Knife Review: Kershaw Static Flipper Knife

The Kershaw Static 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. Today we will be discussing the Static flipper.

The Blade:

The blade on the Static is made out of 8Cr13MoV stainless steel. Kershaw is really proud of what they have done with 8Cr13MoV steel. They have taken a standard blade steel and turned it into one that can really hang. 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.”

This is a Chinese steel that gives the consumer a great value. This is a steel that can hold its own but is not going to excel. But, with Kershaw’s heat treatment, you know that you are going to get a lot better bang for your buck. The standard steel becomes one that will compete with other steels. The hardness of this steel is between a 57-59.

The blade has been finished satin. This is the most common blade finish on the market, due to how classic it is. It is created when the manufacturer repeatedly sands the blade in on direction with an increasingly fine level of an abrasive. This works to showcase the bevels of the blade as well as showing off the fine lines in the steel. It also reduces glares and reflections somewhat, while also increasing the levels of corrosion resistance. The satin finish is standard and reliable.

The blade has been carved into a cleaver blade shape. This blade is very similar to the kitchen cleaver, which means that this pocketknife is going to excel at cutting, slicing, and chopping. This is because the blades are more solidly built than many of the other pocketknife popular shapes. One of the benefits is that even though this knife can fit in your pocket, you are going to be able to take on almost any task with it.

The shape is made up of a spine that extends straight form the handle to about 7/8 of the way up the knife. At this point, it angles down to the point. The point is known as a false point, because where the point normally lies, it actually has not even been sharpened. And, where the cutting-edge ends, there is no “point.” This does mean that there is not going to be any accidental stabbings, which can make this a good rescue knife. However, it also means that it is not going to be a good general utility knife, because you are not going to be able to stab with it, even if you wanted to. The belly on this knife is closer to non-existent than anything else. However, there is a very slight curve to it. You may be able to slice some, but don’t try to rely on that at all. Again, this means that it is not going to be a good general utility blade.

The Handle:

The handle on the Static is made out of stainless steel that has been finished with a grey PVD coating. Stainless steel is an incredibly durable material, because it does offer quite a bit of heft. Since this is a smaller knife, the stainless-steel handle makes sense. It adds in the heft that people want to feel comfortable while using the Static, but it isn’t going to weigh you down. That being said, if the Static were any larger, a stainless-steel handle may offer too much weight. Stainless steel is also super corrosion, stain, and wear resistant. This is a high-quality material. Of course, the stainless steel is even better enhanced by the PVD coating that it sports.

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 is one of the strongest coatings that you can find. While most coatings do wear off after time or heavy use, the PVD is known for being nearly the longest and strongest. This coat is a matte grey, which also works to reduce the glares and reflections.

The handle is edgy. The spien extends upward in an angel to about ¾ of the length of the handle, before it angles back downward toward the butt. The butt is the same way. It angles out and down, before angling down and in, creating a slightly pointed butt. The belly has a finger guard that is enhanced by the flipper. It then curves in and down to the butt.

Stainless steel is not known for giving the best texture, so Kershaw has added in different grooves and ridges. These ridges all angle inward. These will work to give enough texture that you can feel comfortable using this knife, even for your harder tasks. The ergonomics of the handle also fit well in your hand, making it a comfortable knife to use.

The Pocket Clip:

The accompanying pocket clip is a deep carry, reversible clip. The deep carry aspect is going to allow this knife to sit lower inside of your pocket, keeping it more secure. It is reversible for either left or right-handed carry. However, you can only carry it tip up. The reversible pocket clip does help the Static to be more ambidextrous friendly.

The pocket clip is black and tapers toward the butt of it. “Kershaw” is stamped in the middle in a lighter grey. All of the hardware on the Static is black.

The Mechanism:

This is a flipper knife that has been equipped with the KVT ball-bearing opening system as well as a frame lock.

For starters, the flipper is a small triangular piece of metal that extends off the blade and out of the spine of the handle when the knife is closed. The benefits of a flipper are that it is going to enable fast and easy one-handed opening, it is safe to use, and it is ambidextrous, because it can be accessed from either side of the handle.

Kershaw explains their KVT ball-bearing opening system by saying, “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 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.”

Overall, the KVT mechanism helps to make a manual opening knife, such as the Static, open as easily as an assisted knife. It is going to be fast, easy, and smooth.

The frame lock mechanism is made out of the knife handle, or frame, that consists of both of the metal pieces on either side of the blade. Once the blade does get deployed, the metal side of the frame sits against the back of the blade, which does prevent the blade from closing. If you are hoping to close the knife, you have to physically move the frame to the side, and then fold the blade back into the handle.

Frame locks are known to be extremely sturdy, because it is made up of the metal handle.

The Specs:

The blade on the Static measures in at 2.8 inches long with a handle that measures in at 3.8 inches long. This creates an overall length of 6.75 inches long when the blade is deployed, which is a little bit of a smaller size for a pocketknife. It does weigh in at 4 ounces, due to the stainless-steel handle.

Conclusion:

When Kershaw is explaining the static, they say, “The Static offers dynamic performance.

“With its cleaver-shaped blade, the Static excels at cutting, slicing, and chopping. The blade is sturdy, just under three inches long, and features a slightly curved belly for enhanced versatility. The cleaver-style tip provides good piercing capabilities while retaining the characteristic cleaver shape. The blade steel is quality 8Cr13MoV to take and hold a work-worthy edge, no matter the demands of the task. The Static opens one-handed with KVT ball-bearings and a flipper. A sturdy frame lock keeps the blade secure while you work.

“The Static’s stainless-steel handle features angled machining that adds to the knife’s good looks and provides traction for a solid grip. The gray PVD coating is hard and wear resistant. All this makes the Static is an ideal work and utility knife that's also easy to EDC. It folds down to a compact 3.8 inches and slides neatly into your pocket. The deep-carry pocket clip is left/right reversible and allows the knife to ride comfortably low in your pocket.”

This Kershaw is currently in stock at BladeOps. You can order yours today by clicking here.