REASONS TO BUY
Excellent blade quality
Solid construction
Great grip design
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy and bulky
Assisted opening requires some force
Kershaw Link Review
This top performer has a large blade and ergonomic handle for big cutting jobs and all-day use
The Kershaw Link.
Credit: Kyle Hameister
RELATED: Best Pocket Knives of 2024
Our Verdict
The Kershaw Link is a large, heavy-duty pocket knife with a strong blade and a comfortable grip. The cutting edge is made from especially high-quality steel, meaning this blade stays sharp longer than most others on the market. The ergonomics of the grip, the assisted opening system, and the modular pocket clip are excellent. When the job demands a solid knife that will comfortably cut all day, we always reach for this blade. It is our top choice for heavy-duty odd jobs or as an everyday carry on a jobsite. However, we recognize that this knife may be overkill for many users, especially when compared side-by-side with some of the other best pocket knives we tested.
Editor's Note: We revisited this award-winning product review on October 26, 2024, to include updated alternate product suggestions based on our most recent lineup.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Kershaw Link | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Heavy Duty Knife |  Best Overall Pocket Knife | High Performance Heritage Design |  Best Bang for your Buck | Best on a Tight Budget |
| Price | $200 List $110.72 at Amazon | $190 List | $230 List | $77 List $57.38 at Amazon | $48 List $48.00 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A great knife for heavy-duty use and jobs that require a large blade | A high end construction of a knife carefully tuned to optimize portability and function | A "compact full-size” pocket knife for the serious user and all but the heaviest of tasks | There's sure to be a colorway that suits you in CIVIVI's lineup. And take confidence that a great knife will come with it no matter what | CRKT designed this knife to be especially portable and included some commendable material selections |
| Rating Categories | Kershaw Link | Benchmade Mini Barr... | Benchmade 15032 Nor... | CIVIVI Button Lock... | CRKT Drifter |
| Blade and Edge Integrity (30%) | |||||
| Ergonomics (25%) | |||||
| Portability (20%) | |||||
| Construction Quality (25%) | |||||
| Specs | Kershaw Link | Benchmade Mini Barr... | Benchmade 15032 Nor... | CIVIVI Button Lock... | CRKT Drifter |
| Blade Length (Measured) | 3.31 in | 2.75 in | 2.85 in | 2.77 in | 2.75 in |
| Length Open (Measured) | 7.69 in | 6.93 in | 6.9o in | 7.05 in | 6.49 in |
| Length Closed (Measured) | 4.38 in | 4.00 in | 3.91 in | 4.15 in | 3.65 in |
| Weight (Measured) | 4.75 oz | 3.50 oz | 3.25 oz | 3.15 oz | 2.20 oz |
| Closed Thickness w/o Pocket Clip (Measured) | 0.50 in | 0.56 in | 0.53 in | 0.52 in | 0.33 in |
| Blade Style | Drop point, plain edge | Drop point, plain edge | Drop point, plain edge | Drop point, plain edge | Recurve blade, plain edge |
| Blade Material | CPM 20CV steel | 154CM stainless steel | CPM S30V stainless steel | Nitro-V stainless steel | D2 stainless steel |
| Closed Blade Lock | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Open Blade Lock Mechanism | Liner lock | AXIS Assist (proprietary) | AXIS lock (proprietary) | Button lock | Liner lock |
| Handle Material | Anodized aluminum | Valox thermoplastic composite | Stabilized wood | G10 fiberglass laminate | G10 fiberglass laminate |
| Opening Style | Flipper (assisted) | Assisted, ambidextrous thumb stud | Ambidextrous thumb stud | Flipper (non-assisted) | Flipper (non-assisted), ambidextrous thumb stud |
| Carry Style | Pocket clip, lanyard hole | Pocket clip, lanyard hole | Pocket clip, lanyard hole | Pocket clip, lanyard hole | Pocket clip, lanyard hole |
| Other Features Or Functions | Lanyard hole, 2 position pocket clip | Lanyard hole, modular clip | Lanyard hole, 2 position pocket clip | Lanyard hole | Lanyard hole |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
One of the bulkiest and heaviest pocket knives we have tested, the Kershaw Link stands out with a large blade and an ergonomic grip that is well suited for big cutting jobs that may take hours. Although it sports a pretty standard blade length, it is one of the bulkiest and heaviest knives we have ever tested. This extra mass allows you to really throw your weight into tasks that require some extra oomph.
Performance Comparison
The excellent hand ergonomics coupled with extra hard blade steel makes the Kershaw Link one of our favorites for long stints in the wilderness.
Credit: Kyle Hameister
Blade and Edge Integrity
The Kershaw Link's blade is 3.31 inches long and is constructed with 20CV stainless steel, one of the strongest alloys used to make knives. The blade's sharp factory finish will last longer than most other knives on the market, and the blade won't dent or deform easily.
The blade is also extra thick: at 0.11 inches, it is 22% thicker than other knives in Kershaw's lineup, so you don't need to worry about it bending or flexing if you need to pry something. Although the blade's simple, plain edge would normally be easy to sharpen on your own, the hardness of the steel alloy will make it much more difficult to sharpen than other comparable knives. Everything has its concessions in life. The Link's long, strong blade is overkill for users who want a simple blade for occasional cutting, like opening packages. But if you need a knife to handle extended outdoor use, endless food preparation, or professional performance, this blade is up to the task. After days of use, we couldn't detect a reduction in blade sharpness and weren't able to damage the blade during normal heavy-duty use.
