Had this on preorder for months, finally got it a few weeks ago. A solid add to the collection. Feels good in the hand, very smooth and quick open and close, not too much play when open. Just a solid automatic OTF. Only complaint is the pocket clip was way too tight, but a bit of bending got it working the way I like. For the price, you could do far worse.
If you ever want to show an otf going off the track without slamming the tip into something, you can just do it in reverse. Deploy the blade as you normally would. Then hold it between two fingers while retracting it. Allow the blade to retract slightly and let go of the trigger. This will pull it off the track gently.
I saw the advertisements for this and I immediately fell in love with it. I'm lucky enough to have the Kershaw factory a block away from where I work! I took a Leek in there to have the flipper spring replaced, and they serviced it completely. I'm a big fan of Kershaw!! My only regret with buying this knife is the damn pocket clip is shredding all of my pockets
That’s really cool being that close! I wonder if you have a leather strop or some high polish means where you could take the clip off, bend it out ever so slightly, and polish the inside contact point and edges to make it less abrasive and chamfer the edges? Mine has been much kinder to my pockets. I did own a CRK Umnumzaan that was sand blasted. It destroyed at least 3 pairs of jeans, so maybe my perspective is relative to a classic pocket annihilator? 😂😆👍
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives One of these days, I'm just going to take it to the factory and show it to them. They'll probably replace the pocket clip AND give me a new pair of jeans.
I've had a rainbow leek for a couple decades now. After a while the torsion bar wore out and there was a nick on the edge. I'm not lucky enough to be able to just stop in, I had to mail it in, but they got it back tip top condition and sent it back fairly quickly. Only thing I had to pay for was the shipping. What other manufacturer is that awesome? Now for the clip, just get something thin and flat, and bend it up a bit, doesn't take much to loosen it just enough to slip smoother on a pocket.
Got lucky and bought one. My everyday carry in Florida. We just passed a law eliminating the need for a license to conceal carry which oft autos were under. I use it every day at work. I don’t like the jiggle looseness but it’s common on all otf. Good replacement for my USA Leek
Yeah, it’s a great one and its jiggle is pretty good relative to Microtech, Guardian Tactical, Heretic, and Axial. Unless you spend $500+, the lockup is pretty consistent but not eliminated until you buy a Deadlock that starts around $1700. LOL. I handled one at the Blade Bar in Ft. Worth and it is amazing. Great choice because I love mine, too.
So you got one,? Ok so how often do you use it?? I have to ask questions cus I love automatic knifes and especially Kershaw autos and really want to get the live wire one day if I can save up just a lil more but am worried it may jump track or end up failing and needing to be fixed fast what do you think
Got myself exact same Livewire in Magnacut! Much better than ultratech, in any aspect, from cutting performance to servicing! Now this one goes to my friend, which wasn't at all about edc-ing knives, and especially automatic otfs. But the very second he got that livewire in his hands his eyes started radiating and sparkling. That's why I'm waiting for my Livewire tanto in blackwash finish. 😊
I have 2 live wires and I love them. I don’t carry them because they are a bit too big for my taste. The action is as good as most (not all) microtechs. To me it’s just as good as a Benchmade 4600 DLC.
I have been doing g some research, the live wire’s are Type II anodized - another major OTF manufacturer has some colorways that are standard Tylenol III (the difference is night and day) - i will co time to do some research.
There are pages and pages of descriptions of the two but to boil it down, type II is more of a cosmetic treatment. A synopsis: Type II anodizing produces a thinner oxide layer, providing scratch resistance and corrosion resistance. Type III anodizing yields a much thicker and denser oxide layer, resulting in improved hardness, abrasion resistance, and improved dielectric properties. Firearm frames such as AR-15’s cannot be Type II as it wears too easily and are therefore all done in Type III. I didn’t yet get confirmation but I believe the vast majority of OTF’s (including Microtech) are type II, the new natural clear however are type III as confirmed by Microtech.
i dont have this OTF... yet! but i promise the it won't disappoint you. i own 3 of the launch knives from kershaw and all are amazing and I own a few flippers from them. every knife works perfect and looks stunning! once my knife ships im gonna feel like a kid waiting for a toy to arrive! very exited but jealous of the people who got their hands on this knife!
