Epitome of "Fugly But Functional"

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

So since I lost faith in my Spec Bump the other day ( http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=393317 ), I've been carrying the Kershaw "Needs Work". Yes, the name of the knife is the "Needs Work". It's pretty ugly, but as the name suggests, it'll go to work:

http://www.kershaw-knives.net/Kershaw-Ken-Onion-Needs-Work-KS1820.htm

http://www.swanshadow.com/2008/02/whats-in-my-pocket-5-kershaw-needs-work.html

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=KS1820

I like easy-to-sharpen knives like this with a straight blade. This may work its way into my favorite EDC possibly....sharp, sharp. Yet another ingenious "speedsafe" AO Ken Onion design. With the blade shaped like that, it functions just like an exacto knife.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Also the epitome of a deadpan thread - whew, that's rough.

Anyhoo, had to update. The Sandvik 13C26 is not overly tough it appears. Today I through it at the grass in my front yard, but it bounced off of a brick which was buried under the grass not even 1/2" (for some reason), and broke the tip off. But on the bright side, with a little judicious dremeling, I will have a new dive knife.

Note to self: Learn how to Scuba dive.

 

[Mongrel]

hmmm...may have missed it the first time around.

Not sure what your looking for, but-yep that is an ugly knife.

Doesn't look like it will get any better looking anytime soon either.

The problem I have with this whole 'ugly knife' (thank Spyderco for it I guess....lol) thing, is that the knives seem intentionally ugly. Like someone went out of their way to make them ugly.

Life is too short for me to have anything to do with an ugly knife....

 

[JShirley]

The one I handled felt pretty good. Sorry about the tip.

John

 

[SimpleIsGood229]

Not to sound like a jerk, but I don't think the 13C26 is to blame for the broken tip. I think the specific alloy is a bit irrelevent when it comes to being thrown, then smacking burried bricks.

Again, zero offense intended.

 

[Pax Jordana]

It's a Kershaw. They'll replace it. Consider postage as the stupid tax.

Seriously, I demolished a tanto point blur trying to cut out the back window of a jeep cherokee. I tried to tell the girl in customer service that I dropped it, and she very kindly told me that it didn't matter, just mail it in.

Though dremeling may well void the warranty.

 

[Boats]

Does Kershaw even make a knife that isn't fugly?

 

[hso]

Today I through it at the grass in my front yard, but it bounced off of a brick which was buried under the grass not even 1/2" (for some reason), and broke the tip off.

That's considered abuse, but Kershaw will replace it anyway.

 

[auschip]

Today I through it at the grass in my front yard, but it bounced off of a brick which was buried under the grass not even 1/2" (for some reason), and broke the tip off.

Worked perfectly then. What, you didn't know that one of the features of that knife is lost brick finding?

Think of it as a sharp dowsing rod.

 

[Aka Zero]

Wow.... do kershaws find other things than bricks.... like gold bars.

Anyway... I am weird, I like the look of this knife. Maybe because of the blade. And it might become my first kershaw. If one of the Damascus, or d2 inlaid leeks doesn't come first.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Yeah, the operator rather than the steel quality probably had the most to do with breaking the tip. However, just sayin... if it was d2 or o1, would it have broken? I don't know, but I'd venture a guess probably not.

Thanks for the info - I may send it to Kershaw, or I may just make it into a "dive knife".

 

[Valkman]

At the least any steel would have bent and you'd have the same problem as in straighten it and break it off or leave it. No steel or heat treat is going to take that abuse, but I still guarantee against it and everything else. I'd just re-grind it, like I had to do when a bunch of Fighters came out of the box on the way to heat treat and wound up with bent tips.

 

[RyanM]

It's a Kershaw. They'll replace it. Consider postage as the stupid tax.

Kershaw will pretty much replace anything sent in that's not up to spec. They completely replaced my Chive that had a couple tiny rust spots (at least that's the only thing I noticed wrong wiht it), when I sent it in for a torsion bar replacement.

