The Kershaw Launch 16 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 tanto blade deploys on the central axis with the reinforced chisel-ground tip 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.

Cerakote is a polymer-ceramic composite coating applied by spray and thermally cured onto the metal surface. It is harder, more impact-resistant, and more abrasion-resistant than standard black-oxide and meaningfully more durable against contact abrasion than PVD at the blade face and handle surface. Cerakote is also available in a wider range of colors than PVD — which is why the 7105OLBLK can carry an olive handle and a black blade as a two-color Cerakote system, a combination not achievable with PVD or anodize alone. Anodize is an electrochemical process that converts the surface of the aluminum itself — it is integral to the metal and cannot be applied in the same color range or on non-aluminum surfaces. Cerakote is a sprayed-on coating that bonds to the surface rather than converting it — it is thicker than anodize and more susceptible to edge chipping under hard impact, but adds meaningful abrasion and corrosion protection on both the blade and the handle in a way that anodize cannot achieve on both surfaces simultaneously.

CPM M4 is a high-speed tool steel produced by Crucible Industries through the powder metallurgy process — the highest edge retention and wear resistance of any steel in the Kershaw Launch lineup. CPM M4 is not stainless and requires active moisture management on uncoated blade surfaces. The black Cerakote coating on the 7105OLBLK adds a polymer-ceramic barrier on top of the CPM M4 substrate that is more durable and abrasion-resistant than PVD — providing stronger baseline corrosion protection at the blade face. However, Cerakote wears at the edge bevel with sharpening, and once the coating is removed at the bevel, bare CPM M4 is exposed. Wipe the blade dry after moisture exposure and apply a light coat of oil periodically — less frequently than bare M4 requires, but maintenance is still needed. For buyers who want M4's maximum edge retention with meaningful coating protection, Cerakote is the most robust finish available on a production automatic in this steel.

Trac-Tec is Kershaw's proprietary textured polymer grip insert system. Where G-10 is a fiberglass composite that provides passive texture through surface roughness, and Micarta is a natural fiber composite with an organic warm texture, Trac-Tec is a purpose-engineered grip panel with a defined texture pattern designed specifically for positive non-slip grip under hard-use conditions — in gloved-hand operation, wet conditions, and sustained cutting work where grip consistency matters. Trac-Tec inserts are integrated into the handle frame rather than surface-applied, and their polymer construction is impervious to moisture and temperature variation. For buyers who prioritize active grip performance over the aesthetic warmth of Micarta or the structural hardness of G-10, Trac-Tec is the functional choice.

Both are Launch 16 USA-made KVT side-button tanto automatics. The 7105OLBLK runs CPM M4 under black Cerakote on an olive Cerakote aluminum handle with Trac-Tec inserts — the maximum-edge-retention, maximum-coating-durability, maximum-field-hardening configuration. The Launch 16 Damascus tanto runs Damascus steel on a black aluminum handle — the pattern-per-blade premium material configuration for buyers who value visual uniqueness and the collector appeal of Damascus over measured steel performance. For the most field-functional, hard-use CPM M4 tanto automatic, the 7105OLBLK. For the most visually premium Damascus tanto automatic, the Launch 16 Damascus.

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, Cerakote finish wear at the blade bevel and handle contact points, surface oxidation from inadequate CPM M4 maintenance after Cerakote bevel wear, sharpening, and damage from misuse are not covered.

The Kershaw Launch 16 7105OLBLK 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 7105OLBLK carries the Kershaw Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.