Kershaw Iridium Folding Pocket Knife, 3.4 inch D2 Steel Blade, DuraLock Locking Mechanism, Pocketclip

I don't typically consider Kershaw to be all that impressive in regard to ease of action, blade retention, or even aesthetic appeal, obviously the last is strictly subjective to my own preference and can't be taken as anything objectively disagreeable comparatively. That being said, after one of the chefs I worked with picked up the original release with mirror blade and brass liner I was intrigued, the blade design and scales were sleek, edge was definitely sharp and the bar lock offered multiple action options all of which were smooth and fast. I bought the black option the same day from blade hq, and then a 2nd one from Amazon. I work in a kitchen and breaking down boxes, cutting into multiple layers of cater wrapping when new guy gets too ambitious with the plastic wrap, and a myriad number of other needs this knife gets a lot of action daily. After a month of heavy use it's still sharp, I keep my chef knives razor sharp whether it's a honing steal, ceramic, porcelain, or leather strop, and regularly run my knives on whetstones to keep them savage sharp, it's habitual daily ritual, I haven't given this knife the treatment because it hasn't needed it. It will hold an edge, I can't speak to retention for people using the knife for whittling wood or using it to cut carpet, rope, or whatever other things put a strain on the edge more than cardboard, varying spec plastic, and butchers twine. Action is still smooth, and is honestly enjoyable enough to be considered a bladed fidget spinner, it's entertaining and incredibly satisfying to feel the blade lock into place, just a tip if you are using the lock bar to deploy, only hold it down until the blade releases from closed lock position, otherwise you'll run the risk of having it kick back and close or fail to lock into open position on your first swivel, I typically thum flick the stud to open and then only use the lock bar to release and close but whatever your preference is just be aware of that. I would recommend this knife to anyone looking for an incredibly reasonable priced edc that offers more bang for your buck than almost any knife I can think of. Does it measure up to a Benchmade bugout, in a lot of ways, absolutely. Obviously blade quality isn't comparable but that's where the 180-300$ price point for a bugout comes in. You could buy 3-5 of these Kershaw for one Benchmade. Just saying...

I like the aesthetics of this and it’s really easy to deploy and close. The design is sleek and functional, but I do wish the handle had some grip to it, as it can get a bit slippery when using it. Other than that, it works well and looks good.

I have a plethora of knives and I wanted to add something new to my EDC set up. I had been eyeing this one because I didn't want to spend over $100 for a new knife that was going to be beat on and could potentially get lost, so I ordered this iridium. Upon opening the package I liked how sleek the knife looked and while the handle is smooth it's not slick, and it has a good swell to the front to keep your hand in position. The colors are excellent and catchy, the blade is absurdly sharp (as in doesn't even slide down my fingernail), and the build quality is top notch. The blade opens so smoothly, locks in place securely, and closes back again faster than any assisted opening knife could ever do. Great in hand weight, the balance is pretty good, and it really performs very well. I'm looking forward to carrying this knife for the foreseeable future!

First off, $56 for this knife is awesome! The Duralock mechanism is great, and the design really makes it stand out. I wouldn’t mind busting this thing out at a fancy steak restaurant if I had to. When sharp, it’s smooth! It would literally cut that steak like a hot knife through butter. Other than that, there were a couple of things that I wouldn’t mind being a bit better, and one issue that I hope is just a one-off and not a design flaw.For starters, the aluminum scales are too soft and I worried at times that it could slip out of my hand. They make for a very sleek knife, but I would have loved a slight texture to them. A nice diamond pattern ala’ the KRONOS BRAZEN from Civivi would give it a bit of extra grip without compromising the design too much, I think. Then there’s the thumb studs; the edges are too sharp! A little bit of rounding would do them well, but you could get away from using them by just using that sweet Duralock mechanism to open and close.However, there is one thing that I found to be a possible flaw. At the front of the edge I noticed it getting caught up when cutting paper as I was checking its edge retention after trying it out for a couple of days. It was surprising because I hadn’t used it on anything serious. Not even cardboard. And it was only on one spot at the front while the rest of the edge was still nice and sharp. “Was it the steel that just wasn’t holding up?”, I thought. But this is D2 steel, which is supposed to hold an edge really well! Like, “9/10” on some websites I found. So I decided to take a look inside the handle at the orange back spacer and, lo and behold, it was running into it in the same spot I felt the edge dulling out!I hope this is not a design flaw and it’s just an issue in this knife I got, so I’m sending it back and asking for a replacement to test a different one out. I hope that’s the case because I’ve been shopping for a new knife and, although it has some small flaws, it would be a bummer not to be able to stick with this one. The price point is awesome, the looks are sleek, and the Duralock mechanism along with the ball bearings at the pivot is phenomenal!I’ll report back once I’ve got the new knife in hand. Until then, it’s 3/5 Stars. If not a design flaw, I’ll bump it up to 4/5.UPDATE: I received a replacement knife and have had no issues with it running into the spacer as with the first. So, I’m please to give it 4 stars, only because of the other issues I mentioned; the thumb stud and the scales being slippery. But I’ve tried a kit of other knives from Kershaw, and this one just still stands out. I’ve seen some of the new versions out as of 1/14/25, but I’d still prefer this to the new Iridium models out. I can update the scales and call it a day, or I can just leave them on and enjoy the sleek design!

I have not used it for cutting yet, but here are first impressions. I like the aesthetics got a neat look. Seems good fit and finish, nice very smooth action and lock. Lock releases easily so you can ‘flick’ open one handed. I don’t regret the $49 deal. May update review once it use it for cutting.