Kershaw Atmos Knife Review

Kershaw’s fans know that there is nothing like a Kershaw. From award-winning technologies and advanced materials to the solid sound of the blade lockup, when you’re carrying a Kershaw, you know you’re carrying the real thing. So what is the real thing? Well it means that you get value and plenty of it. With any Kershaw knife, you get a high ROI. Even their more inexpensive models are quality and last a lifetime.

Kershaw was founded in 1974 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 pocketknife, 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.

Kershaw has a commitment to innovation. They have pioneered the use of many of the technologies and advanced materials that are the standard in today’s industry. Their SpeedSafe assisted opening knives were first-to-market. They introduced the concept of knives with interchangeable blades I n their Blade Traders. And most recently, they introduced a Composite Blade technology, which uses two types of steel in one blade. Kershaw says, “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 close coordination of research and development, production, marketing, and distribution functions. While many of Kershaw’s quality products are made in their 55,000 sq. ft. facility in Tualatin, Oregon, they also draw on Kai’s resources to provide the very best for the customer.

Today we will be talking about one of Kershaw’s newest knives, the Atmos.

 

The Blade:

The blade on this knife has been made out of 8Cr13MoV steel. This steel comes from a series of Chinese steel that is more and more common in budget knives. This type, 8Cr is the most common formula out of the series. It is worse than AUS-8 steel, because it is a little more prone to corrosion and not quite as hard. Although it does tend to be well balanced in regards to strength, cutting, and anti-corrosion properties. It is a softer steel, with a hardness level of 56-59 HRC. Surprisingly, it does keep its edge for longer periods of time. And when you do need to sharpen it, it is easy to sharpen and get a fine edge on it. The biggest advantage that this steel boasts is how inexpensive it is, keeping the overall cost of the knife down considerably.

The blade has been finished with a satin finish, which is created by repeatedly sanding the blade in one direction with an increasing level of a fine abrasive. The abrasive that is used is most commonly a very fine sandpaper. The stain finish is done to show off the bevels of the blade while also showcasing the fine lines of the steel. This is a very traditional blade finish, which gives the knife a very classic look.

This blade is a modified drop point blade. The modified drop point gives the same strength and versatility that a typical drop point would. The difference between this drop point and your regular drop point is that this one has a different spine. Instead of one long curve from the handle to the point, it angles a little more sharply and then drops right as it is about to reach the point, giving it the typical dropped point. This lowered tip is where you are going to get the control over your cuts. And because it is a broad tip, the blade will still provide you with plenty of strength to take on most of your tasks without worrying about the knife breaking. The Atmos makes such a versatile knife because of the large belly that the blade has. The belly is the cutting edge; the larger the belly, the easier it is to slice. With this new Kershaw knife, you know that you are going to slice with ease. There is one disadvantage to the blade shape though, which is the broad tip. Because of the broadness, you do lose out on plenty of your piercing and stabbing capabilities. You do need to keep in mind that it is this broad tip that gives you the characteristic strength. You just have to decide which you would rather have.

 

The Handle:

The handle is made out of G10 with a carbon fiber overlay. G10 is a laminate composite made of fiberglass. This material has similar properties to carbon fiber, but it is slightly inferior and can be made for a much smaller cost. To make this material, the manufacturer takes layers of fiberglass cloth and soaks them in resin, then compresses them and bakes them under pressure. This creates a tough, hard, lightweight, and strong material. Out of all the fiberglass resin laminates, G-10 is thought to be the strongest, although it can be brittle. This is a quality handle material because it does not absorb liquids, it is very durable, and it is lightweight. This means that maintenance I slow and you don’t have to worry about what you are up against. The last drawback to this handle material is that it does lack elegance.

Carbon fiber is a generic term referring to strands of carbon that have been tightly woven before being set in a resin. This material is crazy strong and extremely lightweight. However, it does tend to be pretty expensive. While this material is so strong, it does start to break apart when it is stressed in directions other than the single direction that the carbon fibers are facing.

The handle is black and just like the blade, it has more angles than curves. The spine of the knife is angled straight until about midway, where it angles steeply towards the butt. This portion of the handle features thick jimping to give you more control when you are using this knife. The belly of the handle has one extremely shallow and elongated finger groove that extends to about the midway point as well. At this point, it evens out and goes directly towards the butt. Because this knife uses a flipper, you do end up with a pretty significant finger guard.

