Kershaw Launch 1 Auto Knife — Quick Review

The Kershaw Launch 1 Auto knife has now been out for a couple of months.  Here are my thoughts on the knife so far.

First, the action is incredible.  This is the first thing you will notice upon firing the Launch 1–it opens fast and hard.  At BladeOps, we check every single knife before sending it out to our customers (unless it is in fully sealed packaging).  And having checked several hundred Launch 1 knives over the past few months, we have found exactly ZERO defects.  This is a huge improvement over the Rogue and Breakout series.  None of the knives that we have inspected have play or rebound issues.  *Rebound issues are knives that fire open but bounce off the stop pin and fail to lock up when fired.  The firing button is recessed to make accidental firings almost impossible.

Second, the materials used in the production of the Launch knives are top shelf.  The handle is built from anodized aluminum and the blade is CPM154 stainless steel.  The Launch 1 has a black oxide BlackWash finish that looks fantastic.  Because high quality materials go into the creation of this knife, it is going to last a lifetime if you take care of it properly.

Finally, the design and feel of the knife is excellent.  A generous finger groove in the handle positions your hand perfectly and the ultra thin handle makes for a comfortable session every time you cut.  These handles aren’t quite as thin as the earlier Rogue and Breakout knives but they are still very thin.  The tip up pocket clip is left/right reversible.

And as an extra bonus, the knife is made in the USA.  At under $100, you aren’t going to find more bang for your buck than the Kershaw Launch knife.  Now all you have to do is decide if you want the 1, 2 or 3.  Check them out here on our website and let me know what you think of yours below.