Kershaw Launch 4 CA Legal Automatic Knife (1.9" Black) 7500BLK

This knife is just way too cool for its own good. I've got folders and fixed blades that can do anything that this does far better, but you just can't beat the grin you have when you pull this little thing out of the box and launch it open. Like others already noted, the launch 4 is very snappy. It's fun as hell to mess with. I like to carry this as a backup with a larger folder. Whenever I show it to my friends or coworkers, they all want to have a turn with it and some even ask me where I got it. For what its worth, this is a hell of a conversation piece for sure, 'cute' even. I also have to commend Kershaw for making this in the US, thanks!

The trigger is difficult to engage, but otherwise a good little knife

Snappy and sharp as heck!
This is a great little EDC. I use it for everything. This knife is tough as nails.
Thank You bladeHQ! I'll be back for more

It's my first Kershaw and my introduction to the Launch series, and I'm extremely snap-happy about this super snappy wee warrior.

I've always loved small knives, and up till now, my go-to pocket knife has been the Gerber Mini-Fast Draw, which held permanent residence in my pocket for years.

Once I learned about Launch 4, I had to experience the "SNAP" for myself.

This is the Mighty Mouse of auto knives. It's fast and powerful---and so itty bitty!

My only initial dislike about the Launch 4 was getting used to the fire button. I tended to place my thumb on the pivot, thus failing to fire because I was pushing the wrong area.

It took a bit of reconditioning, but I was finally able to associate a more accurate thumb placement.

While not a deep-carry, I really enjoy the long clip and how easy it is to clip onto the pocket.

I'm now a huge Launch fan and have already acquired another one--the Launch 11.

I have a few more Launches on my hit-list of must-have knives but all in due time.

In the meanwhile, I have a new snap addiction thanks to Kershaw's Launch series.

I carry this knife every day and use it for daily tasks. It's great for opening boxes and other small things. Being my first auto, I decided to start small and was not disappointed by this purchase.

Just received my Launch 4, like other reviews, didn't realize how small this knife is, then I hit the button. It deploys crisply, great design, razor sharp, and is well built, just a really cool little auto.

You don't realize how small it is, until you get it in hand. And when you hit the button, you better have a good hold on it, it's seriously quick.
Well built, neat little design, The button rests just about a 16/th of an inch below the scales, so you do have to search for it sometimes. But since there's no lock, I'd rather it not deploy in pocket.
Awesome little blade, I can't stop playing with it !

I bought this knife to give to my wife. It fits easily into her pocket or pocket book. The action on it is super smooth and comes out so quickly that you cant even see it come out. I love it so much that I just bought another one.

This is my first knife purchase and it went smooth as could be. The knife is small and lightweight. It is extremely well made. I like this so much, I would like to buy the next larger size. Super happy.

I give this knife 6 STARS ☆☆☆☆☆☆ will buy again if miss place mine SOME DAY !.!.!

Review Update:

09/03/2020

Big shot out and kudos to Rebecca from Blade HQ chat support. So we all forget the old saying "Love the giver more than the gift...". If you read my initial copied and pasted Email below you'll see why I chose the the Tile for this review.

Honest customer service, very rare.

(First Review was edited from 2 stars as of 09/03/2020)

Order Number: BHQ-2627725

Hello Blade HQ Team,

First off love your site and selection! I will be telling my family and friends about you.

Now the bad news. This was my 1st order with you guys and I goofed it (see attached screenshots) by not paying closer attention to the address.

My wife, daughter, and I just moved to this address on August 1st after 16 years by the University of Arizona. Long story short it was a decent neighborhood and we were Blessed but also spoiled. Since COVID-19 we have moved. Let's just say these knives are for my daughter and my wife, and it's not just for opening mail. ;)

Again, as you can see from the screenshots, we are working with USPS on it (one last time, and then I am writing these off to a $170 lesson in detail management) but I am hoping that you believe this story, in times like this I don't blame you if you don't.

If you can send two more to replace the ones that were lost, great. if not oh well, I have to try. Just know that if you do send replacements and the original ones show up (God willing) I will mail them back to you. Believe it or not.

Again great site, very professional. Take care, stay safe, and well.

