Kershaw 2-Piece Starter Series Pack: Spring Assisted Knife and Playing Cards Review

Kershaw Knives was founded in 1974 with the founding mission to design and manufacture tools that knife users would be proud to own, carry, and use. This has meant that every Kershaw knife must be of the highest quality. Whether it’s a hardworking pocket knife, a hunting knife, or a special collectors’ edition, Kershaw always chooses appropriate, high-quality materials and is dedicated to intensive craftsmanship. Along with extremely tight tolerances and state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques, this ensures that Kershaw knives provide a lifetime of performance.

With Kershaw, you know that you are getting the real thing which means that even their inexpensive models are impressive. Everything about a Kershaw is solid, crafted, reliable. That’s why they can back each of their knives for the life of its original owner against nay defects in materials and construction with their famous Limited Lifetime Warranty. And yes, people do own their Kershaw knives for a lifetime.

Kershaw has an active commitment to innovation. They pioneered the use of many of the technologies and advanced materials that are today standard in the knife industry. They say, “Our SpeedSafe assisted opening knives were first-to-market. We introduced the concept of knives with interchangeable blades in our Blade Traders. Recently, our Composite Blade technology, which combines two steels into one blade, gives knife users the best of both worlds by enabling us to use steel known for edge retention on the edge and steel known for strength on the spine. And we will keep on innovating, bringing new and better technologies and materials to today’s knife making industry and knife-using public.”

Kershaw Knives is a brand of Kai USA Ltd, a member of the Kai Group. For over 100 years, Kai has been Japan’s premier blade producer. Kai takes an innovative approach to product development based on the closer coordination of research and development, production, marketing, and distribution functions.

Kershaw says, “If this is your first Kershaw, be prepared. You just may be back for more. If it’s not your first Kershaw, welcome back.”

Today we will be discussing the Kershaw 2-Piece Starter Series. This pack comes with a spring assisted knife and a pack of playing cards.

 

The Blade:

The blade on this knife is made out of 4Cr13MoV steel. This steel is a value-priced steel that is extremely stain resistant. This is a softer steel, so it will be easy to sharpen. However, because it is such a soft steel, you are going to have to sharpen it much more often than some of your higher end steels. One of the biggest advantages to this steel is how well it can resist staining. That being said, because it is a budget steel, you will have to keep up on your maintenance. The biggest advantage is that it is a low cost steel that will get the job done. This knife will be able to perform when you need it to and it won’t cost an arm and a leg.

The blade has been finished with two finishes. The first one is a black oxide coating, which is when a chemical bath converts the surface of the steel to magnetite. Kershaw uses this coating on blades, mainly for appearance, though it does add some corrosion resistance. The second finish on this blade is a BlackWash finish, which is a black stonewash finish. A stonewash finish is created by tumbling the blade in an abrasive material. This finish easily hides scratches, while also providing a less reflective nature than a brushed or satin finished blade. A BlackWash finish is a blade that has had an acid treatment that darkens the blade before it undergoes stonewashing. The acid oxidation enhances a blade’s rust resistance by placing a stable oxide barrier between the steel and the environment. A very positive benefit of stonewashed blades I that they are low maintenance and preserve their original look overtime; the stonewashed finish hides the scratches and smudges that can occur with use.

The blade on this knife is a drop point blade, which is the most versatile and popular blade shape that you are going to come across in modern cutlery times. This blade shape is formed by having the spine run straight from the handle to the point in a slow curved manner. This means that the blade will have a lowered point that provides excellent control over your cuts and slices. The tip on this blade style is also one of the broader tips that you are going to come across, which is what gives this blade style such high strength. The strength on this point is one of the reasons that this blade style is an all-purpose blade. One of the other main reasons that it is such a versatile knife is the large belly that it sports. The most common task that you are probably going to be performing is slicing—at least in your everyday life. The large belly on this blade shape is going to let you excel at slicing. One of the only drawbacks to this knife is that because it does have such a broad tip, you do lose out on the bulk of your stabbing capabilities. You need to remember that you do forgo those capabilities in return for the incredible strength of this knife.

 

The Handle:

The handle on this knife is made out of stainless steel that has been finished with a black oxide coating as well as a Blackwash finish to match the blade.

An alloy of iron and carbon, most steel also has additional elements alloyed in it to enhance specific characteristics. Stainless steels contain chromium to enable them to withstand rusting.

