Kershaw Seguin Folding Knife Review

Kershaw Seguin Traces its Roots Back to the 1800s

The Kershaw Seguin is a Les George design tracing its roots back to the Texas Revolution in late 1835 to early 1836. Among many military achievements before and after, Juan Seguin accepted the formal surrender of Mexican forces at the Alamo as a representative of the Republic of Texas at the end of the conflict. There are many institutions, places, and even a WWII Liberty Ship named after him, mainly around Texas.

Pros

• Smooth, fast spring assisted opening
• Unique look
• Excellent value

Cons

• No major drawbacks

Blade

Material

Kershaw sticks with their popular 8Cr13MoV blade steel. Its easy pricing and sharpening pair with its reasonable corrosion resistance and edge retention. It’s comparable to AUS-8 but a little lower on the corrosion resistance. 440C gives you a little more edge retention but isn’t as easy to sharpen. Overall, it’s a solid choice for knives on the value side of the price scale that you don’t need a bladesmith to sharpen for you.

Design

The cutting edge is a pretty standard drop point, giving the Kershaw Seguin excellent qualities for piercing and slicing as a do-anything EDC.

The gunmetal gray PVD coating sits in pleasing contrast to the lighter gray handle.

Deployment and Locking

Kershaw’s SpeedSafe assists the opening with a smooth, fast action you initiate with the finger flipper. There are no thumb studs on this model and I’m completely okay with that since a flipper is my preference.

I also prefer a frame lock over a liner lock. I don’t mind giving up a sleeker look for a more secure lock. The Seguin’s frame lock is about as solid as they come, fully engaging the blade right out of the box.

Handle

Material

Les George selects a simple and classic stainless steel for the handle material. That gives it some heft, especially over models like the Fraxion that nearly feel weightless in your hand. Its 4.9-ounce weight is something Chris Boll and I like, but that Tom Gaige feels is too much. With our office split on this point of preference, it’s something to consider yourself.

The handle gets a bead blast finish and has a series of notches all the way around the handle. More than just decoration, they improve with your grip security. Jimping on the rear blade spine, backspacer, and rear handle also help.

Clip

First, the bad(ish) news—the clip is a single position only, securing via the backspacer. The good news is that it’s a tip-up carry that’s set for right-hand carry (sorry, lefties).

The slim clip curves up away from the handle, making it very easy to slide onto your pocket without making a fuss. Despite its thin profile, it still has pretty good strength to it.

It’s a deep carry clip (some might call it ultra-deep) that’s flush with the butt end. You can hardly tell whether you’re carrying a pen or a knife unless you really look.

Price

MSRP on the Kershaw Sequin is $59.99 and online prices currently run $31.98. That’s right on par for a knife with these materials and features.

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for an EDC with roots deep in the heart of Texas, it’s going to be tough to find a more attractive option than the Kershaw Seguin. Its functional design, unique look, and a nod to Juan Seguin are enough to pique plenty of interest and the price is easy enough on the wallet to put it in reach of almost any budget.

There are just two things to consider before buying. Are you good with a tip-up, right side carry only clip? Do you like a little heft in your knife? If you answer yes to both, give your freedom-loving self an EDC treat with the Seguin!

Kershaw Seguin Folding Knife Key Features

• SpeedSafe assisted open
• Flipper
• Frame lock
• Single-position deep-carry pocket clip (right, tip-up)
• Custom pivot and backspacer

Kershaw Seguin Folding Knife Specifications

• Model: Kershaw 3490
• Steel: 8Cr13MoV, gray PVD coating
• Handle: Stainless steel, bead-blasted finish
• Blade Length: 3.1 in. (8 cm)
• Closed Length: 4.25 in. (10.8 cm)
• Overall Length: 7.25 in. (18.3 cm)
• Weight: 4.9 oz. (139 g)
• Price: $31.98