Kershaw Bareknuckle Sub Frame Lock Knife Gray Al (3.5" Stonewash) 7777

One reason some people complain about the hard detent is that the flipper tab is located in front of the pivot axis...when you try to "pushbutton" the tab you're forcing the knife closed, not open. Opening requires a positive light switch motion and although yeah, the detent is substantial, in another way it's ideal...the force required to overcome the detent is enough to fully open the knife every time. I CAN'T make this thing fail to open no matter how hard I try. Others have noted that if you apply finger pressure to the sub-frame lock you can't open the knife, but that's true of any frame-lock knife (I've got two ZT's with the same issue). For me that's not a problem, I'm aware of it so I'm careful about how I hold the knife when opening.

Those two non-issues aside, it's a pretty nice knife. The sheepsfoot blade is well-shaped for slicing. Mine arrived sharp and perfectly centered. The deep-carry pocket clip is nice. It's narrow and light for a fairly large knife. It's comfortable in the hand. I have no problem with one-hand opening and closing. The 14C28N blade steel is IMO pretty meh and I'd prefer (at least) D2 or 154CM at this price. 14C28N is very similar to AUS8. It takes an edge fairly easily and holds it better than other Sandvik steels (i.e. 8Cr13MoV etc.). It's just rather marginal for a $75 knife, I feel.

All things said, while it doesn't challenge ZT or Benchmade for EDC it's a nice-sized, well-designed knife I'm not reluctant to carry for just about any job...I'll just need to sharpen it occasionally and I need to improve my skills anyway.

I don't have a large knife collection but all of them are EDC type knives and this is what is usually in my pocket. I bought this knife from another internet market place not from here bu I thought I should give my thoughts. The deep carry clip is great the knife basically does not show at all, and the profile is slimmer than my other knives while also being lighter. The knife is also built really solid and doesn't feel like it'll break on you. Best EDC in my Collection.

Some people complaines about the action on this knife... I find it to be excellent. It is also super thin, and light. The deep carry makes it an excelent budget option for EDC.

Nice simple but progressive design and neutral color. Nice width. Longer than some of my folding knives. That makes this a serious knife. It's the best flipper I have. The piece of metal to flip the blade is softened which forces you to have a deliberate finger motion to open it. But the KVT bearings make this the best flipper I have. Action is even smoother than one I have with the same bearings for some reason. The steel is good too. Apparently, moisture resistent which is great news. Not a heavy knife either. It's a much better knife than what the price suggests. I put it on par with my ZT even though the ZT has some premium components that make it a higher quality knife. But the price makes this a favorable knife for me.

This knife is a larger EDC for me. It has a great tactical look and feel, and definitely saves $$$ over more expensive ZT's. The unassisted flip takes a little more force than smaller blades and/or assisted blades. Also, don't squeeze the framelock while trying to open it. I'm a lefty and I find this knife to be nearly ambidextrous. Switchable left/right clip makes drawing quicker.

Had it for about two weeks now.

Pros:
-Blade steel (it's way under-rated, closer to S30V than the budget steels)
- Ergonomics - feels really nice in hand
-Fit and finish are impeccable

Con
-As most reviewers say, the pocket clip. It's too small for a knife this size. Security is good, but the recess necessary to make it secure makes it difficult to clip inside your pocket.

All in all, I am thrilled. This is my fifth Kershaw/ZT knife in the last ten years, and I will keep buying from them!

I wanted to love this knife unfortunately we had a short date and it didn’t go well. The elegant blade shape was a tease. The feel of the handle was comfortable . The subframe lock was a real issue with me. The detant was painfully stiff. All bareknuckles are created equal. Mine was not so sharp and the centering was off. I guess we just didn’t get to know each other long enough. Maybe better luck next time? RDWynn

As long as you don’t put any pressure on the sub/frame lock, opening is smooth. The aluminum scales are not slick, the knife fitting nicely in the hand. Blade is very sharp right out of the box. Agree that this is a budget ZT!
Very lightweight, with deep carry pocket clip. Definitely worth the price!

Love this knife! Great weight, feel in hand, action... Its right up there with my more expensive knives, including my ZTs. The steel is very good, if not s30v or s35vn, but I'm not a snob. I own many 8cr13mov blades, and they all work well (many are Kershaw!)

