Kershaw 7007 Natrix Knife Review

Kershaw knives was founded in 1974. Their purpose was to design and manufacture tools that knife users would be proud to own, carry, and use. To make sure that their users were proud to carry their knives, they knew that they must make each and every knife with the highest quality materials and manufacturing tools.

Kershaw also has a commitment to innovation. Because of this, Kershaw has pioneered the use of many of the technologies and advanced materials that are the standard in today’s market. Some of their best innovations have been the SpeedSafe assisted opening knives. They also had the idea to create knives that can have interchangeable blades with their Blade Traders. One of their most recent innovations is their Composite Blade technology, which actually combines two steels into one blade. This gives the user the best of both worlds because they can have one steel by the sharpened edge that provides them with a fine edge and long lasting edge retention, but then still have a strong spine, because they can use a stronger steel on that portion of the blade. Because one of their major drives is to keep innovating bigger and better technologies, they will constantly have excellent knives in the market.

Kershaw Knives is actually a sub brand of Kai USA, Ltd. Kai has been Japan’s leading blade producer for over 100 years now. This larger company also vows to take an innovative approach to their products, product development, 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.”

Kershaw has just released a brand new knife, and it is going to be a showstopper. They named it the Natrix.

 

The Blade:

The blade on the Natrix is made out of 8Cr13MoV steel. There is actually a series of Cr stainless steels. The best in the series is the 9Cr steel, with 8 falling right behind it. This is a Chinese stainless steel that is comparable to AUS 8 stainless steel. However, 8Cr13MoV steel is a little bit softer than AUS 8 steel and has a shorter edge retention span that AUS 8 steel. 8Cr13MoV steel is more prone to corrosion than AUS 8 steel as well. Its biggest boast is how inexpensive it is. So while this steel will be able to get the job done, it is not going to excel at anything. With knife steels, you get what you pay for. So while this steel is a bargain and is going to keep the cost of the Natrix down considerably, you will have a lacking of quality. Another excellent feature about this steel is that it is extremely easy to sharpen. So while it does dull quickly, sharpening will be a breeze. With this type of steel, the better the heat treatment on it, the better the quality of the blade.

The blade on the Natrix has been finished with a Stonewash finish. This is when the steel is rolled around with an abrasive material, usually small pebbles. After that portion of the process, it is smoothed over. This finish gives a slightly textured look to the blade, so it hides scratches and fingerprints very well. Because of how well it hides scratches and fingerprints, the Natrix’s blade will have to be polished less.

The blade on the Natrix has been carved into a drop point blade shape. This blade shape is the most versatile out of all the blade shapes. The shape is formed because the back, or unsharpened, edge of the blade slowly curves to meet the sharpened edge of the blade at a lowered point. This lowered point allows you to have more control over your knife. This is one of the reasons why a drop point blade shape is so popular with hunters—they can easily skin their game without having to worry too much about nicking the inner organs or ruining the quality of their meat. The lowered tip also lets you perform precision work because of how much control you have over your blade. The lowered point also makes the tip broader than you would find on other knives. This gives the knife more strength and durability because the tip is less likely to snap or break. One of the only drawbacks to this shape of knife comes from this lowered tip: because it is more broad, you cannot pierce or stab with this shape of knife. Another reason that the drop point blade shape is so durable is because it has such a large belly. This belly allows you to perform many tasks and makes this blade perfect for everyday use. The drop point blade shape is perfect for any knife lover who wants to be prepared for any situation. Your knife is going to be able to take on almost anything.

 

The Handle:

The handle on the Natrix is made out of black G10. This is a laminate composite that has been made out of fiberglass. G10 is similar to carbon fiber in its properties, although carbon fiber is a slightly superior material. However, you can get a G10 handle for a fraction of the price that a carbon fiber handle would be. The tradeoff between a slightly less quality handle, but a big chunk of money is usually worth it for knife users. G10 is made by a manufacturer that takes layers of fiberglass cloth and soaks them in resin. This material is then compressed and baked under pressure. G10 is crazy hard, tough, strong, and lightweight. G10 is even considered to the be toughest out of all the fiberglass resin laminates. G10 is even stronger than the popular material Micarta. Because G10 does not provide the user with a super steady grip, the manufacturer will usually add checkering or a different pattern to give the user more texture. On the Natrix, Kershaw has added a small checkered pattern that will provide the user with a great grip. Unfortunately, G10 does have a tendency to be brittle, so it might crack if hit with a sharp or hard object. Another drawback to having a G10 handle is that it doesn’t have a ton of personality. Many people believe that it lacks elegance and looks pretty plastic-y. Because G10 is so strong, hard, and lightweight, this is a very common material found on tactical knives. The Natrix handle has been 3D machined and chamfered to fit comfortably in your hand, even with long periods of use.

