Forget the Kershaw Camp series. Nothing against them, but there’s a new Kershaw hunting knife on the scene that we’re confident you’ll like.

It’s the Kershaw Brace.

Though it’s clearly on the smaller side and designed to be a neck knife and not a hunting knife, it can definitely pick up pretty much any task you need it to when you’re in the field, whether you hunt bushytails, deer, or birds.

Here’s what you need to know.

Kershaw Brace Specs

The Kershaw brace is 4,9” long and has a 2.0” blade, even. The blade is very thin, at .108”, and features a drop point profile of 8Cr13MoV steel.

The stainless steel handle features a full skeletonized tang and the knife comes with glass-filled nylon (GFN) overmolds that fill out the grip a little. Despite such a small size, the knife’s handle feels quite adequate and has a comfortable choil built into the design.

The Kershaw Brace comes with a molded polymer sheath that features dual retention that does an excellent job of securing the blade. This makes it useful as a neck knife, but the sheath is also highly versatile, MOLLE compatible, and can be rigged for tip-down belt carry, scout carry, or even fixed to a pack.

It weighs only .9oz, or 1.6oz if you are weighing it including the sheath.

So what is it that makes us say this is a great option for a Kershaw hunting knife?

Kershaw Brace: Knife Steel and Blade Pattern

The thing about the Kershaw Brace, despite its small size, is that it offers a really good steel alloy and blade pattern to accommodate a wide range of hunting considerations.

The blade, though small, features a high flat grind and a sturdy drop point with jimping towards the point. The truth about the blade is it’s large enough to break down a deer while still well designed to assist with gutting and breasting birds or quartering small game.

It doesn’t have the same ergonomics or design as most dedicated skinners, but this knife could still serve as an adequate skinner, in part thanks to its size.

Also, it’s small enough that it can be used for fine detail work; the jimping towards the point of the knife makes it perfect when precision is needed to remove skin or viscera with dexterity, and without the risk of puncturing the innards.

The skeletonized tang is also a great design for hunters, as, despite the fact that grip purchase will suffer when the handle overmolds are removed, it makes the knife much easier to clean - especially if it has been baptized with blood and grease.

As for the steel itself, it’s nothing to scream about, but for what it’s worth, it’s great for hunters.

You might be asking why we’d promote a budget steel when quality matters. Well, there are some good reasons.

One is that 8Cr13MoV, despite not being a super steel, is very easy to resharpen. So, if you find out all too late that your Kershaw hunting knife is not sharp enough for skinning and breaking down whatever it is you just shot, no worries. As long as you have a stone, you’ll be able to bring it back to shaving sharp.

The other reason is this steel is highly corrosion-resistant. Some better steels, like D2 and 1095, may be able to take and hold a finer edge, but if you take them in the field, get them wet or bloody, and don’t clean them well - the next time you draw them, they’re going to be coated in rust.

So basically, it comes down to ease of maintenance. There are definitely better steels, but all in all, this is a good bet.

The Extras: Why This Makes a Great Kershaw Hunting Knife

It’s not just the blade steel and profile that makes this knife a great choice as a hunting companion. It has many other features that round it out.

One is the sheath. Being a polymer sheath, it offers excellent retention (in fact, it offers dual retention) so you can carry it however you want. The sheath can be carried both tip up and tip down and can be lashed to your bibs or pack for easy access, and since it’s so small and light it won’t get in the way. Also, unlike natural materials like leather, it requires no maintenance.

Its small size and dimensions also make it great. Unlike a camp knife, you won’t need a Kershaw hunting knife for batoning logs. Processing a harvest is actually much more about the know-how than the tool. A little knife can go a long way.

Not Looking for a Fixed Kershaw Hunting Knife? Consider One of These Instead

If all you need is a companion knife to your main blade and you’re not really looking for a Kershaw hunting knife to do all the heavy skinning and quartering, a folder may be all the backup you need.

Kershaw’s bread and butter is and has always been its folders. They’re known for pioneering technology like SpeedSafe Assisted Opening and Composite Blade Technology, and recently they’ve added some nice new features, too, like the DuraLock which is modeled after Benchmade’s AXIS lock.

Either way, a Kershaw folder can make a great backup blade. If you’re looking for a folder instead of a fixed blade, consider one of the following.

• Outcome
• Strata
• Radar
• Covalent
• Monitor
• Iridium
• Shoreline
• Lateral
• Static
• Lucid
• Link
• Debris

And, for what it’s worth, Kershaw makes a number of other fixed blades that would also make excellent hunting knives. Consider also the Deschutes Caper and Skinner if the Brace is just a bit too small for your liking. Their catalog is a wide one and there are plenty of fixed and folding options for hunters to consider if nothing from Buck or Gerber makes the grade.

If you still have questions about the dimensions or specifications of the Kershaw Brace, check it out via the link at the top of this article. You can also get in touch with us at WhiteMountainKnives@gmail.com.