KershawBlur Olive and Black Pocket Knife, 3.4” Stainless Steel Blade with Assisted Opening, Olive Aluminum Handle with Deep-Carry Pocketclip, Small Folding Knife

Positives:This is the best EDC knife I've owned, period. The USA-made Blur has been in my right front pocket for the majority of the last five years, and you can see in the picture that it shows signs of use. As both an office professional during the day and a farmer during my off hours, I use this knife for everything... opening boxes, trimming zip ties, cutting up apples, cutting rope, removing netting from hay bales, stripping wire, impromptu cooking, and performing minor surgical procedures on livestock and myself. It is light enough to be comfortable (I don't know it is there until I need it) but sturdy enough to perform any job I've asked. With the excellent pocket clip I can remove it from my pocket and replace it with one hand even when wearing heavy leather gloves, and it opens with a flip of my thumb, ready for use. The locking mechanism is air-tight and can also be operated with a gloved hand, which is a huge plus.The blade came shaving sharp, and with minimal maintenance, has stayed that way. I generally use a Lansky to sharpen it, and it takes an edge easily. The 14C28N steel has definitely earned my respect, as it also holds an edge well during regular use. I'll touch it up using medium and fine stones, and then either strop using my belt or hit the honing steel that I keep in my kitchen. The hair on the underside of my left arm doesn't stand a chance.The coating is on the aluminum grip has proved to be incredibly durable, showing wear only on the very edges from continuous rubbing, and there are a few tiny nicks where it has been dropped on rough concrete. The coating on the blade remains wear-free and corrosion has been a non-issue. The inserts in the grip work well for traction, and have not separated at all (this was something I worried about, but that worry was unfounded). Whatever adhesive that stuff is attached with seems to be impervious to anything I've subjected my knife to.I've found this knife to be the perfect balance of weight, ergonomics, edge-retention, blade length, and accessibility. I love the pocket clip, and while it does ride a bit high (and is thus a bit more visible to an observer), I prefer this as it allows my knife to be accessible in emergency situations when on horseback, atv, tractor, or in a vehicle. If you want to be more discreet for polite company, there are deep-carry clips available.The affordability also hits a sweet-spot. This knife, while not cheap, is priced more like a quality tool than an heirloom piece. Somewhere in my mind there is an arbitrary cutoff where something becomes too expensive to carry around in my pocket (probably around $75) and this knife falls under that threshold. If it cost twice as much I'd still think it a good value based on performance, but I'd probably be half-afraid to use it. I have a collection of knives and multi-tools, and I've found consistently that the really expensive ones stay in my drawer because I'd just feel terrible to come in and find that I lost a $150 piece of kit somewhere out in my hay field.Unless I am doing something I know will require a multi-tool, or I am headed someplace where a knife clipped to my pocket wouldn't be appreciated, this is what I grab. It is sufficient for the mundane tasks of daily life, professional use on a farm, and if I was ever unlucky enough to need to, and didn't have anything else available, I wouldn't hesitate to open it in defense.Negatives:Albeit very few, there are some (very) minor negatives that are worth mentioning.At one point I severely bent the pocket clip. This led to two things... first, I had to order a Torx driver small enough to get the screws out (I think it was a T3 or T4, and these aren't something most folks commonly have in a toolbox). A hex bit would be a much easier find, because who doesn't have a drawer full of assorted hex bits? The other issue was that I was going to order a spare pocket clip in case I couldn't bend what I had back into shape, and without calling Kershaw, I couldn't find anything but the deep carry clip anywhere.The second *neutral* opinion I have is the tactical appearance of this knife. My employer is pretty forgiving about pocket knives, but I suspect it would raise some serious eyebrows in most office settings since it is a fairly tactical-looking design (especially with the black blade with a shiny, wicked-looking edge). It definitely makes a statement. I say that this is neutral and not a negative because you can easily see what you are getting from the picture. If you don't want a tactical looking knife, then get yourself a Buck Prince or a Case Stockman like Grandpa used to carry, and no one will think twice. Still, it is worth mentioning that, if you are looking for discreet, this isn't. You'll whip it out of your pocket, hit the thumbstud, and with a loud and authoritative "Click!" you'lll be holding a pretty fearsome-looking blade.