Sweet! Did you buy it from him? That sounds cool. I see it is assembled in the USA, but I did not know it was made by Maxace. I saw one of their OTFs reviewed by Metal Complex that supposedly has the least amount of blade play only behind Night Hawk.
I can see that. Some will love or hate that but usually most who carry it are usually surprised at how well it works in spite of it never looking like it well.
I really wish there were a video that compares the different types of blades and explains the pros and cons of each one (double edged dagger vs tanto, for example - plus serrated). I went with the LIvewire dagger double edged simply because only an OTF knife provides that option - but I'm going back and forth in my mind about this. For a utility edc knife, I'll always keep my Victorinox with serrated blade close by.
I’m sure there is by Metal Complex, as he has a very extensive OTF collection. I think this also has a lot to do with purpose, function, and expected use.
So I had both the Guardian Tactical Recon 035 and still own this. Both are amazing knives that I do not think you can go wrong with. I do not often carry an OTF, but when I do, I still want it to be a tool I can quickly and confidently use. I settled on the Livewire because of size, fit, and function that I like. I could have gone the other way, but I didn’t. The Livewire was also a bit thinner but not too thin to sacrifice grip and control.
That does depend upon your callouses on your hand and if the blade hits them. LOL. If it’s soft tissue, then that might happen and you might need stitches or a butterfly bandaid. 🦋🩹
My nicest quality knife is easily my Kizer Sheepdog XL with carbon fiber and g10 inlays that knife oozes quality. My Kershaw launch 8 is easily the sharpest knife i ever received out of the box. Just ordered this and cant wait to receive. Kershaw is quality with good warranty.
The Livewire is a best buy for an OTF in my book. The quality is amazing and new ones come in Magnacut. I’d love to have gotten a DLC coated Magnacut one. Enjoy your knife!!
I did not know that it had an official model number. Cool! 👍🤓 Where are you buying from? The one I saw that was DLC was at SMKW: smkw.com/kershaw-auto-livewire-black-premium-cpm-magnacut-steel-black-anodized-aluminum-handle/
Yes, sir. Others have also mentioned that. I appreciate you and everyone keeping me straight! 😌 I believe I got the CRKT and Hogue mixed up because of similarities between the shape of the Kershaw Livewire and Hogue Counterstrike OTFs. 👍
You are not, but I get emails and requests or criticisms that I don’t do destructive tests. It was also one of my earlier videos in my channel. Thank you for watching, though!!
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives it's brand new so I wasn't thinking I'd need to clean/oil it this soon. But maybe some oil in there will reduce the squeaky high pitch noise
I got their Launch 7. Horrible button action so returned it. Got the Livewire recently, love it. Very nice and I'm keeping it for sure. I do have the Pro Tech TR3 coming early next week.
Both are great knives in my opinion as I own both. I have enjoyed them for a while now. Great choices. If you ever get an itch for something a bit more expensive, the McNees MAC2 3.5 Auto is an amazing one, too!
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives I admit I got a bad one but I've found many complaints about poor buttons. Their QA is not that great in that regard. The McNees looks great. What I will receive next week is the Pro Tech TR3. I've read a lot of good about them.
My wife bought the Magnacut TR-3 for our anniversary! It was an amazing gift and a keeper because of that. I do enjoy carrying it and have had it for 2+ years, I believe. I think you will be super happy with it, too!! Pro-Tech does great work.
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives does your wife have a sister? I'm married but for another wife that buys such great gifts like that, maybe... I better shut up. Your wife is amazing to do that. I didn't even know they made magnacut back then. You must have got it as soon as it came out. Wow, what a gift!