Detent is good, but not as tight as I've been hearing. Maybe I got lucky? Lock up is solid, bearings are super smooth, drops shut with a little shake. Pocket clip is a little tight, but I can give it a little bend and fix that, not the first time. But it works well and looks great.

Only issue was the edge. Kershaw messed up by the tip (overground one side) and a few spots in the blade weren't apexed. No big deal, I got to work with my Lansky and put a good 15 dps bevel on there, and then took it over the top with my Sharpmaker. Takes hair off and whittles hair no problem. Haven't seen if it will shave newsprint, but I think it will... Haha!

Overall, worth the price. It's really one of the best values out there for an American made knife! If you can sharpen you may have to fix the edge, or maybe I got a Friday knife? Either way, I sorted that, and it's a favorite knife now. Would like to see some different handle colors (blue like the link??) I'd grab one in a heartbeat!

Get one!

Already being a fan of Kershaw, especially their USA made lines, I had my eye on the Bareknuckle from the beginning. But for whatever reason I kept putting off pulling the trigger. Well, I finally did and wow I could not have been more pleased. First flick straight out of the box was sooo good. Deployed easily, quickly, and with a very nice solid thwack. I say easily, it was for me, but the detent is on the stronger side. I like it though because it makes it so the blades deploys with authority. I did let my dad see it and he couldn’t actuate it, but he’s never owned a real flipper in his life. His EDC is a CF Leek I bought for him. Anyways, back to the Bareknuckle, it is absolutely awesome. Was afraid the aluminum handles might be somewhat slick like on some other Kershaws, but the dark grey finish in the way it was applied is surprisingly grippy which makes the knife feel very good and secure in hand. Overall, I would highly recommend this knife to anyone lookin for an unassisted EDC in the 3.5’ range. Wonderful knife. Thanks Blade HQ!

This knife is great. I love the blade shape and thin profile. Great steel, too. The only thing I didn't like was the super strong detent combined with a really small flipper tab. There is a cool video on youtube where a guy is cooking a whole meal using this knife and an Endura 4.

I really like this knife. I am a huge fan of US Kershaw's and always have been so I needed to have this knife. My only issue is not the detent (it is stiff and after fidgeting with it for a while my finger did hurt but that's true for most knives) but my issue is the fact that it has a free spinning pivot. One thing that makes me not like a knife as much as I would is the ease of disassembly. It was smooth from the factory after a few days of breaking it in and I wanted to go in and clean and lube it myself but then I find that it has a free spinning pivot. Not a huge issue for most but it's ugly for me. I still really love the knife though and I live near Kershaw so I might be able to drop it off or something when I need it cleaned.

Super smooth and the steel is actually pretty good

Great beater knife!! Got this so i can baby my other knives. Detent is a little tight and flipping tab could be improved... overall Not bad for the price...

This is my most favorite kershaw that I've owned. The ball bearings make the opening and closing super smooth. Love the blade shape and the aluminum feels very nice in hand. It will begin to wear with use, but I I think it will look cool with the gray color they choose. Strong detent and be careful about putting pressure on the lock bar. Other than that the blade flys out when flipped.

This knife has the smoothest action and is getting smoother as the days go on. It is as smooth as my zt 0452 CF which is also a very very smooth knife!

Good knife. No issues with blade steel. The action started tight but loosened fast with use. The pocket clip was very very tight hard to get on and off of pocket. But an easy fix. A good USA flipper!

Absolutely love this knife! Really wish Kershaw would start making more quality knives like this one. Absolutely love this knife, if you've been wanting to buy this beauty quit putting it off! Wont be disappointed

I love zt so had to try this kershaw .american made nice action the lock is working in well was tight 1st week. Cuts well holding an edge well too. For the price point . American and cool knife . fewls good in the pocket due to slim profile and deep carry clip.

Take your fingers off the lock bar when opening it, the action is fine.

The reason I give it 4 stars is because overuse of loctite. But other than that its an excellent knife.

