Ever fall for a really good-looking girl who’s taken and then find out she has a sister who’s just as hot? That’s pretty much how I feel about the Kershaw Natrix Carbon Fiber. It’s inspired by the high-end Zero Tolerance 0770, and it is one sexy knife. If you’re into copper, Kershaw also introduced the Kershaw Natrix – Copper. That knife adds a 100% copper handle that will develop a custom patina over time.
Pros
- Visually attractive design
- Very functional design
- Lightweight
Cons
- A little more expensive than other knives with similar blade steel
Blade
Kershaw turns to their ever-popular 8Cr13MoV steel for the blade. It takes a fine edge with good corrosion resistance but trades off some edge retention. That means it sharpens quickly and easily but loses that sharpness faster than harder steel. As Kershaw’s go-to steel for this class, 8Cr13MoV makes for a good balance at this price. As mentioned below, the Kershaw Copper Natrix swaps out this steel for upgraded D2.
Part of the knife’s visual appeal lies in the blade coating. The titanium nitride coating on the Kershaw Natrix Carbon Fiber comes through as more of a gunmetal gray as opposed to the more common black oxide.
The blade features a drop point design that dives down from the back somewhere between a standard drop point and a sheepsfoot. The shape gives it a shallower and longer belly but with a lifted tip that still has the angle and centerline of a traditional drop point.
Handle
The Natrix continues Kershaw’s trend of lightweight folders by sticking with a G10 handle and carbon fiber overlay. The carbon fiber adds both contrast and texture against the blue/gray G10. The oversize pivot also adds a bit more visual interest.
Sleek curves in all the right places form naturally against your hand. With a forward grip, it’s a near-perfect fit with a peak that settles right in where your thumb joins your hand. The lower side of the handle also fits snugly with a large finger choil to help keep your hand from slipping forward.
Clip
The small, deep carry-style clip works well. There’s room on the handle for it to be larger, but its size maintains a more symmetrical look to the carbon fiber handle. The clip flips for left or right carry, but with only tip-up positioning.
The clip size may concern some. However, we found it to provide a reasonably strong hold.
Deployment and Lock
The Kershaw Natrix Carbon Fiber uses a KVT bearing system with a finger flipper for blade deployment. Even though it’s not spring assisted, the action is snappy and sure.
The sub-frame lock tackles a couple of areas well. Primarily, it does its job as a solid lock to keep the blade from folding accidentally. It comes just shy of seating fully under the blade, but there’s still more material securing it than thinner liner locks.
Visually, it adds some exotic intrigue that draws in attention. Its shape counters the curve of the blade in a way that makes you not care if you get caught staring. Aside from weight reduction and aesthetics, we didn’t find a functional benefit to the hole in the middle. We did like how it allowed some of the interior G10 blue to pass through.
Pricing
Making the carbon fiber upgrade adds some price over the original Kershaw Natrix. MSRP is $69.99, and you can find it online closer to $45. That’s a little on the high side for this blade material, but certainly not a surprise given the handle materials. Plus, it’s simply a great-looking knife.
Kershaw Natrix Copper 7006CU
The Kershaw Natrix Copper (model 7006CU) adds a neat twist to the line. The knife features a bead-blasted copper handle. Over time, that copper—as with all true copper products—will develop a nice patina. That means your Natrix Copper knife will be unique to you and not look exactly like any other. While the handle material is the big deal, Kershaw also upgraded to a stonewashed D2 steel blade on this USA-made model. The blade finish looks great—as you’d expect. It should also hold an edge a bit longer than the 8Cr13MoV. The blade and knife also come in a bit smaller overall. The Natrix Copper measures just 6.4 inches long with a 2.75-inch blade. Though smaller, the copper handle adds some weight to the knife, bringing it up to 3.2 ounces. We felt that the additional heft gave it a more substantial feel for its size.
The Bottom Line
The Kershaw Natrix Carbon Fiber and Natrix Copper are some of the best-looking folding knives you’ll find in Kershaw’s current lineup. That alone is enough of a selling point at this price, but it takes things further with an excellent ergonomic and functional design. Both have truly unique features, with the Natrix Copper winning out for those who want a smaller design and don’t mind the additional weight.
Kershaw Natrix Carbon Fiber Specifications
- Model: Kershaw 7007CF
- Blade Steel: 8Cr13MoV with titanium nitride coating
- Handle Material: G10 with carbon fiber overlay
- Deployment: Flipper with bearing assist
- Lock: Sub-frame lock
- Clip: Deep carry, left/right reversible, tip up
- Blade Length: 3.25″
- Closed Length: 4.25″
- Open Length: 7.5″
- Weight: 2.9 ounces
- Price: $33
Kershaw Natrix Copper Specifications
- Model: Kershaw 7006CU
- Blade Steel: D2, stonewashed finish
- Handle Material: Copper with bead-blasted finish
- Deployment: Flipper with bearing assist
- Lock: Sub-frame lock
- Clip: Deep carry, left/right reversible, tip up
- Blade Length: 2.75″
- Closed Length: 3.6″
- Open Length: 6.4″
- Weight: 3.2 ounces
- Price: $48
