New for 2017, Kershaw Knives is releasing a line of ‘Made in the USA’ knives. One of those knives is the Kershaw Dividend 1812. This is a smaller knife, but not too small. I honestly think the size is about perfect with a blade length of 3″ (cutting edge) with an overall length of 7″. To me that is an ideal sized everyday EDC knife, even for fixed blades.
The blade steel on this particular knife is 420HC stainless steel with a stonewashed finish. Not only does the stonewashed finish look cool, but it also gives the blade a little more moisture and corrosion resistance. I’m sure some will see 420HC steel and start talking down about it. Before you do, you need to consider both the heat-treat and quality control that go into it. With a combination of Kershaws heat-treat and the stonewashed finish, it is actually pretty damn nice. Yes, you may need to hone or sharpen the blade more often than you would with a higher end steel, but honestly that is not a show stopper for me. If you maintain the knife and take care of it, it will take care of you.
The handle ergonomics are quite good. The 4″ handle, although streamlined for everyday carry fills the hand nicely. The material is a glass filled nylon which is pretty durable. There is some texturing on the handle giving you some added retention when using the knife.
The blade deploys quickly and smoothly using the Kershaw Speedsafe Technology. All it takes is a push on the flipper when closed and the speedsafe technology goes to work for you.
Overall my first impressions of this knife are pretty high. The fact that it is made in the USA and has the American Flag on the blade make this a win win combination for me. Being that the model number of the knife is 1812 also make it that much more American. Kershaw has hit the mark on a made in the USA knife all the while keeping the price point at an affordable level. Do yourself a favor and take a look at this new line of knives. You really can’t go wrong with the cost of these.
TECH SPECS (Courtesy of Kershaw):
- Lanyard hole
- SpeedSafe® assisted opening
- Liner lock
- Flipper
- Reversible pocketclip (left/right; tip-up)
- Steel: 420HC, stonewashed finish
- Handle: Glass-filled nylon
- Blade length: 3 in. (7.6 cm)
- Closed length: 4.25 in. (10.8 cm)
- Open length: 7.25 in. (18.5 cm)
- Weight: 2.6 oz. (76 g)
