend to be more expensive–like autos. Overall, if you’re looking for budget (or even middle-tier) knives, Kershaw has some great offerings for you.
Now that we got the quick answer out of the way, we can dive deeper into the history of Kershaw and see some recommended Kershaw knives.
The Origins of Kershaw
Kershaw started when Pete Kershaw wanted to make his own knives for his hunting and fishing trips–so he started Kershaw Knives in 1974.
Pete Kershaw soon looked to supplying knives to the public with his company. To do that, he partnered with the Kai Group, who were looking to expand their reach to the other side of the world in North America–and they’ve been making knives together ever since.
What Kershaw is Best Known For
Kershaw is best known for making knives at a reasonable price.
They make knives for hunting, fishing, tactical, rescue, and the outdoors. While Kershaw makes a bunch of different types of knives, they’re perhaps best known for their budget EDC (everyday carry) knives.
Are Kershaw Knives Any Good?
For the price, Kershaw knives are pretty hard to beat.
They’re usually only about $20-$50 and are high quality for that price range. Their 8Cr13MoV or 8Cr14MoV blade steel is high quality compared to other companies’ use of 8Cr13MoV or 8Cr14MoV.
I’ve taken my Kershaw knives just about as far as they will go: I’ve used them in everyday situations like cutting rope and zip ties, and I’ve used them for more hardcore scenarios like batoning through wood and throwing them (one of the toughest things you can do to your knives).
While they’re tough–especially for the price–they don’t keep their edge for too long. However, that’s about what you’ll be expecting in this price range. Most knives I’ve had from Kershaw don’t come with a sharp edge, are somewhat hard to sharpen, and lose their edge after a little bit of use. That’s just about my only complaint, though.
Just get a good sharpener and you’ll be fine!
Recommended Kershaw Knives
Of all the Kershaw knives I have had, there are a few that stand out to me as ones you’ll likely want to get.
The Brawler
The Brawler (full review here) has Kershaw’s SpeedSafe opening system, making the blade spring out anytime you use the flipper. It has a black oxide coating and 8Cr13MoV steel, both of which Kershaw does very well.
The one complaint I have about the knife is the handle: It’s not the most comfortable when you use it for long periods of time. However, it’s generally more of an EDC knife–you’re unlikely to use those for tough tasks or super long periods of time, so the handle issue won’t be that big of a deal.
If you’re interested in checking it out, here’s the link (link to Amazon).
The Leek
The Leek is another EDC knife that features Kershaw’s assisted opening with a 14C28N stainless steel blade, which is a step up from the Brawler’s 8Cr13MoV.
This knife also has a stainless steel handle and a lock to keep the blade closed. The knife comes in colors of blackwash, black stonewash, copper, olive, and black.
Here is the link for the knife (link to Amazon) if you’d like to see more.
The Shuffle
The Shuffle (full review here) is a knife that is smaller and has a lower price than the other knives. The blade length for this knife is only 2.4 inches. It’s also got some extra tools, such as a pry bar, lanyard, screwdriver head, and bottle opener.
In terms of steel, we’re looking at 8Cr13MoV steel with a matte blackwash finish.
The knife is pretty small, so it’s not the most comfortable to hold for long periods of time, but it does have a stable grip with the grooves cut out for your fingers. It comes in a few different colors, too: Black, lime, blue, and purple.
You check out the knife here (link to Amazon).
The CQC-11k
The CQC-11k is an overall cool EDC knife. It’s got the Emerson Wave, which allows you to open the knife as you pull it out of your pocket. The wave catches the edge of your pocket as you pull it out and opens automatically for you.
It’s got D2 steel for the blade, which is pretty good steel. It’s going to keep an edge for a pretty long time, but sharpening will generally take longer. You should also keep it from getting too wet, as D2 tends to corrode pretty easily.
The grip is generally pretty comfortable (and big) on the CQC-11K. It’s got a G10 handle scale on one side and steel on the other side, and because of how big the knife is (which is pretty large for a folder), there’s a lot that you can grip. You’re unlikely to be holding this one for super long periods of time, because it’s an EDC, so you generally won’t have much worry about it being uncomfortable, but even then, I think the handle is pretty comfortable.
If you want to look at the CQC-11K, click here (link to Amazon).
Conclusion
Overall, Kershaw knives are darn good for the price. For only being around $20-$50, it’s pretty hard to beat them. If you’re looking for some good budget knives that very well could last you forever, I’d definitely recommend Kershaw.
If you’re interested in seeing the difference between steel types, knife reviews, other knife company reviews, and just plain ol’ good knife information, we have articles that cover all those topics here at Blade Fun.