Also, FWIW, the Sandvik steels are among the only steels specifically formulated for knives. Most other common knife steels were originally designed for other things, like 154-CM is for jet engine turbines (I think).

 

[SimpleIsGood229]

From what I gather (I could be completely wrong on this), D2 isn't one of the really tough steel. A2, I hear, is a tough alloy.

A quick PM to Tom Krein would get you a very good answer. I am sure of that.

 

[RyanM]

From what I gather (I could be completely wrong on this), D2 isn't one of the really tough steel. A2, I hear, is a tough alloy.

D2 is "tough" when it comes to abrasion resistance, like for cutting cardboard, and skinning. It'll hold an edge for a very long time, with that kind of work. Against impact, not so much.

 

[NameMyName]

well actually it doesnt look too bad, if you want an ugly knife, you should see cold steel pocket bushman

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

Does Kershaw even make a knife that isn't fugly?

Sapphire

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Out Of Production?

Are they still producing that?

Rumor has it that, once they discovered it was aesthetically pleasing, they stopped production.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Needs Work?

Yes.

Have one of those.

"Use enough ugly," as Steve would say.

Very functional.

Trivia: Did you know that Mas Ayoob has one of those?

True. I saw it myself.

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

Arfin:
The Saphhire is no longer in production, but you can still get them. While I wouldn't pay $60 for it, there are a couple places that have them for less than that:
http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/ker-1450.html

 

[barry960]

Hey, I'm glad to see a post about Ken Onion Kershaws with assisted opening. My favorite pocketknife is this. http://www.kershaw-knives.net/Kershaw-Ken-Onion-Blur-KS1670BLK.htm
It has such a unique bite to it's edge, and I love the matte finish on the blade, which has not marred or shown through any steel, even though the edges of the handle do due to being in the same pocket with keys.

 

[JTW Jr.]

Who is this Ken Onion guy anyways ?


oh you mean the guy who's cell phone my bud and I paracord'd to the top of the Kershaw booth at SHOT show this year.... and then called him on his cell while he was standing under it.... and soon to be looking up , up , up...

that guy ?

man that was hilarious.

Yup , got me a Needs Work , my kids have a Mini Boa , Mini Mojo , couple of Leeks...a Sapphire and some Chives.

 

[Pax Jordana]

Come onnnnnn. Some of us LIKE kershaws.

I don't like the look of spydercos. I carry a Spydie Rescue on the ambulance and it's one hell of a cutter with good ergonomics. I respect it and their designs, I just can't stand to look at 'em.

Sypdercos are like vespas, fun to ride... well the analogy doesn't quite work but you get the point.

 

[RX-178]

I'm a little worried that I might be committing some kind of knife-collector heresy here...

But I find the Kanetsune KB-211 'Take' to be pretty much the epitome of 'fugly but functional'.

Not even MODERN fugly but functional, but old timey fugly but functional.

The tempering on the steel, and the bamboo handle.... ugly. But entirely utilitarian. And back when that was the only kind of steel that could be made, that was probably an incredibly practical knife.

 

[Mongrel]

But I find the Kanetsune KB-211 'Take' to be pretty much the epitome of 'fugly but functional'.

Not even MODERN fugly but functional, but old timey fugly but functional.

The tempering on the steel, and the bamboo handle.... ugly. But entirely utilitarian. And back when that was the only kind of steel that could be made, that was probably an incredibly practical knife.

Nope, sorry-disqualified. That's a beautifule knife-because of the tempering and the handle. But mostly because of that wonderfully useful blade shape.

No, this is what comes to my mind when someone mentions 'ugly':

Now, I'm not intentionally picking on Spyderco, they're just the one of the easiest.

Also, I don't want to entertain the 'martial arts' knife-expert designed argument (or discussion). I don't care what they were designed for, they hold no interest for me so I reserve the right to declare them 'ugly' LOL.