The detent on mine was also extremely stiff. Call me a wuss but it shouldn’t be difficult when we know that kai is capable of producing sublime detents. Anyway the blade was also dull out of box unlike most of my kershaws so that was a let down. Action was stiff due to an over tightened pivot. But most disappointing of all is the marriage of too much loctite with the “captured” pivot that actually just spins freely. After a Herculean effort I was able to disassemble it and the action is getting more manageable but still requires technique and dexterity. I bought this as a gift so I was not impressed with its pathetic condition and user unfriendly action. But if you’re into knives you’ll still love its design and probably be able to overlook any setbacks yours might have.

Never been a kershaw fan for the most part, but if they keep putting out quality like this I'll keep buying them. Excellent fit and finish. Feels great in hand. Looks stunning. Well done kershaw.

I purchased two of these knives as gifts despite the 1 star review. I am strongly considering returning as I have given the knife to multiple people to open and the detent is so strong ive been asked if there was a locking mechanism. On paper price, materials, and design appear to knock it out of the park. However, deploying this knife is such a struggle that I brings literal pain. For me it's a deal breaker.

This is by far the best Kershaw design I have ever seen, felt, and or owned. Fit & finish 100%. Simple easy deployment & closure. Excellent build materials! Finally a knife that made it to my top EDC collection. Highly recommend, USA made, clearly an achievement to be reckoned with. I'm a quality inspector in a top surgical field, and this knife is...flawless. Need more!!!!!!!

I also had to buy this knife elsewhere due to demand however I could not let a 1 star review stand, this knife has a great action, carries thin , good materials...detent is perfect! Kershaw hit a grand slam!

So I ordered this from SMKW because after I got the email that this was in stock, by the time I got to here it was already sold out.

Detent is very strong, it is breaking in nicely so far. This thing feels like its a quality knife, not like my other Kershaws that feel all plasticy. Definitely cuts great, as it came razor sharp. I love the keep carry clip, though this too is very stiff and can take a bit extra to get it into my pocket.

The flipper tab is average size, compared to all my other flipper knives. Action is great even after initial break-in which most knives have.

I am loving this aesthetics, you could set this out next to my ZT's and it would fit right in.

Overall a great knife especially at this price point.

I bought the Copper Natrix and my son liked it so much I gave it to him. I wanted a larger version anyways. Right out of the box this knife was sharp as heck! I’ll admit that it was a little stiff to start, but a few evenings of flipping set it straight. It functions flawlessly, and the made in America flag makes me beam with pride. The only thing I really didn’t like was the absence of a lanyard hole, but you can attach the lanyard to the clip like I do on my SOG Aegis. I own some really incred knives made by Microtech and Pro Tech, and even some upper end Kershaw–Sandvik, but his is my new EDC. For a midrange to lower priced knife, this one shines for me perfectly.

Excellent blade, ergonomics, balance and action. Stellar fit and finish for a sub $100 knife. It does have a stiff detent, but as long as you don’t put pressure on the lockbar it will deploy reliably and quickly. If the detent continues to traumatize your delicate appendages, might I suggest buying yourself a Kizer Theta and, instead of sending the Bareknuckle back to Kershaw, consider gifting it to someone with more resilient hands.

Pros:
Good Ergonomics. Lightweight. 14c28n steel. WAS perfectly centered.

Cons:
Blade steel isnt marked on the blade(not sure why they arent advertising the upgraded steel when they advertise 8cr13mov on most of the cheaper Kershaws). Like other reviewers, mine has a ridiculously strong detent, granted it is a sub-FRAME lock, so you have to be careful not to put pressure on the sub-frame lock when opening it, which is a bit difficult as the knife isnt very wide, but even so the detent is very strong, and the awkward position of the flipper tab(very top of the handle) make it that much more of a challenge, only an issue because of the strong detent though, not unusable but not enjoyable to open. Tried taking it apart to clean and lubricate but like cheaper Kershaws, its not meant to be taken apart, srews had strong white thread locker on them, sheared off the tip of my T6 bit trying to get the final screw off(figures) so put the other screws back in and just oiled it. After failed disassembly couldnt get it perfectly centered again without bearings not touching the blade.

Stiff detent, didn't hurt my finger like that poor other guy. Well done for USA made at $70