Knife Review: Kershaw Parsec Flipper Knife

The Kershaw Parsec Flipper Knife

Kershaw and their fans know that there is nothing that compares to a Kershaw. They have the award-winning technologies, they have the advanced materials, they have the solid sound of the blade lockup. All of this means that when you are carrying a Kershaw, you know that you are carrying the real deal.

So, what does the real deal mean? Well, Kershaw says, “The real thing means value and plenty of it. With Kershaw, you get incredible bang for your hard-earned buck. Even our inexpensive models are impressive. In fact, everything about a Kershaw is solid, crafted, reliable. That’s why we can back each of our knives for the life of its original owner against any defects in materials and construction with our famous Limited Lifetime Warranty.

“And yes, people do own their Kershaw knives for a lifetime. (Although, occasionally, a Kershaw has been known to get accidentally left at a campsite, lost in the garage, or permanently borrowed by a friend.)

“The point is, you can always look to Kershaw for everyday carrying knives that can tame any cardboard box and liberate any purchase from its plastic packaging, sporting knives that make hunting, fishing, watersports, and camping even better, work knives that won’t let you down, and tactical knives that ensure you’re ready for anything.”

They were founded in 1974 with the mission to design and manufacture tools that knife users were going to be proud to own, carry, and use. This means that each and every one of their knives need to be made with the highest quality. From hunting knives to collectors’ knives, Kershaw makes sure that they choose the high-quality materials and pair it with intensive craftsmanship to get a top-quality knife.

Not only that, but they have a commitment to innovation. 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 knifemaking industry and knife-using public.”

The good thing about Kershaw is that you know you will always be able to rely on their knives. They have a good selection coming out this year, so keep your eyes peeled for all of their new knives hitting the shelves.

Today we will be discussing one of BladeOps’ newest releases, the Kershaw Parsec.

The Blade:

The blade on the Parsec is made out of 8Cr13MoV steel. When Kershaw is describing this steel, they say, “You may have heard that 8Cr13MoV stainless is basically the equivalent of AUS8A. And it’s true. For everyday use, even a serious “knife knut” would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a well-made 8Cr13MoV blade and a well-made AUS8A blade. Nevertheless, there are slight differences in the steel formula. While most other components are relatively equal, 8Cr13MoV has slightly more carbon for hardness and wear resistance and slightly less nickel. The key to blade performance for both of these steels is manufacturing quality. That’s where Kershaw’s expertise comes 

in. Kershaw precision heat-treats 8Cr13MoV steel to bring out its best high-performance characteristics: the ability to take and hold an edge, strength, and hardness. 8Cr13MoV is top-of-the-line Chinese steel and, we believe, offers our customers an excellent value. HRC: 57–59.” That is something that is unique about a Kershaw knife made with this steel. While this steel is commonly seen as a budget steel that holds its own, but not much else, Kershaw’s heat treatment transforms this steel into one that can excel at what it does. This means that you get better quality for less money. Truly, more bang for your buck.

The blade has been finished with a stonewashed brown PVD finish. Kershaw describes the PVD coating by saying, “PVD stands for Physical Vapor Disposition. Specialized materials are vaporized via a vacuum process. Then the vaporized material is deposited as a thin layer on selected objects. In our case, it enables us to finish our blades and/or handles with a thin coating that adds color and offers excellent wear and corrosion resistance.” This means that the coating is going to do all of the same things as a regular coating. The life of the blade will be prolonged because it does cut down on wear and corrosion. Plus, you don’t have to worry about it scratching or peeling off, because a PVD coating is going to stay on better than most. The coating on this one is brown.

The second finish on the blade is a stonewashed finish. This finish gives the blade a textured, rugged look. The stonewashed finish hides scratches and smudges to keep maintenance time reduced.

The blade has been carved into a drop point blade shape. This is the most common blade shape on the market to date. The spien of the knife slopes gently from the handle to the tip, however, right before the tip begins, it drops down more dramatically. This creates the dropped point, which is where the knife gets its name from. Not only that, but it also gives you more control as you work with the knife. The point on the Parsec is broad, which is going to add more durability and strength to the knife. This means that you are going to be able to work on those tougher tasks without worrying about whether or not the Parsec can take it—it will be able to.