God Bless & Regards,

This is such a handy EDC knife! If you like to carry a pocket knife to open things you will not be disappointed. So easy to use one handed, and incredibly sharp out of the box. I have owned it nearly a year, use it a lot, and it's still very sharp.
I enjoy it so much I've been ordering them as gifts for family. They can be engraved to personalize which is a nice touch. The clip is a little scratched up but the black blade seems to hold up well. Could not be happier with it and recommend it highly.

The Launch 4 is great! Out of the box it is VERY hard to push the button to activate the blade. Adding oil helped a little and over time it will work in more. Thats the only thing that's keeping me from the 5 star rating...

this is probably the most socially quiet auto on the market, so if you're in a non-knife friendly area, and want an auto, this is probably your best bet. that's really it, this is a good knife.

Feels great right out of the box. A bit heavy and nice and sturdy. The button mechanism works great. I thought I might have a problem since there is no safety but you really have to push it pretty hard. Very nice looking knife.

I great addition to any knife collection. Fantastic looking design. Very fast and snappy blade deployment make for a fun activity. Sharp out of the box and useful for many daily small tasks. It fits perfectly in the small extra pocket on a pair of jeans. It is a great gift idea for knife collectors and enthusiasts.

First of all, I really like this knife. Is great size, good action, and a perfect box cutter. However, the action button was kind of weird getting used to, could press it with ease at first, and the action while good is not as great as other brands. I recommend it, as it is beautiful and practical, but Kershaw have to pull their game up if they expect to compete with other brands

Bought this as a gift for my FIL. Once he figured out it was an auto he lit up! The design is sweet and he always makes a point to tell me he now carries it every day. We had it engraved. Perfect small EDC.

Coolest small blade I’ve ever seen ! Just came in today. Made an even trade for bags of black rifle coffee ..... He loves knives and my sorry ass loves coffee ! Back to the blade . The launch 4 caught me off guard . Am very impressed. Will be getting one for myself .

I now own the Launch 4 Damascus in all 5 colors that have been offered, but I carry the CPM-154 in black. It was my early purchase and has been in my pocket ever since. My Damascus blades have been relegated to my collection for safe keeping and posterity. I use this knife multiple times a day for all the typical mundane duties: box opening, mail opening, string cutting, coupon gathering, etc. It has served me well and flawlessly, with minimal maintenance over the last few years. I imagine it will rest in my pocket until I rest in piece!

Without the pocket clip attached, this knife disappears in the bottom of your pocket! It’s snappy action and tiny blade size makes it great for an auxiliary carry option in pocket.

The button on my example seems a bit sticky, but I applaud the omission of a safety as the button is only purposely pressed.

A must have for opening packages or clamshells! Also very good for detailed cutting of small exacto type work!

Love this knife. Super clean lines and fun to carry. The small blade packs a punch. It is smaller than I anticipated.. but a good addition to my collection. I am happy with it.

Hard action, good in hand, and looks great! It is not a knife for big jobs but is there for you when you want to cut down boxes and open mail. It really is a great knife!

I purchased this as a gift for a close friend who wanted but never owned a premium knife. He loves it! For his every day tasks, having a quick deploying blade made out of premium steel has been a real joy for him. Its small and discrete so it doesn't catch any attention at the office either. The automatic action is smooth and consistent and a joy to fiddle with. I'm quite happy to hear that my gift was such a success and I'm confident I will order one for myself quite soon!

Disappears in the pocket but flies to attention when needed. Ithought it would make a good box opener, but the blade geometry is a bit two thick.

Fun to figit with but watch out for that point!

It's a fun little knife to play around with but be careful closing it. You also need to be careful and hold it correctly while opening it. It's too small to be useful as a EDC and I worry about it deploying while in my pocket. It's more of a novelty than tool.

This is a pretty good knife. It's not bad for the price and so far seems like its good quality. Sometimes the push button is picky and you have to make sure you're dead center over it to push down. Sometimes I have to change my grip to do that so it's a bit annoying but besides that, it's a pretty good buy.

i've crashed my bike with this thing in my pocket twice now, both times its hit the ground real hard to the point of deployment, and the thing still works like a charm. I beat the tar out of mine and i've had it for over half a year and only had it sharpened once. I love everything about this knife.

