REVIEW—Kershaw Thermite: new best $30 knife??? (Zero Tolerance/Rick Hinderer Design)

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  • NickZac

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 12, 2007
    3,412
    Baltimore, MD
    Thank you all for all the nice comments! :)

    Not sure if people here would be interested in doing a pass-around of new knives in the future to allow reviews, a chance to use the knife without having to buy it, and a chance to get the knife to keep for like 5 bucks...



    Nice review OP. I ordered it based on your review - only thing I want to add is I don't like how it hangs in my pocket. I am used to a knife hanging by the tail - but the clip on this is on the blade (tang) side. Makes for awkward use.

    I am a big fan of tip-up myself...IMO the knife is a lot easier to use when the pocket clip is reversed so that it can be carried tip-up...when you carry tip down, you will notice the knife sits DEEP into the pocket which is part of Kershaw's most recent lowrider clip. It is a nice design because it is secure, durable, comfortable, and protects the knife from getting brushed into stuff. But it can sit so deep it can be difficult to get out.

    I'm a huge lanyard fan...I have them on all of my few hundred or so knives. On the Thermite, it makes the knife a lot more enjoyable to use IMO as it gives a lot more leverage...for extended cutting, a longer lanyard is also nice to allow a good 'wrap' of the knife in which grip strength/retention is increased.

    2013-10-29223023_zpsb6652f88.jpg


    2013-10-29223106_zpsfa594212.jpg
     

    Troublesbrewin

    Handgunner
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 17, 2013
    1,589
    Ellicott City
    Got mine in the mail today, I need to put a better edge on it and change the clip to the other end. I like the size weight and speedsafe open assist- this isn't my first Kershaw and likely not my last. All good so far and I bought it with rewards on my Discover Card so it feels "free" since I never carry a balance thus no interest either.
    :party29:
     

    NickZac

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 12, 2007
    3,412
    Baltimore, MD
    Got mine in the mail today, I need to put a better edge on it and change the clip to the other end. I like the size weight and speedsafe open assist- this isn't my first Kershaw and likely not my last. All good so far and I bought it with rewards on my Discover Card so it feels "free" since I never carry a balance thus no interest either.
    :party29:

    Are you going to do a full reprofile and change the entire edge angle? If so, please do report. While there are plenty of stories of people reprofiling edges in this steel (with positive results), there are zero stories of this steel being reprofiled on a spanto blade. Theoretically, you should see better results with a spanto given how beefy of a grind it is and I would expect a reprofiled edge to be able to work better using a thinner edge than the same steel in something like a clip point blade which would lose its edge strength towards the tip-area. I'd be very curious to hear the outcomes.

    I do not know what the factory edge is but it's definitely thick...and I would assume at least 22 degrees on each side. I imagine a reprofile would aid greatly in finesse cutting (with some sacrifice of edge toughness/retention, hopefully mitigated by the spanto).

    My Hinder XM-18 is set to almost 25 degrees per side with an elongated edge for added strength. The thick edge (plus the tough CPM-S35VN blade steel) is almost stupidly tough and can even handle cutting copper and steel, but the tradeoff is a blade that isn't as good for finesse cutting/slicing as one with a thinner edge...
     

    johnnyb2

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 3, 2012
    1,317
    Carroll County
    Perfect timing. I was using my Kershaw EDC the other night to ear some steamed crabs, and now, I cannot find it!! This would be the 3rd Kershaw, I have misplaced as there are 2 in my apartment SOMEWHERE, that I cannot find!!! hahahahah

    I think I will be getting this next week. Thanks for a great review. I have found Kershaw's to be about the best bang for the buck, and until the last one, which was imported, I had always bought the made in USA models. But, the imported one that I had been using worked great. I needed to sharpen it about once every 2 weeks, but, I would cut a lot of cardboard, and that glue dulls anything.
     
    Kershaw Thermite

    NickZac,
    Thanks for the awesome review with nice pictures.

    I've been carrying a Kershaw Knockout for some time, but find it a bit 'slippery'. I have quite a few Kershaws, and, IMHO, the Hinderer designs are close to the perfect tactical.

    I asked Santa Claus for a Kershaw Thermite!


    P.S. - By the way, your lanyard work is excellent, care to share any pointers, preferred cordage, etc?
     
    Last edited:

    NickZac

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 12, 2007
    3,412
    Baltimore, MD
    NickZac,
    Thanks for the awesome review with nice pictures.

    I've been carrying a Kershaw Knockout for some time, but find it a bit 'slippery'. I have quite a few Kershaws, and, IMHO, the Hinderer designs are close to the perfect tactical.

    I asked Santa Claus for a Kershaw Thermite!


    P.S. - By the way, your lanyard work is excellent, care to share any pointers, preferred cordage, etc?


    Thanks for the kind words!

    I have a Knockout I acid-etched a patina on...great knife, the forced patina looks awesome, but I agree with you 100% in that it is too slippery...especially when wet and consequently, I've never carried it.