The G-10 has been slightly textured, but the carbon fiber overlay has been extremely textured, in a basket-like weave pattern. These two textures give you plenty of grip and control when you are cutting with this knife—almost no matter which environment you are using it in.

On the butt of the handle, there is a lanyard hole, which comes in handy throughout your days. You can use a lanyard to more easily withdraw your knife form your pocket, to add a touch of style, or to keep it out of your way while still keeping it close.

 

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip is black, to blend in with the handle. It is a deep carry clip, which will keep it snug in your pocket while you go about your day. The deep carry clip also helps conceal your knife more efficiently, in case you don’t want people noticing that you have a knife with you. This is a reversible pocket clip, allowing you to choose between carrying it on your left or right side. This helps make the knife ambidextrous friendly. However, the handle has only been drilled for tip-up carry.

 

The Mechanism:

This is a manual knife that uses no mechanical assist. It has been equipped with a flipper, the KVT ball-bearing opening system and an inset liner lock. Because it is a manual knife, you won’t have to worry about the strict knife laws that surround automatic knives in many areas of the United States. Of course, always know your local knife laws before purchasing a knife, as you are responsible for happens.

The flipper is a small rectangular protrusion that extends form the back of the blade out of the spine of the handle when the knife is closed. The user pulls back on this, or flips it, in order to move the blade easily out of the handle where it can lock into place. The flipper is out of the way, because it doesn’t protrude directly form the blade, like a thumb stud would. The flipper also adds an element of safety by turning into a finger guard when the knife is opened. Lastly, the flipper keeps your fingers out of the path of the blade while opening and closing the knife.

The Kershaw KVT ball-bearing system makes one-handed opening of your knife fast and easy—without the need for a mechanical assist. While SpeedSafe assisted opening uses a torsion bar to help move the knife blade out of the handle, KVT relies on a ring of caged ball bearings that surround the knife’s pivot. When the user pulls back on the built-in flipper, the blade rotates out of the handle as the ball bearings roll in place. KVT makes one handed opening quick, easy, and smooth as butter. In knives with the KVT ball-bearing system, such as this one, you will notice that the knife as additional “detent.” This is a designed feature that helps hold the blade safely in the handle when the knife is closed. With a little extra pressure on the flipper, you can overcome the detent and open the knife with ease.

The Inset Liner Lock is a Kershaw variant on the liner lock that enables them to provide the security of a locking liner in a knife that’s slimmer and lighter. Kershaw insets a sturdy steel plate on the inside of the knife’ handle, usually in handle made of G1- or glass-filled nylon. It’s a partial liner that is riveted into place in a custom-machined cutout on the interior of the handle. This means Kershaw doesn’t need a complete steel liner on both sides of the handle, which in turn means the knife won’t be as heavy or as thick as a fully liner knife. In setting the lock in this way enables them to make a knife with a slimmer profile that won’t weigh your pocket down, while still providing the strength and security of a locking liner.

 

The Specs:

The blade on the Atmos measures in at 3 inches long, with a handle that measure sin at 4 inches. When the knife is opened, it measures in at an overall length of 6.9 inches long. It weighs in at 1.9 ounces, which is extremely light weight.

 

Conclusion:

Kershaw says, “The blade is a slim, modified drop point with top swedge, machining satin finished on the grind and satin sanded on the flats. The handle is lightweight G10 with a secure—and weight-reducing—inset liner lock. The handle has a layer of carbon fiber, yet. But it is unlike others you may have seen. To ensure your experience with the Atmos is cloud-smooth and blue-sky easy, Kershaw chamfered—smoothed and angled—the edges of the carbon fiber to make sure it feels comfortable when you hold it in your hand and that it glides into and out of your pocket smoothly and easily, too. Designed by Dmitry Sinkevich, the Atmos features Sinkevich’s characteristic clean and practical design—but enhanced with extra detailing. In addition to the chamfered carbon-fiber it has also a custom oversized pivot, a back spacer with wide lanyard attachment, and a reversible, deep-carry pocket clip. This manual knife opens quickly and easily with Kershaw’s KVT ball-bearing opening system. Extra detailing like this gives the Atmos a refined style that easily bridges the gap from workday to night on the town.” You can pick up this brand new Kershaw knife today at BladeOps.