Kershaw Select Fire

[Grant Lamontagne]

After seeing this first at SHOT a while ago I really wanted to get my hands on one of these.  Of course, I forgot about it shortly afterwards and it wasn't until the $10 blitz on these at Wal Mart a couple of years later that I was reminded I had to get one.  With a little help from Ashley I managed to get a pretty blue one.



It was all I remembered it was, and this is basically a tool knife done right.



And, for $10 I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better knife let alone one with a built in screwdriver, bit holders, ruler and bottle opener.  I don't think there's a better tool deal out there.  Are you listening Surefire?



The liner lock is pretty solid- much more so than many knives I have seen that cost two or three times as much- Taylor Cutlery, are you idiots listening?



The only real drawback I've found to the Select Fire is the bits themselves- there's two Phillips drivers and two flatheads.  Apparently the folks at Kershaw never heard of a little thing called variety.  It would be really great if the four bits were double ended ones, which would give you eight different options- maybe some Torx bits would be handy.



Still, for the price you could get one of these and a bit set and still be ahead of the game.  Since it takes standard bits you can pick up a variety pack anywhere for next to nothing.  Are you listening Leatherman?



If you haven't got a Select Fire I really have to ask- why the heck not?

Def

[Chain Gang]

I have to agree.I picked up a black $10 special at Walmart and it was probably the best deal I've had on a new knife.This knife would sell in the $30-$40 range with no problem.

[kmanct3]

I have mine in black, I like the blue better.

[Grant Lamontagne]

CG- you are absolutely right.  I would happily pay $30-40 for this one, although I am really glad I didn't have to! 

Def

[mvyrmnd]

I EDC mine

I haven't found a better pocket screwdriver and the blade is nice and thick so I'm not worried about abusing it.

I've swapped one of the flats for a T8 bit, but I use both size phillips bits daily.

[scrappy]

I like the two Philips. but two straight drivers are not needed

[mvyrmnd]

I'd never tested the bottle opener, but I can confirm *hic* after strenuous side-by-side testing *hic* tonight that it performs as well as the Skeletool at getting those brews open

[Accujohn]

It's a fantastic knife.... No complaints. Totally agree about swapping the bits though

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm not a fan of this knife format so I can't see me getting one, but they do appear to have got a lot right for those who don't mind liner locking combo edged blades

EDIT: Didn't realise they were available in plain edge

[mvyrmnd]

Mine's plain edge, and liner lock is my preferred lock *hic*

[AimlessWanderer]

Mine's plain edge, and liner lock is my preferred lock *hic*

I'm a freak, and prefer slippie blades whenever possible - but I don't mind the Swisstool and Multiplier type release systems. I can tolerate a liner locking blade on a tool if I have to ... I just don't use that feature and carry a seperate knife 

Seems kind of stupid to do that with this though   

[MultiMat]

If I saw a PE one for $10-15 I would jump at it , unfortunately $10-15 is the cost to ship a Select fire to Oz  . The bottle opener is it the part of the handle cut-out were the bit holder folds into 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yes it is and oddly enough it's also the one component I haven't tested yet.

Def

[Accujohn]

Maybe it wouldn't work well but there's a part if me that thinks there should be a strap cutter in that same bottle opener notch

[kmanct3]

Am i looking in the wrong place? I cant seem to find any Blue ones! Driving me nuts

[mvyrmnd]

If I saw a PE one for $10-15 I would jump at it , unfortunately $10-15 is the cost to ship a Select fire to Oz  . The bottle opener is it the part of the handle cut-out were the bit holder folds into 

Don't run the gauntlet. Mine "fails" the "flick knife" test. Try and find one locally.

[Accujohn]

If I saw a PE one for $10-15 I would jump at it , unfortunately $10-15 is the cost to ship a Select fire to Oz  . The bottle opener is it the part of the handle cut-out were the bit holder folds into 

Don't run the gauntlet. Mine "fails" the "flick knife" test. Try and find one locally.

Mine flicks like a mother. What do you mean?

