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 On: 2008-08-21
I got this knife a few years ago and carried it with me everywhere until the safety latch broke. The size is perfect to fit into the middle of your bra. Itd also fit in the tiny pockets of girl jeans, if youre feeling less vampy. I have medium hands for a girl and it fits my hands perfectly. I had no problem disengaging the saftey with my pinky while pushing the latch with my index finger, so this knife worked well for quick one-handed use. My version is the basic metal, so it doesnt have grippy sides, but the clip on the side gives you a surprisingly good grip, enough to perform small slow tasks. I wouldnt go hacking at anything with it, as the small handle wont give you enough control not to hurt yourself. Its also small and cheap enough that if you forget to remove it from your bag (or bra) before a concert or airplane trip, its easy to hide someplace outside in sidewalk crevices or whatever so you can pick it up later (and cheap enough that it isnt a big deal if you lose it - just dont put it where kids will find it). For under $40, its very well built and solidly constructed.
My one and only qualm is the safety latch. Its screwed in with a metal screw, but unlike the rest of the knife, the latch itself is made of plastic. After less than a year of use, the safety broke, and I could no longer carry it around with me without it popping open (ouch). As far as I can tell on the internet, there is no place that sells only the safety, and youll need a specialized allen wrench to replace it anyway.
Since this knife is built small for carrying on your body for every day use, the weak safety is a huge flaw. Im not sure if they make them, but if you can find a version with an all-metal safety, go with that one. Otherwise this is an awesome knife that is well designed and well constructed.
The blade and blade point can take a lot of abuse before sharpening is required (6 months+ of use on ropes, hard plastic and wood about 3x/day), but Id suggest sharpening it regularly so you dont cut yourself if you slip on a cut with a dull blade.
 On: 2008-07-17
Bought one for my personal use 5 years ago and have given close to 10 as gifts since then. I plan to always have one with me.
On: 2008-06-16
I carry a knife and for the last several years it has been this one. Its just lerge enough to be usefull and just small enough to carry unobtrusively. I always have two on hand in case I misplace one.
On: 2008-06-05
First off...Im an american and want to buy american made products. Kershaw makes that easy for me. As for the knife, I like Kershaws steel. Its stainless, its durable, and its easy to sharpen...and stays sharp. I like the size of the Onion, and its little brother as well. Just a word of caution though, ALWAYS ensure to lock the blade DOWN when carrying the knife in your pocket. I thought I was the only one who had the knife open while in my pocket (I got a little cut on my finger when I stuck my hand into my pocket and the blade was partially open), but I was talking with a friend the other day who carries a 4 inch scar on his forearm by blindly brushing his arm against his thigh while the knife had partially opened in his pocket. Great knife, great size....great company.
On: 2008-05-22
Very fast opening, small, durable and sharp.
The locking mechanism to prevent accidental opening doesnt feel sturdy..just a small screw.
In short this knife holds up to Kershaw standards in quality, design, and style.
Heres a quick warning to those with large hands: This knife is very, very small and requires you to hold it with your fingertips to open instead of a full-hand grip and open...hard to manage with bigger hands.
On: 2008-04-04
Its really small, great for every day carry when a larger knife might not be appropriate. This thing is too small for self-defense, unless you are being attacked by a hamster or something. But for every day utility.. cutting open boxes, bags and so on, its hard to beat for the price.
Flicks open with the slightest touch, yet stays closed in the pocket. Dont ask me how they do it, but it works.
My only complaint is that the safety switch is a little loose, from the factory. It has a tendency to move back and forth in the pocket by itself. This can be annoying if you want to slash open a bag of charcoal and you pull out the knife and it wont open, so you have to set down the charcoal, unlatch the safety and pick it back up before you can commence the slashing.
HOWEVER, this can be easily rectified if you have access to a set of small allen wrenches (I dont know the size offhand). All you have to do is turn the safety off and tighten it down and it will remain off. Conversely, if you are traveling or something, you may want to lock the safety in the on position. It should come with an allen wrench, but its not a big enough deal to warrant only 4/5 starts. It is still an amazing little blade.
On: 2008-02-13
I was looking for a small one-handed opening knife for use around the home but I have limited thumb movement after a tendon break a few years ago, so the kinds with a thumb-stud just wouldnt work for me. Also fully automatic (switchblade) knives are illegal in my area so I couldnt get one of those. I saw some video reviews on YouTube and this looked great so I bought it direct from Amazon.
