Customer Reviews

Kershaw Military Knife with 1 Piece, Drop Forged 1.4116 German Stainless-Steel

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most knife enthusiasts think of a very particular design when someone says "military boot knife." The archetype is the long, double-edged, needle-point Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife (currently manufactured by Sheffield, among others), with its straight edges and foil-like grip. A more familiar variation may be the similar but more robust Applegate-Fairbairn pattern, exemplified by knives bearing that name as well as others like the AG Russel Sting. These are all essentially small daggers: double edged knives with the point set right down the middle, optimized for piercing but also suitable for slashing. Such knives are designed for one thing, which is killing people. They are not generally regarded as utility knives.

The Kershaw Military Boot Knife bears scarce resemblance to such knives. With its drop point, top "false edge," distal taper, and slim profile, it can definitely pierce much like the Fairbairn-style daggers. But the drop-point configuration gives the blade more belly for its width than any dagger, which makes it extremely useful for kitchen duty. It's really more like a long paring knife or a short boning knife than a small dagger. The pommel and guard are, to my eye, the only things marking this as a "military" design.

Indeed, I wish Kershaw had given in just a bit more to the utility aspect of this design by swapping the integral guard for something more like the bolster of a good kitchen knife. This would allow the use of the edge's full length on a cutting board while still keeping the fingers out of the blade in an emergency.

Still, that's a small complaint considering this knife's utility and value. My example arrived razor sharp. It seems to me that the POM (aka Delrin) scales were assembled to the tang before finishing, and then the two were machined together to final shape. The result is a fit and finish superior to anything I have seen in this price range.

It's a knife whose balance, keen edge, and slim profile would meet Fairbairn's requirements for a fighting knife (minus the double edge) while still being useful for something besides stealthily dispatching unwary sentries. That's a very neat trick. Since most campers cook far more often than they kill, this knife will get far more use than any other "military boot knife" that I'm aware of.

This knife is simply great. The fit and finish are exceptional. The grip, size and balance are just right, as is the blade design. Note - this knife is intended for fighting, it is a weapon, not a utility knife. In my own cutting and penetration tests it outperformed virtually every other knife I own (which is quite a few), even larger blades.

The only drawback for military use would be that the blade is really too thin to punch through flak jackets, body armor, etc. (or for use as a combat utility knife). Otherwise it is very and quick an maneuverable and well suited to its intended purpose.

I bought two of these to give as gifts but when they arrived I was surprised to see that the 1 Piece, Drop Forged 1.4116 German Stainless-Steel blade had "CHINA" stamped on it. Giving a German knife as a gift is one thing, giving a Chinese knife as a gift is something else. Not that there is anything wrong with Chinese knives, I'm just saying...
This knife looks like about $10.00 worth of Chinese steel and plastic. I thought it would make a cool letter opener but at $35.00 I had to send them back.

Bought this knife from Cheaper Than Dirt for 33 bucks. It was an outstanding buy. It has a good, quality feel and holds an edge well. In addition, the scabbard is well made and comes with a versatile strapping system that allows for several types of carry. Interestingly enough, it does not work well in a boot. The scabbard is too thick and there is no boot clip.

Another issue is that the blade point rattles a bit in the hard plastic scabbard. A small piece of foam shoved into the bottom stops the noise.

This is a quality product and I recommend it. Even though it is made in China.

It's OK but I probably would not buy again. The are better knives out there for the money not MADE IN CHINA with German Steel. Mine stained badly from what I do not know. I think the stainless may be pretty marginal in terms of quality. I do not like the sheath either.

Stylish, comfortable to carry, well made, FANTASTIC point, closest knife to a legal dagger and feels great in the hand! However, the blade is less than 1/16" thick for the last 2" of blade length. If this knife were ever used to stab, it would likely break on the first rip it struck. If this FANTASTIC tip were used for its designated purpose, it would likely kill the knife and the target. It is also a very heavy knife for its size. Sheath has Excellent retention for upside down carry and doesn't rattle. +4 stars for awesome construction and great carry options, -1 star for the paper thin blade.

I brought this knife to my local Sheriff here in Spring, Texas and was assured that it is LEGAL to carry unless you sharpen more than 1" of the back "false" edge.

A Better alternative to this knife is the Cold Steel Kobun if you can handle the extra length and width of sheath. It is longer, thicker, stronger, sharper, more attractive, better steel, better handle, and actually weighs about HALF as much as this Kershaw Military Boot Knife. I was shocked when I held the Kobun and the Kershw side by side. The Cold Steel Kobun replaced this Kershaw knife as my iwb concealed carry. The Blade is over 1/8" thick up til the last 3/4" of tip. I would feel comfortable opening cans with the kobun consistently if needed, the Kershaw would definitely break.

I am a knife nut. It's no big secret among my friends. I have spent three times as much money on much worse knives. The knife is one solid piece of steel except for the handles which are inset and pinned. The sheath is a bad design, but you can get a kydex one made easily enough from many custom knife makes for less than $20. I will have this knife for along time.

Great knife - very well made and sturdy. would prefer a more versatile sheath though. As in other review, the sheath does not accommodate boots - but I knew this before I bought it.

Addendum to above review: I see this knife is now just called "Military Knife," when I and earlier reviewers bought this it was called, "Military Boot Knife." So, keep this in mind when you rate a review as not helpful - There was a reason why we mentioned boot carry (as unpractical and undesirable as it may be). BTW: I never intended to carry it boot style, just commenting on the advertised name of the knife (boot knife) and its obvious inability to carry it thusly.

I won't waste a lot of space here. I just lost this knife a few months ago. I thought it would be a good time to upgrade as I had coveted some other knives for my extensive camping and backpacking. After 3 months and looking at over 500 knives for this purpose. I just realized nothing compares to this one. Hold one in your hand for more than 5 minutes and you will buy it. Use it once, and you will never leave it home again.

This is a nice utility knife. I keep it attached to the outside of my edc bag. The sheath works great for attaching to molle webbing. The various straps that can be used to attach it to various positions of the body, not so much. It came very sharp and I use it all the time. If you have large hands the grip may be a bit narrow. The grip itself is insteresting as it seems to be all metal. It is not slick even when wet. I have not yet had to sharpen it but it seems to be retaining its edge very well. The blade is a bit narrow where the false edge is but have not had any problems due to this. Its a very well made knife and for the price its hard to beat.