Works great for small tasks and the action is fun. Bought it right before the 10 came out. I've handled the launch 10 and it is even better. The Cali legal Kershaw autos are impressive and worth the buy. The pocket clip on the 4 doesn't carry too amazingly but that's my only gripe. Mine came sharp, I love CPM154.

So good, I can’t stop playing with it!

I am wearing either dress close or shorts. its very light and easy to cary. I do not need a work knife very often, and this works great.

I love the knife. Very well made, fast action and sharp. I have hade very good luck with Kershaw in the past and this knife was no different. Ordering the green one next.

Love this little guy for everyday pocket knife. Can see it you have really large hands it might be a bit clumsy. But having 'normal' size hands it's great!

Do to the flex in the frame I do not receive a positive deployment. It occasionally sticks mid deployment till I release tension in my grip from pressing the button. Also my thumb lines up perfectly with the pivot bolt which is easily confused for the release button. My xl hands may have something to do with this. The blade design, edge geometry and size are great.

I was amazed how this little knife packs a serious punch. It came extremely sharp out of the box and I absolutely love it! I think it would also be neat if Kershaw could expand on this knife model in a larger size and call it the launch 4 version 2.0

This knife is everything I thought it would be and more I definitely recommend this knife to everyone you won’t even notice it’s in your pocket and I definitely couldn’t ask for a better design this little thing is awesome!

This is my dedicated Amazon box opener. The blade length means it's not really practical for much else. But, it IS a fun, snappy, knife and I'm glad I got it. It's easy to put a razor sharp edge on the blade.

I primarily use this knife for my Nursing Assistant jobs since my other knifes are too big to carry in my scrubs without them falling out. It's a nice little sharp knife out of the box, but sharpening without free handing it can be a bit difficult. Knife always deploys and locks when I press the button. I feel bad for the people that still live in California, I moved away from there a long time ago and the size of this knife is a testament to why I'm never going back; even to visit. Despite that, Kershaw's Launch series proves to have excellent auto's at a very affordable price. If you're looking for a really small knife, or a knife that is legal in your state, get this knife, you won't regret it.

Now this glorified box cutter is definitely well made. For it being an auto the blade play is practically nonexistent. Its ridiculously snappy. I've tried to slow it down, believe me you can't it just throws out full force as soon as you let it go. It is fun to play with without a doubt. However the edge out the box was trash and it is a bit thick behind the edge so it's not a fun time sharpening. But seeing as you're only going to get through tape with the thing it's not a dealbreaker. You're buying novelty more then anything to be honest I don't think it's worth the price but if you like knives it is. If you compare it in size it's a bit smaller then a disposable lighter.

LOVE IT. JUST GOT IT TODAY. never ever buy autos, because my use of knives is very utility. but I ordered a small leather pouch for this one with a pen holder attached to keep it from not being scratched up.Although the pocket clip is robust and very nice. Don't listen to the 'BS', this is a great EDC knife, for when I'm not needing my Spyderco rescue/emergency knife, and Mora Eldris (moded with a G-CLIP for belt carry that is my work EDC. This little USA Kershaw is perfect for off hours, doctors office visit, out on the town, stuff.

I love playing with this thing. It's snappy, well built, and could stab through a car door. Only problem is that the grind on it is too obtuse to make any precision cuts. If you are planning on removing carpet with this thing, go for it, but box opening/letter opening is not its forte. And any layman putting a sharper edge on this thing will only discover they've ruined the DLC coating. Don't expect the best blade, but expect a great gimmick/gift.

Knife was a lot smaller then I thought. I'm so glad I don't live in California. This is the smallest auto you can have there. Pure stupidity. As far as blade hq, .......awsome as always! I have purchased over 15 knives from bhq and i am always satisfied with the shipping and the service. Thank you blade hq I'll be back for the 16th knife.

I love this knife so much and am happy to tell you that this will be one of the best $70-$80 you will ever spend. The blade play is practically nonexistent. This is a knife that will last you years and I highly recommend it!

Of the many knives I have bought from BladeHQ, this one caught my eye. I just got it today, and it has already exceeded my expectations. While it is more expensive than my Shrades and Bokers (which I love and use constantly), it is feather light, tight, has a fast action and it is beautifully designed.
In a word, the Lauch 4 is elegant.

A nice automatic pocket knife that's legal in most states. Durable and convenient. You won't regret getting this small knife, especially if you're replacing a dated folding knife.

