OTF stands for out-the-front — the blade deploys and retracts axially through an opening in the front of the handle rather than folding open like a conventional folder. On the Kershaw Livewire, push the slider on the spine forward to deploy the blade and push it back to retract. The blade locks positively when fully deployed and retracts cleanly on the return stroke. On the 9000ST, both the plain edge section and the serrated section deploy together as one unit — the combo edge is fully accessible at full extension. OTF knives are true automatic knives by legal definition and are subject to the same state and federal restrictions as side-button automatics. See the legality FAQ below before purchasing.

OTF automatic knives are subject to strict regulation under federal and state law. Under federal law, the interstate sale and transport of automatic knives — including OTF knives — is restricted. Knifeworks can only ship OTF automatics to buyers in states where automatic knives are legal to own and carry. State laws vary significantly: some states permit OTF automatics 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 OTF 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 OTF automatics are prohibited.

A partially serrated edge — also called a combo edge — divides the blade edge into two functional zones on the same edge. On the 9000ST, a plain edge section near the handle delivers conventional slicing performance for everyday tasks: food prep, packaging, cord, and precision cuts where a plain edge is more controllable. A serrated section toward the tip adds aggressive cutting capability on fibrous and tough materials — rope, webbing, seatbelts, strapping, and heavy cordage — where serrated teeth grip and cut under pressure without the sawing effort a plain edge requires. The spear point geometry centers both zones on the same blade, maintaining the symmetrical tip of the spear point while extending edge versatility to two distinct cutting applications in one deployment. The 9000ST is the only partially serrated spear point in the Livewire series — every other spear point variant runs a plain edge.

The 9000ST shares the spear point geometry and CPM MagnaCut steel with every other spear point in the Livewire series. The differentiator is the edge configuration. All other spear point variants — the 9000 baseline, 9000GRY, 9000BLK, 9000BLU, 9000BLUBW, 9000OL, 9000OLBW, 9000MERL, 9000PK, 9000PINKBLK, 9000PUR, 9000PURBLK, 9000USA, 9000R reverse tanto, and the Raw and White series variants — run plain edges. The 9000ST is the only spear point variant with a serrated section, making it the highest edge-versatility configuration in the standard-geometry Livewire lineup. Buyers who cut fibrous materials and want the OTF format in the most versatile everyday blade geometry choose the 9000ST. Buyers who sharpen frequently and prefer a single consistent bevel angle across the full edge choose any plain-edge variant.

The 9000ST's partially serrated edge has two sections that are sharpened differently. The plain edge section sharpens on any standard bench stone, ceramic rod, or diamond stone at the existing bevel angle — the same as any other Livewire spear point. The serrated section is sharpened independently using a tapered ceramic or diamond rod, working each individual serration at the serration's bevel angle from the flat side of the blade. Do not sharpen the serrated section on a flat stone — the flat stone cannot follow the individual serration geometry. CPM MagnaCut maintains its edge longer than lower-tier steels in both the plain and serrated sections, reducing how often either needs attention.

CPM MagnaCut was designed by metallurgist Larrin Thomas and produced by Crucible Industries to outperform both CPM-S35VN and M390 in edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance simultaneously. For a partially serrated OTF, edge retention matters in both the plain section and the serrated section — the serrated teeth on CPM MagnaCut stay sharp through more cutting cycles than lower-tier steels, reducing the frequency of tapered-rod maintenance on the serrated zone. Toughness supports the blade cycling under spring tension with every OTF deployment. CPM MagnaCut's near-H1 corrosion resistance handles OTF housing moisture reliably in the bare stonewash form used here.

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, mechanism wear from sustained OTF cycling, cosmetic stonewash patina development, serration wear from cutting use, sharpening, and damage from misuse are not covered.

The Kershaw Livewire 9000ST is manufactured in the USA at Kershaw's production facility in Tualatin, Oregon. Domestic manufacture is a consistent feature of the entire Livewire series. The 9000ST carries the same CPM MagnaCut steel, USA production quality, and Kershaw Lifetime Warranty coverage as every other variant in the lineup.