Kershaw was formed in 1974 and has been creating and producing knives and tools since then. It is currently owned by Kai USA Ltd. Ken Onion, a renowned knife creator, has spearheaded the charge for Kershaw to produce some of the best knives on the market in recent years. The Chive, Leek, and Shallot are part of Kershaw’s Ken Onion line. The Kershaw Scallion 1620 isn’t a very costly knife, however how does it compare to Kershaw’s more pricey knives?
This is a fairly modest EDC in general. The 2.3-inch folding Scallion Kershaw Knife is shorter than the Leek’s 3.0-inch blade yet longer than the Chive’s 1.7-inch blades. The knife is 3.5 inches folded 5.75 inches altogether, and weighs 2.5 ounces with the basic aluminium handle. I’d categorize this as a tiny EDC because it’s thin and light, but I like EDCs with blades that are at least 2.5 inches long. Even so, it’s wonderful to have some variety in the markets.
The Blade
The Kershaw Scallion 1620 sports a 420HC stainless steel knife with a high, hollow shape. Along with steels such as 440A and 13C26, I put 420HC in the “lower mid-range” category. On the bright side, 420HC is extremely corrosion resistant and sharpens quickly.
Thankfully it’s simple to hone, because believe me; you’ll be cutting a lot. Kershaw’s 420HC steel merely does not remain sharp long enough for general EDC use. This isn’t low-cost steel, but it falls far short of the capabilities of metals like VG-10, S30V, and even 14C28N, which is also not all that much more costly.
Specs And The Handle
The Kershaw Scallion 1620 a glass-filled nylon grip or a 6060-T6 aluminium frame handles. Both handle components contribute to the knife’s lightness and strength, but keep in mind that the aluminium, especially, will be slick when wet. I must confess that I am not a big lover of the GFN (or polyamide). It’s bold and light yet it has a tacky and tacky feel to it. If I had to choose, I’d probably go with aluminium.
The Scallion has some nice jimping, especially on the thumb ramps and the thumb choil. Even yet, when sweat enters the equation, the knife tends to become slick. I found it to be good for light to medium tasks, but anything substantially heavier and you’ll notice it slipping away.
Lockup And Deployment
Now, keep in mind that this is a supported knife with phosphor bronze bushing that allows you to open it with minimal exertion. It’s ready with one rapid flick of the little flipper (well, I’m exaggerating). It’s fast and precise thanks to the Kershaw Knife Speed Safe technology. Is assisted opening really necessary on a blade like this? I’ll leave it up to you to judge, but Kershaw certainly knows how to advertise a knife.
Because it is a highly solid, secure construction with very little blade movement, the Scallion’s metal liner lock does a good job of keeping the blades open. Certainly, for even more massive use, I’d like a frame lock; however, liner locks appear to be the entire trend with blades like this these days.
Specifications, Fit, And Finish
As wonderful as the Kershaw Scallion 1620 looks when you first pull it out of the package, don’t expect it to stay that way for long. Because the knife scratches readily, you’ll lose its “new, out of the box” appearance after only a few weeks of use.
If that’s not a concern for you, the Kershaw Scallion 1620 is well-suited to many EDC knife tasks, provided as you don’t try to do heavy-duty work for an extended period of time in warm temperatures.
