Kershaw make a huge range of pocket knives. In this post, I’ve decided to look at the Kershaw Brawler pocket knife, due to its unique shaped blade.
The blade is a tanto blade, but modified into a shape that is often used in rescue or tactical situations.
The Kershaw Brawler was released back in 2012, so this is not a new pocket knife to the market. I liked this style, because of the modified tanto blade and its ability to pierce through tough materials or skins. It has a pretty good price point too.
Kershaw Pocket Knife – A Quick Overview
| Blade Length | 3 inches |
| Closed Length | 4.1 inches |
| Overall Length | 7.1 inches |
| Weight | 3.9 ounces |
| Handle | Glass Filled Nylon |
| Blade | Black Oxide Coated Steel |
| Knife Style | Flip Knife with SpeedSafe® Assisted Opening |
Where are Kershaw Knives Made?
Some Kershaw knives are made in the USA, however, the Brawler is not one of those. The brawler knife is made in China. The blade is manufactured from 8cr13mov Chinese steel, which tends to be easily sharpened and should reliably maintain its edge.
The blade of the Kershaw Brawler should sharpen well using a good quality diamond sharpener. Kershaw also make their own knife sharpeners. You can check them out here.
Kershaw SpeedSafe® Technology
SpeedSafe® is Brawler’s answer to one handed opening of your pocket knife. SpeedSafe® is assisted opening technology, where you pull back the flipper on the handle and this will move the blade out ready for use.
I found the Brawler a little sticky to open and it took a few tries of opening it back and forth to loosen this mechanism up.
The Brawler pocket knife also comes with a pocket clip which you can see in the above image. Whilst the clip positions in four directions, I found it a little small and difficult to use. It may loosen up over time. The multi direction clip is good for left and right handed use.
Using the Kershaw Brawler 1900
As I expected, I really enjoyed the shape of the blade and its piercing capacity. The blade and tip is quite thick and held up well. With a thicker blade, comes a slightly thicker handle, but this didn’t bother me at all.
The sturdiness and durability of the Kershaw really stood out to me. For a cheap Chinese made knife, I was pretty impressed. There’s a liner lock to keep the knife securely locked open when in use and I was surprised at how straight the blade stayed when locked in position.
I’m not sure how long the black oxide coating on the blade is going to last and this would have to be my only complaint so far with the Brawler. Looking around online, I’ve also read some other reviews that confirm the black oxide coating hasn’t stayed on well. It may depend on how hard you are on the knife and how frequently it is used.
Kershaw Brawler Tanto Blade Video
The Overall Round Up
The Brawler is a great little knife for everyday use and general use around the home. If you’re just getting started with carrying and using a pocket knife or your budget is tight this could be a good choice.
If I was heading out hunting or camping this wouldn’t be my first choice. I would instead look at the Kershaw CQC-11K D2, pictured below.
Where Can I Buy Kershaw Knives?
You can purchase Kershaw pocket knives direct from Kershaw, however, I find that you can usually find a better deal via the Kershaw Amazon Store. At the time of writing, the Brawler was almost half the price on Amazon as it was on the Kershaw website.