    My lanyards are generally one of the two used by Chris Reeve. I use them because they are thin...I can tie a box/round lanyard using 4 or 6 separate colors, and balls such as the monkey ball...however, they are just too big for me and I prefer something of simple, compact function designed more for utility than looks (probably why I carry a Sebenza 99% of the time despite owning at least 250-300 knives).

    The two knots I use are often called the coil knot and snake knot. The one on my Thermite is a snake knot...this is a good vid : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ0_d3Wiao0

    The Reeve Coil Knot : http://knots.hostzi.com/lanyard-coil.gif




    I get most of my lanyard stuff from KnifeKits.com. I like how you can buy by the foot so you can get a huge assortment of colors to see in person and experiment with. I use 550 paracord for 95% of what I do...and 275 for the other 5%. The paracord they sell is premium USA-made from US-sourced components. When you use the paracord, you will likely find that removing at least a few of the 7 strands in 550 paracord make working them easier and the lanyards a lot thinner and more flexible. For my 3-ish inch knives, I am generally removing between 3-5 strands, and 5-all 7 for super small folders.
    http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=61_153

    The only thing I don't get from them are ti-beads...I get some of those from Chris Reeve, some from a few China eBay sellers, damascus beads from GrindWorx, super-crazy-awesome Moki beads from a seller on Etsy, and custom made ones from Ti-Survival. I also get Chris Reeve parts anodized by Ti Survival such as the pocket clip for contrast.
    http://tisurvival.com/types-of-finishes/


    I've attached a few pics to show the lanyard types I tie, the beads, and how I store/organize my Paracord stuff.
     

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    2SAM22

    Moderator Emeritus
    Apr 4, 2007
    7,178
    I have a few Blurs and like them well enough. I carried one on duty for several months.
    At that price it's a no brainer.
     

    NickZac

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 12, 2007
    3,412
    Baltimore, MD
    WEll done NickZac....good stuff.

    Thanks!



    What do you think about the kershaw blur. Pretty good reviews on amazon. Here is one on sale at woot.

    http://sport.woot.com/offers/kersha...il&utm_term=0_c5ca76da11-6d21f185de-286915674

    The Blur is a really nice knife IMO. Sandvik 14C28N steel is highly underrated. It performs exceptionally well for being a 'value steel' and holds it own with steels costing multiples times as much. It is unusually tough relative to other blade steels in a similar price-class. The DLC coating used on the Blur is tough as nails. The aluminum handle is tough, ergonomic, and grippy thanks to them adding the grip. Compared to the Thermite, it's one step higher. My only gripe with it is the lock as I hate liner locks and strongly prefer frame locks like those found on the Thermite. Nonetheless, the Blur's liner lock is second-to-none. It's a nice knife all-around...if possible, I would advise avoiding the tanto blade. They don't cut well at all compared to other blade grinds, and after years of sharpening, the tanto angle will become a deformed shape.
     

    OnTarget

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 29, 2009
    3,154
    WV
    Would the Kershaw Thermite (the one reviewed) be good for a woman to carry in her purse for defensive carry? Is assisted-opening knife legal to carry? Lastly, I like a knife with a good solid grip, so my hand won't slide forward and touch blade. If not, other recommendations please.
     

    NickZac

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 12, 2007
    3,412
    Baltimore, MD
    NickZak. Do you use Norton stones?

    I do not myself, but they are hella good stones. I absolutely love their bench stones...but I am nowhere near good enough free-handed to push the edge to the limit that the right Norton system can....

    I use an EdgePro...with that said, I will be replacing the stones with either Shapton, Chosera, or Norton (I hear Norton is about to start making an EP line)...probably Chosera if I can get them for a good price given how many different grits they have.

    I also have a SharpMaker, a few Spyderco benchstones and pocket stones, a few ceramic stones, (and a wide variety of other sharpening products I no longer use)...I only really use the Sharpmaker or benchstone if doing an unusually large knife or sharpening serrations as the EP isn't great for that. Sometimes also if the blade has a recurve. I have a stropping system but stopped using it after I starting using the EdgePro Polishing Tape. If I overdo the sharpening, I'll sometimes use the ceramic hone to undo what I undid...




    Would the Kershaw Thermite (the one reviewed) be good for a woman to carry in her purse for defensive carry? Is assisted-opening knife legal to carry? Lastly, I like a knife with a good solid grip, so my hand won't slide forward and touch blade. If not, other recommendations please.

    My personal opinion is that it is not ideal for self defense. I personally like knives made for utility and knives made for self-defense be two different knives I carry as self defense features are not always the same as utility.

