Kershaw has been one of the most popular names in the knife market for years. Their unique design and durable craftsmanship always make them an incredible choice for any knife enthusiast. And as one of the best knife manufacturers in the world, they have a variety of pocket knives to choose from. So if you’re looking to add a new Kershaw blade to your collection or just want the best they have to offer, you’re at the right place. Here we will be listing a number of their best blades that you can choose from.
The Best Kershaw Blades
Emerson CQC-6K
The Emerson CQC-6K manages to offer something for every knife enthusiast. People looking for a smooth and satisfying opening mechanism will like the Emerson CQC for its Patented wave opener. People looking for a long knife with a sharp edge will find its clip-point blade quite satisfying. And people who love a firm grip over their knife will love the incredible feel of its ergonomic handle, deep finger guard, thumb groove, and various other ergonomic grooves.
The CQC-6K, unlike all other Emerson models, features a very strong half-height flat grind on both sides. The Other Emerson models will usually feature a chisel grind, making this knife instantly more recognizable. They are crafted from 8Cr14MoV material, which gives it enough hardness for a nice sharp edge, with enough toughness to sharpen it easily. With a total length of 3.2 inches, it is a fairly comfortable knife for everyday use.
Barge
The Barge is a small blade with an almost karambit style design, for which you can thank the 2.6” Wharncliffe blade. The blade also uses the 8Cr14MoV material, which is not very special but is fairly good given its price. The high hollow grind makes for a very sharp edge, if at the cost of its overall durability. Do not try to pry loose objects with this knife, as you might end up snapping it entirely. Instead, use the handy prybar that you can find on the bottom of the knife.
Since people tend to use knives as a prying tool, which ends up snapping the blade in half, Kershaw added one at the edge. The stainless steel pry can easily help you open different objects while saving the knife from chipping. Furthermore, like a utility knife, the downward shape of the Wharncliffe is great for opening packaging materials or boxes.
Induction
The Induction has plenty of styles as it features a multitude of design elements that help it stand out from the rest of the crowd. The black aluminum handle is instantly recognizable for its ergonomic grooves and sleek design.
The blade is a stylish carbon-coated, black drop-point with a stainless steel swedge at the back. It is very corrosion-resistant and razor-sharp, thanks to its high height hollow grind. It is perfect for most EDC tasks and is sharp enough to be versatile.
The real star of the Induction is the Hawk Lock, which works very similarly to the axis lock, except for a major difference in how it is significantly stronger. Despite being a manual flipper, the Hawk Lock makes opening the blade instant. The lock then holds the knife in place. The trigger switch on the handle is easy to use as you pull down to fold the knife again.
Link
The Link is one of the few affordable, high-quality knives made in America. The blade has a very simple design, with its curved reverse tanto blade offering a long slicing face and a sharp tip edge. And since this is an affordable knife, they made some concessions to the material used, which is the 420HC. While the 420HC struggles to keep an edge, it’s fairly easier to sharpen. It also comes in a total length of 3.25”, making it perfect for everyday tasks.
Depending on the version you buy, you can get the GFN on the handles for cheap or aluminum for a little pricier option. The aluminum also adds a little weight to the package, taking it up to 5.4 oz. The blade makes use of a speed-safe assisted opening, which you can activate with a flipper tab.
Blur
The Blur is a simple and sleek blade with a lot of cutting power in a fairly small package. With a handle that is just 4.5”, it is just the right size for an everyday knife. Mores surprisingly, it even houses a longer than average blade inside, at about 3.4”. The full package is just 3.9 oz., which is impressive considering the aluminum handle, accompanied by “trak-tek” prints, which gives it a much better grip. Every Blur makes use of a Speed Safe assisted opening mechanism, which is quick and gives a very satisfying clicking sound when it opens.
Knockout
The Knockout knife looks apart from anything Kershaw has made before, with its stainless steel drop point blade matched with the aluminum frame. It is simple and satisfying to open, the sub-frame lock giving a satisfying click every time you open it.
The best part about the Knockout, except for its incredible style, is it’s a great blade. Coming with a high hollow grind, the 3.25” blade features excellent slicing ability. The blade also features ambidextrous opening mechanisms, allowing you to open the blade from both hands. You can even choose whether to open the blade from the flipper or the thumb studs.
Skyline
The Skyline is the perfect blade for people looking for something lightweight with no fancy gimmicks. In essence, it has managed to perfect the minimalist EDC knife formula, offering a knife that is comparable in functionality to other blades like the Knockout, at just 2.9 ounces.
The Sandvick 14C28N blade has a stonewashed finish that is perfect for its minimalist aesthetic. The blade is just 3.1 inches, with a high hollow point grind. That grind alone makes it one of the best blades for slicing that you can find.
Finally, the handle features a fairly deep finger choil for a stronger grip, with a slick ergonomic groove at the back. Overall, if you don’t like fancy knives, this is possibly one of the best options.
The Different Grinds Available
You can find Kershaw blades in various grinds, each of which comes with its unique benefits. And one of the defining characteristics of these grinds is how difficult or easy they are to sharpen. Here are a few of the most popular grinds:
Chisel
Chisel grinds are most common among most blades that need to be sharpened quickly. These blades usually include kitchen knives or EDC knives, as they will usually need an edge that can be easy to sharpen. The style of the chisel blade has one side of the edge at a flat 90° angle, with the grind on the other side.
Since you only have to sharpen one side, it can be easier to work with. These blades are also quite strong, allowing you to cut through almost any material.
Convex
Convex blades are a rare grind to see in most knives, mainly because of their irregular shape. While it does have both faces sharpened, it also has a rounded shape, giving the blade more steel behind it. The different curved shape does not make for very powerful cuts and does make the blade a little bulky.
However, convex grinds do have one very obvious benefit to them. They allow you to put a lot of force behind the blade without chipping. Therefore, this is the best type of grind for outdoor activities like cutting wood. This grind is also on axes.
Scandi
The Scandi, or Scandinavian grind, is also a popular option on most beginner to intermediate blades. It is easy to sharpen and remains one of the easier blades to get around to sharpening. Its bevel is much closer to the edge, with both sides having a similar edge. The standard V shape is very good for cutting wood and easier to sharpen since it has no secondary bevel.
This grind is especially popular on most types of survival knives, as well as different types of EDC knives.
Full Flat
Full flat grinds are possibly the most popular grinds on most EDC knives, as their bevel usually starts from the spine of the knife. From there, the blade creates a perfect V, which goes down to the edge. Full Flat grinds will usually come with a secondary bevel on edge, making it very sharp. The secondary bevel can also make this blade a little more difficult to sharpen.
The full flat also comes in different variations, one of which is the sabre or scandi grind. The major difference between these blades is that the primary bevel starts much higher on a full flat than the scandi or sabre.
Hollow
A hollow grind can give a blade a razor-sharp edge, but at the cost of its overall durability. These blades have a concave shape, which will always matter how long you sharpen them. Almost every brand offers knives with these grinds, but they are not very useful in most situations. Instead, these grinds are usually relegated to straight razors, which need to be very sharp but not useful in tactile situations.