@2fast2block We were in Dallas at the House of Blades on an Anniversary weekend away. We stopped in and they had one on the shelf… was surprised and bought it ASAP. LOL on my wife’s sister. 😏😜
Yes, I’ve seen them drop more and more. I just received a notice from DLT Trading a while back. I do not have an affiliate with them, but here is the link as I saw them in stock when I checked here: www.dlttrading.com/kershaw-livewire
LOL!! You got me. I meant to say CPM-20CV blade steel. And my video that has gotten more views than most of my videos is the one where I misspeak in the first few minutes… of course!! 😂😂😂
The good news is that there are a lot of choices for folks to choose from for knives that they are comfortable with. Though we may disagree, I respect your view. We can agree to disagree on OTFs and I appreciate Texas knife laws that do not restrict knives based on how a knife makes some people feel. If you are uncomfortable or scared of an OTF/automatic knife, I recommend you avoid them and consider carrying a small traditional slip joint knife in a buttoned leather sheath; however, I 100% disagree with you that it is more dangerous that a flipper, thumbstud, or fuller hole deployed knife, including a slip joint. They are dual action which means you do not have to touch the blade to open/ close the knife to allow you to keep the blade away from your fingers. They do not just deploy but require intentional force on the actuation button to open. When they open and hit anything, the blade goes off its track and does not go through it like a projectile. I’m not a fan of single action OTFs, as they can & do go through what they are against with force. I’m fine with a person owning it but I avoid them. I’d argue that most people would be safer using an OTF because of how they work and allow them to open and close more safely with 1 hand. The reality is that most knife attacks and harm comes from kitchen knives. Maybe we should consider licensing them? That’s a rhetorical statement and joke because I do not believe that, of course. Anything can be used for good or bad. What is bad is the intent of the person and they could use even what you consider the safest knife for bad things. Look at 9/11 and how they used box cutters for a horrible thing.
@DingoOG In my experience my out the front knives are way safer than any other knife. You never have to touch the blade to open or close the knife. What other knife is that safe?
LOL. I can understand, but I only have 1 OTF in my collection and this is the one that I use… so it’s okay for me. I can see if you are collector and love OTFs that yours like some variances in shapes, sizes, materials, etc. 👍
Had this on preorder for months, finally got it a few weeks ago. A solid add to the collection. Feels good in the hand, very smooth and quick open and close, not too much play when open. Just a solid automatic OTF. Only complaint is the pocket clip was way too tight, but a bit of bending got it working the way I like. For the price, you could do far worse.
Couldn't agree more! It’s a great buy and I think the best OTF for the dollar bearing out more expensive ones.
If you ever want to show an otf going off the track without slamming the tip into something, you can just do it in reverse.
Deploy the blade as you normally would. Then hold it between two fingers while retracting it. Allow the blade to retract slightly and let go of the trigger. This will pull it off the track gently.
True, but I did not want to since I bought this knife and it was my knife. If I were given one for hard testing I might try that. Thank you.
I saw the advertisements for this and I immediately fell in love with it. I'm lucky enough to have the Kershaw factory a block away from where I work! I took a Leek in there to have the flipper spring replaced, and they serviced it completely. I'm a big fan of Kershaw!!
My only regret with buying this knife is the damn pocket clip is shredding all of my pockets
That’s really cool being that close! I wonder if you have a leather strop or some high polish means where you could take the clip off, bend it out ever so slightly, and polish the inside contact point and edges to make it less abrasive and chamfer the edges? Mine has been much kinder to my pockets. I did own a CRK Umnumzaan that was sand blasted. It destroyed at least 3 pairs of jeans, so maybe my perspective is relative to a classic pocket annihilator? 😂😆👍
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives One of these days, I'm just going to take it to the factory and show it to them. They'll probably replace the pocket clip AND give me a new pair of jeans.
LOL! That’s cool & funny!!
I've had a rainbow leek for a couple decades now. After a while the torsion bar wore out and there was a nick on the edge. I'm not lucky enough to be able to just stop in, I had to mail it in, but they got it back tip top condition and sent it back fairly quickly. Only thing I had to pay for was the shipping. What other manufacturer is that awesome?
Now for the clip, just get something thin and flat, and bend it up a bit, doesn't take much to loosen it just enough to slip smoother on a pocket.
