The 5 Very Best Kershaw Knives of All-Time

Undoubtedly, Kershaw is among the top pocket knife brands.

They’ve built their reputation not just on the hype, but on high-quality knives that they’ve produced over the years. Founded in 1974, Kershaw has been making knives for 45+ years now.

Most of the their knives are constructed in the USA, but they do have a few of their knives being constructed in the Asia. They have been in the market for years and always impressed their new and loyal customers(including me).

Some of the famous Kershaw knives include Cryo, Leek, and Shallot (all designed for everyday use.)

In the tactical and professional category, their Blur and CQC lines are the most selling. If you’re looking for something more military or law enforcement style, then check out their sister brand Zero Tolerance.

Since I have got a respectable collection of Kershaw knives, I thought of publishing my opinion about what are the best Kershaw knives in the world. 

5 Best Kershaw Knives of 2024

ImageModelOverall LengthSteelAvailability
best-folding-knifeKershaw Cryo6.5 inches8Cr13MoV Stainless Steel Check Price
folding pocket knifeKershaw Leek7 inches14C28N stainless steel Check Price
kershaw-ken-onionKershaw Ken Onion Blur7.88 inches14C28N stainless steel Check Price
folding pocket knifeZero Tolerance7.75 inchesS30V Stainless Steel Check Price
folding knifeSinkevich9.3 inchesS35VN Stainless Steel Check Price

1. Kershaw Cryo Knife

Cryo was voted best buy of the year (2012) in Blade Magazine. Kershaw Cryo is my top pick for the best Kershaw knife under $30.

Kershaw Crypo Knife

Blade: The blade length is 2.75 inches, and overall length is 6.5 inches. The blade is made up of 8Cr13MoV stainless steel. The Kershaw “Speed Assist” makes the blade fly out effortlessly. Though the steel 8Cr13MoV is made in China, it has performed reasonably well. It retains the edge well can be easily & quickly be sharpened.

Handle & Ergonomics: The handle is built out of titanium carbo-nitride coated stainless steel. The handle enables a good grip. But if I compare it to the G10 or other high-quality material; then, I’m not so satisfied. During rainy days, if the handle gets wet, you might not find it grippy. However, on the regular days, it will not fail to perform.

Ergonomics are very comfortable. It has an assisted-opening mechanism that works very smoothly when you try to open or fold the blade; it’s fast. The jimping on the handle provides an extra grip which you’ll love. The knife’s handle is proper steel with no added sc.

Pros

  • Rust-proof for ages.
  • Easy to clean. Just wipe and you’re done!
  • Feels heavy, yet very durable.

Cons

  • Messing up with the pivot screw can “screw” your knife.
  • Stiff: Difficult to open when new.

2. Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife

The Leek series includes some of Kershaw’s most popular knives. This particular knife features a distinctive design by celebrated knife maker Ken Onion, which created the SpeedSafe ambidextrous assisted opening system.

Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife

Blade: The blade length is about 3 inches that I consider very decent for typical tasks like slicing, cutting ropes and for carrying around. The blade is made up of Sandvik 14C28N steel with a bead-blasted finish.

The blade is sharp and easy to sharpen. The quality of the blade is good but don’t expect to use it for heavy-duty tasks or piercing related jobs because the tip of the blade is very fragile. Read my review of Kershaw Leek Knife. I have shared everything very thoroughly there.

Handle & Ergonomics: The handle on the Kershaw Leek is made up of 410 stainless steel with a bead-blasted finish. The handle is slippery and sometimes difficult to maintain a safe grip on the knife. The slim handle gives it a very sleek profile. Though the grip is an issue, I don’t think a knife of this size really needs any substantial grip.

Verdict: It’s easy to open. The blade stays sharp, the blade is reversible, and it is made in the USA. The overall size is EDC friendly, and its design makes it a cool-looking knife. Yes, it’s not for heavy-duty tasks, but other than that, it’s good.

Check Out The Full Kershaw Leek Review

Pros

  • Opens extremely fast.
  • Reversible Clip.
  • The balde stays sharp for a long time.

Cons

  • The tip isn’t the strongest that I’ve seen.
  • Clip: The knife doesn’t fit flush in my pocket.
  • The blade may rust if not taken good care of.

3. Kershaw Blur Pocket Knife

Kershaw Blur

The Blur series offers power and performance and ideal for extreme everyday situations. The Kershaw Ken Onion Blur is a mid-range pocket knife that performs exceptionally well.

Blade: The blade length is 3.4 inches, which is made up of 13C26 stainless steel. 13C26 offers substantial hardness, and it is corrosion resistance. It arrives sharp, stays sharp, and cuts with ease.