The belly on the Parsec is a little bit smaller than your standard drop point, but it still adds more surface area to the knife, which will allow you to slice with ease. The good news about the drop point blade shape is that it is tough and durable, as well as versatile. There isn’t too much that the drop point won’t be able to take on. The Parsec is a smaller knife, but with the tough blade shape, it should be able to pack a punch.

The Handle:

The handle on the Parsec is made out of stainless steel. This is going to add durability, strength, and corrosion resistance to the knife. Stainless steel also adds the heft that you crave out of a knife. With the Parsec, you won’t ever have to question if the knife can withstand the task at hand. However, stainless steel does feel rather cold to the touch, it is semi-prone to scratches, and it doesn’t offer the best grip that you can find on the market.

The handle on the Parsec is also finished with the same PVD coating as well as the stonewashed finish. This creates a rugged looking knife that is going to be low maintenance, because the PVD coating is not likely to scratch off and the stonewashed finish hides the scratches and smudges that will occur over time.

The handle is unique and looks futuristic in a rugged way. The base shape of it is a rectangle, with the middle skeletonized. The brown PVD stonewashed finish is going to add to the ruggedness of the handle, making it look worn in the best way. The butt of the handle is uneven, with the belly side being longer. The belly of the handle has the flipper that acts like a finger guard as well as a squared finger guard that is filled with jimping.

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip is black and nearly a deep carry. The clip is kept in place by two screws, which match the rest of the hardware on the knife. In the middle of the clip, Kershaw’s logo has been etched in white. The clip has a slight groove to it in the middle of it.

The Mechanism:

The Parsec has been equipped with Kershaw’s KVT ball bearing system as well as a flipper.

When Kershaw is explaining the KVT ball-bearing system, they say that it “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 the handle, KVT relies on a ring of ‘caged’ ball bearings that surround the knife's pivot. (‘Caged’ means the ball bearings are secured within a ring that surrounds the pivot. It keeps the ball bearings in place, while allowing them to rotate freely.) 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.”

This means that it is going to allow you to bring the blade into play much quicker than you would without this system. It also is going to be easy to use and easy to get the hang of. The KVT ball-bearing system is also going to allow this knife to feel more like an automatic knife, without actually being an automatic knife. This will allow the Parsec to be legal in more states, cities, and areas than an automatic knife would. Of course, you should still know your local knife laws before purchasing and carrying this knife.

This knife has been equipped with a flipper mechanism as well. The flipper is a small triangular protrusion. This piece of metal is a piece of the blade. It extends out of the spine of the handle when the knife is closed. To open a knife with a flipper, you are going to hold the knife in one hand, then use your index finger to push down on the flipper. This will move the blade out of place, start the KVT ball-bearing opening system, and allow the blade to swing open where it will lock into place, ready for use.

There are a wide variety of benefits to the flipper. However, you should know that it is going to be harder to get the hang of than a knife that has been equipped with a thumb stud. But the flipper is going to enable fast and easy one-handed opening. Along with that, you can access the flipper from either side of the blade, which does mean that it is going to be fully ambidextrous. This opening mechanism will work the same for both right and left handers. The flipper is also one of the safer mechanisms to use. This is because the flipper does act as a finger guard when the blade is opened, adding an extra element of safety and protection. Plus, the flipper does not put your fingers in the path of the blade when you are swinging the blade open, like the thumb stud would. This means that once you do get the hang of the flipper, you are going to be less likely to accidentally hurt yourself while using this knife.

The Specs:

The blade on the Parsec measures in at 2.8 inches long with a handle that measures in at 3.95 inches long. This means that when the blade has been deployed, it is going to measure in at an overall length of 6.75 inches long. This is on the smaller side for an EDC, but it is built with solid material, so it will have the durability and strength to take on what you need it to. The knife weighs in at an overall weight of 4 ounces.

Conclusion:

This flipper model features stainless steel handles in a stonewashed brown PVD finish and a drop point style blade in a stonewashed brown PVD finish.

The new Kershaw Parsec opens effortlessly with one hand thanks to the KVT ball-bearings and spine flipper tab while its heavier-weight handle, complete with futuristic lines puts it into an all new class of its own. Enjoy a slim versatile cutting blade profile while the reversible pocket clip remains low-profile.

The Parsec is still in stock, but in order to get your hands on one of these, you are going to want to act fast. Click here to order yours today.