I like the clip as it but I’m glad it’s an easy adjustment to make it work everyone. That’s a cool thing indeed! 👍
Got lucky and bought one. My everyday carry in Florida. We just passed a law eliminating the need for a license to conceal carry which oft autos were under. I use it every day at work. I don’t like the jiggle looseness but it’s common on all otf. Good replacement for my USA Leek
Yeah, it’s a great one and its jiggle is pretty good relative to Microtech, Guardian Tactical, Heretic, and Axial. Unless you spend $500+, the lockup is pretty consistent but not eliminated until you buy a Deadlock that starts around $1700. LOL. I handled one at the Blade Bar in Ft. Worth and it is amazing. Great choice because I love mine, too.
Careful, that law goes into effect on July 1st unless you have a CCW.
So you got one,? Ok so how often do you use it?? I have to ask questions cus I love automatic knifes and especially Kershaw autos and really want to get the live wire one day if I can save up just a lil more but am worried it may jump track or end up failing and needing to be fixed fast what do you think
@JonathanDawson-uo7jm it’s in my rotation regularly. It yet to fail and is super reliable. As with any OTF, oil/clean it as possible when necessary.
The symbol on the same side as the 20 cv that you said was an auto symbol is actually the symbol to tell you it’s an in house design.
Appreciate the insight. I never know the symbols. 🤜💥🤛👍🤙🤓
Got myself exact same Livewire in Magnacut!
Much better than ultratech, in any aspect, from cutting performance to servicing!
Now this one goes to my friend, which wasn't at all about edc-ing knives, and especially automatic otfs. But the very second he got that livewire in his hands his eyes started radiating and sparkling. That's why I'm waiting for my Livewire tanto in blackwash finish. 😊
Right on! Very cool to hear and I’m very interested in the Tanto Magnacut version, too!!
The symbol on the front side of the blade indicates that it is an in-house design
Cool and thanks for the insight! 👍
I have 2 live wires and I love them. I don’t carry them because they are a bit too big for my taste. The action is as good as most (not all) microtechs. To me it’s just as good as a Benchmade 4600 DLC.
I have been doing g some research, the live wire’s are Type II anodized - another major OTF manufacturer has some colorways that are standard Tylenol III (the difference is night and day) - i will co time to do some research.
Interesting. What are the differences?
There are pages and pages of descriptions of the two but to boil it down, type II is more of a cosmetic treatment. A synopsis: Type II anodizing produces a thinner oxide layer, providing scratch resistance and corrosion resistance. Type III anodizing yields a much thicker and denser oxide layer, resulting in improved hardness, abrasion resistance, and improved dielectric properties. Firearm frames such as AR-15’s cannot be Type II as it wears too easily and are therefore all done in Type III. I didn’t yet get confirmation but I believe the vast majority of OTF’s (including Microtech) are type II, the new natural clear however are type III as confirmed by Microtech.
Very cool. Thank you for the overview. 🤔🤓👍
I don't have an otf yet but this is the one I want!
It’s a great knife, has great action, and is ergonomically designed. 👍😄
i dont have this OTF... yet! but i promise the it won't disappoint you. i own 3 of the launch knives from kershaw and all are amazing and I own a few flippers from them. every knife works perfect and looks stunning! once my knife ships im gonna feel like a kid waiting for a toy to arrive! very exited but jealous of the people who got their hands on this knife!
It is the one OTF that I’m keeping. I typically like OTS automatics from Pro-Tech, so I was pumped to get this one.
@@just_nate_8694 did you ever end up buying it?
I know what it’s like to have a really nice otf thanks to the Beard of Doom . A maxace made USA branded s90v. It’s called nightslatker
Sweet! Did you buy it from him? That sounds cool. I see it is assembled in the USA, but I did not know it was made by Maxace. I saw one of their OTFs reviewed by Metal Complex that supposedly has the least amount of blade play only behind Night Hawk.
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives he gave it to me .
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives Deadlock. Gavin Hawk. Zero play.
Nice knife. Only complaint is I Wish clip was a little longer.
I can see that. Some will love or hate that but usually most who carry it are usually surprised at how well it works in spite of it never looking like it well.
I really wish there were a video that compares the different types of blades and explains the pros and cons of each one (double edged dagger vs tanto, for example - plus serrated). I went with the LIvewire dagger double edged simply because only an OTF knife provides that option - but I'm going back and forth in my mind about this. For a utility edc knife, I'll always keep my Victorinox with serrated blade close by.