I have just taken it out of the box and I have to say it is a superb little knife - perfect for my needs. It is razor sharp and the one-handed opening using the flipper on the back is really slick - the blade flies out with just a little push of the flipper on the back and locks with a really confident click. The liner lock is a little stiff to unlock but thats probably for the best - it definitely wont close by accident! The safety works really well too but I probably wont carry this knife much. The belt/pocket clip is easily removable if you have a small torx (6-pointed star) screwdriver and can be relocated at the other end of the knife for point-up carrying. Finish is good too - I went for the all silver/stainless finish and it is really smooth and looks great.
The only slightly awkward thing for me personally is that I have quite big hands and it does get a bit lost! ;) (see my review of the Leek)
On: 2008-01-27
Small, sharp and clever - a handy knife to carry around. Dozens of uses, great clip - opens like a switchblade. Love it!
On: 2008-01-09
I have carried the "noisy cricket" with me every day for the past few years. I just recently upgraded to a kershaw leek, which is a bigger version of the same knife. I love them both.
I have never had any problems with my kershaw from normal use, although i have broken one in the past, but i sent it back to them and a week later i had a brand new knife for no charge.
The chive opens with a zest and satisfying click that lets you know its ready. Its a great one handed open pocket knife, but i NEVER use the thumb stud. It will cut your finger RIGHT off... I just use the speedsafe lever on the rear and whallah, its open and ready. Sharp as it is useful and clips in my pocket wonderfully. Now my girlfriend carries it and she loves the knife and gets lots of comments about how "cute and neat" it is.
On: 2008-01-04
I bought this for my hubby as a Christmas gift and he loves it. He was already a Kershaw fan and owns several of their models. I have used this myself and it is super sharp, so be careful! The speed open works smoothly and there is a safety mechanism to keep the blade from accidentally opening. Nice and light and feels good in the hand for small jobs.
On: 2008-01-03
Lets put it simply. If you are looking for a great quality and performing pocket knife this is it. You get a lot more that what you pay for.
On: 2007-12-21
I like to carry a small knife around with me most of the time. And the Chive is an ideal knife for that purpose. With a 2 inch blade, its not very big so youre not going to be able to use it for heavy-duty jobs. But the construction is solid, and the speed-assist mechanism means you can open it easily with just one hand. It is also very light so you will hardly notice it in your pocket. It has a frame-lock which I prefer to a liner-lock because in general frame-locks tend to be more secure. And it does have a clip so you can clip it to your pocket (you can also remove the clip with a Hex screwdriver size T-6). The steel used for the blade (420 HC) is not a super-high quality steel, but its plenty good for most common everyday tasks. It does have a safety tip lock, although I found mine to be a bit loose and it has sometimes slipped into the "off" position. But the blade itself has never popped open accidentally even when the safety was off. Being that it is so small, its not quite as comfortable to hold as a bigger knife, but for its size it is relatively comfortable. When I hold it, my pinky hangs off the edge, unlike a larger knife like the Kershaw Vapor that I can grip will all four fingers on the handle.
On: 2007-12-09
Perfect! Love it!
I have had mine for over a year now.
The safety clip broke (I am embarrased to say I dropped the knive, while closed, on a concrete floor several times!). Kershaw sent me a new safety clip at no charge. Without the safety, you can not carry this knife.
If you need a small, quality, easy to open knife......get this one!
On: 2007-09-25
This knife is well designed, very sharp and the blade spring action is very nice if you have only one hand free. The small safety guard prevents it from opening in your pocket, which considering the razor sharp blade is necessary if you like 5 fingers on both hands. The locking mechanism that prevents it from closing in use is secure but a little clumsy to disengage when closing the blade and involves a careful maneuver as opposed to knives that have a push mechanism on its spine. The knife is great to put in the small change pocket of jeans, but it is a tad small. Also, I think the removable side clip makes the small knife awkward and uneven to handle, so mine was removed, though thats a matter of personal preference. Im not a knife aficionado, but for a small always with you knife that holds a razor edge and can be opened with one hand, its a keeper.
On: 2007-06-12
A great little pocket knife! I dont like clips so I took mine off.
Very sharp, very strong and very attractive. Also the assisted opening is a lot of fun.
On: 2007-06-04
I was looking for a knife I could carry every day. I needed a knife that was small enough to keep hidden--I didnt want a big clip hanging out of my pocket for everyone to see. I purchased the chive and have been very pleased. The blade is sharp. It has a cool flick open type of action that makes it easy to open with one hand. It also has a small lock that keeps the blade from opening when you dont want it to. I wear it in my waist band and the clip is usually hidden by my belt. I take it to work, school, jogging, camping, everywhere and it is always handy and ready for use. If you are considering a purchase, go ahead and get it. Great knife.
by: scamutz On: 2007-04-05
LOVE this knife. Looks great, sharp as can be out of the box. Thin enough for the pocket of my khakis. One disclaimer, use the safety. It opened up in my pocket once (no clue how) and could have been dangerous.