    For someone without substantial edged weapons training, the Spyderco Civilian, Spyderco Matriarch (standard and waved) and Spyderco Lil Matriarch are really the best choices, IMHO. Likewise for people with training, they are a great choice as well. The Civilian and Matriarch were developed by Sal specifically at the request of a few Federal LE agencies looking for a defensive weapon for agents whom could not carry firearms and would have to rely on an edge tool for self defense in a SHTF situation. Someone with no training can do a lot of damage with a Civilian by simply holding it in the path an assailant attempts to close in...someone with training can do an incredible amount of damage with a Civilian, and incapacitate an assailant with some serious speed...it's design allows controlled cuts to key areas...the eyes, the jaw, (eyes and jaw are spots to embed the knife, manipulate, and gain physical dominance over the assailant) other facial parts, tendons needed to move limbs that the blade can 'peck and pry' out, the vulnerable sides of the neck, the thighs where blood slow is major, the stomach, the spine, the groin, etc...when correctly deployed, most of the controlled cuts made will lead to almost immediate incapacitation. With the design of the knife, once the assailant's flesh makes contact with the Civilian's blade, there are no minor or superficial wounds and, unlike a straight blade, there's really no way out because the Civilian's multiple planes is going to leave the assailant with a gaping wound regardless of what way they move.

    James Keating makes a video on the correct usage of the Civilian (which applies to the Matriarch line, other reverse s-curved blades, and hawkbills [to a lesser extent].) The nature of the blade design makes it an unusually wicked cutter, well-suited for going through thicker clothes like leather jackets and belts, and the tip buries itself deeper in flesh as it cuts. The physical appearance is also very visibly intimidating...still the intimidating appearance doesn't nearly match the scary of how that tip buries itself when it comes in contact with flesh. The style of the trauma the knife makes also has a very strong psychological effect...

    The reverse-s curve of the above knives, which is a modified hawkbill plus Spyderco's razor sharp SpyderEdge, has the unique feature of not being designed to 'thrust' on a traditional angle. I consider that an advantage because a long, wide, deep gaping wound beats an ice-pick style puncture wound any day, which tends to be slower in its incapacitating effects. With how the blade is made, simply holding it in the line of the attack will allow the assailant to get caught by the paper thin tip...then, when the assailant's reflexes try to jerk/pull the extremity away that made contact with the tip, or the individual with the Civilian then moves the knife for a controlled cut, that is when the tip buries itself down to bone, severing anything is crosses.

    Spyderco+Civilian.jpg


    Assisted-openers are legal for carry in MD, but their usefulness depends on the user. For a defensive knife, I tend to look at the blade design more than the opening mechanism.
     

    NickZac

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 12, 2007
    3,412
    Baltimore, MD
    If anyone is interested in learning more about the steel used on this knife, Kershaw has an excerpt from Blade Magazine in which they give Kershaw the nod as having the best heat treating of this steel. This has become a very popular steel for Kershaw and they often use it for their budget-priced folders. Thus far, my experience with this knife has been pleasing and I think the steel is good...the more I use it, the more I like it and I think it performs somewhere between a little less than a good 440C and a little better than Kershaw's own 440A.

    http://kershaw.kaiusaltd.com/press/who-has-the-best-heat-treatment-for-8cr13mov-kershaw
     
    Lanyards

    NickZac,
    Based on some info from you, I tried a simple coil knot on a couple different carry knives to experiment with the utility of it. Based on that experience, we got some more paracord and gizmos in and tied some lanyards. Here's our first efforts. The Kershaw Burst is my Son's, and he tied the lanyard. The Thermite is now my EDC.
     

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    NickZac

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 12, 2007
    3,412
    Baltimore, MD
    NickZac,
    Based on some info from you, I tried a simple coil knot on a couple different carry knives to experiment with the utility of it. Based on that experience, we got some more paracord and gizmos in and tied some lanyards. Here's our first efforts. The Kershaw Burst is my Son's, and he tied the lanyard. The Thermite is now my EDC.

    It looks good! What are your takes on it? Do you find it easier to use the knife?

    I used to dislike low-riding knives until I started making paracord lanyards...then I started to really like them a ton.

    I will also sometimes do a box stitch in which I leave all strands in for the leader going to a diamond knot, and then remove all the strands so that the stitched box is super tight and not so thick it is annoying. I keep a length long enough for it to flip over the pocket and rest in a straight down position with a metal bead to give it a little weight/stability.

    I am not sure if you will find that useful but for knives the size of the Thermite, I really like that particular style...even more so if the knife sees marine usage as it gives something to connect to a flotation device or a string tied to something that won't sink.
     

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    NIckZac,
    I found the utility of lanyards to be a real game-changer.
    I use to struggle with left/right pocket, tip up/down, etc.; but with a knife like the Thermite or other flippers, I find the tip-up carry with a lanyard turns it into a quick-draw. :D

    Funny you mentioned marine use, I do have several boating knives, and wanted to utilize a lanyard system with them too.

    I hadn't considered the beads you use relating to the weight of the lanyard, which aids in locating it during draw...going to experiment with it.

    Thanks for the cool tips!

    :patriot:
     

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