A budget friendly, reliable, top-of-the-line Chinese produced steel, 8Cr13MoV steel has carbon and slightly less nickel for hardness and edge retention. Kershaw’s precision heat treated 8Cr13MoV steel strongly takes and holds an edge and offers wear resistance that can withstand damage from both abrasive and adhesive wear. 8Cr13MoV is a value blade steel featuring high performing characteristics.
Kershaw’s Bead-Blasted finish enhances a knife’s aesthetics and complements its end-use. The high-tech finish is achieved by applying a mixture of fine media onto the blade’s steel under high pressure, creating a smooth, non-reflective matte surface. Fine media includes glass and aluminum oxide beads that allow color variation and optimal performance results for an overall stunning effect.
The classic way to open a knife, manual action knives use a thumb hole, thumb stud or built-in flipper to safely deploy the blade. Holding the knife level at 90o angle, quickly and smoothly flick the wrist to maneuver the blade out of the handle. Place fingers along handle scales and apply pressure inward on the blade with the thumb. Manual systems do not employ mechanical assist to open a knife.
With two steel plates, or liners, on the inside of each handle scale, the liner locking system safely secures the blade open and prevents unwanted blade closure. The lockbar butts up against the blade’s backend to prevent closure, and angles or is bent towards the blade tang creating a bias locked position. Apply manual force to move the lockbar to the side and fold the blade back into the handle.
Flippers on manual-open knives require user to push with quick strength until blade deploys. Some manual flippers disappear when blade deploys, others become a finger guard. Manual flippers appeal to inexperienced users as well as experienced users who prefer a classic, old-style opening. In both cases, ambidextrous flipper works as index finger applies pressure while closed knife sits in palm.
Very tough, able to take heavy-duty hard use, and versatile, glass-filled nylon handle material is a nylon synthetic polymer reinforced with glass threads for increased strength. Glass-filled nylon has incredible stiffness for a secure and stable grip, great ability to withstand heat, and dimensional stability combined with excellent wear resistance.
Kershaw designs pocket clips to fit specific knives according to their weight, intended end use, size, style and hardware. Some knives have multiple carry options, others are more streamlined. A pocketclip with tip-down carry is positioned so the closed knife carries in the pocket with the tip of its blade pointed down. A reversible tip-up or tip-down pocketclip allows user to change tip position.