Changes

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Kershaw-Knives.net}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Kershaw-Knives.net}}

{{Infobox_Company |

{{Infobox_Company |

  company_name  = [[Company_Name:=Kershaw Knives]] |

  company_name  = [[Company_Name:=Kershaw-Knives.net]] |

  company_logo  = [[Image:Kershaw_knives.gif|225px|banner]] |

  company_logo  = |

  company_slogan = ''Independent Reseller of Kershaw Knives and Gear'' |

  company_slogan = ''Independent Reseller of Kershaw Knives and Gear'' |

  company_type  = [[Company_Type:=Private|[[Private Company|Private]]]] |

  company_type  = [[Company_Type:=Private|[[Private Company|Private]]]] |

'''Kershaw Knives.net''' offers information about ''[[keyword:=Kershaw Knives]]'' and [[keyword:=Kershaw Gear|Gear]] through its large scale resale website [http://www.kershaw-knives.net kershaw-knives.net]

'''Kershaw-Knives.net''' offers information about ''[[keyword:=Kershaw Knives]]'' and [[keyword:=Kershaw Gear|Gear]] through its large scale resale website [http://www.kershaw-knives.net kershaw-knives.net]

==Kershaw Knives==

==Kershaw Knives==

===History===

===Kershaw History===

[[Image:Leek.gif|thumb|left|200px|Kershaw Leek designed by Ken Onion. While serving as a US Marine, Onion devised a helicopter mechanism that was adopted for use by the military.<ref name= "CR">{{cite news |last=Ayres|first= James |title=Cutlery Rejects Turned Gold Mines|publisher =Blade Magazine|date=2003-09-01|pages=58-68|volume=30|issue=9|accessdate=2008-08-05}}</ref> 

[[Image:Leek.png|thumb|right|200px|Kershaw's most recognizable knife, the Kershaw Leek, was designed by Ken Onion in 2002. While serving as a US Marine, Onion devised a helicopter mechanism that was adopted for use by the military. This mechanism eventually morphed into the speedsafe technology that makes the Kershaw Leek so unique and safe among assisted opening knives.<ref name= "CR">{{cite news |last=Ayres|first= James |title=Cutlery Rejects Turned Gold Mines|publisher =Blade Magazine|date=2003-09-01|pages=58-68|volume=30|issue=9|accessdate=2008-08-05}}</ref>]]  

In 1989, Ken’s wife, Noel, made arrangements through a friend for Onion to meet custom knife maker, Stanley Fujisaka.<ref name="CR"/><ref name="HOF"/> The two became friends and Onion learned his basic knifemaking skills from Stanley, building his first knife in 1991.<ref name="HOF"/>]]

Kershaw Knives was started in Portland, [[Directory:Oregon|Oregon]] in 1974 when Knife salesman Pete Kershaw left [[Directory:Gerber Tools | Gerber Legendary Blades]] to form his own cutlery company based on his own designs.<ref name="GP">Pacella, Gerard (2002), 100 Legendary Knives, Iola, USA, Krause Publications, 145. ISBN 0873494172</ref><ref name="NI">Inman, Naomi (2002)"Birds and Bees: How Businesses Are Really Born, Business is blooming—Oregon’s outdoor retail industry leads the world.", ''Brainstorm NorthWest Magazine'', October 2002</ref><ref name="PR">"Kershaw Knives", ''American Handgunner Magazine'', May-June, 2005</ref>  Early manufacturing was primarily done in [[Directory:Japan|Japan]]; in 1977, Kershaw became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese KAI Group.<ref name="GP"/><ref name="PR"/><ref name="KAI">"KAI acquires the balance of Universal" Chain Drug Review,  January, 2007</ref>  In 1998 the main production facility was opened in Wilsonville, Oregon; due to growth, the facilities were moved to a larger production site in 2003.  Current manufacturing facilities are located in Tualatin (main factory) and some goods come from their Japan and China factories.<ref name="PR"/>  

