The Kershaw Launch 19 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 19 is a folding automatic knife — the 3.3-inch CPM-154 clip point pivots from the handle. 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 7851BBLK and 7851CFDAM are both Launch 19 clip point automatics sharing the same clip point blade geometry, 3.3-inch blade length, KVT ball-bearing deployment, liner lock, and USA manufacture in Tualatin, Oregon. The differences are blade steel, blade finish, and handle surface material. The 7851BBLK runs CPM-154 stainless under a black Cerakote and satin two-tone finish on a black aluminum handle with G-10 onlay — consistent, measurable stainless performance, Cerakote moisture protection, G-10 grip texture, carry-neutral all-black. The 7851CFDAM runs Damascus steel under an acid etch on a black aluminum handle with carbon fiber onlay — per-blade-unique layered pattern, premium CF visual, requires active moisture maintenance. For consistent stainless performance with Cerakote protection and G-10 grip, the 7851BBLK. For a visually unique Damascus pattern on carbon fiber, the 7851CFDAM.

A clip point blade runs the spine straight from the handle, then curves it concavely downward — as if a section of the spine were clipped away — creating a fine, acute, lowered tip. The clip point is one of the most historically significant blade geometries in American folding knife design, associated with classic Bowie and jackknife traditions. The concave clip produces a more acute tip than a drop point's rounded spine, excelling at precision entry, detail push cuts, and controlled tip work, while the long cutting belly along the edge handles everyday slicing tasks. The trade-off vs a drop point is tip robustness — the clip point's finer tip is more susceptible to lateral force than a drop point's broader tip, making the drop point the better choice for hard prying or lateral-stress applications.

A G-10 onlay is a surface layer of G-10 fiberglass composite bonded to the aluminum handle frame — the G-10's aggressive grip texture is present on the handle surface while the structural frame remains aluminum. This differs from a full G-10 handle, where G-10 is the primary structural material. The onlay approach delivers G-10's hard, textured, moisture-impervious grip surface at the carry interface while maintaining the Launch platform's aluminum structural geometry. G-10 is a fiberglass composite that is impervious to moisture and temperature variation, harder and more abrasion-resistant than most synthetic polymers. The G-10 onlay on the 7851BBLK provides positive grip texture that distinguishes it tactilely from the carbon fiber onlay of the 7851CFDAM — CF onlay has a smoother, woven tactile character; G-10 onlay has a more aggressive, hard-textured grip surface.

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 19, CPM-154 delivers consistent and measurable performance that Damascus cannot match for predictability — no per-blade variation, no active moisture maintenance required, sharpens readily on standard equipment. The black Cerakote coating adds a polymer-ceramic barrier on top of CPM-154's already excellent stainless corrosion resistance.

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, cosmetic handle surface wear, sharpening, and damage from misuse are not covered.

The Kershaw Launch 19 7851BBLK 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 7851BBLK carries the Kershaw Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.