I loved it when I had it, but then I lost it one day. Very sad, I miss it

The media could not be loaded. Opens smoothly, light and slim. The lock needs broken in for one handed operation edge is clean and razor sharp (which is nice because most knives I have to sharpen once I get them.) Clip is tight and hold the knife securely in the pocket, and it comfortable to carry. Overall I am happy with it.

I've been carrying Kershaw since the partnership with Ken Onion first started driving product design, and have purchased 10 or so of this specific model. I keep one in each of my vehicle go bags and a second clipped to my tearaway trauma/BC kits which live in my cars, one each for the family for backpacking and adventure use, and mine which has been all over the country in my pocket for nearly a decade at this point. The design is ergonomic, blade quality acceptable and the speedsafe locking mechanism is AMAZING - I prefer it to others including Gerber or BenchMade. I like the all metal construction and consistently push this knife beyond (way beyond) what the designers or manufacturer intended or would want to see. After years of daily use the blade shows the abuse but the speedsafe mechanism, lockup and overall package is holding up very well. It spent an unfortunate afternoon INSIDE the nearly full fuel tank of a '86 CJ7 (I don't want to talk about it lol) and one of the grip panel stickers (which had already torn due to abuse) ended up coming off, but the others have held up very well. Just last week I caught the clip on a steel corner while at a full hustle - tearing my jeans and taking me off my feet. The clip sprung open a tad and now I'll have to take it back off and give it a bend, but - the knife is a survivor.

I have had this model knife in my pocket for well over a decade. Always holds its edge and is the perfect size for a multitude of tasks.

I've turned into a rabid knife knut, and I'm looking to infect more people. I'm just another junkie looking for his next fix, and for a low-low price, this KO Blur in Sandvik can be *your* gateway drug into a knife addiction that will have your friends and family contemplating an intervention. This knife is a cheap way to get a quick fix, and it performs surprisingly well. Until I bought this knife, I was experiencing some bad side-effects from my addiction where I would not buy a knife that wasn't made from one of the latest "super steels" like M390, S110V, Elmax or CTS-204p.Enter the Sandvik.For $42, including Prime shipping, what I received was astonishingly good. The knife arrived "hair popping" sharp, and easily shaved a patch clean off my left arm without any resistance, leaving behind a baby smooth area that is only now beginning to grow back. It sliced through paper like it wasn't even there. Sandvik, originally a razor steel, takes a wicked edge every bit as sharp as any steel available at any price. Yes, this $50 knife can take an edge as well as any $500 blade. The real difference comes in edge retention, and this is where Sandvik puts up a good fight, but will succumb to dulling much more quickly than most of the exotic steels, like M390 or S110V. That's OK, because a few quick passes on a quality strop, and you're back in business and ready to go another round. That hair-popping edge recovers surprisingly well -- rinse and repeat.The rest of the knife is also well sorted. The assisted-open is nearly switchblade quick, and the solid aluminum handle with sticky, hard rubber insets is ready for some rough handling. It's *very* light, and just the right length for most EDC purposes, and the OD color, black insets, and black blade make for a very inconspicuous package that check all the right boxes.Again, this is a review of a $50 knife, so please keep my remarks in perspective. If you want a tougher blade and package, you're going to have to pony up a LOT more dough to get something appreciably better. I still prefer my ZT 0560, or my Spyderco M390 Millie, but at nearly five times the price one would hope so. That said, I have no problem keeping those in the drawer on certain days in favor of carrying this Sandvik Blur.No problem at all.

Great materials, great design and overall building quality. USA made for the price paid was a great deal.I felt quite dispointed by the lock system that was so close to the edge of the blade that it slipped out. I had to disassemble the knife and readjust the system. It’s not something you expect to do on a new item made in USA by Kershaw. I love the brand and I know that this knife will last for long years to come but from a customer centric point of view I expected a flawless quality control on such an important part of the mechanism. Security is of the essence.Best regards.