I’m sure there is by Metal Complex, as he has a very extensive OTF collection. I think this also has a lot to do with purpose, function, and expected use.
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives - thank you. I did end up buying a DE Livewire, and I absolutely love it.
This or the GT 035 if you could only afford one Otf? This will be my first Otf thanks
So I had both the Guardian Tactical Recon 035 and still own this. Both are amazing knives that I do not think you can go wrong with. I do not often carry an OTF, but when I do, I still want it to be a tool I can quickly and confidently use. I settled on the Livewire because of size, fit, and function that I like. I could have gone the other way, but I didn’t. The Livewire was also a bit thinner but not too thin to sacrifice grip and control.
It won't go thru your hand, but you will definitely end up with more than a poke! Either some stitches or super glue for that wound.
That does depend upon your callouses on your hand and if the blade hits them. LOL. If it’s soft tissue, then that might happen and you might need stitches or a butterfly bandaid. 🦋🩹
My nicest quality knife is easily my Kizer Sheepdog XL with carbon fiber and g10 inlays that knife oozes quality. My Kershaw launch 8 is easily the sharpest knife i ever received out of the box. Just ordered this and cant wait to receive. Kershaw is quality with good warranty.
The Livewire is a best buy for an OTF in my book. The quality is amazing and new ones come in Magnacut. I’d love to have gotten a DLC coated Magnacut one. Enjoy your knife!!
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives I got the 9000t but don't see any mention of dlc coating. Do you know?
I don’t know the 9000t. Is that a Livewire OTF?
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives yes it is livewire otf magnacut tanto version
I did not know that it had an official model number. Cool! 👍🤓
Where are you buying from? The one I saw that was DLC was at SMKW: smkw.com/kershaw-auto-livewire-black-premium-cpm-magnacut-steel-black-anodized-aluminum-handle/
That little speedometer looking logo on the blade means in house design from KAI
Right on!
Will it close after it's opened by pushing on the tip or does the lever need to be pushed to close?
It’s a double action Auto, which means you push out the button to open and pull back the button to close.
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives thank you 👍🏻
I can tell you right now Hogue had nothing to do with the making of this knife.
Yes, sir. Others have also mentioned that. I appreciate you and everyone keeping me straight! 😌
I believe I got the CRKT and Hogue mixed up because of similarities between the shape of the Kershaw Livewire and Hogue Counterstrike OTFs. 👍
@johnmatamoros9218
Not sure if you knew this….but did you know COVID is officially over? True storee…
@@MannyArboledaJr hell naw, that ain't even possible! You own a kennel, by any chance??
@@johnmatamoros9218 we’re having a record year!
But if u took the clot shot,u aint gonna be around but another three to five years.Sorry Charlie
Nice knife. I am sure Diskin is wondering where the paycheck from Hogue went...😂😮
LOL!! Yup, I have no doubt. 😁
5:35 relax dude no one is forcing you to show that… sheesh. 😂
You are not, but I get emails and requests or criticisms that I don’t do destructive tests. It was also one of my earlier videos in my channel. Thank you for watching, though!!
My Kershaw livewire makes a squeaky high pitched noise when retracting in. Unlike my other otf's. Anyone know how to fix that?
Do you oil it after blowing compressed air through it to get lint and dust out? I’d use a light 5-weight type oil from Nano-Oil or KPL.
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives it's brand new so I wasn't thinking I'd need to clean/oil it this soon. But maybe some oil in there will reduce the squeaky high pitch noise
If it’s brand new, I’d contact the store where you bought it and ask for a replacement.
I got their Launch 7. Horrible button action so returned it. Got the Livewire recently, love it. Very nice and I'm keeping it for sure. I do have the Pro Tech TR3 coming early next week.
Both are great knives in my opinion as I own both. I have enjoyed them for a while now. Great choices. If you ever get an itch for something a bit more expensive, the McNees MAC2 3.5 Auto is an amazing one, too!
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives I admit I got a bad one but I've found many complaints about poor buttons. Their QA is not that great in that regard. The McNees looks great. What I will receive next week is the Pro Tech TR3. I've read a lot of good about them.