[Grant Lamontagne]

I think by "failing" they mean it can be flicked open.  The Australian government has recently passed a law based on this ambiguity.

Def

[Threeme2189]

If I saw a PE one for $10-15 I would jump at it , unfortunately $10-15 is the cost to ship a Select fire to Oz  . The bottle opener is it the part of the handle cut-out were the bit holder folds into 

Don't run the gauntlet. Mine "fails" the "flick knife" test. Try and find one locally.

Mine flicks like a mother. What do you mean?

I think he means that it won't pass the Australia customs knife "test".

[mvyrmnd]

If I saw a PE one for $10-15 I would jump at it , unfortunately $10-15 is the cost to ship a Select fire to Oz  . The bottle opener is it the part of the handle cut-out were the bit holder folds into 

Don't run the gauntlet. Mine "fails" the "flick knife" test. Try and find one locally.

Mine flicks like a mother. What do you mean?

I think he means that it won't pass the Australia customs knife "test".

Correct.

[Grant Lamontagne]

You could get the person you buy it from to tighten the pivot somewhat before sending it.

For the record, I just tried the bottle opener and while it worked well enough it was a little awkward.

Def

[MultiMat]

If I saw a PE one for $10-15 I would jump at it , unfortunately $10-15 is the cost to ship a Select fire to Oz  . The bottle opener is it the part of the handle cut-out were the bit holder folds into 

Don't run the gauntlet. Mine "fails" the "flick knife" test. Try and find one locally.

Mine flicks like a mother. What do you mean?

I think he means that it won't pass the Australia customs knife "test".

Correct.

Dirty rotten cluckers  .

Not sure I want to spend the $30-$40 on one sourced locally & that is before shipping costs are added 

[Accujohn]

Got it! So silly;)

[scattergun13]

Thanks for the effort Grant, I was glad to read this. I just purchased one of these from another member on the forum and he was very helpful with price. He also has upgraded the bits to steel so I'm looking forward to getting my hands on this one.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Yes, you definitely want steel bits.  The ones that come with the Select Fire are made from parmesan cheese and I find are not overly effective, especially in the rain. 

Def

[Stormdrane]

Nifty looking knife/tool .  Any idea on how much torque the screwdriver can handle?...

[mvyrmnd]

Nifty looking knife/tool .  Any idea on how much torque the screwdriver can handle?...

I've given it a hefty twist without any detrimental effects. It seems pretty strong.

You could get the person you buy it from to tighten the pivot somewhat before sending it.

For the record, I just tried the bottle opener and while it worked well enough it was a little awkward.

Def

Be careful with that. If it's so tight it can't be opened at all, customs have the right to loosen the pivot. They will then, of course, loosen it to the point that it will fail the test.

It needs to be tight enough it won't budge while they fling it like monkey poo, but not so tight it can't be opened with two hands. A delicate balance is needed.

[mvyrmnd]

I was just looking around the interwebs, and realised someone should do a side by side comparison of the Select Fire and the Leatherman E55B. Should be a fairly close match.

I'm not investing $100 in buying one locally (yes, Leatherman in Australia is stupidly expensive - that's the cheapest price I could find) and I'm not running the customs gauntlet, and it might be a multitool, but it looks like a knife and I'm sure they'd very kindly throw it in the bin for me...

[Grant Lamontagne]

I was just looking around the interwebs, and realised someone should do a side by side comparison of the Select Fire and the Leatherman E55B. Should be a fairly close match.

I'm not investing $100 in buying one locally (yes, Leatherman in Australia is stupidly expensive - that's the cheapest price I could find) and I'm not running the customs gauntlet, and it might be a multitool, but it looks like a knife and I'm sure they'd very kindly throw it in the bin for me...

It's on my list of projects, but I'm pretty sure someone did something similar recently.

Def

[ironraven]

I got one. Like it except for one wee small problem. I've got little hands. Yes, yes, I have small hands for a guy- just like T Rex did. It wasn't super comfortable for me to use as a knife, but it has found a home in my range box.