Postby Age » Fri Feb 15, 2013 1:44 pm
The Kershaw Brawler has all the things you mentioned, flipper, assisted opening, smooth blade. The thumb studs for opening don't protrude very far from the handle, so it's tricky using those. Just stick to using the flipper on the back. Kershaw says the handle is made from glass fiber and they try to make it seem fancy so it can compete with higher end knives, but to me the handle feels more like a cheaper plastic and doesn't always provide the best possible grip. Its still an excellent knife for the money and I would recommend the knife.
Have you heard of the Spyderco Tenacious? That is one of my top picks for a low budget but high quality knife. While it lacks assisted opening, the action is amazingly smooth (I can actually open it faster then the Kershaw Brawler). It has a nice G10 handle which is more durable then the handle on the Brawler and it provides a more positive grip. As far as cutting is concerned, the blade on the Tenacious is a little thinner and has a better shape which allows cleaner and larger cuts where the Brawler might stop in the middle of a cut and get stuck.
If you have your heart set on the Kershaw Brawler, go for it. But personally I would recommend the Spyderco Tenacious over the Kershaw Brawler.