Kershaw Freefall Knife 3840 Review
I am the proud owner of several Kershaw knives, specifically the Brawler, Black Horse, and Scrambler. I have recently added the Kershaw Freefall knife 3840 to my collection of EDC knives. Like all Kershaw knives, the Freefall is sharp, well designed, and its appearance is striking.
What’s So Special About the Kershaw Freefall Knife
The Kershaw Freefall is a tactically styled EDC. The blade has a flat-ground modified tanto tip which made penetrating tasks very easy to perform. The slightly curved blade maintained a sharp edge while easily cutting through a variety of materials. Kershaw constructed the blade using 8Cr13MoV stainless steel. I was really drawn to the stonewashed finish of the blade. The color of the blade looked sharp next to the black handle, it produced little glare in the sunlight, and it was very easy to clean.
Design and Features
The black handle of the 3840 is constructed from glass-filled nylon. Kershaw embossed the handle with their K-Texture grip to facilitate a secure grip in a variety of conditions. Using both gloves and a bare hand, I confidently gripped the textured handle, even when using sweaty or wet hands. The subtle contouring of the handle fit my hand well, though adults more than 6 feet tall might find the handle to be a little short. Kershaw included a built-in lanyard hole at the back end of the handle. I appreciated the lanyard hole much more than a pre-drilled hole in the handle, but it could have been wider since many of my lanyards were too big to fit the hole.
A nice addition at the butt end of the knife handle was the reversible deep-carry clip. The clip could be mounted for either right- or left-handed carry. The real bonus was that the screw on the clip could be loosened, allowing the clip to slide closer to or further away from the handle. By enabling me to adjust the tightness of the clip’s fit inside my pocket, I could accommodate pants of various thickness, such as denim jeans or cotton shorts. Design innovations like this are one of the reasons I appreciate Kershaw knives so much.
Easy Opening
The Freefall again utilizes SpeedSafe assisted opening. With one hand, I could easily manipulate the flipper with my index finger to open the blade. A savvy knife carrier craves such one-handed, no-look convenience when removing an EDC from a pants pocket. The flipper provided additional protection from the blade for my hand when I gripped the handle. The liner lock held the blade in place securely each time I used the Freefall. I actually found the liner lock more difficult than usual to disable when I wanted to close the blade, though that could be just a simple break-in period matter.
Overall Impression
The Freefall performed well in all of my tests and it is another example of Kershaw’s dedication to form and function in the knives that they manufacture. The Freefall’s embossed nylon body makes it lighter to carry, which could appeal to many users.
How Much?
The Kershaw Freefall Knife 3840 sells online here Kershaw-3840-FreeFall-Folding-Knife for $22.49.
It is very affordable and is backed by Kershaw’s limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. It would make a great gift for the everyday knife carrier in your house!
Specifications
• Blade length: 3.25 inches
• Closed length: 4.25 inches
• Overall length: 7.5 inches
• Weight: 4.1 ounces
• Steel: 8Cr13MoV with a stonewashed finish
• Handle: Glass-filled nylon with a K-Texture grip
• SpeedSafe assisted opening with a liner lock
• Reversible and adjustable pocket-clip
Article written by John Peachey:
John Peachey is a 23-year veteran teacher with a Masters Degree in Instructional Technology. John is passionate about technology and is a big fan of Apple hardware and other techie gadgets. As a homeowner, John enjoys spending time in his workshop and in his yard getting his hands dirty completing DIY projects. For ten years John was the general manager of a swimming and sailing club, responsible for overseeing and maintaining the extensive facilities. In his free time, John enjoys outdoor activities, especially fishing, boating, biking, and camping. John’s love of the outdoors provides him with the time and opportunity to field test and review knives, multi-tools, flashlights, yard tools, and other handy devices. In addition, supporting teachers, students, and friends with technology for more than 20 years has provided him with the experience to advise, evaluate, and integrate technology products into a user’s daily life. Here at A Concord Carpenter, John enjoys reviewing all of these products.