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FIELD BLADE REVIEWS
Kershaw Outcast - An Unquestionable Deal
What can I say about the Outcast except that it's an incredibly good blade for
the money. If you read no further, my summation is that the Outcast is a great
blade to work with. The geometry is somewhere between a bowie and a khukri, and
achieves incredible chopping prowess through Ken Onion's great design. The fit
and finish match much pricier blades, and the ergonomics are top notch. Also
bear in mind that D2 steel is a quality material, and belies the $60 asking
price. The Outcast is a better overall blade than many blades two and three
times the price.
D2 is not cheap, and tends to be a very durable tool steel. When used in large
blades, it can be tricky to work with as it can be hardened to the point of
being brittle and can also be too soft. When it's worked correctly, it's durable
stuff and it can still take and hold an edge. Many blade-buffs questioned Ken
Onion's choice to use D2 in a mass produced blade, but I have yet to hear of
anyone being disappointed in this knife. Kershaw appears to have locked down a
careful process that takes advantage of this steel's benefits.
The blade is housed in a well made Kydex sheath with a unique belt locking
mechanism reminiscent of some of the gun holsters I have seen. This seems to
work as designed, but isn't the most comfortable on the belt of the wearer, I'd
recommend some sort of pad between the belt lock and your hip to keep this clip
mechanism from digging in.
The other drawbacks in my opinion are more about looks than function.
First, I'm not fond the large and overly prominent logo on the side of the blade:
I know the blade is D2 and I don't need to be reminded, nor do I feel the need to advertise this to everyone else. I'd lose the logo.
Second, this blade is rather shiny. I would put a duller finish to cut glare, maybe a powder coat type finish.
Other than those few things, this blade is an absolute joy
to work with, and worth every penny.
Many of you have written to me about the departure of the Becker Brute from the blade world, and have asked what would be a suitable replacement. In short, I recommend the Outcast as a more than suitable alternative in the under $100 range.
Brute vs. Outcast
The Outcast is similar to the Becker Brute, but it has several key differences.
While they share some attributes, the chief difference is in overall size. The
Becker is shorter, squatter and thicker, while the Kershaw is a little bigger in
it's overall outlines, but is thinner steel. As a result, both have comparable
heft in the hand. The Becker sports a full quarter inch thickness, while the
Outcast is a little slimmer at 3/16". Both are flat ground for chopping
strength. While the Becker sports slightly better edge holding, the D2 of the
Outcast is a little lower in hardness, and is thus easier to resharpen in the
field.
The handle of the Brute is a large, boxy design that is
nevertheless comfortable to work with. The Outcast has a narrower handle
profile, but is a very comfortable sort of squishy rubber. The Outcast provides
a superior grip for both chopping and fine work.
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