Kershaw Brawler Pocket Knife, All-Black, 3 Inch Tanto Blade

So I have never written a review on an EDC knife before. I usually stick to writing reviews on things like colognes and speakers/headphones. I am by no means a knife expert, but I do know a thing or two. To start off, I have never owned a high quality/high-end knife. The only knives I have ever owned have been cheap Chinese knives with 440 stainless steel blades. The only good quality knives I have owned to this point were the credit card blades offered on Amazon from Iain Sinclair. Those handy little knives are about as sharp as a box knife if you sharpen them. Anyways this is my first Kershaw knife purchase, and I am beyond impressed with just about everything about this little knife. It did seem a bit small when I first pulled it out of the package, but when i wielded it I realized it fits perfectly in my hand. This knife is definitely not made for people with large hands. The build quality is quite amazing, even if it is made in China instead of the USA. This knife is quite hefty for its size, which helps it feel much more at home in your hands. It feels very sturdy and durable and I expect it to last me a long time considering I don't use knives for much more than helping open boxes and the like. The blade is ridiculously sharp straight out of the box. One must be careful when pulling it out for the first time, as it can and will slice fingers open if mishandled! One of the classic tests for testing a knifes' sharpness is of course trying to slice through a sheet of paper. This blade does so with ease and extreme precision. It is practically effortless to cut paper and anything of similar structure. Another test of sharpness would be trying to shave with the knife. I have not tried it yet but it seems it would most definitely be sharp enough to shave arm or leg hairs. Overall this knife, I feel is worth every penny of the price I paid, which was quite low. I imagine I will be adding several Kershaw knives to my collection over time. The Kershaw Leek is probably at the top of my list right now. Buy this knife, you wont regret it. It is perfect for an EDC, and will easily perform to your satisfaction. I highly recommend this knife if you are looking for something that is good quality and affordable. Especially for a beginner or for your first knife purchase.

For a short summary skip to the bottom. If you want a fair assessment of the sharpness/quality of the knife reading the whole things would be better. For the price I can't knock it. It's smooth when it opens and closes, has a good albeit small clip that isn't too tight, and comes decently sharp. That being said there are some issues. For example, opening with the 'flipper' nub is smooth and has a satisfying click, but using the thumb tacks isn't quite as easy or smooth and doesn't open with the same click. So it seems like the hinge isn't reinforced very well. While the handle does have a good grip I'm not a huge fan of the 'edgy' pattern, but I can't take away points for that because I knew what it looked like when I bought it. It's not too heavy but doesn't feel cheap either. In short, for a little over twenty bucks this is a good knife. I got it to tear down boxes and do other basic work like that, and it does it's job nicely. I can't speak to the longevity of this blade or how well it holds its edge, but really when can you expect at this price point? My main motivation for writing this post was to clear up how sharp the blade is. Some say it's sharp as hell, others say it's incredibly dull, but really the truth is it's neither. Enthusiasts will knock the blade for being dull because they know how to properly sharpen a knife and buy more expensive knives. For those who buy this as their first knife they will say it's sharp as can be because it does cut well. But I want to put this in perspective. This can easily cut through cardboard, thin rope like para cord, and other 'typical' things like that with a little bit of force, but nothing too excessive. But I want to compare this blade to the spyderco tenacious to make a point. These blades are made out of the same steel, but the tenacious was double the price. This blade, from amazon without any sharpening, can shave arm hair (with a bit of force, but nothing too crazy) and easily slice through paper when doing the 'paper test'. It cuts through the same materials listed above with noticeably more ease. But again, it was double the price for the same steel. You can either sharpen this blade yourself, or take it to someone who sharpens blades on the cheap and these knives would be mostly equal in terms of the edge. But would you really spend 5-10 bucks to have someone sharpen a $20ish blade? In short: For the price it's great. Can't complain. It's sharp enough so that it isn't a problem, and the build quality exceeds what I would expect with a knife of this price. But if you have cash to burn and want something that comes really sharp from the factory then look at more expensive knives, and maybe other brands. Just remember, you get what you pay for. I fully expect this knife to have a short life because of it's price, especially if I use it while camping. But if it does break, hey, it was only $20ish bucks.

