Kershaw Japanese Made Kershaw

D

Dickens

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I have this old Kershaw lock back that was made in Japan. The pictures don't show the blade stampings very well but they are:

Kershaw
Grant County

3100
Japan

Can anyone give me an idea of when this knife was made?
 
I was a pretty big fan of Kershaw many years ago and I remember that knife. Curious (and unsure of my memory) it appears that the knife was originally offered, +/- around 1990 if you believe the information on the other cutlery forum that specializes in pocket style knives. I remember that knife well, but didn't bite as I had others too similar in size and style. I believe it has been out of production for some time, and a quick check in an old Kershaw catalogue from 2018 and that whole line (there were three sizes of that knife style) were missing. It was made as a work knife, and without any big changes to the bolster material which is a zinc casting of some sort, blade style or blade material, I think the best you can do is try to see if there are any changes to the stamped script if they were recorded by Kershaw.

You can search BF and find a lot of chatter about that knife from years ago.
 
Thank you for the info. The only other blade stampings that I found were on the Kershaw 3100s that were made in China.
 
I think if its Japan I would call it 70s to early 80s?
I don't remember when Kershaw shifted production to China but for sure in the early 70s it was Japan.
 
Kershaw started in 1974 with knives made by Kai (the largest knife co in Seki) who subcontracted with Hattori. Later they also subcontracted with Ono Cutlery, also in Seki and these knives wre sold into early-mid 2000s. After that Kai had models made in China.
I think the made in Seki Japan model 3100 Grant County would be from late 90s to early 2000s. By that time Kershaw was making several miodels in Tualatin but the 3100 was still made in Japan.
 
KenHash said:
Kershaw started in 1974 with knives made by Kai (the largest knife co in Seki) who subcontracted with Hattori. Later they also subcontracted with Ono Cutlery, also in Seki and these knives wre sold into early-mid 2000s. After that Kai had models made in China.
I think the made in Seki Japan model 3100 Grant County would be from late 90s to early 2000s. By that time Kershaw was making several miodels in Tualatin but the 3100 was still made in Japan.
Click to expand...
Any info on the Kershaw 1993?
 
Although not accurately dated, Kershaw's numbering is pretty consistent over time -- starting w/1000. So, 3100 is a pretty high number as far as Kershaws are concerned.

The earliest Kershaws that I own are from the Hattori "hunter" series made in Japan and released in the late 1970's, which started w/#1029.

I own many other "vintage" pre or early 2000 Kershaws, including a Wildcat Ridge #3140 which is similar to the Grant County and other commercially marketed "camp" folders that Kershaw made during that time period; many of which were designed as belt knives that came w/sheaths, as does mine.

The 3100 probably did not come w/a sheath because of its smaller size making it more suitable for pocket carry. There were apparently others versions of this knife that were made in China (not Japan). See: https://www.kershaw-knives.net/Kershaw-Grant-County-3100.htm

Also, FWIW, I own a Kershaw "Big Joe" lock back folder (#4100) that was marked made in Japan. So, just because it's a high # doesn't mean the knife may not still have been made in Japan, as opposed to China.

Lastly, the "king" of Kershaw folders IMO is the Hattori designed 1050 which was 1st made in the early 80's after the released of the fixed blade Hunter series. If you really want a Kershaw folder to own/cherish (as I do mine) that's the one you should find.
 
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