The History of Kershaw Knives
Kershaw Knives---a division of Kai USA, producers of Shun Cutlery---began in 1974 when Pete Kershaw resigned his sales position with Gerber Knives to produce and market his own knives. Today, Kershaw's product line of nearly 200 pocket knives, hunting and fishing knives and multi-tools includes the concepts of well-known designers Ken Onion and Frank Centofante. Created for the outdoorsman, Kershaw knives have also earned a reputation as reliable tactical knives for police and military use.
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Facilities
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In 1977, three years after launching the Portland, Oregon, company, Kershaw Knives was purchased by Kai Cutlery Corporation of Japan. Production of Kershaw designs took place at Kai facilities in Japan until 1998, when Kai USA opened a new manufacturing plant in Wilsonville, Oregon. Pete Kershaw, as president of the Kershaw Knives division, directed American operations. Expanding again in 2003, Kershaw opened new production facilities in Tualatin, Oregon, where the Kershaw branch is now headquartered.
Product Evolution
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By 1983, Kershaw's guaranteed-for-life knives included fixed blades, pocket knives and fishermen's fillet knives and with Kai's marketing assistance had become well known in both American and European markets. In 1990, Kershaw began production of dress knives and handcrafted American Stag knives. A limited edition series of scrimshaw-handled knives by artist William Alexander expanded in 1991. Technical innovations such as a patented liner blade locking system and a lever action one-handed opening feature generated two new product series in 1995.
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Innovations
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New concepts led to many of Kershaw's most popular products, such as the Alaskan Blade Trader, a patented gut-hook skinning knife introduced in 1996. In 1997, a new Kershaw multi-tool included one-handed blade opening and was the first to offer adjustable built-in pliers. Knife maker Ken Onion joined the company in 1998. The Ken Onion Random Task knife, with a patented assisted opening feature called SpeedSafe, won the American Knife of the Year award from "Blade Magazine" in both 1998 and 1999.
Awards
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The Boa, another Ken Onion knife, won the IWA International Knife Award for 2000. Kershaw's Ken Onion Black Chive earned the American Knife of the Year Award from "Blade Magazine" in 2001, and the Leek won overall honors from "Blade Magazine" in 2002. "Blade Magazine" granted 2004's Most Innovative Import Knife award to the Kershaw National Geographic Carabiner Tool, a functional climber's carabiner with a folding knife blade. The expansion in 2003 into housewares paved the way for four awards in 2004, earned by knives from Kai's Kershaw and Shun Cutlery divisions.
Expansion
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The remarkably different Kershaw E-T, or external toggle knife, another patented Kershaw concept from 2005, combined safe blade locking with easy ambidextrous one-handed opening. Metal injection-molding processes contributed to the distinctive blade design, and advanced machining methods were used in the creation of the knife's 3-D textured grip. Kershaw designers contributed to the new Kai division ZT (Zero Tolerance) begun in 2006. ZT continues the traditions of Kai and Kershaw Knives in the development of advanced tactical knives for policemen and military personnel.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photo from Creative Commons at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Knife_Opening_Sequence.jpg