I've purchased three of these over the last 5 years. I only carry one, but I tent to lose them. I'm left-handed so I have it oriented with the clip for a left pocket. As a result, two of them I've lost from a seat belt grabbing them as I get out of the truck. So, one of my favorite aspects is that they are inexpensive. The mechanism to open and close is very smooth. When new, they can be a little tight but the loosen up over time. It snaps open with just an index finger motion and closing is equally easy. Left-handed, it's really easy to close one-handed as the thumb is positioned perfectly to move the locking tab. There are a few minor nuisances: I've had one where one of the two screws holding the clip would no longer stay tight and the blade does lose its edge easily, but these aren't enough to discourage me from buying them. Sharpening is easy enough and only the one knife had an issue with the screw. If you want an inexpensive but very useful clip-it, this is a great one.

I got this because I recently "misplaced" another kershaw that I had been using daily as an EDC. The brawler is a great little knife, and it's not even that little when compared to other knives. I have a Kershaw Cryo as well as a Clash, and the Brawler fits comfortably between the two, and I would almost go as far to say I like it better than both of those two knives, even though the clash has a much larger blade (in terms of belly size. it's slightly longer and a pinch wider). The brawler's stippled handles are comfortable, and the sharp angled shape of the knife actually fits quite nicely in your hand. There are nice layers of "chimping" (not sure on the actual technical term) where the back of the blade meets the handle, as well as at the back end of the handle, if you were carrying the knife in a defensive manner. I've always found the black coating on the kershaw blades makes them last longer and protects them much better from rusting over time than the standard silver/unfinished blades. That being said this knife has taken a beating. I use it as a "EDC" knife, but ideally it's my go to cutting tool for boxes, shrink wrapping, cardboard, paper, packaging, tape, label removal, etc. The slight angle at the end of the blade is PERFECT for when you have to cut open a long box or shrink wrapped pallet because it applies more pressure to the material to be cut than the Cryo or Clash which have more pronounced points at the end of the blade. The Brawler size-wise is pretty much on par with the clash, however the clash is a slightly bulkier knife even when closed. The Cryo is definitely the thinnest of the three, but the brawler's plastic handles are far more comfortable over extended periods of use. Only real downside is the thumb studs (on the blade) are almost useless as a lefty, and I wish the thumb stud to actually release the blade from the closed position is a little smaller than I'd like. Locks in place really nicely and there is no wiggle in the blade at all, not that I would suggest prying with it. If you're looking for a nice everyday medium duty knife that you can beat the heck out of, for under $30 you can't really go wrong with the Brawler. If you've got meaty hands you may prefer the bulkier Clash, but I find the Brawler is nearly perfect for my uses.

I love love LOVE this knife. It's very well designed. My blade has never stuck, or rubbed against the inner walls of the handle when closed. I've completely disassembled it a couple of times to give it a deep-cleaning, and after 2 years of use, it is still (almost) perfectly centered side to side in the handle when closed. It opens effortlessly when you want it to, but stays locked closed when you don't (mostly). I carry mine tip-down, and consequently the blade has opened slightly on its own a few times as I remove it from my pocket. I guess it's either the flipper or thumb-stud that has occasionally gotten caught on the fabric in my pants pocket as I pull the knife out. It doesn't concern me as it's occurred so infrequently and has not caused any injury whatsoever so far (thankfully). I love the fact that the pocket clip can be attached on either side and on either end, allowing the user to carry the knife in the way that is most comfortable to them. The knife is very comfortable to wear clipped in the pocket - you almost don't know it's there. And the deep-carry clip allows for very discreet carry. It's almost unnoticeable. As I mentioned, I carry mine tip-down - and in my right pocket (because I'm right-handed). Carrying tip down allows me to remove the knife and open it one-handed, very quickly. I also like that this knife allows for a lanyard to be attached to the butt-end. I've attached a lanyard to mine that hangs out of my pocket allowing for the fastest possible deployment. Using the lanyard and carrying tip-down with the knife clipped to the pocket, a tug on the lanyard pulls the knife from my pocket and once I have the knife in my hand, the flipper is right at my index finger for effortless opening. The steel is excellent. It holds an edge very very well and is easy to re-sharpen. I carry the knife every day, but only use the blade maybe 5 or 6 times per week. With that level of use, I've resharpened 3 times in 2 years of ownership - and only because I'd noticed a slight decrease in edge sharpness. I've never *had* to resharpen - I've only resharpened because I prefer to maintain a razor sharp edge. The tanto blade is, in my opinion, the best design for utility purposes - opening boxes, cutting paper, tubing, etc. as well as the best design for defensive uses. The tip is very sharp and very strong - it will poke a hole in anything. The tanto design is great for slicing - though there are better designs for more precise and effortless slicing. This design is more of a slasher, and a great one at that. The black oxide coating on the blade is a fantastic rust-deterrent. I never worry about getting this knife wet. The grip is excellent. I've never been concerned about it slipping from my hand, and I believe you could drive a tank over this knife and it wouldn't harm it. Another noteworthy detail is that this knife fits my hand very very well. With the blade closed I can make a tight fist around the knife and the ends only protrude slightly. The top protrudes maybe a centimeter beyond my thumb and the butt only a few millimeters. In this manner, that effectively makes this knife a less-than-lethal weapon, similar to a kubotan. Although I do believe that a solid strike to the skull with the butt-end could potentially crack a skull. It also adds a slight amount of additional heft to my fist. With the lanyard around my wrist (which I've sized to fit snugly around my wrist) and a tight grip around the knife, it would be very difficult to take this knife from me. For all these reasons, I say this knife is perfectly named - it really is a brawler. And at about $30, it really is a steal. I think it's easily worth 3 times that.

