Kershaw Korra Review

Kershaw Knives founded in 1974, is a brand of Kai USA Ltd., a member of the Kai Group. Kai is Japan’s premier blade producer, and produces knives under Kershaw in its 55,000 sq. ft. facilities across Oregon and Tualatin. It designs and manufactures knives and cutting tools like pocketknives, hunting knives and special collector’s edition, etc. while combining high-quality materials and fine craftsmanship. Kershaw Knives provide nearly a lifetime of performance with state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques and tight tolerances.

Kershaw Korra 1409 is an assisted opener EDC folding knife with an overall length of 6.5” It features a 2.75” stonewash finish 5Cr15MoV stainless steel blade with a drop point, hollow grind and plain edge. The handle of the knife is black Glass Filled Nylon (GFN) with an extended tang and pocket clip at 3.75” and weighs 2.20 ounces.

Since the Kershaw Korra is an affordable EDC folding knife, it came in a regular branded packaging with the company logo on it. The knife was carefully wrapped in a plastic sleeve and the box included a manual and the detailed specs of the knife.

Upon opening, the knife appeared to be in a perfect condition with fine finishing and contouring around the edges. There were no sharp edges, and the pocket clip was well placed. The stainless steel liners, the liner lock, and assisted flipper tabs were clearly visible and operated very smoothly.The flipper tab and liner lock both worked remarkably, and held the blade in its position perfectly straight. The jimping at the back of the blade’s spine felt smooth to run along the thumb ramp. The finger guard prevents the finger from sliding under the blade when opening and closing the knife. The small finger choil makes the hollow grind easy to sharpen.

The blade stock thickness makes it a great and precise EDC slicer. The factory edge was very sharp right out of the box. Although the 5Cr15Mov is not a hard carbon blade, it is sharp enough to be used as a kitchen knife, and it has corrosion and wear resistance properties. The blade length of 2.75” may be a bit too short to use for bigger tasks, and the handle length of 3.75” may also feel small if you have larger hands. Unfortunately, the knife does not come with a lanyard hole, so you cannot extend the length. An ideal blade length for an EDC would be up to 4” with a 3” blade. You can consider Kershaw Korra to be a mini folder that is lightweight at just 2.20 ounces and an affordable option priced at just $19.08. Considering these factors, if you are looking for an affordable yet lightweight portable knife for light EDC tasks, Kershaw Korra is a very good option. It is also good for first-time users and infrequent knife users.

The blade of Kershaw Korra features a 2.75” stonewash finish 5Cr15MoV stainless steel blade with a drop point, hollow grind and plain edge. Its stock thickness is 0.11”, which makes it a great EDC slicer. It has a slightly exaggerated spine jimping with 5 teeth. It assists in placing your index finger or thumb to perform precise cuts. It also has a long finger lever or finger guard that also acts as a flipper. It prevents your fingers from sliding across the blade.

The 5Cr15Mov stainless steel blade has corrosion and wear resistance properties. It makes for a perfect kitchen blade. It also has good edge retention and the tip of the blade will not chip easily. Although, it is recommended for light EDC tasks. It can sustain being present in moist surroundings for long. However, regular maintenance will ensure its durability. The blade’s hardness level is 57-59 HRC, which is good for an EDC knife blade and falls within the medium to hard range. The impact strength of this blade is medium and has medium processing characteristics.

The drop point further makes it convenient for use as an EDC. The hollow grind makes the blade slightly concave from both ends and thins it for a sharp edge. It makes the Korra an excellent EDC slicer. It can be used as a kitchen knife, hunting knife, and for fishing. It is also easy to sharpen, considering the blade stock thickness.

The stonewash makes the 5CrMoV rugged with less appearance of scratches. It also prevents the knife blade from corroding easily under pressure. It acts as a protective layer over the blade.

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The handle of Kershaw Korra is made out of Glass Filled Nylon (GFN) and is a high-strength plastic material, perfect for durable and cost-effective folding knife handle. It is also lightweight, textured, and grippy. It provides a secure grip even when used with sweaty, wet, cold, or gloved hands with non-slippery properties. The GFN is the result of injecting molten GFN into molds, resulting in precise shapes and consistent quality.

GFN is robust but not totally indestructible. It can show wear and scratches after considerable use. Proper care, cleanliness and maintenance is essential for its longevity. However, it is a reliable choice for knife handles. It balances strength, weight, and affordability.

The handle is further milled to perfection to prevent quick wear and tear. The black color further protects the outer layer.

It has a tip-up pocket clip, also stonewashed and placed at the very edge of the base of the handle. The knife is screwed together with two Torx screws at the back of the handle and one large pivot screw embedded inside the handle and contoured well. It will be easy to unscrew the knife for cleanliness and maintenance and then to screw back together.

