Review: Kershaw Cryo

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    Cannon762

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    50   0   0
    Apr 4, 2011
    495
    18
    Gas City Area
    I found a new Cryo out in the wild the other day and thought it could use a little more in-depth review for those interested. I'm set on folders, so I plan on returning this one, though should you be interested in picking one of these up I know BradsKnives mentioned in a previous Cryo thread he is able to get them. :ingo:

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    Size comparison to Benchmade Mini-Barrage



    Coined as the "Hinderer for the rest of us" by Kershaw, this 2012 release caused quite a buzz around the Internet mainly for it's striking Hinderer design and shockingly affordable price tag at around $35 USD.

    At the heart of this knife is 8Cr13MoV steel, protected by a titanium carbo-nitride coating. 8Cr13MoV might not be the ideal steel some would have liked to see such a knife born from, but it's certainly not the worst and helps maintain the low price tag. I found this one maintained it's edge just fine, and was shipped very sharp.

    I first want to discuss what this knife *is* and what this knife *isn't*. In the spirit of saving the good news for last, we'll start off with the latter.

    What the Kershaw Cryo *IS NOT*

    The Cryo, though stylish, is not a top-quality knife. It is not a replacement for your Spyderco's, Benchmade's, ZT's, or probably any other knife you paid more than $35 for. The action isn't what I would call "smooth". The finish on these is typical of what you can expect from a Chinese made knife, some rough edges, manufacturing marks, and even scuffs. It's also not lightweight at a little over 4 ounces. Put 20 or so quarters in your pocket and walk around for an idea.

    What the Kershaw Cryo *IS*

    The Cryo is a budget knife, but it fills that niche very well. It is heavy, but not without purpose. It feels very durable and it locks up tight with no play. The action isn't butter, but it works and may just need more breaking in than I gave it. To give an idea, when I first purchased it and handed it to my wife and she couldn't operate it because of how rigid the action was. As I mentioned before the edge is sharp and cuts well.

    So who is this knife meant for and what is it's niche? This knife would be perfect for someone wanting to build a workable EDC on a budget. There are community favorites for budget EDC knives and I believe this knife will quickly rise *to* (not above) that list. If you know of someone who is looking for a good looking knife on a budget, or they're poking around a cheapo knife stand at the gun show, absolutely point them in the direction of the Cryo.

    Another area I think this knife would excel would be as a backup knife for those outings where you don't want to risk losing your "good" knife. If you're out on the boat or in the brush and want a solid performer I would absolutely recommend this knife.

    Any time I would start to nitpick at it's features or fluidity, I had to remind myself of the price point. If you compare it to a $125 knife it's not even going to be close so don't buy one expecting that, however I feel if you compare it with any other $35 knife on the market you will be pleasantly surprised.

    So in closing, if you're looking for a stylish budget knife I would recommend this knife considering it's rigid construction, reliable performance, and low price tag.

    -Chris :smileak:





     
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