Hey Rob, long time subscriber and lurker here. I never miss a knife sale video or review of yours. I just want to say I admire your integrity and patriotism doing a US made knives review series. I've unsubscribed from almost all of my knife review channels because they seem to put out reviews on just about anything solely for content for their 'fans' and views. Then excuse it away as 'quality has no borders'. If i see another Chinese knife video on TH-cam I'm gonna throw up. Rob is keeping it real!
Pretty much agree with everything you said bout this fusion slippie, kudos to Kershaw & American made blade. As for the future possible upgrade variations....I would like to see a full Titanium version preferably with some milling for texture ftw
You must be quite the insider with Benchmade, Bruce! Most of us didn’t get to buy a Proper until mid 2017 when they were released. They’ve sure never let me beta test a knife for 2 or 3 years before the production version comes out. Jealous!
It certainly looks good! Definitely better than the Proper. And I also was not a fan of the Proper’s action. I have had some double detent flippers that I really enjoyed for the action, but I do think that I like the true bias to close that a backspring gives. I am glad that there are more of these “fusion” knives coming to market. A lot of my viewers have asked me to do reviews of them. The FRN backspacer is a weird choice. Wish it didn’t have the slight recurve / thicker area at the ricasso.
I'll be adding a Federalist to my collection next month, thanks in large measure to being able to handle one of these and realizing that "double dent" does not necessarily equal "glorified fidget knife". However, I must say that Kershaw has been pretty lousy in its advertising on the Federalist. It's VERY clearly a knife where they wanted to do what you like to call a "fusion" knife that could function as well as if it had a backspring, but all the while use the "double dent" mechanism. I love CPM-154, so big plus there too, but Kershaw has just been pushing ONE thing in all their advertising: "we made a US-made double dent knife!" Since I generally associate "double dent" with "basically a mechanical friction folder" or in the case of the CIVIVI Appalachian Drifter "finger chopper", I can't be alone there. When I first opened one up, I was stunned; I have a Benchmade 318 Proper and while no, it doesn't have the greatest walk and talk and is outright pathetic next to my two GECs, it's still better than most double dent knives (the CIVIVI-Ferrum Forge Stylum being the only exception to that that I've handled). If they're just going to play up that ONE aspect, I'm not entirely sure they know how to market their own knife. Experience sold me on this one, not Kershaw, with your review sealing the deal. I agree that some deluxe variants of this--CF scales, maybe a G-10 backspacer or barrel standoffs--would be awesome, but the way Kershaw is selling this knife, I'm not really seeing it.
Very informative comment. I never really thought about a "double dent" equaling a "finger chopper" until now; however makes perfect sense though. The majority of my knife collection are knives akin to the OKC Rat model's 1 & 2. Actually, I don't have one slip joint, but thought I'd give the CIVIVI Appalachian Drifter a shot, now I'm rethinking that and leaning towards this Kershaw 4320 Federalist.
@@geico1975 There are safe double dent knives: the aforementioned Stylum, the CIVIVI Ki-V which is overly specialized but not going to hurt you, the Artisan Cutlery Small Archaeo Detent Flipper Knifecenter Exclusive that is actually the one detent flipper I’d recommend based on hands-on experience due to the design of the blade guard, and Monterey Bay’s Ray Laconico design and the Isham Blackstar V2 both have extensions on the top or bottom of the tang, so they may be “fidget-first”, but they’re not dangerous. I’m not sure I’ve been as uneasy using a knife to cut anything other than cereal box-level cardboard and tape as I have been with the Appalachian Drifter, which is a shame, since if it had a tang extension, it would have been a great knife. To be fair, we did get the Appalachian Drifter 2 Linerlock, which is honestly a fine knife that I use a good deal, BUT defeats the purpose of the non-locking, “travel-friendly” blade. I think your choices here are the Small Archaeo Detent Flipper, the Stylum, and the Federalist, with the Stylum representing the best value, the Small Archaeo Detent Flipper a very safe knife if you want to fidget with it, and the Federalist (comparable in price to the Small Archaeo Detent Flipper) offering the sturdiest mechanism combined with being US-made.
@@j.w.greenbaum I checked out your recommendations and believe that Small Archaeo Damascus Flipper Knife is one I'd like. I really like the CIVIVI Stylum too, but the front flipper makes me uncomfortable a bit on that one. The Kershaw 4320 has that double detent though, while the Archaeo is just a detent, but since you said "fidget first" on the Archaeo that'll be more important to me vs the detent vs double I think. Anyway, nice suggestions.