The handle length is 3.75”, which is easy to hold in an average-sized hand. It is comfortable and sleek, although some users have reported that its grip space is limited. Perhaps, a 4” handle would have worked better. It also does not have a lanyard hole, so we cannot extend the handle’s length either. It could be a flaw for those who have large-sized hands.

The handle also has stainless steel liners to secure the blade. It sits perfectly embedded inside the liners.

The Kershaw Korra is a spring-assisted flipper knife with a liner lock mechanism. The spring-assisted flipper requires some pressure to the flipper tab, and the blade deploys smoothly. It has a small protrusion at the back of the knife that needs to be flipped open. When in an open position, another protrusion springs up in the form of a finger guard that disengages the blade. The flipper is spring-assisted, meaning it flips open in an upright position when pressure is applied on to the spring via the flipper. You do not need to manually open the blade all the way up after dislodging the blade. The spring-assisted flipper makes the job easier and enables the user to open and close the knife as quickly and frequently as needed.

As easy to operate, simple, and common spring-assisted flipper is, so is liner lock. It is also cost-effective and easy to assemble. It operates with a detent ball and a stop pin embedded in the liner. The liner is visible in the Kershaw Korra. You need to apply light pressure on it to open and disengage the blade. It uses one of the blade’s liners cut out and bent to create a spring effect and engage back of the blade’s tang when the blade is open. The stop pin is anchored to align with the scales, and the detent ball keeps the blade in an open or closed position without requiring manual interference. It also acts a safety feature by not accidently opening the blade.

The Kershaw Korra is an easy-to-use knife in the field, especially if you are a first-timer or infrequent folding knife user. It is easy to deploy, carry, and it gets the cutting job done with efficiency and ease. The pocket clip is tip-up carry and very discreet. You can carry it in either left or right hand. Not all folding knives are configured for left hands, so this is a good news for the lefties. It also does not take up a lot of room in the pocket, is lightweight, and discreet.

The handle is ergonomically friendly. So even if you are in the field and your hands are dirty, sweaty, wet, cold, or gloved, the knife will not slip from your hand. Although, the handle may feel small.

The drop point makes the 5Cr15Mov very suitable for EDC tasks like slicing paper, cardboard boxes, ropes, and for use in the kitchen. It does not require sharpening very frequently. We tested the factory edge of the knife right out of the box, and it worked well for extended period before the need for maintenance. When it comes to maintenance, it is easy to disassemble and reassemble using Torx screwdriver. You can even use a good knife oil to apply within the stainless steel liners to prevent corrosion and wear too quickly. The blade may be smaller than 3”, but has a cutting edge through the entire length of it and allows precise cutting.

Kershaw Leek, like Korra is a spring-assisted flipper knife that also comes with a dual thumb stud for deployment and a liner lock. It is a newer release by Kershaw with a hollow grind, stonewash finish and plain edge. However, instead of drop point, it features a Wharncliffe blade style.

Kershaw Leek is 0.5” larger than Korra with a 3” blade and 4” handle. However, its cutting edge only extends up to 2.95”. It also costs a lot more than Korra at around $100. It is made in the US, unlike Korra that is made in China. Another reason for the cost difference is the blade material that is CPM MagnaCut with aluminum handle. It weighs 3 ounces.

Kershaw Leek’s blade however, does not have a lot of belly, and can mostly use its tip for precise cutting tasks. However, it is capable of performing medium to hard EDC tasks. Its pocket clip is also ample, but not as good as Korra’s. However, it does have extended tang and lanyard hole.

Overall, both the knives are good. But Kershaw Leek has more features and hence, costs more. On the other hand, Kershaw Korra is an affordable and feasible folding knife option for those with small hands, lefties, or first-time and infrequent users. It is more suited to light EDC tasks unlike Leek that can be used as a hunting knife as well.

Kershaw Korra is an affordable, lightweight, easy to use and carry knife option. It features a 5Cr15Mov blade of 2.75” with a stonewashed drop point, hollow grind and plain edge blade. It is easy to sharpen and has a stock thickness of 0.11” with a great factory edge, corrosion and wear resistance. However, the blade’s length can be considered too small for all EDC tasks. But it can slice paper, cardboard, rope, and rip open envelopes, etc. It can easily be used around the house and the office.

The knife has black Glass Filled Nylon (GFN) handle, which is ergonomically friendly and can has slip-proof properties. The handle length is just 3.75” without a lanyard hole but does have an extended tang. It may be too small for large hands, but not uncomfortable.

The pocket clip is also stonewashed, discreet, lightweight and takes up less space in the pocket. It also does not create hot spots and easily slides in and out.

The spring-assisted flipper is easy to operate and springs the blade open in one quick smooth action. The front flipper also acts a finger guard, and shows a small finger choil that enables ease of sharpening. It accompanies a liner lock, also with a spring action. You just need to push it slightly to activate it, and the knife will spring open in one swift motion.

The Kershaw Korra is an affordable light EDC knife and is recommended.