Kershaw needs little introduction when it comes to making quality knives for everyday carry. For decades their designs have made a substantial impact on the industry, and their forward-looking designs often tend to enjoy a long life among collectors. But this is a new year, and any talk about new knives for everyday carry would be sorely lacking without checking out the new knives that Kershaw is bringing to the table in 2021. In this guide we’ve put together a quick list of five of our favorite new designs from their latest release, and why you should put them on your EDC shopping list this year.
Lucha Blackwash
With its compelling mix of quality materials and a smooth flipping action along with an extremely competitive price point, the Kershaw Lucha took the knife community by storm last year. In 2021, Kershaw updates the crowd favorite design with a new Blackwash treatment that gives the knife a well-worn rugged look that’s also a bit less reflective than the original. Everything else that makes the Lucha a great choice, from its made-in-the-USA quality, the 14C28N stainless steel drop point blade, and the smooth butterfly action provided by the use of dual KVT ball bearing pivots at the handle.
Kapsule
The Kapsule is a unique, manual OTF knife designed by custom knifemaker Jens Anso in collaboration with Kershaw. It features a single-edge spear-point blade that makes for a great box cutter, but its discreet design and single-position deep carry pocket clip makes it a great choice for low-profile everyday carry use. The handle is precision-machined, and the tolerances allow for a smooth sliding button deployment and affirmative lock once the knife is set into place. Last but not least, its black trim contrasts well with the blue hardware in your hand, offering you a compact, handsome piece for EDC.
Strata / XL
The Strata is Kershaw’s take on a traditional Spanish Navaja knife, bringing the ancient tool into the modern day. The hallmark of the style of knife is the organic saber-style blade, and on the Strata it features a generous 4.5″ length and a high-carbon D2 tool steel build that’s well-suited to take on any cutting and slicing task that comes your way. Unlike the traditional version of the knife, the Strata features G10 handle scales for improved grip, and this knife is also easier to deploy as it features a flipper opening aided by KVT ball bearings in the pivot. The original Navaja blades tend to be much larger in size, so if you’re looking to carry something bigger, Kershaw also makes the Strata XL which sizes things up to a 5.4″ blade length that’s well-suited for serious outdoors and survival work.
Platform
Kershaw designed the Platform to be a unique modern gents knife with a manual nail nick opening blade and a surprise in the glass-filled nylon handle. It sports a hidden integrated nail clipper and file that make this a great choice to have as part of your personal grooming and travel kit. And its non-locking slipjoint construction and polite 2.75″ long sheepsfoot style blade won’t raise too many eyebrows no matter what company you find yourself with.
Drivetrain
If you spend lots of your time in and around a vehicle, the Kershaw Drivetrain is designed to be the best companion for your commuter EDC. It sports an emergency-ready design that features a seatbelt cutter built into the handle. It flips out and locks into place, but if you need a bigger blade on hand at a moment’s notice you can deploy the main 3.2″ drop-point blade in an instant with either hand thanks to the SpeedSafe spring-assisted flipper opening. Once the secure liner lock engagds, you can get to work with its D2 tool steel composition with a blade shape that retains an extended belly for slicing performance.
