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
    Review—Kershaw Thermite: the new king of $30 knives?
    This Rick Hinderer-designed budget knife refuses to believe that it is only capable of budget performance...

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    Introduction
    The Kershaw Thermite (Model 3880) presents a lower-cost option to buyers interested in the Rick Hinderer knife designs. Keeping a blade grind, handle shape, base materials, and general ergonomics to its parent knife, the Hinderer XM-18, the Thermite uses many already proven design elements. Don't let the $30 price or the fact that it is an imported knife fool you though; the Thermite is very capable of meeting multiple roles that folding knives often must fill, including heavier usage. My usage thus far has really impressed me as it has been an absolute pleasure to use. For buyers looking for a knife in this price range, this is one you absolutely, positively want to check out!


    About the Knife

    I’ve been really excited about this knife. The Kershaw traces its lineage to the Rick Hinderer XM-18, one of the most capable custom folders made today. The XM-18 also has influenced five different Zero Tolerance lines (and later the Kershaw Cryo). The reasons I have been so excited about this knife is partly due to the price and partly due to how similar the final product is to the Rick Hinderer XM-18. The XM-18 and Zero Tolerance/Rick Hinderer (ZT/RH) models are spectacular knives of incredible capability. The Thermite presents a lower cost option for buyers not looking to spend the $125-350 on a Zero Tolerance Hinderer or the $380-1,000+ Hinderer XM-18.

    The most notable thing about the Thermite is its blade grind and how the entire knife bears much more resemblance to the XM-18 than other RH knives. The blade is 3.5 inches long and made of 8Cr13MoV steel (which is comparable to good 440B/440C). The grind is the famous “Spanto” made by Hinderer, which is a hybridized mix of a spear point, a utility ground, and a reverse tanto on a modified flat grind. As the default blade of the XM-18, it is loved because it retains substantial slicing ability but simultaneously dramatically strengthens the tip and the blade in general. For heavy usage (and prying), this blade is a dream come true. The grind of the Thermite is very similar to the XM-18.

    The blade is stonewashed and given spine jimping that is also similar to the standard XM-18 finish. The flipper lever is different from previous Hinderer models and collabs because this knife uses the SpeedSafe ‘assisted’ opening…the lever is slightly easier to work than previous Kershaw Assisted models and easy to operate wearing gloves. Presumably, one could remove the torsion bar(s) that is what propels the blade via the assist and be left with a manual ‘flipper’.

    The handle is made of black textured G10. The G10 and the G10 texturing together results in a fantastic grip in wet or dry conditions. The handles flowing shape also gives the knife great ergonomics and is very comfortable to hold for long periods using a few of the most common holds. The rear side of the handle is made of stainless steels and a stainless liner below the G10 handle. While other Hinderer and ZT/RH models have historically used titanium, the usage of stainless here is presumably to keep the price down…the cost being weight, which the Thermite measures at about 5 ounces.

    The lock type is a Frame Lock, or “Reeve Integral Lock”. Developed by Chris Reeve for the Sebenza, a frame lock outperforms most other lock types and has numerous advantages over the liner lock. One major advantage is that the frame lock discourages blade play…my Thermite came with a 100% solid lockup, and has retained it thus far (which is unusual for a $30 knife). Like the Sebenza, the Thermite can be easily detailed stripped by all users and with only basic tools (such as the Benchmade Blue Tool Kit).

    Now I must go even geekier…one of the coolest features of the knife is the Rick Hinderer XM-style Lock Bar Stabilizer (LBS). The LBS prevents the locking bar from being ‘overextended’ and causing damage to the knife. A LBS has historically been available only on higher end knives…the Cryo II and the Thermite are two of the only knives anywhere near this price range to have the LBS. Even better is that Hinderer’s LBS is one of the neatest of all LBSs because it serves more purposes than only preventing overextension. Read more about the LBS here: http://www.rickhindererknives.com/rick-hinderer-knives/xm-folding-knives/lock-bar-stabilizer/

    The pocket clip is Kershaw’s patented “Quad Carry”, which allows 4-way carrying of the knife through unscrewing and moving the position of the clip. It also carries DEEPLY in the pocket to hide its presence…I personally prefer to have a lanyard on knives using this clip because they sit so deeply in the pocket. And luckily the lanyard hole on the Thermite is large (like the XM) and permits usage of all sorts of different lanyard types and sizes.


    My Observations
    So what have my real world uses of the Thermite left me with impressions of?
    1. it does well with finesse cutting tasks such as food prep while simultaneously doing well with heavy outdoor usage
    2. the ergonomics are spectacular
    3. the entire knife is as tough as some folders costing 5+ times as much
    4. the Spanto blade is a HUGE improvement over the Cryo 2, and it is a major reason the Thermite performs well under heavier usage…it is simply a fantastic blade and IMO the best blade ever made for ‘all-around’ usage
    5. the oversized thumb studs, good weight balance, and ergonomic locking bar makes this one of the easiest $30 knives to open/close I have ever handled
    6. 8Cr13MoV steel is tough and a good value in the price-range, but it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of edge retention versus the steels found on higher end knives
    7. despite a larger size and 5 ounce weight, the knife carries well (and a lanyard adds a lot of functional capacity)


    Conclusion

    I absolutely love this knife for what it is. No, it is not going to sport the toughness/capability of the Zero Tolerance/Hinderer collaborations or the Hinderer XM-18, but this is a $30 knife. Compared to most other imported/budget knives in its price range, it absolutely blows most of them away. It is a very likable knife and I would call it a great choice for someone shopping in its price range. I will warn you though, that it carries the risk of you wanting more…I purchased one ZT/RH, then another, and then a Hinderer XM-18 because I like the design so much.



