I picked up a Shuffle (model 8700) from WalMart today for $15. And... I'm disappointed. I'm used to Kershaw's overseas-produced knives and I know what to expect from them. This one, however, is one of those "it looked good on paper" designs.
The liners and blade are bead-blasted. I knew this before buying. For me, bead-blasted steel is a problem. My body chemistry, even in the winter, makes rust appear quickly on bead-blasted metal. Even if it's in my pocket and doesn't come out, there will still be rust specks on it. So, the Shuffle got taken apart. Two T-8 Torx screws for the blade pivot pin screws (one on each side) and six (three for each side) T-6 screws for the handle. A quick run-over with some simichrome polish and steel wool, and all of the metal has a subdued shine and no rust magnets. The blade bushings are white nylon. Reassembly was easy.
I could never get the pivot adjusted to where it opens smooth and quick; it's either tight and I need a definite thumb push (while feeling gritty) all the way, or it's so loose that there's significant blade play. I tried every trick I know of to get it where it needs to be. Even when it's perfectly centered, it's too loose.
My next complaint is the pocket clip. The clip itself is fine; typical two-screw (T-6) deep-carry clip. However, the pocket clip screws are panned instead of flat, so when clipping the knife to your pocket, it doesn't go down all the way to the clip's end. It can't, because the panned screws stick out and won't let you push any further unless you really push.
The pocket clip is tip-up only, left or right handed. The bottle opener gets in the way of extracting the knife. A lot. Pull the knife up and out, and the lip of the bottle opener snags on your pocket. Every time. Unless you give the knife a twist at the right time. It's so bad, I was tempted to Dremel the lip off.
The good: The blade came very sharp, and took a razor-sharp edge very quickly. I like the K-Texture. It's simple, but effective. Kershaw, please please please don't take it any further than this though. Remember all of the people who complained when SOG started putting their name and logo on every part of their knives? Yeah, don't do that.
The overall quality is good for a China-produced knife. It's there with the Half Ton, which is good.
The screwdriver / lanyard hole on the end works just fine, and will work for some Phillips screws. With a few seconds on a Dremel and a steady hand, and the lanyard hole will fit Leatherman bits.
The backspacer / bottle opener / screwdriver would be a good stand-alone tool, as it's about the same size as the Leatherman Brewzer. Yeah, you've got to take the knife apart to get it out, but some spacers should make the knife usable without the backspacer.
So, that's my overview of the Shuffle. I tried using it as my EDC for a week. I think it needs a lot of work, even considering the price. It's one of those rare Kershaws that I just don't like. It now belongs to my daughter, who loves it.
The liners and blade are bead-blasted. I knew this before buying. For me, bead-blasted steel is a problem. My body chemistry, even in the winter, makes rust appear quickly on bead-blasted metal. Even if it's in my pocket and doesn't come out, there will still be rust specks on it. So, the Shuffle got taken apart. Two T-8 Torx screws for the blade pivot pin screws (one on each side) and six (three for each side) T-6 screws for the handle. A quick run-over with some simichrome polish and steel wool, and all of the metal has a subdued shine and no rust magnets. The blade bushings are white nylon. Reassembly was easy.
I could never get the pivot adjusted to where it opens smooth and quick; it's either tight and I need a definite thumb push (while feeling gritty) all the way, or it's so loose that there's significant blade play. I tried every trick I know of to get it where it needs to be. Even when it's perfectly centered, it's too loose.
My next complaint is the pocket clip. The clip itself is fine; typical two-screw (T-6) deep-carry clip. However, the pocket clip screws are panned instead of flat, so when clipping the knife to your pocket, it doesn't go down all the way to the clip's end. It can't, because the panned screws stick out and won't let you push any further unless you really push.
The pocket clip is tip-up only, left or right handed. The bottle opener gets in the way of extracting the knife. A lot. Pull the knife up and out, and the lip of the bottle opener snags on your pocket. Every time. Unless you give the knife a twist at the right time. It's so bad, I was tempted to Dremel the lip off.
The good: The blade came very sharp, and took a razor-sharp edge very quickly. I like the K-Texture. It's simple, but effective. Kershaw, please please please don't take it any further than this though. Remember all of the people who complained when SOG started putting their name and logo on every part of their knives? Yeah, don't do that.
The overall quality is good for a China-produced knife. It's there with the Half Ton, which is good.
The screwdriver / lanyard hole on the end works just fine, and will work for some Phillips screws. With a few seconds on a Dremel and a steady hand, and the lanyard hole will fit Leatherman bits.
The backspacer / bottle opener / screwdriver would be a good stand-alone tool, as it's about the same size as the Leatherman Brewzer. Yeah, you've got to take the knife apart to get it out, but some spacers should make the knife usable without the backspacer.
So, that's my overview of the Shuffle. I tried using it as my EDC for a week. I think it needs a lot of work, even considering the price. It's one of those rare Kershaws that I just don't like. It now belongs to my daughter, who loves it.
. 
