Kershaw launch 6 thoughts?

B

buffalo01

Joined
Oct 13, 2016
Messages
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Hey guys I saw this thing with the blue handles and fell in love. Just wandering what you guys that have them think. Mainly concerned with edge geometry and lock up, and if the lanyard hole is big enough for 550 paracord.
Thanks for any answers!!
Also feel free to post any pictures and size comparisons of yours! [emoji6]
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Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
wilsonj1018 said:
Stay away from the launch series. They have a design flaw resulting in questionable lockup IMO.
Click to expand...

I can't agree more with this. I've had 6 and all have had major lockup issues out of box. I'd also stay away from any knife trying to be tactical but doesn't have any real texture for your index finger. I have this model as well as the rest and this one is lacking. The only one I can recommend is the emerson launch 5 because of the deep finger groove. But with the lockup issues I can't say pull the trigger. I can make them all fail from opening them in certain positions. My benchmades/microtechs/piranhas don't have any issues.
 
Interesting... I've had a handful of these and not had a single issue with lock up. I also don't see the difference between this and other brands with the "texture" issue you seem to have. Could you please elaborate on your perceived problems to avoid confusion?

I personally think you can't find a better deal on a us made auto out there especially with the fit, finish, and materials. I can tell you I would not hesitate to carry one in my turnout coat which I do from time to time.
 
First I have heard of lockup issues with the Kershaw autos.

I did hear that some people had launches that fire so hard that the blade could hit the stop and come back, but that was one or two posts, and I know that Kershaw is selling tens of thousands of these knives, they are very popular.

Someone said "I can make it fail", assuming if you do just the right thing. I can make my Glocks misfire too if I try hard enough, but I would not call that a problem with Glocks.

Sadly, I live in Illinois where autos are illegal, so I have not purchased any of these for myself having only handled them at knife shows and friends knives, but if lockup were a prevalent issue I am sure we would be hearing about that here on this forum in great volume.

For the money, there isn't any other option out there that is made in the USA and has the great warranty that Kershaw offers.

buffalo - The lanyard hole will allow a paracord lanyard - it is an oblong hole so you can get cord through the hole more easily. The Launch 6 has a "flow through" lanyard hole that is in the backspacer.

7800blk_profile_1020x400.png


7800blk_clipside_closed_1020x400.png


This guy "just doesn't dig" the knife, but did not find any flaws, just did not like the look and sent it back after fingering it and carrying it....then returned it saying telling the vendor he did not use it lol - however, he tries to get the knife to "not lock up" but has trouble getting it to do this. Remember, this is done by holding the button down improperly.
[youtube]JtyR_m25pvo[/youtube]

Another look at the knife and the reviewer explains how the plunge button being pressed can cause the lock to not catch.
[youtube]AiA0SfnNNYo&t=27s[/youtube]

6 month update on Kershaw Launch 5 - on this one the author shows how if you keep the button pressed as you open the knife it can prevent the lock from catching, which may be the problem mentioned in previous posts, but again, this is not a knife problem, it's a user problem in my opinion. You be the judge.
[youtube]zXVQH0RhBwo[/youtube]

[youtube]oTqB6OJ8mdM[/youtube]

Check out kershawguy.com and see if he has some - great prices and rocket fast shipping.

best

mqqn
 
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mqqn said:
First I have heard of lockup issues with the Kershaw autos.

I did hear that some people had launches that fire so hard that the blade could hit the stop and come back, but that was one or two posts, and I know that Kershaw is selling tens of thousands of these knives, they are very popular.

Someone said "I can make it fail", assuming if you do just the right thing. I can make my Glocks misfire too if I try hard enough, but I would not call that a problem with Glocks.

Sadly, I live in Illinois where autos are illegal, so I have not purchased any of these for myself having only handled them at knife shows and friends knives, but if lockup were a prevalent issue I am sure we would be hearing about that here on this forum in great volume.

For the money, there isn't any other option out there that is made in the USA and has the great warranty that Kershaw offers.

buffalo - The lanyard hole will allow a paracord lanyard - it is an oblong hole so you can get cord through the hole more easily. The Launch 6 has a "flow through" lanyard hole that is in the backspacer.

7800blk_profile_1020x400.png


7800blk_clipside_closed_1020x400.png


[youtube]AiA0SfnNNYo[/youtube]


This guy "just doesn't dig" the knife, but did not find any flaws, just did not like the look and sent it back after fingering it and carrying it....then returned it saying telling the vendor he did not use it lol - however, he tries to get the knife to "not lock up" but has trouble getting it to do this. Remember, this is done by holding the button down improperly.
[youtube]JtyR_m25pvo[/youtube]

Another look at the knife and the reviewer explains how the plunge button being pressed can cause the lock to not catch.
[youtube]AiA0SfnNNYo&t=27s[/youtube]

6 month update on Kershaw Launch 5 - on this one the author shows how if you keep the button pressed as you open the knife it can prevent the lock from catching, which may be the problem mentioned in previous posts, but again, this is not a knife problem, it's a user problem in my opinion. You be the judge.
[youtube]zXVQH0RhBwo[/youtube]

[youtube]oTqB6OJ8mdM[/youtube]

Check out kershawguy.com and see if he has some - great prices and rocket fast shipping.

best

mqqn
Click to expand...

Most helpful post of the year?

I've owned a couple of the launch series, though never a 6. No lockup problems with any of mine. They're not as refined as a Protech, but are otherwise a solid knife from my experience.
 
