My Backup Backup Knife
Kershaw's Ember Has its Place
My primary knife is a folder clipped to my strong side pocket.
My backup knife is a fixed blade; its location varies depending on the day/situation.
And my backup backup knife is this little dude — a Kershaw Ember. I usually have it in the small, top pocket of my backpack.
Let’s not get all crazy about the fixed blade knife being a backup. I could argue my everyday suburban life doesn’t even call for a backup knife, let alone a fixed blade as primary. But I digress. Today I’m talking about the backup backup knife.
Sporting smallish features but big on utility, Kershaw’s Ember retails for $36.74.
The specs, from Kershaw’s website:
SpeedSafe® assisted opening
Flipper
Frame lock
3-position deep-carry pocketclip (left/right tip-up, right tip-down)
Steel: 8Cr13MoV, titanium carbo-nitride coating
Handle: 410 stainless steel, titanium carbo-nitride coating
Blade Length: 2 in. (5.1 cm)
Closed Length: 2.8 in. (7.1 cm)
Overall Length: 4.75 in. (12.1 cm)
Weight: 2.2 oz. (62.4 g)
Key points from the list: 2 in. blade length and 2.2 oz. in weight. Small and light.
Here are a few shots of the Ember in action…
Kershaw Ember, closed. And small.
You can open the Ember with two hands, traditionally, but the flipper is a one-handed operation, faster, and way more fun.
This is where my hand and finger ends up immediately after activating the flipper.
A smaller knife of course means less purchase and less leverage. But for a backup backup, it’ll work fine.
When it’s time to close it up, just slide the liner lock to the side…
…and push the blade down and into place.
Ember’s pocket clip works great, but the knife is small enough to just drop in a backpack pocket or clip to a backpack strap.
Learn more about the Kershaw Ember.