Had it a few months, sometimes throughout the day I need to do small tasks like opening a box or bag, and this is perfect for that, plus you get to feel like Al Capone every time you whip out your boxcutter.

Can't speak for its ability to like, cut rope or skin a deer or kill somebody, but it was definitely pretty sharp out of the box and holds an edge well. Satisfied

Perfect little pocket knife. Snappy & sharp. Have had no issues at all.

Nice pocket knife that doesn’t get in the way . Very fast opening and very sharp blade. Well made knife

Love this little thing.

This is the closest you’ll get to a legal switchblade in Ca! You could get a otf but personally I think this design is a lot better than any other otf I’ve seen. Amazing action good steel overall amazing knife.

Obviously this knife is so small it wasn't designed for hunting so I can't say that it is perfect for everything. The Launch 4 is more for light work here and there. Due to the great steel and potential blade sharpness, I reckon the Launch 4 could handle some pretty large tasks. This knife fits well in my hand and in my pocket. It is so light that you would not even notice it. The action is very fast. The only flaw I find is a bit of excess aluminum on the edge of the liner (not like a bump or anything). When one liner is flat, the other liner is rounded. Not a functionality problem, just slight a cosmetic issue.

I wanted a knife i can have thats snappy and quick but at the same time not very intimidating and a gentlemans knife. THIS was the knife. Absolutely spectacular fit and finish. Pretty food edge out of box aswell. Only slight problem i run into is its kinda slippery, i do wish there was some subtle jimping or something at the top. This is my first kershaw and my first auto (im faintly new at collecting) and it set the bar pretty high

I love carrying this knife

Awesome... Super fast, solid lock-up, and razor sharp.

Overall fit and finish on this knife is great.

The action is very quick and blade locks into place strong.

Decent edge out of the box.

Great little off hand backup carry and made in USA to boot!

I received this knife a couple of hours ago today 5/22/17 and so far I really like it. It's smaller than I expected but my hands are semi big which kinda trump this knife. Nonetheless, Kershaw did an excellent job on making this knife. I own a launch 1 and a Knock out from kershaw and I was not surprised to see the great quality in this knife. I recommend it especially cause it is a CA legal, even though I'm born and raised Arizonan but if I go to cali I'll have a good knife. Thank you.

This was my first auto opener. I like it as a backup blade for off hand carry. Hang on to it because it is snappy. Very sharp out of the box. And you just can't go wrong with a Kershaw.

My Kershaw Launch 4 arrived in the mail yesterday. It looks even smaller than I thought it would be, yet it has a lot of big knife features. It is very black and very sharp. It fits in your front pocket very nicely and does not interfere with your regular daily activities. When you hit the button, the blade jumps out in a hurry. A very cool little knife. Very pleased. Thank you Kershaw and Blade HQ.

Love this little knife, i just got it in the mail today and again bladehq came through with a quality product that even came before I expected it. The knife is super sharp and fires so hard because of its size. Awesome product Kerhsaw knows whats up.

I'm so impressed with the fit & finish of this little knife but even more impressed by the strong action and solid lock-up.
I'm also very happy to see more US made Kershaws.

This is my second CA legal switchblade. The first was by brand X, cost almost twice as much and was, IMHO, a POS. The fit and finish of the Kershaw is beautiful. And, the action, as reported by others, is lightning quick. OOTB the blade is very sharp.

I have a few other Launches but this little # 4 is in a class of its own. It is very small, very compact and very unassuming. Lock up is very solid just like Kershaw's are so no complaints there. The action is strong. You must have a firm grip on the handle when firing or it will fly right out of your hand. This is true of all Launch knives but extra true here due to the small size. Fit and finish is great. My only gripe is that there is no lanyard hole. With a blade this small you really need the lanyard to pull it from your pocket. There is a risk of hitting the firing button when withdrawing due the limited real estate in this design. Hopefully Kershaw will add this in later versions. You need not live in CA to appreciate this little auto and there is much to like. I highly recommend getting in on this one. Such a great little folder. Hopefully different colorations are in the works.

I carry a knife everyday. And this little monster is perfect. The sub 2 inch blade is well made and sharp right out of the box. It has a great clip and fantastic feel to it. Could not be happier with this purchase.

Great EDC, good blade