The butterfly knife is one of the most interesting folding knives you can pick up for everyday carry. As flashy as it is functional, a butterfly knife (also known as a fan knife, balisong, or Batangas knife) allows you to rapidly deploy a blade using force and gravity faster than you can with an unassisted manual folder. The simple design of a butterfly knife also allows it to be ambidextrous, and much thinner than its traditional folding cousins. But unfortunately, their popularity has meant that the market is flooded with cheap imitations that are flimsy and dangerous for the user to handle. That’s not the case with Kershaw’s new Lucha, a high-quality butterfly knife that applies Kershaw’s KVT technology to give you the smoothest deployment possible and give you the best flipping time when using the knife.
Where cheaper butterfly knives catch on the pivot and are likely to get you cut on your own blade, the American-made Kershaw Lucha integrates KVT ball bearings into the handle pivots, giving you a buttery-smooth opening action that requires less effort than with other balisongs. This lets you bring about the 4.6″ clip-point Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel blade quicker to bear when you have a cutting or slicing task to accomplish. Just flip it open and lock it into place with latch lock at the pommel. The strong tip and thin nature of the blade also make it good for piercing and fine detail work.
There’s also the fun flipping aspect that comes with butterfly knives, and you may have seen tricks performed by dexterous owners. If it’s your first time though, it’s recommended to tape up the blade or dull it with a stone first so you can practice the deployment without cutting yourself or being afraid of the knife itself. You can also look into trainers or practice pens to get you familiar with flipping before attempting harder motions on the Lucha.
The Kershaw Lucha is a unique and capable everyday carry with a storied history and plenty of potential for fun. Just be sure to check your local knife laws, because unfortunately, butterfly knives aren’t friendly in all locales. If you’re in the clear, check out and pick up the Lucha at the link below.