Kershaw Knives formally began in 1974 when Knife salesman Pete Kershaw left [[Directory:Gerber Tools | Gerber Legendary Blades]] to form his own cutlery company based on his own unique designs.<ref name="GP">Pacella, Gerard (2002), 100 Legendary Knives, Iola, USA, Krause Publications, 145. ISBN 0873494172</ref><ref name="NI">Inman, Naomi (2002)"Birds and Bees: How Businesses Are Really Born, Business is blooming—Oregon’s outdoor retail industry leads the world.", ''Brainstorm NorthWest Magazine'', October 2002</ref><ref name="PR">"Kershaw Knives", ''American Handgunner Magazine'', May-June, 2005</ref>  Early manufacturing was primarily done in [[Directory:Japan|Japan]] before becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Japanese Cutlery giant the KAI Group in 1978.<ref name="GP"/><ref name="PR"/><ref name="KAI">"KAI acquires the balance of Universal" Chain Drug Review,  January, 2007</ref>  In 1998, production switched to a new facility located in Wilsonville, Oregon making Kershaw one of the few companies to manufacture their knives in the USA. Since the late 1990s, Kershaw has seen rapid growth. In order to keep up with demand, Kershaw's facilities were moved to a larger production site close to the original factory in Tualatin, Oregon in 2003.  Current manufacturing facilities are still located in Tualatin with certain goods manufactured in their Japanese and Chinese factories.<ref name="PR"/> The Kershaw company is now officially named ''KAI USA Ltd'', and has three lines of products including the original ''Kershaw Knives'' name, ''Shun Cutlery'', which sells kitchen cutlery,<ref name="PR"/> and ''Zero Tolerance'', a newly introduced line of combat knives.<ref name="PVA">"Sharp Partnership". Paraplegia News. January 2006.</ref>  

The current company is named KAI USA Ltd, and has three lines of products; the original ''Kershaw Knives'' name, ''Shun Cutlery'', which sells kitchen cutlery,<ref name="PR"/> and ''Zero Tolerance'', a new line of combat knives.<ref name="PVA">"Sharp Partnership". Paraplegia News. January 2006.</ref> The Zero Tolerance line represents joint designs between custom knife makers Ken Onion, Tim Galyean, and Strider Knives; a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each knife is donated to the Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund for the Paralyzed Veterans of [[Directory:United States|America]].<ref name="PVA"/> 

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|'''1974''' || Pete Kershaw leaves his post as a salesman at ''[[Directory:Gerber Tools|Gerber Legendary Blades]]'' and forms ''Kershaw Knives''. The original factory opens for business in Lake Oswego, Oregon with its no-hassle, lifetime guarantee.

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|'''1978'''|| Kershaw Knives is acquired by Japanese manufacturing giant Kai Cutlery and creates creates Kai USA Ltd. featuring their premiere Kershaw Brand.

|'''1982'''|| Kershaw expands ites line of Field knives and Folding Pocket knives, and introduces its Floating Fish Fillet knives for the first time.

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|'''1985'''|| Kershaw moves into its new facility in Wilsonville, Oregon.

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|'''1997'''|| Kershaw Knives expands its Wilsonville Oregon facility and begins manufacturing its knives in the United States for the first time since being acquired by Kai in 1978. One of the first products to be manufactured in the USA by Kershaw Knives was the Multi-Tool, model A100C, with its unique, adjustable pliers and thumb-stud one hand opening knife blade.

|'''2002'''|| Kershaw introduces [[http://www.kershaw-knives.net/Kershaw-Ken-Onion-Leek-KS1660.htm Ken Onion’s Leek with SpeedSafe®], model 1660VIB, the first knife with a (Rainbow Finish), wins Blade Magazine’s Blade Show “Overall Knife of the Year” award.

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===Ken Onion===

===Ken Onion===