I've held a few Launches and never found an issue with either retention or action. Then again, never used one but I'm sure they perform fine, and if there is an issue, Kershaw will do everything to make it right.

I plan on getting a few pieces from the Launce series and look forward to putting them to good use.
 
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It's a great knife, particularly for the money. I've never had an issue with failure to lock on opening. (Mine is a Launch 1).
 
I've tried to make my Launch 5 fail and it fires and locks effectively every time. As has already been said, keeping the plunge lock depressed as the knife tries to lock sounds more like a user error than equipment error.
 
I have the Launch 1 and the Launch 5 and have never had an issue with the lockup. I also have the Gerber Emerson Auto and the Benchmade Stryker AFO. Just for grins, I went and tested "holding the button down for too long". All of them bounced off the stop pin and didn't fully engage the lock. But, that isn't a design problem, that was a user induced fault. Considering that pressing the button is how you disengage the lock, then it would make sense that pressing it too long wouldn't engage it.

Bottom line, buy it, use it, enjoy it! It is a great value in an auto.
 
I have a Launch 2 that wouldn't fire correctly. Kershaw sent me new springs and that seems to have fixed the issue. I was close to pulling the trigger on a Launch 6 last week. However, it just didn't grab me. My ZT flippers are both more robust and quicker to deploy. For the money, though, the Launch series seems to be pretty good.
 
Thank you everyone for the responses! I think I'm ordering one today. If I don't like it it will be sent back.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
There are 2 YT vids showing the problem......Will Moon & Luv Them Knives. Both vids are done when the reviewers weren't familiar with the knives.......both bounce and do not lock up.
I bought a 1 & a 3, brand new from Blade HQ......and neither one locked up unless I held the knife with the blade spine pointing up. Any other position and the blade would bounce off the pin....no lock up.
The problem, as I see it, is the spring only has tension on it for half the length of travel. This allows the bounce.
Every Pro Tech, Benchmade & Microtech I have, around 15, always lock up no matter how the knife is held. The springs on them supply tension for the entire length of travel.
I can take any one of them and hold the button down as long as I want......let go of the button and they are locked up. Not so with the Launches I had.
Called Kershaw & they sent me new springs......same thing.
Called them back and they told me to tighten the pivot. That just slowed the action down.
The Launches are the only auto I have seen that has no tension on the blade after the half way mark.
Don't wanna seem like a downer, but this is exactly what I found with 2 brand new Launches.
Maybe the newer ones are better?? I got them when they first came out.
Joe
 
The lanyard hole is big enough for para cord. I'm not sure I understand the edge geometry concern, but my Launch 6 cuts great. As for lock up, if you hold onto the button too long the blade will bounce off the stop pin, but this is true for all side flippers I've owned or handled. That is a training issue not a design problem.

I've owned 2 Kershaw Breakouts, 1 Kershaw Rogue and 2 Kershaw Launch 6s. Loved them all. I was super excited when the Launch series came out. I handled them all until the Launch 6 arrived. The Launch 6 is a worthy successor to the Breakout. I've got no reservations about the Launch series. I've recommended them to friends.
 
I got the Launch 2 at release, didn't have any issues at all, certainly not lockup.

My recent experience as well has been positive, with a Launch 1 and a 4. Locks up fine, so far no issues.

If there were any issues, they don't seem to be present now.

They're a great value, especially for US made autos.
 
I've been using a launch 3 daily as EDC for months. Lockup is strong, no failures. Edge retention is good plus CPM154 gets EXTREMELY sharp. This is my first auto EDC and I love it.
 
I don't have a 6 (yet!), but I have some of the other Launch models (1-4) (also have one of the older Breakouts). I haven't had any opening or lockup issues with mine. So far, the 2 has been my favorite of the lineup.

About the spring only engaging half-way, are you perhaps thinking about the SpeedSafe models, because that is the case on all those. On the Launch ones I have, the spring does stay engaged for the entire opening arc.
 
palonej said:
There are 2 YT vids showing the problem......Will Moon & Luv Them Knives. Both vids are done when the reviewers weren't familiar with the knives.......both bounce and do not lock up.
I bought a 1 & a 3, brand new from Blade HQ......and neither one locked up unless I held the knife with the blade spine pointing up. Any other position and the blade would bounce off the pin....no lock up.
The problem, as I see it, is the spring only has tension on it for half the length of travel. This allows the bounce.
Every Pro Tech, Benchmade & Microtech I have, around 15, always lock up no matter how the knife is held. The springs on them supply tension for the entire length of travel.
I can take any one of them and hold the button down as long as I want......let go of the button and they are locked up. Not so with the Launches I had.
Called Kershaw & they sent me new springs......same thing.
Called them back and they told me to tighten the pivot. That just slowed the action down.
The Launches are the only auto I have seen that has no tension on the blade after the half way mark.
Don't wanna seem like a downer, but this is exactly what I found with 2 brand new Launches.
Maybe the newer ones are better?? I got them when they first came out.
Joe
Click to expand...
Interesting, I have not had this issue and all of them I have played with have tension on them the entire firing cycle. As flarp said perhaps you have confused these with speed safe which uses a torsion bar and only has tension halfway through the cycle?
 
Nope. Launches 1 & 3.....when they were first available. At that time only 1, 2 & 3 were available. Each blade had no spring tension past the half way point. I wasn't the only member experiencing it.
Maybe they changed it by now.
 
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