Yes, Since 1988 I have carried my beloved Kershaw with a KIA Japan blade. The large blade is 3" and the small is 2 1/2".I was lucky to get my hands on one of these beauties at a fishing show at Rockland Community College in NY. This knife holds an edge like no other blade. The inlay (I think it's rosewood) is what attracted me to this knife. I didn't know anything about Kershaw at the time. The man at the booth told me to hold on to it as it was something special, and I'm glad I did. Here is a little history you might find interesting. If you ever see one of these beauties you'll know the quality. FREE SHARPENING As a courtesy, we sharpen every knife that is sent to us for service.

KERSHAW HISTORY
The knife industry has changed a lot in 40 years. But ever since Kershaw started, the brand has maintained a commitment to quality.

PETE KERSHAW STARTS HIS COMPANY
Kershaw’s founder, Pete Kershaw, knew the importance of guaranteed quality. The outdoorsman often used knives for hunting and fishing. In late 1974, he decided to start his own knife company at a cement plant in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

During that time, the company mainly created hunting knives. To guarantee top quality, Pete searched for a premier supplier to produce the product.

A PARTNERSHIP IS BORN
On the other side of the world, Kai had been crafting bladed tools for over 65 years and was known for its quality. Then-president Saijiro Endo II was focused on exporting Kai products to other countries, including the American market. Kershaw and Kai’s paths converged, and the two have been linked since.

THE MODERN ERA
The 1990s would later mark the end of the classic era for Kershaw. This time period introduced many modern features that are still seen today. In 1995, the brand released its first liner lock knives, fittingly called the Liner Action series.

THE HISTORY OF KIA

KAI emerged from a town renowned for its sword smiths – Seki City. A decree abolishing the carrying of swords facilitated KAI’s rise as a global cutlery manufacturer. The bountiful forests and sources of freshwater found in and around Seki made the city the perfect base for swordsmiths. During the Meiji period, samurai were banned from carrying swords. Because of this ban, swordsmiths were forced to turn their sword-making prowess from swords to cutlery. It was under these circumstances that the older brother of Saijiro Endo, KAI's first president, opened a factory to produce folding knives. After graduating from elementary school, Saijiro began working in the factory. During his eight years as an apprentice, he learned how to manufacture knives and got married. He opened his own small factory in 1908 when he was 20 years old. It wasn’t easy. Only a few workers worked in his factory. He worked under the dim light of oil lamps and slept only three or four hours a day. His wife worried about his health. Saijiro never once felt sorry for himself. He was happy when he made enough money to buy a small gift for his mother. Soon, World War I started and knife sales soared. After the war, however, Japan was hit by a recession. Saijiro, nevertheless, continued his research and product development. His time and effort were rewarded when he created the innovative 'No.510' folding knife. The simple black model was so profitable that Saijiro’s competitors began imitating it. Even after gaining recognition for being the No.1 knife producer in Japan, he continued to innovate. KAI’s popular 'Seki Magoroku' series is named after a legendary swordsmith. Saijiro, himself, came up with the name. When the Meiji government banned swords in favor of modernization, the samurai were forced to disband. Nevertheless, the spirit of sword-making was passed down to future generations as evidenced by Saijiro’s commitment to producing quality knives.