The Kershaw Launch 14 uses a side-button automatic mechanism — press the button on the spine of the handle and the blade deploys instantly, locking open via the liner lock through the KVT ball-bearing pivot. To close, disengage the liner lock with your thumb and fold the blade back into the handle. The Launch 14 is a folding automatic knife — the 3.375-inch CPM-154 stonewash cleaver blade pivots from the handle, the broad rectangular blade face deploying forward at full extension. Automatic knives are subject to the same state and federal restrictions as OTF automatics. See the legality FAQ below before purchasing.

Side-button automatic knives are subject to strict regulation under federal and state law. Under federal law, the interstate sale and transport of automatic knives is restricted. State laws vary significantly: some states permit automatic knives freely, some restrict blade length, some require permits or military or law enforcement status, and some prohibit them entirely. Knifeworks cannot provide legal advice. It is your responsibility to verify that automatic knives are legal in your state, county, and municipality before purchasing. Check your local laws at akti.org (American Knife and Tool Institute) or call us at 888-225-9775 — we will not ship to addresses in states where automatic knives are prohibited.

Red carbon fiber uses the same woven crosshatch construction as standard black carbon fiber — carbon filaments woven in an over-under pattern and bonded with resin under heat and pressure — but with red coloring introduced into the fiber or resin layer, producing a bold red woven pattern instead of the conventional black or gray weave. The structural properties are identical to standard CF: light weight, high rigidity, dimensional stability. The visual difference is entirely the color presentation of the weave. Red carbon fiber is rare in production folding knives and is the only colored carbon fiber handle material anywhere in the Kershaw Launch lineup — every other CF handle in the catalog, whether full panel, onlay, or inlay, uses the standard black or gray weave.

The Launch 14 family spans four variants, all sharing the same 3.375-inch cleaver geometry, KVT ball-bearing deployment, liner lock, and USA manufacture in Tualatin, Oregon. The 7850RDSW runs CPM-154 stonewash on black aluminum with red carbon fiber onlay — the boldest and most color-assertive configuration, the only red CF handle in the catalog. The 7850SW runs CPM-154 stonewash on gray aluminum with carbon fiber inlay — the most carry-neutral configuration. The 7850OLBW runs CPM-154 blackwash on OD green aluminum with carbon fiber inlay — the field-carry configuration. The 7850BLKDAM runs Damascus on gray aluminum with black carbon fiber inlay — the per-blade-unique premium visual configuration. For maximum color boldness, the 7850RDSW. For carry-neutral understated premium, the 7850SW. For field-carry tactical, the 7850OLBW. For Damascus uniqueness, the 7850BLKDAM.

A cleaver blade draws from the kitchen cleaver and Chinese chef's knife tradition — a broad, tall blade with a spine that runs nearly parallel to the cutting edge, producing a rectangular or squared-off profile with the widest flat face in the Launch catalog. In a folding knife, the cleaver delivers maximum slicing surface in a draw cut or rocking push cut, with the broad flat face providing even blade-to-material contact across the full blade width. The cleaver is the most visually bold and immediately recognizable blade profile in the Launch lineup, purpose-built for slicing and light-medium cutting tasks where broad blade face is the performance driver. Paired with the red carbon fiber handle, the 7850RDSW combines the boldest blade geometry with the boldest handle material in the Launch catalog.

CPM-154 is the powder metallurgy version of the classic 154CM stainless steel formula, produced by Crucible Industries. The powder metallurgy process produces a more uniform carbide distribution than conventionally melted 154CM, resulting in better edge retention, improved toughness, and cleaner sharpening behavior while retaining 154CM's excellent corrosion resistance. In the Launch 14 cleaver, CPM-154 delivers consistent stainless performance across the full broad blade face — no active moisture maintenance required in carry conditions, sharpens readily on standard equipment.

Kershaw offers a lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. If the knife fails due to a manufacturing defect, Kershaw will repair or replace it at no charge. Warranty service is handled directly by Kershaw — not Knifeworks. Submit a claim through Kershaw's website at kershawknives.com with a description of the issue and proof of purchase. Normal wear, stonewash patina development, carbon fiber surface wear, handle wear, sharpening, and damage from misuse are not covered.

The Kershaw Launch 14 7850RDSW is manufactured in the USA at Kershaw's production facility in Tualatin, Oregon. Domestic manufacture is a consistent feature of the full Launch series. The 7850RDSW carries the Kershaw Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.