@@geico1975 Happy to help! The Archaeo is single detent, but has a trick up its sleeve: the lanyard bead doubles as a pin to lock the blade in place. That, and the flipper tab acting as a blade guard is pretty rock solid. The Stylum has a well-concealed finger choil so you can just choke up on it. The front flipper is maddeningly hold-sensitive, though. Both have good steels in the same class as CPM-154, though (VG-10 Damascus and 10Cr15CoMoV, which is chemically identical to VG-10 and which CIVIVI heat-treated pretty well), and I’d say you’re both safe and good to go no matter which knife you pick here.
There is no reason a fusion knife cannot have a liner lock. The patent for a liner lock knife was issued in 1906. As long as you have the extra liner with the word "PRESS," incused on the swell, it would still be traditional.
@@TheApostleP We like traditional knives because of the historical patterns. That's why Queen and Great Easten knives have a following. I was looking at this on KSF a few days ago. Thought it was interesting. My question, what is the purpose in emulating a slip joint?
@@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344 There are those knife user snobby purists who would say locks on folders are for two types of people: ones who don’t know how to use a knife and ones who should have chosen a fixed blade for a given task. I’m not saying I agree. I’m more in the “variety is the spice of life” camp.
Great review this one caught my one too. It there any chance you can review the Tatile Co. Bexar it’s kind of similar to this Kershaw, but it has titanium scales.
If you want to review any of the knives I'm sending you to sell and some for sharpening your more than welcome in fact I think it would be cool to see one of my knives on your channel.
I own this knife. I have owned this knife since it came out. I love it. I use it every day.
This is on the list of options I gave to my wife for my upcoming birthday. Odds are good since it’s the cheapest choice!
Hey Rob, long time subscriber and lurker here. I never miss a knife sale video or review of yours. I just want to say I admire your integrity and patriotism doing a US made knives review series. I've unsubscribed from almost all of my knife review channels because they seem to put out reviews on just about anything solely for content for their 'fans' and views. Then excuse it away as 'quality has no borders'. If i see another Chinese knife video on TH-cam I'm gonna throw up. Rob is keeping it real!
Pretty much agree with everything you said bout this fusion slippie, kudos to Kershaw & American made blade. As for the future possible upgrade variations....I would like to see a full Titanium version preferably with some milling for texture ftw
Handsome offering in a nice steel. I’ll hold out for the Anti-Federalist variant!
Based
Nice,informative...
By the way,I've EDC & I mean EVERY day a Benchmade proper for 7+ yrs
You must be quite the insider with Benchmade, Bruce! Most of us didn’t get to buy a Proper until mid 2017 when they were released. They’ve sure never let me beta test a knife for 2 or 3 years before the production version comes out. Jealous!
reeeeeeeeeeally wish this had a pocket clip. i would absolutely buy one if it did.
It certainly looks good! Definitely better than the Proper. And I also was not a fan of the Proper’s action.
I have had some double detent flippers that I really enjoyed for the action, but I do think that I like the true bias to close that a backspring gives.
I am glad that there are more of these “fusion” knives coming to market. A lot of my viewers have asked me to do reviews of them.
The FRN backspacer is a weird choice.
Wish it didn’t have the slight recurve / thicker area at the ricasso.
I'll be adding a Federalist to my collection next month, thanks in large measure to being able to handle one of these and realizing that "double dent" does not necessarily equal "glorified fidget knife". However, I must say that Kershaw has been pretty lousy in its advertising on the Federalist. It's VERY clearly a knife where they wanted to do what you like to call a "fusion" knife that could function as well as if it had a backspring, but all the while use the "double dent" mechanism. I love CPM-154, so big plus there too, but Kershaw has just been pushing ONE thing in all their advertising: "we made a US-made double dent knife!" Since I generally associate "double dent" with "basically a mechanical friction folder" or in the case of the CIVIVI Appalachian Drifter "finger chopper", I can't be alone there. When I first opened one up, I was stunned; I have a Benchmade 318 Proper and while no, it doesn't have the greatest walk and talk and is outright pathetic next to my two GECs, it's still better than most double dent knives (the CIVIVI-Ferrum Forge Stylum being the only exception to that that I've handled). If they're just going to play up that ONE aspect, I'm not entirely sure they know how to market their own knife. Experience sold me on this one, not Kershaw, with your review sealing the deal. I agree that some deluxe variants of this--CF scales, maybe a G-10 backspacer or barrel standoffs--would be awesome, but the way Kershaw is selling this knife, I'm not really seeing it.
