The Kershaw Launch 17 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 17 is a folding automatic knife — the 3.5-inch Damascus clip point pivots from the handle with the fine acute 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.

The Launch 17 now spans three variants, all sharing the same 3.5-inch clip point geometry, KVT ball-bearing deployment, liner lock, and USA manufacture in Tualatin, Oregon. The 7951DAM runs Damascus steel on a gray aluminum handle with black G-10 inlays — the premium visual configuration, per-blade-unique pattern that no stainless option can replicate, warm etch tones as accent against the neutral gray/black handle, active moisture maintenance required. The 7951BLK runs CPM MagnaCut on a black aluminum handle with G-10 inlays — the highest-performance steel, carry-neutral all-black, no special maintenance. The 7951OLBLK runs CPM S35VN on an OD green aluminum handle with G-10 inlays — industry-benchmark stainless, field-carry signal, no special maintenance. For premium Damascus visual uniqueness, the 7951DAM. For highest-performance stainless carry-neutral, the 7951BLK. For benchmark stainless field-carry OD green, the 7951OLBLK.

Damascus steel is produced by forge-welding two or more steel alloys in alternating layers, then manipulating the billet through twisting, folding, or drawing to create a pattern in the layered structure. The blade is ground to final geometry and acid-etched to reveal the contrasting layer pattern across the finished blade face. Because the manipulation is done by hand, no two Damascus blades carry an identical pattern — the Launch 17 7951DAM you receive is the only one with that exact pattern in existence. Confirm the alloy composition from Kershaw's published specs at kershawknives.com.

A clip point blade curves the spine concavely to a fine, acute, lowered tip — the geometry associated with classic Bowie and jackknife traditions, excelling at precision entry and detail push cuts with a long useful cutting belly. Damascus's acid-etched layer pattern is particularly visible on the clip point's broad flat blade face, where the layered pattern can be read across the full blade length from the concave clip section through the cutting belly. A full-size 3.5-inch Damascus blade in the clip point geometry gives the pattern the most blade surface area to express itself — more than a 2-inch compact and more than a tanto's angular secondary edge. On the 7951DAM, the warm Damascus etch tones read as a premium visual statement against the neutral gray aluminum handle in a way that the all-black 7951BLK's Cerakote blade does not.

Damascus blades require active moisture management. Wipe the blade dry immediately after any moisture exposure — hand oils, humidity, and environmental moisture can cause surface rust. Apply a thin coat of food-safe mineral oil, camellia oil, or dedicated blade oil after cleaning and before storage. Avoid prolonged contact with acidic materials that can damage the etch pattern. The etch pattern can be restored with ferric chloride re-etching if it fades over time. Damascus patina development and etch fading from use are not covered under the Kershaw Lifetime Warranty.

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, Damascus patina development, etch pattern fading from use, handle anodize wear, sharpening, and damage from misuse are not covered.

The Kershaw Launch 17 7951DAM 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 7951DAM carries the Kershaw Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.