My wife bought the Magnacut TR-3 for our anniversary! It was an amazing gift and a keeper because of that. I do enjoy carrying it and have had it for 2+ years, I believe. I think you will be super happy with it, too!! Pro-Tech does great work.
@@Robs_Nerdy_Knives does your wife have a sister? I'm married but for another wife that buys such great gifts like that, maybe... I better shut up. Your wife is amazing to do that. I didn't even know they made magnacut back then. You must have got it as soon as it came out. Wow, what a gift!
@2fast2block We were in Dallas at the House of Blades on an Anniversary weekend away. We stopped in and they had one on the shelf… was surprised and bought it ASAP. LOL on my wife’s sister. 😏😜
These are hard to find
Yes, I’ve seen them drop more and more. I just received a notice from DLT Trading a while back. I do not have an affiliate with them, but here is the link as I saw them in stock when I checked here: www.dlttrading.com/kershaw-livewire
I know ima lil bit late but that lil symbol is a original design symbol
Thank you! Late but not appreciated!! 🫡🫶✌️
It’s a Matt Diskin design and the prices are going up. Great knife !
I’m just glad to get one. 👊🤙
Be legal in Indiana if i understand it rt . Definitely call to verify before i order . Gd vid .
Awesome!!
The only Indiana restriction is ballistic knives. Automatic is legal. Can’t carry on school grounds if intended as a weapon.
@courtneyalbright2092 cool! 👍🤓
CPM20CV is no the blade design it’s the blade steel type.👍✌️
LOL!! You got me. I meant to say CPM-20CV blade steel. And my video that has gotten more views than most of my videos is the one where I misspeak in the first few minutes… of course!! 😂😂😂
I just bought one . Love it ! It is true it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea . If you are a knife person it is worth having. ✌️
It really is. One of, if not, the best value for an OTF that I own currently.
Really nice knife but Microtech is better IMO - a better company for my taste.
Go with what you love. It’s your money and you know what you like! 👊👍🫡😉🤓
OTFs are so good looking but stupidly danger and most people don't need this kind of knife.
The good news is that there are a lot of choices for folks to choose from for knives that they are comfortable with. Though we may disagree, I respect your view. We can agree to disagree on OTFs and I appreciate Texas knife laws that do not restrict knives based on how a knife makes some people feel.
If you are uncomfortable or scared of an OTF/automatic knife, I recommend you avoid them and consider carrying a small traditional slip joint knife in a buttoned leather sheath; however, I 100% disagree with you that it is more dangerous that a flipper, thumbstud, or fuller hole deployed knife, including a slip joint.
They are dual action which means you do not have to touch the blade to open/ close the knife to allow you to keep the blade away from your fingers. They do not just deploy but require intentional force on the actuation button to open. When they open and hit anything, the blade goes off its track and does not go through it like a projectile.
I’m not a fan of single action OTFs, as they can & do go through what they are against with force. I’m fine with a person owning it but I avoid them. I’d argue that most people would be safer using an OTF because of how they work and allow them to open and close more safely with 1 hand. The reality is that most knife attacks and harm comes from kitchen knives. Maybe we should consider licensing them? That’s a rhetorical statement and joke because I do not believe that, of course. Anything can be used for good or bad. What is bad is the intent of the person and they could use even what you consider the safest knife for bad things. Look at 9/11 and how they used box cutters for a horrible thing.
Not really,
@DingoOG you didn’t watch the entire video. He addressed safety and OTFs could actually be considered safer than many types
@DingoOG In my experience my out the front knives are way safer than any other knife. You never have to touch the blade to open or close the knife. What other knife is that safe?
@DingoOG Do you own and use one? Or are you just making this up?
Not another drop point only OTF? Looks nice though!!!
LOL. I can understand, but I only have 1 OTF in my collection and this is the one that I use… so it’s okay for me. I can see if you are collector and love OTFs that yours like some variances in shapes, sizes, materials, etc. 👍
They have tantos and daggers too
@armyofninjas9055 in Magnacut and one is DLC coated… so cool!