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Kershaw Crown II

It's never easy to replace a favorite EDC. But in fact I was looking for just such a replacement. The Kershaw Crown II comes by recommendation from an iKC member. It is a slightly smaller version of the Kershaw Crown.

Initially viewing the knife in its clam shell packaging I was a little disappointed. I mean I knew it came that way but was still kind of surprised not to see it in a conventional box. I hoped it did not mean it was a sub-par knife.

I also noted the small plastic clip at the point of the knife...is this really necessary...I thought?

First a little about the CrownII :

Steel is 8CR13MoV,satin finish
Handle is satin finished steel and polished micarta
the knife comes with a Limited Lifetime warranty
the blade length is 2 7/8 inches
Closed length of the knife is 3 3/4 inches
The weight of the knife is a mere 2.6 oz.

Overall the fit and finish of the knife was quite well done. No gaps or noticeable spaces were in evidence.

From day one I put the KCII through its paces with a great deal of skepticism. It was temporarily replacing my trusty KaBar and about to face several days of challenges. Would it stand up to the tasks at hand?

My usual day consists of all kinds of cutting chores. Cutting open baled hay, removing splinters, shaving a marking pencil, twisting wire, opening bags etc.

I have to say for as nice as the knife looked, it was a small workhorse and performed all the above quite easily. The edge of the blade was good although not deadly. On my scale of sharpness out of the old clam pack, 1-10 with 10 being the sharpest, I would rank this KCII about a 7. It could be sharper yet did everything I asked and then some.

The other thing I noticed was the lightness of the knife. Honestly, I had to check several times to see if it was still there. I do prefer to carry my EDC on a pocket clip. It drives me crazy when that knife sinks way down in my jeans pocket and I have to try and find it. I prefer to wear it on my pocket like a tool which to me it is. More on the clip in a minute.

What didn't I like....well a few things. One it is a small knife for me and I do prefer a bit more "gripping power". I sometimes had to use fingers from both hands to handle the knife and perform the task. Not something I would want to do on a regular basis.

The other thing was the knife carried tip up. I don't know about you but my personal preference is tip down Tip up seems a bit alien. The clip itself is mounted high so the knife rides low enough to stay out of my way and stay in my pocket. The clip is sturdy and has good tension that holds on yet releases without tearing my pants. I would have preferred the clip be blacked out so it does not stick out there and announce "KNIFE". Future enhance may be a powder coat job.

Another nice feature is the clip has a good sized bend up at the bottom so if you do have to pull that clip you can without breaking a finger trying!

My overall impression of the knife was very good. It looks nice and handles well. It is a dressier knife so perhaps it more suited to social events, shows or other get togethers. Its light, easy opening and sharp enough to perform most of what you might need. the knife is inexpensive so you won't get hysterical if you lose it. This knife came from Sonoran Desert Knives and should be available from your favorite retailer.

Tags: crownII, kershaw, review

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Permalink Reply by Clint Thompson on March 6, 2015 at 9:13

Steve...

Nice writeup. Kershaw has a good line of knives at real decent prices.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 6, 2015 at 16:03

Thanks Leo and Thanks Clint. I sharpened the knife today and without having to wear a ton of clothes, stuck it in my pocket. My goodness touch a hay bale string and it cuts, feed bags just zip open, no tearing of plastic or paper. Not an expensive knife or steel but the doggone thing still works.

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Permalink Reply by Lars Ray on March 7, 2015 at 16:30

Great review Hog...I am so glad this is turning out to have a happy ending. No one likes a sad knife story you know. I currently own 4 Crowns and a Crown II. I find the Crowns to be a GREAT gentlemen's knife for the price range of $9.99 - $24.99, depending on place of purchase.

I have seen too many reviews of this particular knife whereby the reviewer is dissapointed that the Crown or Crown II is not living up to the Kershaw reputation because it didn't handle the skinning of a Grizzly or chop up a Redwood Cedar like they expected. These are exaggerations of course, but in each case, the reviewer appeared to expect more of the knife than it is designed for.

I bought my first Crown because I needed a new knife to carry - something subtle and non-threatening when opened in an office environment. As stated, loved it so much, I bought three more and the 'lil brother, the Crown II. Why the C-II you ask? Because I have now lived long enough to see what was once a cheapie knife from the '70's now command $100.00 or more in the collectors market, and some day, the Crown series will be hard to find.

So - for the price they are today, I can afford to use three Crowns, and display a Crown and Crown II.

Optical illusion - Kershaw Crown 3160 in the background, and the smaller brother Crown II 3150 in the foreground.

Top: Crown 3160; Bottom: Crown II 3150

Someday these babies will be an item of desire!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 7, 2015 at 17:06

Thanks Lars and it is exactly as you say a good knife for the money. It has been used, sharpened and shrapened again and it performs like I just bought it! I really think Kershaw had a hidden gem here. I don't know how many they have sold total. But it is for a sure a quiet, somewhat elegant worker of a knife.