The blade is durable and is perfect for cutting boxes, tape, and rope. The Blur knife is available in two blade types: Plain edge and serrated. I personally prefer plain edge, but depending on your work you might find serrated blade better. (especially for cutting ropes)

Handle & Ergonomics: The handle is made up of 6061-T6 anodized aluminum, which makes it rough, almost like Line-X. There is no chance it’s slipping out of your hand. If you look closely, you’ll find rubber on the handle that helps you to hold the handle with full grip. Handle comes with a variety of colors like red, olive, and black. If you’re picky about colors, then this will definitely make your day.

The knife has a clip, and the pre-drilled holes in the handle allow you to switch the pocket clip for either tip-up or tip-down carry. Though the handle is good, I found out that when worn often enough, it can wear through jeans.

Verdict: Blade is sharp, looks premium, Speedsafe opening is excellent, and the handle is ergonomic. The pocket clip is tight, which makes it tough to pull out the knife from the pocket.

Check Out The Full Kershaw Blur Review

Pros

  • Looks, feels and works great.
  • Blade retains edge for a long time.
  • Feels very comfortable in hand.

Cons

  • Thumb grooves on the back are small to my liking.
  • The liner locks are “too thin” for me to trust.
  • The thumb stud is the dumbest design I have ever seen

4. Kershaw Skyline Knife

Kershaw Skyline

With textured black G-10 handle, the Skyline is one of the best EDC blades in the market today. It features a devilishly sharp Sandvik blade which is fairly priced. Skyline is a manual foldable knife that is corrosion-resistant. This is just another quality range of knives from Kershaw knives. 

All features are put-together well to make you happy. It doesn’t get any better than carrying a Kershaw Skyline knife with you proudly!

Blade: The blade length is 3-1/8 inches, which is made up of Sandvik 14C28N Bead-Blasted Finish stainless steel. Sandvik 14C28N offers substantial hardness, and is corrosion resistant. It arrives sharp, stays sharp, and cuts with ease.

Handle & Ergonomics: Kershaw Fixed Blade Skyline has Textured G-10 Handle which provides a solid and comfortable grip while holding.

Verdict: All the features are put together well for the best value for money. This is a great looking knife that costs less than $50 is a great idea for any type of knife buyer. Though most of the Kershaw Skyline Review says the blade measures 3.125-inch, but mostly it’s 3 Inches only. However, this difference is not a big deal either.

5. Zero Tolerance ZT0350TS (Sister Brand Of Kershaw)

Zero Tolerance ZT0350TS

Many people are not aware that Zero Tolerance is a sister brand of Kershaw. Zero Tolerance is one of the popular editions in the knife industry. 

The 0350 is equipped with SpeedSafe for a one-handed assisted opening. Even in combat gloves, you can quickly deploy the blade using the large, ambidextrous thumb stud or blade protrusion.

Note: The owner of Kershaw Knives, Kai USA Ltd. is headquartered in Oregon and also owns Shun Knives and Zero Tolerance Knives.

Blade: The blade is constructed with S30V stainless-steel and assembled with SpeedSafe opening mechanism. Deployment is lightning fast, yet, is safe to open. 

The cutting performance of the blade is fantastic. To put it together, the blade is tough and sharp which helps perform heavy-duty tasks in the wilderness.

Handle & Ergonomics: Knife fits into the hand very well, the blade protrusion & grippy G10 handles make this knife very comfortable to hold, feels very natural in your hand, even with gloves on. 

This knife absolutely refuses the let go of your hand. 

The spring-clip holds well to thin nylon jacket pockets and has a reasonable clamping force. It Includes a quad mounting system for tip-up, tip-down, left- or right-handed clip carry.

Verdict: Great steel,  Great Ergonomics, Best speed-safe assisted opening mechanism knife, Performs heavy-duty tasks. No doubt, it is the best Kershaw knife of all.

Takeaway

Kershaw is a well-known knife company that creates some of the best pocket knives. All the knives I mentioned affordable and beautiful and have a broad array of styles. These were my top picks for the best Kershaw knives. I will keep updating this article with new models or good alternatives for existing models.

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3 thoughts on “The 5 Very Best Kershaw Knives of All-Time”

  1. Great knives all around, but… I am a bit mystified how the Knockout was left off the list, even as an honorable mention.

    Reply
  2. You said Kershaw but that was to difficult. You had to show off you ZT.(not a Kershaw) Waspknife your description of these knives didn’t sound that knowledgeable you couldn’t hold the Leek in your hand. That should have been the #1 knife there are over 119 different versions of that one knife. You started with the cryo. Sad how many versions does it have?.

    Reply

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