Happy New Year! Now is the perfect time to start a constructive new habit.

Need ideas? You can steal one of mine – start carrying a knife with you, everywhere you go. For now, I’ve settled on one of the most popular options out there, the Kershaw Skyline (model 1760). Keep reading our Kershaw Skyline review to see why!

EDIT: Updated with video review below!

Why an EDC knife?

While the reasons for carrying a knife warrant their own (future) article, the simplest one is a knife’s incredible utility. When I was in the Boy Scouts, the pocket knife was the Holy Grail of survival tools. It can also perform countless everyday tasks – opening boxes, slicing fruit, cutting loose threads from clothing, and more.

For many years I carried a Victorinox Classic SD as my EDC (everday carry) knife, which I used on a daily basis. However, I wanted something more substantial for heavier-duty work or emergency situations. So I got the Kershaw Skyline.

Kershaw Skyline review

First of all, the Kershaw Skyline 1760 is light. Like REALLY light. It weighs only 2.5 ounces – practically nothing considering the blade length (3.1 inches) and overall length (7.4 inches). You’ll easily forget it’s in your pocket.

The Skyline has very few parts to begin with, and other than the blade, the bulk of the knife is in the handle, which is made from lightweight G-10, a high-tech fiberglass material. This makes it substantially lighter than similarly-sized knives with metal, wood, or even plastic handles.

A simple liner lock secures the blade in the open position. While some people prefer the bulkier frame lock, which uses the actual knife frame to stop the blade from closing, in practical use the liner lock functions identically.

The Skyline is one of the few Kershaw models to be made in the USA (most budget Kershaws are not). Also notable is its blade, made from Sandvik 14C28N, a high-grade steel (for this price at least) and a step up from the 8Cr13MoV (a great steel in its own right) used on Kershaw’s Chinese-made knives.

Construction-wise, the Skyline is impeccably built. It is solid from top to bottom, with zero play in the blade. This is astonishing considering how little steel is used overall.

The stonewashed finish on the blade suits the knife, and the drop point is perfectly functional, if just a tad uninspired.

Function

The Skyline’s 14C28N blade arrives razor sharp out of the box and has excellent edge retention, but if it ever gets dull, Kershaw’s lifetime warranty also includes free lifetime sharpening! (You just have to send or bring the knife back to them in Oregon.)

Sadly, Kershaw’s famous Speedsafe assisted-opening feature, which uses an internal torsion bar to snap the blade open, isn’t available on the Skyline. Some folks prefer the manual, unassisted opening for its simplicity, but I actually really love my Speedsafe knives and how easy they are to open.

Thankfully, the “flipper” protrustion along the outside edge makes opening the blade easy. Combined with a quick snap of the wrist, the knife opens almost as quickly and easily as with a Speedsafe assist. There’s also a thumb stud if you prefer to open it that way (I don’t).

The handles are just large enough to barely fill a grown man’s hand. Kershaw shaved off as much material as they could to make this thing as light as possible. To compensate, they textured the G-10 material to provide maximum grip.

Inexplicably, the blade spine and handle have no jimping, so there is nothing to “grab” your thumb while you grip the knife. While this doesn’t pose any major inconvenience (unless you are using the knife to fight for your life), it is nevertheless odd that Kershaw would exclude such a simple feature.

Everyday carry

You can remove or flip the pocket clip for either tip-up or tip-down carry, depending on your preference. However, it cannot be reversed to the opposite side of the handle for left-hand carry (sorry lefties).

The knife’s handles taper at an angle, presumably to minimize its footprint. As a result, the top few centimeters protrude over your pocket when the knife is clipped inside. This makes the knife more noticeable than it needs to be (although it is not particularly conspicuous to begin with). Additionally, it causes the ends to dig into your torso when you crouch, bend over, etc. Again, while instances when this actually inconveniences you are rare, Kershaw could have easily remedied it with a deep carry clip.

Conclusion

Pros: Incredibly light. High end materials and craftsmanship, especially for this price range. Super solid lifetime warranty. Made in the USA!

Cons: No Speedsafe. Some ergonomic issues. Handle protrudes from pocket when using clip.

I can definitely see why the Skyline is one of Kershaw’s most beloved knives. Its combination of low profile, light weight, premium construction, and relatively low cost make it a no-brainer compared to junky generic knives that cost almost the same.

While not perfect, the Kershaw Skyline nevertheless provides extremely high-value that maximizes bang for buck. Minor issues aside, this is a very easy knife to carry.

You can purchase the Kershaw Skyline 1760 from Amazon by clicking here.

If you’re reading this Kershaw Skyline review and have any questions, or if you have your own experience with it, we’d be happy to hear from you. Leave a comment below!