Very informative comment. I never really thought about a "double dent" equaling a "finger chopper" until now; however makes perfect sense though. The majority of my knife collection are knives akin to the OKC Rat model's 1 & 2. Actually, I don't have one slip joint, but thought I'd give the CIVIVI Appalachian Drifter a shot, now I'm rethinking that and leaning towards this Kershaw 4320 Federalist.
@@geico1975 There are safe double dent knives: the aforementioned Stylum, the CIVIVI Ki-V which is overly specialized but not going to hurt you, the Artisan Cutlery Small Archaeo Detent Flipper Knifecenter Exclusive that is actually the one detent flipper I’d recommend based on hands-on experience due to the design of the blade guard, and Monterey Bay’s Ray Laconico design and the Isham Blackstar V2 both have extensions on the top or bottom of the tang, so they may be “fidget-first”, but they’re not dangerous. I’m not sure I’ve been as uneasy using a knife to cut anything other than cereal box-level cardboard and tape as I have been with the Appalachian Drifter, which is a shame, since if it had a tang extension, it would have been a great knife. To be fair, we did get the Appalachian Drifter 2 Linerlock, which is honestly a fine knife that I use a good deal, BUT defeats the purpose of the non-locking, “travel-friendly” blade. I think your choices here are the Small Archaeo Detent Flipper, the Stylum, and the Federalist, with the Stylum representing the best value, the Small Archaeo Detent Flipper a very safe knife if you want to fidget with it, and the Federalist (comparable in price to the Small Archaeo Detent Flipper) offering the sturdiest mechanism combined with being US-made.
@@j.w.greenbaum
I checked out your recommendations and believe that Small Archaeo Damascus Flipper Knife is one I'd like.
I really like the CIVIVI Stylum too, but the front flipper makes me uncomfortable a bit on that one.
The Kershaw 4320 has that double detent though, while the Archaeo is just a detent, but since you said "fidget first" on the Archaeo that'll be more important to me vs the detent vs double I think. Anyway, nice suggestions.
@@geico1975 Happy to help! The Archaeo is single detent, but has a trick up its sleeve: the lanyard bead doubles as a pin to lock the blade in place. That, and the flipper tab acting as a blade guard is pretty rock solid. The Stylum has a well-concealed finger choil so you can just choke up on it. The front flipper is maddeningly hold-sensitive, though. Both have good steels in the same class as CPM-154, though (VG-10 Damascus and 10Cr15CoMoV, which is chemically identical to VG-10 and which CIVIVI heat-treated pretty well), and I’d say you’re both safe and good to go no matter which knife you pick here.
Great video thanks for sharing 🙏
Love the look. Hopefully they make it in a one hand open version.
Looks nice but I'd love to see a locking, one-handed opening variant
I'd add also a clip.
Then it wouldn't be the same knife..... it exists due to not being those things. 🤷♂️
Nice overview, that looks interesting
There is no reason a fusion knife cannot have a liner lock. The patent for a liner lock knife was issued in 1906. As long as you have the extra liner with the word "PRESS," incused on the swell, it would still be traditional.
… and a Corvette would technically be a pickup truck if there were an option for a cargo compartment. With a removable cover. What’s your point?
@@TheApostleP We like traditional knives because of the historical patterns. That's why Queen and Great Easten knives have a following.
I was looking at this on KSF a few days ago. Thought it was interesting. My question, what is the purpose in emulating a slip joint?
@@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344 There are those knife user snobby purists who would say locks on folders are for two types of people: ones who don’t know how to use a knife and ones who should have chosen a fixed blade for a given task. I’m not saying I agree. I’m more in the “variety is the spice of life” camp.
Great review this one caught my one too. It there any chance you can review the Tatile Co. Bexar it’s kind of similar to this Kershaw, but it has titanium scales.
If you want to review any of the knives I'm sending you to sell and some for sharpening your more than welcome in fact I think it would be cool to see one of my knives on your channel.
Been looking at this one. I like it.
2nd, ✌
Just to let you know iam a born and raised USA person. USA made knifes are very overrated in my opinion. Lot of other country knifes who are GREAT.
First