On: 2007-04-01
bought this knife for a friend. it is small and sharp. but mainly bought it for the looks, very bright and colorful. though i think this would ware away pretty fast if was put to much use.
On: 2007-03-20
Great little knife. Ive taken to carrying it with me on every occasion my Native is too big. Super sharp and keeps its edge even after some pretty heavy use. Only beef is that its a little hard to open and close with one hand because of its size. Im going to have to get the leek.
by: Anonymous On: 2007-03-15
Im mostly a kitchen knife collector but was so impressed by Kershaw/Shun Ken Onion that I decided to try a style of knife (sport) that is his usual forte. Im just as impressed with the design of this knife as I was with the Shun/Onion knife. Its compact, its attractive, and sharp enough to shave an arm with. I have the rainbow chive and I am still amazed that as much as Ive used it, the surface and coloring is still intact and gorgeous. Im now a believer in Speed Safe, and have my second Ken Onion (leek) on order. 50 dollars for a small pocket knife? (I hear people complaining) Absolutely, its well worth the price, but anybody who knows knives knows that the truly good ones are never inexpensive and last a lifetime. You get what you pay for, and this one is well worth it.
On: 2007-01-11
My first Kershaw knife. But not my last. In fact, my second Kershaw has already been ordered. Blown away by the quality of this product. Extremely smooth operation. Outstanding fit and finish. Sharpest knife, right out of the box, I have ever purchased. SWEET!
On: 2007-01-10
Perhaps the best and most useful pocket knife you can have.
by: emaynard@crackerbarrel.com On: 2007-01-06
I like this knife very much; its size, shape, fit in the hand, and pocket clip are all just what I wanted. It has a nice edge and the Speed Safe assisted opening feature is fantastic. My only complaint is that the safety is placed in such a way that makes one-handed opening difficult with the safety engaged. I want the safety engaged because the assisted opening is so easy to activate and I dont want the knife springing open in my pocket. This is only a minor quibble, though. I do enjoy the knife very much; it is a good size to wear with jeans for light duty day-to-day use, which is what most people need a pocket knife for anyway. I use a different, larger knife for heavier duty use.
On: 2007-01-05
I like this knife very much; its size, shape, fit in the hand, and pocket clip are all just what I wanted. It has a nice edge and the Speed Safe assisted opening feature is fantastic. My only complaint is that the safety is placed in such a way that makes one-handed opening difficult with the safety engaged. I want the safety engaged because the assisted opening is so easy to activate and I dont want the knife springing open in my pocket. This is only a minor quibble, though. I do enjoy the knife very much; it is a good size to wear with jeans for light duty day-to-day use, which is what most people need a pocket knife for anyway. I use a different, larger knife for heavier duty use.
On: 2006-08-25
It took me a long time to accept the notion of paying more than 10 bucks for a knife. This is a great deal, though. Very, very smooth opening and closing action, keeps an edge very well, and is shipped to you super sharp already. What I really like is the ability to keep it on you almost all the time since it is very small and light. You have to be careful opening and closing it the first few times though (read: dont buy this for your Cub Scout). Overall, definitely the best deal Ive seen in this price range.
On: 2006-08-24
It took me a long time to accept the notion of paying more than 10 bucks for a knife. This is a great deal, though. Very, very smooth opening and closing action, keeps an edge very well, and is shipped to you super sharp already. What I really like is the ability to keep it on you almost all the time since it is very small and light. You have to be careful opening and closing it the first few times though (read: dont buy this for your Cub Scout). Overall, definitely the best deal Ive seen in this price range.
On: 2006-08-20
I purchased this knife for about $4 cheaper than its usual Amazon listing price at Amazons Friday Sale. I had been looking at the Kershaw knives for awhile, and following an incident in my buildings parking garage (woman accosted, pocketbook stolen), it seemed like the perfect time to buy. The "rainbow" titanium-coating color might bother some men, but Im a woman, so I dont mind the color of the knife. I would have preferred the black-on-black, but this was too good a deal to pass up.
