BY JIM COBB
If one were to draw a Venn diagram to illustrate the intersection of knife brands that are high quality, reasonably priced, and made for actual use, you’d find Kershaw right in the center. It seems as though every year they outdo themselves with innovative products that have real world applications.
Recently, I acquired two of their newer knives, the Link and the Launch 6. I carried each of them for several weeks and put them through some tests to see how they held up. I can’t say I was entirely surprised by the results.
LINK – OUT OF THE BOX
The Link is not my first knife that has Kershaw’s SpeedSafe opening technology. This assisted- opening feature swings the blade open nearly as fast as an automatic knife. Simply pull back on the flipper with your finger and the blade slams into place. The lockup on the blade is perfect, no wiggle at all from front to back nor side to side. The blade is secured open with a liner lock.
As the blade swings into position, the flipper becomes part of the handle’s integral guard. The handle is shaped such that the thumb quite naturally slides into position along the back of the handle. The handle back is also curved so it follows the contour of the palm.
The blade is 420HC steel covered with a black oxide finish called BlackWash. This gives it a very handsome appearance. The Link comes in either blue or gray and I chose the blue because it was not only more striking to my eye but because it would be easier to spot if I set it on the ground or accidentally dropped it. The aluminum scales are very slightly textured.
The pocket clip is reversible, allowing for either right or left carry. The Link is set up for tip up style carry in the pocket, which is my preference. There is also a lanyard hole, which is a nice feature as many people like to keep the knife deep in their pocket and have an attached lanyard hang outside.