The Best Kershaw Knives

Kershaw Knives is a manufacturer and designer of a wide variety of knives that can be used for fishing, hunting, camping and a wide variety of tasks that you might encounter on a daily basis. Kitchen cutlery, sporting knives and pocketknives are a few of the types of knives they specialize in. The company was founded in 1974 by Pete Kershaw in Portland, Oregon. He had been working for Gerber Legendary Blades as a salesman. However, he wanted to start his own company so he could make knives based on his own designs. In the early days of the company, the knives were mostly made in Japan. The company became a wholly owned subsidiary of the KAI Group in 1977.

A production facility was opened in Wilsonville, Oregon in 1997. However, Tualatin, Oregon is where the current manufacturing facilities of Kai USA are now located. Kershaw now has 250 employees. Along with the knives that are made in Oregon, some of the Kershaw Knives are still made in factories located in China and Japan. Kai USA also produces Zero Tolerance, a line of professional and premium knives, as well as Shun Cutlery, which produces Japanese kitchen cutlery that is handcrafted.

Over the years, Kershaw has frequently collaborated with many of the best known custom knife makers in the world. Some of these include RJ Martin, Frank Centofante, Grant and Gavin Hawk, Ernest Emerson and Rick Hinderer. Kershaw’s popular line if SpeedSafe knives were designed in collaboration with Ken Onion, the Hall of Fame knife maker. Kershaw has released various knife models in collaboration with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Orange County Choppers, actor Steven Seagal, the American Professional Rodeo Association and Jeep.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular knives that are currently made by Kershaw Knives:

1. Shuffle

The Kershaw Shuffle features a folding blade that is 2.4 inches and is made of 8Cr13Mov steel. It conforms nicely to a person’s hand. Two of the reasons this model is so popular and such a consistent seller is that it is both compact and versatile. Because of its small size, it can be carried or stored almost anywhere. This knife also contains a bottle opener and a screwdriver that are both built into it. This model is known to be popular among craftsmen who constantly need to cut various materials throughout the day.

2. Amphibian

the best kershaw knivesThis is a knife that is specially designed to be taken on underwater adventures. If you enjoy diving every now and then, this little guy should become your constant companion. For divers, a dependable knife is one of the most important pieces of equipment they can bring on their dives. It is common for divers to become tangled in nets, seaweed and many other things while they are diving. If they are unable to cut themselves loose, the consequences could be fatal. The Kershaw Amphibian contains a blade that is double-sided. One of the sides is serrated. 420J2 steel is used to make the blade.

3. Clash

The Kershaw Clash has the reputation for being one of the best all-purpose knives on the market. It has a folding blade measuring 3.1 inches that can be opened in a flash. This is an ideal knife to carry with you throughout the day because it is light and small. If you constantly find yourself in need of a good knife on your job or during your leisure activities, the Clash is an ideal choice. The blade is available with serrated edges in your choice of a plain black or plain satin finish.

4. Leek

The Kershaw Leek is one of the company’s best sellers. It is constantly receiving excellent reviews from some of the top knife buying publications and websites. There are many different version of the Leek. There are a wide variety of blades and colors available for this particular knife. However, the most popular iteration is the classic Leek. The entire knife contains a finish that is bead-blasted. The three-inch blade is Sandvik 14C28N. The handle is made of 410 stainless steel which also includes a pocket clip that is reversible. Finally, the SpeedSafe ambidextrous assisted opening system that was pioneered by Kershaw is included with this knife that is made in the United States.

5. Blur

The Kershaw Blur is similar to the Leek because it comes in quite a few different models. The most popular of these is the one that contains a black and serrated blade. This model was one of the original line of Blurs that the company produced. It contains a blade which is slightly curved and constructed from Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel. It also has a DLC coating. This blade is designed to be especially hard and resistant to corrosion. Trac-Tec grip-tape inserts can be used with the handle for an improved grip.