    The Specifications:
    • Model Name: Kershaw Thermite 3880
    • SpeedSafe assisted opening
    • Frame lock with lockbar stabilizer
    • Flipper and thumbstud
    • Quad-carry; deep-carry
    • Steel: 8Cr13MoV, stonewashed finish
    • Handle: Machined G-10 front, 410 steel back
    • Blade length: 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
    • Closed length: 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm)
    • Overall length: 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm)
    • Weight: 4.9 oz.

    http://kershaw.kaiusaltd.com/knives/knife/thermite


    Images

    The Kershaw Thermite 3880
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    Comparison: Rick Hinderer XM-18 3.5 in - Zero Tolerance ZT0550 - Kershaw Thermite 3880
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    Detail Stripping the Thermite
    One of the advantages of the Reeve Integral Lock (AKA Frame Lock) is its simplicity...it uses fewer parts and it allows any user to easily detail strip the knife for cleaning, tuning, sharpening, and lubricating. The Thermite is a VERY easy knife to detail strip with just a few standard torx heads. Like most Assisted-Opening Kershaws, the knife uses a single torsion bar housed between the G10 grip and the stainless steel liner on the non-lock side. As you can see, the Lock Bar Stabilizer (or LBS) is a simple design, yet very effective in preventing damage on the lock. The final image shows a full detail strip...the knife uses PB washers, a larger-than-average pivot, a stainless liner on the non-lock side, a ceramic ball detent system, and a Lock Bar Stabilizer. These are all premium features that most entry level knives do not have. While the above images show the Thermite is no where near the robustness of the ZT/RH or XM-18, it is an exceptional value given the price.
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    Last edited:

    NickZac

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 12, 2007
    3,412
    Baltimore, MD
    The MSRP is like $63. However, you can get it for a good bit less.

    Mine came from KnifeWorks and was $30.95...I went with them because I could avoid the Postal Service yet pay a reasonable price for shipping. A few places are selling them for $30-32 with free shipping. I would not personally spend more than $36 delivered for the stonewashed finish.

    I am taking comparison pics to an actual Hinderer XM-18 now.
     

    amoebicmagician

    Samopal Goblin
    Dec 26, 2012
    4,174
    Columbia, MD
    hmm, with only 8 percent chromium, it's technically not a stainless steel, and therefore should be able to be heat treated to very high hardness.

    I'm surprised the edge retention is not better.

    Then again, they probably realized this was going to be used by relative novices, and wanted to make it easy to sharpen- but if this was the case, and they were not going to use the full hardness potential of the knife, why not add more chromium for corrosion resistance?
     

    NickZac

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 12, 2007
    3,412
    Baltimore, MD
    Thanks for all the kind comments! I have updated the thread with images showing the knife, a comparison, and it's guts!!! :D



    hmm, with only 8 percent chromium, it's technically not a stainless steel, and therefore should be able to be heat treated to very high hardness.

    I'm surprised the edge retention is not better.

    Then again, they probably realized this was going to be used by relative novices, and wanted to make it easy to sharpen- but if this was the case, and they were not going to use the full hardness potential of the knife, why not add more chromium for corrosion resistance?

    Honestly I think the biggest driver here is cost. With a knife that is selling for $30-35 SRP, whatever steel that offers balanced properties and value is going to get selected. Also, their knowledge that many people use knives for things other than cutting tools is probably why the hardness isn't higher.

    I wouldn't necessarily say edge retention is bad...I am probably a bad person to gauge edge retention and blade performance of entry steels. My EDCs are a combination of mainly CPM-S35VN and sometimes ELMAX, Bohler M390, Carpenter CTS-XHP, CPM-3V or CPM-M4...so I am usually using knives with blades using cutlery-steels that are pushing hardness and toughness to the limit. Compared to S35VN, ELMAX, or CTS-XHP, virtually all steels are going to fall short in giving any degree of extremely capable and extremely balanced performance of those steels, IMHO.
     

    2SAM22

    Moderator Emeritus
    Apr 4, 2007
    7,178
    Outstanding review. I have the Cryo and Cryo II. I'll need to pick one of these up now.
     

    ThisGuy918

    Active Member
    Nov 11, 2011
    233
    Got a chance to handle one of these today at the Fredericksburg gun show and I must say I was impressed. The price was sky high but the knife was impressive. Im interested to see how it caries with such a small pocket clip. I think I will order one or two this week and see how long one of them survives some harsh testing. Thanks for the review and heads up nickzac.
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    The only problem with buying an imported Kershaw spring assist knife is that to replace the torsion bar (spring) or any other small part, you have to send it in to them. They will not mail out parts for imported knives. With US made knives, they will send you small parts for free, no questions asked. I've had my Leek since 2008 and have replaced two torsion bars, a pocket clip, and the screw set. The first torsion bar broke in about a month, and the second one weakened in about a year, but I haven't had any issues since.
     
    Feb 6, 2012
    700
    The thumb studs aren't used as a stop bar so I don't see why they are needed in a flipper, I also am leary of Kershaw assisted opening (maybe mine was an isolated case) since my cryo broke (the torsion bar went hooey) after only two months use.
     

    boardboy330

    Resident Secret Squirrel
    Mar 18, 2008
    12,630
    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.
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    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.

    It's reversible. The pocket clip can go in four different places.
     

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