Stainless steel provides excellent durability and resistance to corrosion but it is not a lightweight material. Also, stainless steel handles can be rather slippery so manufacturers have to incorporate ridges or grooves to provide the require friction for you to be able to safely use this knife. This does add cost, and you still won’t have the best grip that you’ve ever had on a knife. To give you safety, control, and grip, Kershaw has added a short row of thick imping on the spine of the handle. The spine of the handle is also more angles than curves. It starts out at a straight angle coming away from the open blade, but midway through the handle, it angles steeply towards the butt of the handle.

Instead of your typical finger groove, there is a straight section that has been carved out form the bottom of the handle. This section has also been finished with a row of jimping, that will give you extra grip and control over this knife.

On the butt of the handle, there is a lanyard hole that has been carved out. Tying a lanyard through this hole allows you to easily have your knife close by without it getting in the way. You can also have a lanyard hang out of your pocket so that when it comes time to withdraw it, you can do so more quickly and efficiently. Also, you can add a touch of your personal style to this knife by choosing a lanyard that reflects your style.

Just like with the blade, the black oxide coating is mostly there for looks, although it does increase the handles’ corrosion resistance slightly. The Blackwash finish is there for looks, and to preserve the look of the knife overtime, while also being very low maintenance. The matching blade and handle give this knife a well-worn, rugged look that really can’t be beat.

Overall, this handle is going to lend itself well to you because of the stainless steel’s strength, durability, and ability to withstand corrosion.

 

The Mechanism:

This Kershaw knife is a spring assisted knife that uses a flipper to assist you in opening it.

A spring assisted knife needs an external force to engage the spring. When the knife is closed, the spring is engaged and kept in its “active” state by some sort of resistance. When opening with your thumb, you push the tension bar past the resistance, which allows the spring to continue to open the blade on its own.

The flipper is a small protrusion that juts out of the spine of the handle when the knife is closed. To open the knife, you hold the knife handle vertically in one hand and place your index finger on the top of the flipper. Gently apply downward pressure on the flipper, which will cause the blade to flip out and lock into place. The flipper is ambidextrous which means that it works equally as well for either left or right handed users. The flipper also guarantees that your opening will be fast and easy, even if you only have one hand to work with. Some of the other advantages to the flipper mechanism is that it keeps your fingers out of the way when you are opening the knife, which cuts down on hand cuts. And, once the knife is opened and locked into place, the flipper does act as a finger guard, adding an extra element of protection to this knife and your fingers.

The locking mechanism that this knife boasts is a frame lock. In a frame lock, the knife handle, or its frame, consists of two plates of metal on either side of the blade. When the knife is opened, the metal side of the frame, the lock bar, butts up against the backend of the blade and prevents the blade from closing. The close a frame lock knife, the user pushes the frame to the side, unblocking the blade, and folds the blade back into the handle. Like locking lien knives, frame locks are manufactured so that the locking side of the frame is angled toward the interior of the knife, creating a bias toward the locked position. Both the blade tang and the lock bar are precisely angled so they fit together for a secure, reliable lockup. The thickness of the frame material blocking the blade open makes the frame lock extremely sturdy.

 

The Specs:

The blade on this knife measures in at 3.25 inches long, with a handle that measures in at 4.5 inches long. When this knife is opened, it measures in at 7.75 inches long.

 

The Deck of Playing Cards:

The deck of playing cards that it comes with is your typical 52 card deck. However, on the front of the cards, it boasts a red Kershaw logo.

 

Conclusion:

This limited edition Kershaw 2-Piece Starter Series Pack takes the guess work out of shopping with its all-inclusive package. The set comes with a great knife and a pack of playing cards that sport the Kershaw logo. The knife is made out of a 4Cr13MoV steel which is a low cost steel that is crazy resistant to rust. This keeps maintenance down and looks good while doing it. The blade has been finished with a BlackWash finish, which also works to keep maintenance time down and gives you a rugged, well-worn look while it’s at it. The drop point style blade is going to let you take on one of the widest varieties of tasks—from every day to self-defense this blade has you covered. The handle has been made out of stainless steel, which gives you the heft you crave to take on your everyday tasks. This handle has been designed with ergonomics that make this knife comfortable to use—even for extended periods of time. And, the coating and Blackwash finishes make this a low maintenance, great looking knife. The flipper is the perfect opening mechanism for either left or right handed uses and the frame lock ensures that your knife is always secure, whether it is opened or closed. This set is perfect for the person looking for a great knife that will assist them throughout their days, but also the person who is looking to have a little bit of fun while they are at it. Pick up this pack today at BladeOps.