Today’s knife under review is called the “Fraxion” and is from Kershaw Knives in my home state of Oregon. Kershaw Knives has come a long, long way in a very short period of time, and is a leader in the cutlery field.
Kershaw Knives
It was just back in 1974 when Pete Kershaw left another major knife company in Oregon that he started Kershaw Knives. His products were, and still are, a big hit with the knife-loving public. Just a few short years after starting Kershaw Knives, Pete Kershaw sold out to the KAI Corporation from Japan, and they continue to carry on his name and legacy in the cutlery field.
I have toured the Kershaw factory here in Oregon several times, from their humble beginnings when they only had a dozen or so people actually working on the floor manufacturing knives until their move to a new plant, a much bigger plant, in 2003 that they have already expanded to meet demand for their products. The new plant is huge, too. The shipping department alone and warehouse are big enough to get turned around in and get lost in short order. Unlike some companies, who operate on a “just-in-time” philosophy, Kershaw Knives tries to keep every product in-stock whenever possible. Congrats to them on this!
To be sure, Kershaw doesn’t just produce their products here in the USA; they are also made overseas, and this is good news for us, the knife-buying public. A huge savings is passed on to us by producing some of their products overseas. Kershaw is also the home to Zero Tolerance Knives, and all of their knives are for hard use and made right here in the USA with only the finest materials available.
Small Folding Knives
Regular readers of SurvivalBlog will know that I’m not a huge fan of smaller folding knives. It’s not that I don’t like them; I do! I just find that, for many tasks at-hand, a folding knife with a blade between 3.5”–4” inches works best for me. However, I can often be found carrying a smaller folder in my left front pocket for chores such as cutting open UPS or FedEx packages.
Kershaw Teamed With Jens Anso on Fraxion
Kershaw has teamed-up with several custom knife makers over the years, to bring some of their hottest designs to the public at unheard of low prices. That’s a win-win situation for us all. Kershaw teamed-up with Danish custom knife maker, Jens Anso, to bring his Fraxion folder design to the knife-buying public at give-away prices.
Impressive Specs
When I received the press release with specs on the Kershaw Fraxion, I was more than a little impressed with what I read. A small folder made with hi-tech materials that weighed less than two ounces. That couldn’t be, could it? The Fraxion has a blade that is 2.75” long made out of 8Cr13Mov stainless steel, with a black washed finish to it. There is a reversible pocket clip, from right to left, or left to right side pocket carry. The KVT ball bearing opening is super-slick, to say the least. It’s very smooth and fast. The handle material is G-10 with a carbon fiber overlay and is very nice!
There is an inset liner lock that secures the blade when it is opened, helping keep weight down as well. The clip-point blade has a top swedge with a slight recurve to it to enhance slicing abilities. There is no thumb stud for opening the blade; instead, there is a flipper on the blade. A simple push on the flipper opens the blade is short order, and, as mentioned, it is very slick and smooth opening, too.
A Classy Gent’s Folder To Really Like
I really like the carbon fiber overlay that sits on top of the black G-10 handle scales. It’s very classy to be sure. This one qualifies, in my humble opinion, as a “Gent’s Folder” that’s classy in all respects, and it’s one you would be proud to use for all you daily light-weight cutting chores. Just make sure if you loan it to someone, you get it back. Otherwise, it could end up in their pocket…lol.
I know that a lot of readers love reading about huge “Rambo” sized knives for wilderness survival. However, when was the last time you had to actually survive in the wilderness? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Those types of knives do have their place, but it’s not on a daily use basis, unless you actually live in the wilderness 24/7 up in a remote cabin in Alaska. I consider just getting through each and every day as some sort of survival. There is always something unexpected that comes along that makes my day more difficult, and a good tool usually helps me out quite a bit.
Carry In Trouser Pocket or Clipped To Dress Shirt Pocket
With a mere weight of 1.9 oz, you don’t even know you have the Fraxion in your trouser pocket, or it could even be carried clipped to a dress shirt front pocket since it’s “that” light-weight that you will forget it’s there. And, needless to say, the Fraxion came shaving sharp right out of the box, too.
Testing
I carried and used the Fraxion for several weeks, and it performed up to my expectations on all the cutting chores I put it to. I didn’t get out on my small piece of land and use it for chopping down things. Instead, it was used for the usual cutting chores, opening boxes and the mail, and even cleaning my fingernails! My wife also used it a number of times, and it almost ended up in her purse, by mistake I’m sure. She’s not into knives for the most part. However, at any given time you can probably find three or four knives in her purse.
A “Steal-of-a-Deal” Bargain
As many will know, I’m a bargain hunter. I have to be; I’m not rich, far from it. So, if something isn’t a bargain, in my humble opinion, I’m not interested in it, no matter how much I want it. I’ve walked away from some really good gun deals/trades at times, not because they weren’t a good deal but because it was not “good enough” for my financial abilities or tastes. I’m sure I’m not alone when it comes to these things. We have to watch every penny in our household, all of the time.
Make no mistake, the Fraxion is a first-class folder in all respects, and you will really be amazed at how easily the blade opens when you press on the flipper, and it locks in place solidly, too. Full retail on the Fraxion is a mere $49.99, and you can often find Kershaw Knives deeply discounted online or at many big and small box stores. This one is a steal-of-a-deal, for a genuine gent’s folder. I’m sure you will have a hard time putting this folder down, once you pick it up, and you’ll be amazed at how lightweight it is. Check one out.
How is it good news for us when some of the Kershaw knives are made “overseas”? BTW, I’ve found out while buying my Kershaw knife that “overseas” is COMMUNIST CHINA. I personally would rather have an American made knife and pay a bit more for it than to buy a Chinese product and help support a communist country. If you want an American made Kershaw knife you will have to open the box on each knife and look at the blade in order to distinguish between American or Chinese made.
Let’s get off our high horse here, shall we? I guarantee that whatever you’re typing your posts on, PC, MAC, phone, or tablet, you’re doing it with equipment made in COMMUNIST CHINA (your caps, not mine). Now, I’m all for buying American when feasible, and don’t mind paying a few bucks more for it, but to lecture anyone on buying items made in COMMUNIST CHINA (again, your caps, not mine), is an exercise in hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Just stop.
I like the quality of Kershaw knives and own a few. In my opinion, a better choice for EDC, guaranteed made in America and with a high quality Sandvik blade is the Kershaw Ken Onion Leek Folding Knife. It costs about the same or less as the Fraxion.
I’m sure if you shop at Walmart, you will find that about 90% of their products are made overseas – in China – but you still purchase them. Just because something is made in China, doesn’t mean it was made in a Chinese owned factory – some knife companies in the USA actually own the factories overseas where the knives are made. It benefits the consumer with lower prices.
Jason,please tell me where I can buy an American made computer instead of a CHINESE COMMUNIST computer and I will be glad to buy American instead of Chinese. I simply was unable to find an American made computer so I could sure use your help Jason. I’m sure there are some out there or you wouldn’t have posted such a silly argument. I could sure use your advice because technology is not my strong suit. But when it comes to knives (and I’ve bought three Kershaws in the past) I will always buy American before COMMUNIST CHINESE. When all knives are made in China I will then buy COMMUNIST CHINESE knives. And thank you for your future list of American made computers, with American made parts of course because this ole computer has seen it’s better days and needs replacing. I will watch this post for your reply and thank you so much for you well thought out earlier reply.
Pat, anytime a Chinese worker is building a product for the American public instead of an American worker building that same part………oh never mind!
There are no American built computers. but they all, ALL were invented by Americans.