Kershaw Dividend Assisted Opening Knife Olive (3" Composite) 1812OLCB

When I bought the Kershaw Leek with compound blade, I was disappointed when it arrived and the contrast between the two steels was nothing like it looked in the pictures on this site. (It was much more understated and hard to see, and clearly had been PhotoShopped to up the contrast between the two steels.) So I was bracing for the same thing with the Dividend. To my happy surprise, the contrast is if anything greater between the two steels on the real knife, with the copper line between the two being also quite noticeable. The scales are likewise a darker green than it appears under the studio lights above, which I actually prefer. Looks aside, this knife is both thinner and lighter than I expected, both being a good thing. The balance is very handle-heavy, but with the knife being under 3 ounces, it doesn't make much difference.

Gah. I want to love this knife so bad but I can only like it. Mainly because the liner lock is stupid. I get it's squared off to match the design but with no chamfer for your thumb it takes a stupid amount of force from a small amount of thumb-meat to disengage this bad boy. As a fidgeter, it's not so enjoyable as fidgety – knowhatimsayin? I love the OD green, the blade is kick-arse, it flies open (speed safe; duh – say what you will...) the deep carry is one reason I purchased it but am overlooking the non-countersunk screws for perfect pocket insertion. I guess in my perfect world I would mesh some design aspects of the Knockout with this knife. Maybe round some edges, integrate the liners with a chamfered lock bar w/ more surface area and counter sunk screws on the clip. All that with maybe a small hike in price and I think this would be one hell of a blade to contend with. But, then it would probably be a ZT.