I own this knife and currently use it as my EDC so the following review is based upon my personal experience. I purchased this knife with the intent of it being my every day carry and I haven't been disappointed yet. The knife has a very nice feel that does not make you doubt its quality. Its weight is just right for its size and its balance feels great. The handle is high quality plastic and has a very comfortable texture that grips well during use. I am 6'2" and with my hands spread out the span between my thumb and pinky finger is about 9". That being said, I think the handle is a bit small for me even though all 4 fingers fit on the handle...barely. It hasn't been a big issue for me though since my 3 stronger fingers are the ones I use to hold the knife steady and I just lightly rest my pinky on the end of the handle. It's still very comfortable for me and anyone smaller won't have this issue at all. The blade comes very sharp right out of the box and it takes very little effort to cut through things like cardboard (don't need to saw with the blade). The tanto blade style is one of my favorites and this one does not disappoint. Its sub blade is just as sharp and it comes to a very nice point that punches right through pretty much anything you hope it would. The assisted opening is everything I hoped it would be. I've heard a few people complain that the opening mechanism is too tight or that it takes a day to break in...I personally liked the feel right out of the box, but maybe that's because I'm a bigger guy. Compared to other brands it's a little tighter and takes a tiny bit more effort to open, yes, but that also means it opens that much faster. The effort required to open the blade is just enough so that I don't worry about the knife accidentally opening when I don't want it to, but it's not so difficult that I feel like I'll lose any time on a quick draw. The spring assist is very sharp and quick and it deploys the blade with some *oomph* about as fast as you can blink (not overpowering though, just have a firm grip). I am a huge fan of the spring assist being initiated by the lever on the back side of the knife (which turns into a small guard on the blade side of the knife when it is opened) as it is much easier to access than the spring assists that are initiated by the thumb stud. Another cool thing is that this knife has 4 options for where to put the belt clip. It has options for tip up or tip down carrying for both left and right handed people. The clip itself is a little small for my liking. I can get it clipped onto my pants where the material is only one layer thick but it's much more difficult to get it onto the places where it's two layers. I don't think you'll be able to clip it onto your belt unless it is pretty thin material. Maybe I just baby my stuff too much and should not worry about breaking or bending the belt clip, but I do anyway. Overall I am very happy with my purchase and would buy it again without hesitation. Five stars from me! Pros - Sharp Blade - Great point for punching through things - Sturdy (no blade wobble) - Compact and comfortable - Spring assist opens quick and consistent Cons - Handle may be too small for larger people - Belt clip might not fit some thicker belts