The safety lock looks like it might slip out of safety easily, but in two weeks time of regular wear/use, I havent had a problem. I flip the knife open often (heck, its fun), and I wear it regularly (whats the point of having it, if youre not prepared to use it?). The thin attached metal "belt clip" is very sturdy and multipurpose (it looks similar to the metal clip on a writing pen). Not only can I clip the kninfe just inside my slacks waistband, but it clips easily to the inside leather pocket of my purse. The single finger flip-open mechanism is beyond belief - very easy to use, exceptionally fast and accurate. The locking mechanism (keeps the blade in place) is extremely solid, and has worked without flaw. When Im walking anyplace suspicious by myself, I hold the knife in the "ready to flip open" position in my hand, held down at my side. The knife is nearly invisible in that position, so I dont stand out as "oh my God, shes carrying a knife!" However, someone intent on a criminal act just might notice, and avoid me altogether. Great knife for personal safety. Lastly, like the other reviews point out, these knives are SHARP. I dont use mine to open letters, boxes and typical pocket knife activities (I believe that would gum it up, and slow the opening speed of the knife), so I anticipate the blade should have a good, long life in my care.
On: 2006-08-19
I purchased this knife for about $4 cheaper than its usual Amazon listing price at Amazons Friday Sale. I had been looking at the Kershaw knives for awhile, and following an incident in my buildings parking garage (woman accosted, pocketbook stolen), it seemed like the perfect time to buy. The "rainbow" titanium-coating color might bother some men, but Im a woman, so I dont mind the color of the knife. I would have preferred the black-on-black, but this was too good a deal to pass up.
The safety lock looks like it might slip out of safety easily, but in two weeks time of regular wear/use, I havent had a problem. I flip the knife open often (heck, its fun), and I wear it regularly (whats the point of having it, if youre not prepared to use it?). The thin attached metal "belt clip" is very sturdy and multipurpose (it looks similar to the metal clip on a writing pen). Not only can I clip the kninfe just inside my slacks waistband, but it clips easily to the inside leather pocket of my purse. The single finger flip-open mechanism is beyond belief - very easy to use, exceptionally fast and accurate. The locking mechanism (keeps the blade in place) is extremely solid, and has worked without flaw. When Im walking anyplace suspicious by myself, I hold the knife in the "ready to flip open" position in my hand, held down at my side. The knife is nearly invisible in that position, so I dont stand out as "oh my God, shes carrying a knife!" However, someone intent on a criminal act just might notice, and avoid me altogether. Great knife for personal safety. Lastly, like the other reviews point out, these knives are SHARP. I dont use mine to open letters, boxes and typical pocket knife activities (I believe that would gum it up, and slow the opening speed of the knife), so I anticipate the blade should have a good, long life in my care.
by: ivytheplant On: 2006-07-10
This knife is wonderful! Im one of the last people to get something that looks this "girly," but there was something about it that appealed to me. It looks cute and innocent, with the pinkish rainbow sheen (mine has a lot more green and blue than the picture), but its wicked sharp. Since it is spring-assist, it opens lightning quick and can be deployed instantly for opening boxes or what-have-you. I like carrying mine with the pocket clip, but it comes with a safety lock so you can carry it in your pocket without fear of having it accidentally open. Very essential for the times when Im wearing dress pants and cant have a knife showing.
It is very small though. It is perfect for kids or someone like me who has very small hands. Though I do have problems opening the knife with the thumb stud. Its just small enough that my thumb will slide to intercept the edge of the blade. Fortunately, it has index-opening and with one flick of my index finger, I can open it.
I carry larger knives in my jeans pockets on a daily basis, but if you need something discreet and stylish, you cant go wrong with the Ken Onion Rainbow Chive. It certainly looks inconspicuous, but its incredibly useful for many applications.
On: 2006-04-09
The Rainbow chive knife designed by ken onion is definetly cool. It opens lightning fast, although it is technicaly "spring assisted" you could really say that it is a switchblade, as it doesnt take nearly as much force to open as a SOG flash. I only dont like its pricing, I think that it is too high. Aside from that, it is razor sharp and lightning fast. Your friends will love it.
On: 2005-12-27
I generally _always_ carry some kind of pocketknife or multi-tool with me, and ever since my father gave me this Ken Onion Chive- its become the ONLY knife I carry 90% of the time. (the other 10%, I feel the need for the tools in my Gerber multi-plier) Its the perfect size for most tasks, and holds an edge seemingly forever. But thats not the best part. This knife has almost perfect ergonomics. Using the torsion-bar speed open, the knife flips open with just a small amount of pressure, and locks open positively. It can also be easily unlocked and closed with one hand, and theres a safety which keeps the knife closed. In fact, my only gripe with this knife is the safety- its a tiny zytel plastic part held in place with a stainless screw- Ive never been able to get it tight enough that it consistently stays in place, yet loose enough that it can still be easily slid off with one finger. Otherwise, I love it! It clips perfectly in the change pocket of my jeans, and I carry it everywhere (well, at least as long as Im not flying).
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