Kershaw Launch 8 and Assisted Open Suguin

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One of the Best Auto and Assisted Opening Knives on the Planet

There is no doubt in my mind, Kershaw’s lineup of knives, including the Zero Tolerance Brand, is one of the finest in the world. Kershaw knives are very popular here in the Southwest including Oklahoma and Texas. When I run upon a man or woman, mainly men, who are carrying a pocket knife, I normally ask what kind of knife they are carrying. I then ask why they bought this knife and how does it work for them? Many of them purchase and carry a folding pocket knife with a budget limit of $20. Their reasons are:

I cannot afford a more expensive knife. Many people just cannot afford a good $60 pocket knife. When you are making $15 an hour supporting a wife and three kids, $60 is a great deal of money. I can understand their logic.
I use this knife at work and break them regularly. My father worked in the oil-patch. He used his expensive pocket knife every day. One day he left it laying at a work site and someone found it and kept their discovery quiet. So, after a few times of losing his knife, I gave him one brand which had a guarantee against loss. He lost this one and the replacement one. Dad then started buying the Sabre brand of knife made in Japan. This was pre-China times. He did this because they were cheap and had a lifelong warranty against breakage. He paid between $1.50 to $2.50 per knife at the Filling Station in our home town. He would buy one and within a month he would break it. It was replaced free. Sometimes he would lose it. He would replace this knife and the trend continued. I checked on the World Wide Web (www.) and could not find if Sabre was still in business. I did see many old Sabre knives for sale on Ebay. They must have been following my Dad around. But the bottom line is this. You go cheap and you get cheap. The better made knives like Kershaw don’t break easily. If you use it for a prybar then yes you will damage it. If you are going to pry, buy a prybar.
I lose my knives due to forgetfulness. I use it working and leave it behind. This was my Dad. I learned from him. I paid cheap too but finely I bought my first quality knife when I started making my own money bucking hay. Later, I passed it on to my Son. I still have my first ever pocket knife I was given. If you pay more for a quality knife, like Kershaw, you will keep track of it better. The fastest way to lose a knife know, is the shoulder straps in our vehicles. Using the pocket clip system is just perfect for the seatbelt to pluck it from your pocket. So be mindful of this. If I pay $200 for a knife, I keep track of it at all times. I am mindful of where I leave it laying. In fact, I don’t lay them down. I just put them away in my pocket. And yet, once in a blue moon the Knife-Gremlin will get one of my knives.

Kershaw is always trying to improve their product line. They have a good selection of high-quality folding and fixed blade knives. Zero Tolerance is another product line of the same Corporation. The Zero Tolerance Knives brand is high quality made in the USA. Between Kershaw and Zero Tolerance Knives you can find a knife which will be perfect for your needs. I have chosen two Kershaw knives to review. They are Launch 8 and Seguin. The Launch 8 is an auto knife with a 3.5-inch blade. Yes, the Launch line runs from Launch 1 through Launch 10. The Seguin folding assisted opening knife which can be opened and closed with one hand has a 3.1-inch blade. Watch our video of the operation of the Launch 8 and Seguin.

Launch 8

The Launch 8 is an auto folding pocket knife which sports a 3.5-inch spike style blade design. The closed length is 4.75 inches and when opened is 8.25 inches long. It weighs 2.3 ounces and is really light for this size of a knife. The handle is made of aluminum which helps keep the weight down. I found this knife to be very strong……as strong as a spike blade can be. I like this design and feel it can be used for personal protection and light work duty. If legal in your State, the Launch 8 is perfect for law enforcement, security, military, emergency responders and the average citizen who is looking for a self-defense folding knife. If you are forced to defend yourself without a firearm, the Launch 8 is perfect and a viable option for this purpose.

One thing I look for in an auto pocket knife is the strength of the operating spring. I like to test for the snap when I press the release button. When I push the button on the Launch 8, the blade flies open and locks up tight and fast. I am impressed with the power of the spring action on the Launch 8. Another possible weakness I test for is the “half-stop”. I hold my hand about three inches over the closed blade and push the release button. My hand, safely I might add, stops the blade from fully deploying. I then remove my hand to see if the spring will continue to open the blade and lock it into place. The “Launch” 8 passed with flying colors on every “half-stop” test. Many do not. This is one great auto knife.

Launch 8 7150 Tech Specs

Blade Length: 3.5 inches
Closed Length: 4.75 inches
Overall Length: 8.25 inches
Weight: 2.3 ounces
Steel: CPM 154, stonewashed finish
Handle: 6061-T6 aluminum, gray anodized, carbon fiber insert front
Opening System: Push-button open/Push-button lock release
Blade Locking: Push-button
Reversible pocket-clip
Made in the USA

MSRP: $159.99

Suguin

Suguin is French and possibly Gascon which is a French/Spanish dialect. But for the purpose of this review the Suguin (pronounced “s eh g EE n “) is a medium size folding pocket knife with a 3.1-inch 8Cr13MoV, gray PVD coated blade. Les George designed this excellent knife with a name with roots being traced back to the Texas Revolution in 1835. Juan Nepomuceno Seguín (October 27, 1806 – August 27, 1890) was a Spanish-Tejano political and military figure of the Texas Revolution. Seguin fought on the side of Texas and was a patriot to Texas even though there was some service for President General Antonio López de Santa Anna due to being captured.

The Suguin is a folding pocket knife, when folded, is 4.25-inches long. The Seguin is opened by a flipper built into the blade. The opening process is assisted by an internal spring. For me this knife’s size is perfect for anyone to carry in their pocket or on the deep-carry pocket-clip. By measurements, the Suguin is a smaller pocket knife than the Launch 8, but due to the width is heavier at 4.8 ounces. I personally like the heft of the Suguin. It is not heavy by any means but I like the feel of this knife and weight.

I opened the Suguin repeatedly. The frame-lock is well matched to the blade and locks in tight but not too tight. Disengaging the frame-lock was easily done. So, one can pull the Seguin from their pocket, open, use and close with one hand only. The Suguin would be perfect for use around the farm, oil-patch, the office and in the field deer hunting. I must say I like the Suguin. The sample I received is a well-made product which will serve anyone who is lucky enough to have one.