On the front of the handle, there is an oversized pivot that adds a unique look and obvious focal point of the knife. When you look at the back of the handle, the Sub-Frame Lock secures the blade, while also created a dramatic, contrasting line on the back. All in all, this handle has a sleek, modern look to it.

 

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip that comes with the Natrix is custom drilled. The handle has pre drilled holes so the user change which side the clip is on, depending on if you are left or right handed. However, you can only carry this knife tip-up, as it has not been drilled to reverse to tip down carry. This pocket clip is also a deep carry pocket clip, so you can be sure that your knife is safe and secure deep in your pocket. Another benefit that many people enjoy about the deep carry pocket clip is that it is easier to conceal your knife than with a regular pocket clip.

 

The Mechanism:

The Natrix is a manual flipper knife. This type of mechanism works because there is a small protrusion, on the Natrix this protrusion is triangular shaped, that comes out of the knife’s spine when it is in closed positon. To deploy the knife, you push down on this protrusion and it flips the blade open. This mechanism keeps your fingers out of harm’s way during the entire process, so you are in a safer position than with other manual mechanisms. And as a cherry on top, this flipper mechanism allows you to easily open the Natrix with only one hand.

This knife also features the SpeedSafe Assisted Opening. This mechanism allows you to open the knife quickly and easily.

The Natrix also sports a Sub-Frame Lock. One side of the lightweight handle, it is fitted with a steel plate integral to the frame; it is the part of the frame that moves behind the blade to lock it into position during use. With the Sub-Frame Lock, the knife can be large, yet a lighter knife, with an even more secure lock than you would find on other knives. Because of this Sub-Frame Lock, Kershaw was able to keep the weight of the Natrix down while still providing you with a large blade.

 

The Specs:

The blade on this knife is 3.25 inches long. When the Natrix is in opened position, it measures in at 7.5 inches long, sporting a closed length of 4.25 inches long. This knife only weighs a mere 2.9 ounces.

 

Pros of the Kershaw Natrix:

• The steel chosen for this knife is very inexpensive.
• The steel chosen for this knife is easy to sharpen.
• The stonewash finish on this blade easily hides scratches and finger prints.
• The drop point blade shape has a very controllable tip.
• The drop point blade shape has a very strong and durable tip.
• The drop point blade shape is one of the most versatile blade shapes because it also sports a large belly.
• The blade shape is perfect for everyday purposes.
• The handle is strong, tough, and lightweight.
• The handle has been 3D machined to fit comfortably in your hand.
• The pocket clip is reversible, helping to make this knife ambidextrous,
• The pocket clip is deep carry, so you can easily conceal your knife while keeping it safe and secure.
• The flipper mechanism keeps fingers out of the way and safe.
• The flipper mechanism opens quickly and efficiently.
• The Natrix sports the Sub-Frame Lock which allows the weight of the knife to be reduced significantly while still providing you with a large, useable blade.
• The flipper mechanism sports the SpeedSafe Assisted Opening.

 

Cons of the Kershaw Natrix:

• The drop point blade shape does not allow you to easily pierce or stab.
• The pocket clip cannot be reversed for tip down carry.

 

Conclusion:

Kershaw Knives have been designing and producing exceptional, innovative knives for years. They have created many of the features that are now commonly found on knives. They have also helped to set the standard of what people expect from their pocket knives and other tools. Because of this, you know that when you purchase a Kershaw knife, you are getting the best tool for you and your needs. With one of their newest knives, the Natrix, you can expect that same level of quality and same amount of innovative technologies to complete your perfect knife.

To start off creating such a great knife, they gave it a good blade that also helps to keep the price of the entire blade down. This steel is easy to sharpen although it doesn’t excel in many other aspects. To ensure that this knife is versatile and can be used for almost any purpose, Kershaw ground it into the drop point shape. The steel was then finished with a stonewash finish, which does help cut down on maintenance. To complement the blade, Kershaw added a G10 handle which is tough, strong, durable, and still very lightweight. As the perfect bonus to this manual flipper, they added a deep carry, reversible pocket clip. This knife is going to be able to assist you in all of your everyday needs. This is a great budget option for your perfect every day knife–get yours here at BladeOps.