I have used pocket knives for a while due to my job handling the shipments at the restaurant I work at. But because I never needed them for serious issues I have always gone cheap. Tac-Force, $10 cheap. The blades get wobbly and dull, so I decided to step up a bit to Kershaw. Trying to remain on the cheaper side while still having quality I figured these Kershaw Speefsafe knives would be perfect and so far I have not been disappointed at all. The open assist feature is extremely useful when I want to get things open quickly. I also have carried a knife in the hopes that it will help in a self-defense situation but the knives I carried would never actually be any help due to their flimsy-ness. This, while small, is very sturdy. I have dropped it numerous times and there is still no blade wobble. The blade itself is thick and everything is sturdy. The only disappointments weren't even anything to worry about. The size makes it perfect for EDC, but it's just a tiny bit small for me since I am 6,3 and 240 pounds. However it's barely noticeable in the pocket and the clip is strong. The other mild complaint was how the open assist took about a day to really get working. It was stiff at first, but simply opening it several times fixes that and it evens out quite well. Again, not even really a complaint. Also, very probably THE SHARPEST knife I have ever picked up. I know have about 12 folders and 3 large fixed blades and NONE of these got close to how sharp this blade was straight out of the box. I could shave skin and hair alike. So here's what I could find for pros and cons: Pros: 1. Perfect for carrying every day for a wide array of tasks. 2. Open assist is strong and very helpful. Also a tad bit intimidating/cool looking. 3. Comfortable in the hand for a variety of grips. 4. Sturdy, doesn't feel like it's going to fall apart any time soon. 5. Sharp, sharp, sharp. Probably the sharpest knife I have ever gotten. 6. Cheap, but not lacking in quality. Cons: 1. A teensy bit small for ME. Probably not for anyone else. I am a bit larger than your average person, so that's to be expected. 2. Took about a day to get the assisted open mechanism to smooth out. That's about it. I hope this helps. Bottom line: If you want a good quality but still affordable EDC knife, this is it. -Gary

Good knife a little stiff.

Perfekt 👌

Das Messer liegt gut in der Hand, besser, als man es bei der eckigen Form des Griffs vermuten würde. Die Klinge öffnet sehr schnell und arritiert dann bombenfest; da wackelt nichts. Durch die Tanto-Form der Klinge hat diese einen großen, komplett geraden Abschnitt, der gut zum Schaben und Schnitzen verwendet werden kann. Insgesamt ist das Messer groß genug für einen festen Griff, aber klein genug, um nicht unpraktisch zu sein. Außerdem ist der Preis von 40€ für ein Alltagsmesser ideal, denn es ist kein allzu großer Schaden, wenn es doch mal kaputt geht oder man es verliert. Wer also ein Messer braucht, dass wirklich tagtäglich für die Arbeit eingesetzt werden kann und das auch aushält, sollte sich das hier mal genauer ansehen. Kleiner Tipp: Das Messer hat sowohl Knöpfe für das Öffnen mit dem Daumen als auch Flipper zum Öffnen mit dem Zeigefinger. Ich empfehle letzteres, da das Öffnen mit den Thumbstuds nicht besonders bequem ist. Mit dem Flipper funktioniert es aber umso besser. Geeignet für Links- und Rechtshänder.

Der Brawler ist nicht zu groß, um ihn angenehm mit dem Deep-Carry-Clip in der Hosentasche tragen zu können, und auch nicht zu klein, um damit sinnvoll zu schneiden. Der Griff ist gut strukturiert und liegt auch mit feuchten Händen sicher in der Hand. Die Spitze ermöglicht feine Schittarbeiten und die grade Schneide der Klinge läßt sich bei Bedarf leicht nachschärfen. Ein gutes Messer für wenig Geld. Ob die Klinge nur schwarz lackiert oder wie die des schwarzen Kershaw Blur DLC- (Diamond-Like Carbon) beschichtet und damit sehr abriebfest ist, entzieht sich meiner Kenntnis. Ich vermute, daß man wegen einer günstigen Preisgestaltung bei Kershaw in China nur lackiert hat. Die Kershaws aus amerikanischer Fertigung sind wegen des ungünstigen Dollarkurses in Deutschland relativ teuer und tendentiell qualitativ hochwertiger.

Ein wirklich Tolles Messer! Verarbeitung ist sehr gut und macht im Vergleich mit so manchem anderen Messer echt was her!

Ich habe das Messer jetzt ein paar Tage bei der Arbeit in Gebrauch und es zeigt sich folgendes : Die Klinge ist scharf, kann aber im Lieferzustand ein Nachschärfen vertragen. Öffnen und Schließen funktionieren sehr gut, der Feder-Mechanismus ist Geschmackssache. Das Griffmaterial ist sehr widerstandsfähig. Die schwarze Beschichtung allerdings nicht, hier zeigt sich schnell Abnutzung. Mechanisch macht das Messer eine sehr gute Figur, auch nach starker Beanspruchung ist kein Spiel festzustellen. Ich werde es auf jeden Fall behalten, zumal die Größe sehr taschenfreundlich ist. 10-15 € weniger wäre aber auch nicht schlecht. Update: Nach ein paar Wochen Alltagsgebrauch ist die Feder gebrochen. Zurück gesendet. Verkäufer will Rückerstattung veranlassen. Da auch andere so etwas berichten scheint es sich um einen generellen Fehler zu handeln.