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Directory:Kershaw Knives (view source)
Revision as of 23:28, 14 November 2009
, 23:28, 14 November 2009no edit summary
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"/>
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"/>
===Timeline===
{|style="float:center; font-size: medium" class="wikitable"
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#D2691E;padding:0.3em"
! Year
! Event
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''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.
|-
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''1978'''|| Kershaw Knives is acquired by Japanese manufacturing giant Kai Cutlery and creates creates Kai USA Ltd. featuring their premiere Kershaw Brand.
|-
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''1978'''|| Kershaw Knives is acquired by Japanese manufacturing giant Kai Cutlery and creates creates Kai USA Ltd. featuring their premiere Kershaw Brand.
|-
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''1982'''|| Kershaw expands ites line of Field knives and Folding Pocket knives, and introduces its Floating Fish Fillet knives for the first time.
|-
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''1984'''|| Kershaw expands its market into European territories under the banner Kai Cutlery Europe.
|-
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''1985'''|| Kershaw moves into its new facility in Wilsonville, Oregon.
|-
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''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.
|-
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''2000'''|| Kershaw’s Ken Onion designed Boa, model 1580 with SpeedSafe® wins IWA “International Knife Award”.
|-
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''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.
|-
|- style="text-align:center; color:#000000;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:0.3em"
|'''2004'''|| Kershaw’s “National Geographic” Carabiner Tool, model 1004 with it’s patented features wins Blade Magazine’s Blade Show “Most Innovative Import Knife of the Year” award.
|-
|}
===Ken Onion===
===Ken Onion===