The 20CV blade steel on the Kershaw Link has better hardness, corrosion resistance, and edge retention than most knives on the market. However, the compromise is that it's more difficult to sharpen.
Credit: Kyle Hameister
Ergonomics
The Kershaw Link is an ergonomic knife that is easy to use. The pocket clip is oriented with the blade's tip facing upwards, so you don't have to rotate the knife in your hands after removing it from a pocket to flick open the blade. This is our preferred orientation of the pocket clip.
The assisted opening feature won't accidentally deploy in a pocket and is initiated by pulling down on a small flipper tab with the index finger. The flipper takes some force to kick open, but the action is fast, smooth, and feels very secure.
The Kershaw Link's flipper assist open requires some purposeful force to work. But it opens fast, and with a satisfying Clunk. Closing one-handed is a challenge though.
Credit: Kyle Hameister
Once the blade is open, the grip fits comfortably into the palm. The knife is a full 0.5 inches thick – thicker than many other pocket knives on the market and thicker than more than two-thirds of those tested in our lineup – which makes it easier to use for serious cutting tasks where you need to maintain a solid grip on the tool. The pocket clip is out of the way of your fingers, which makes it more comfortable to grip. Our testers felt very secure holding this knife for consequential cutting tasks.
Though perhaps best used for heavy-duty tasks, the Link is so comfortable to hold and use that you may find yourself reaching for it to make quick work of meal prep too.
Credit: Jeff Dobronyi
Portability
The Kershaw Link is a heavy knife weighing 4.75 ounces, and its large blade creates a bigger footprint than other knives on the market. The result is a large-than-average package that is noticeable when worn in a pocket or carried in a backpack.
For professional users, serious outdoor enthusiasts, campers, and hunters, the portability shortcomings are worth the hassle since the knife's performance is so strong. Many users looking for a pocket knife will only use the tool for everyday carry and occasional use, cutting tape away from packaging and similar tasks. For these users, a much smaller and lighter pocket knife will do. This is a seriously strong knife geared towards heavy-duty use, and as such, it has a larger footprint and heavier weight than most other pocket knives on the market. Everyday users with big tasks ahead will appreciate this strength and size, but occasional users won't.
The Link (right) is larger and heavier than the Mini-Barrage (center) which is still made to fit fully in the hand, and especially larger than than the “everyday carry” subcategory of pocket knives such as fellow Kershaw cousin - the Leek (left).
Credit: Kyle Hameister
Construction Quality
This knife is built to last. The Link's housing is built from aluminum, which is nothing to write home about, but the 20CV stainless steel in the blade is seriously strong. It is one of the hardest metals used in knife production, and the thick blade only tapers down to an edge at the last moment, meaning the blade is strong and can take a beating. There is no detectable flex or bend in the blade during use.
One downside to the design of this knife is the locking mechanism. Like other knives, the blade is locked into the open position by a thin internal metal flap that bends into place when the blade is open, preventing the knife from folding closed. This flap must be pushed to the side in order to close the blade. This is generally a great locking mechanism, but in the case of the Link, the flap only moves about a millimeter into the locking position, which is less than other knives. This means that it takes less debris to get stuck in the flap, and when that happens, it becomes impossible to unlock the blade and close the knife. This is a very minor concern and the only flaw we could find with this tool.
The Kershaw Link can safely hold up to the most heavy duty of tasks.
Credit: Kyle Hameister
Should You Buy the Kershaw Link?
The large blade and heft of the Link are best compared with the sturdiness of a fixed-blade knife, but the total package still offers the convenience of a folding pocket knife. Considering its quality construction, excellent blade steel, and ergonomics, this knife presents great value despite its top-of-the-line price tag. It is a worthy investment for anyone who uses a pocket knife daily. If you work outdoors, camp, hunt, or cut things regularly for your job, then the Link will not let you down. But if you are looking for a low-profile pocket knife for everyday carry and occasional use for mundane chores, this knife is overkill.
Detail shot of the liner blade lock, and generally high construction quality of the Link.
Credit: Kyle Hameister
What Other Pocket Knives Should You Consider?
The premium Benchmade twins, the Mini Barrage and North Fork, are excellent choices if you're already considering a knife in this price range. They're more all-around performing knives, slightly more compact, yet still fit fully and comfortably in hand. The even more expensive Spyderco Para Military 2 G-10 is one of the few other highly-ranked larger knives we've assessed in our lineup that also merits kudos for an excellent design. Alternatively, the Benchmade 535 Bugout is a much lighter weight full-sized knife that sells for a similar price to the Kershaw Link, which we like as an everyday carry option. If you're looking for a more affordable choice, our testers also love the Gerber Fast Draw - Plain Edge, which competes in size and heft with the Link but is priced at a quarter of the cost.
Though it's bigger than the average user may prefer to pocket carry, the clip does slip over a pocket's edge easily and holds securely. It is also removable and reversible to the other side. Lefty's rejoice!
Credit: Kyle Hameister
—
Jeff Dobronyi & Kyle Hameister
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