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Kershaw Junkyard Dog 2.2 Composite

I recently purchased the Kershaw Junkyard Dog 2.2 Composite. I saw it while browsing knives, and decided I had to buy it. And can you blame me? The Junkyard Dog is just a good-looking blade, and as it turns out, a pretty functional blade as well.

Kershaw Junkyard Dog 2.2

Specifications

Steel Sandvik 14C28N and CPM-D2 composite two-tone stainless steel
Handle Textured G-10
Blade Length 3-3/4 in. (9.8 cm)
Closed Length 4-7/8 in. (12.5 cm)
Overall Length 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm)
Weight 5.2 oz.

Features

The Junkyard Dog is an interesting knife, mostly because of the composite blade.

Blade

Using Kershaw’s proprietary Composite Blade technology, the Junkyard Dog combines two blade steels to put CPM-D2 steel on the cutting edge and Sandvik 14C28N on the spine. The two steels are permanently joined through a metallurgical process called brazing.

Sandvik 14C28N is a medium grade steel with high hardness and good wear resistance chosen for its strength and corrosion resistance.

CPM-D2 steel, which stands for Crucible Particle Metallurgy D2, is a semi-stainless, more expensive steel known for its ability to hold an edge. The downside of D2 steel in my experience is that it’s a little harder to sharpen, and will rust on you if you don’t take care of it.

Handle, Lock and Clip

The handle material is a black textured G-10, and is definitely the low point of the knife. Not that there’s anything wrong with G-10 handles in general, or this one in particular. It’s comfortable, ergonomic, and has decent traction. The problem is that next to that gorgeous blade, it’s kind of a beauty and the beast scenario. Oh well.

The locking mechanism is a liner lock. Lockup is very tight with no wiggle, no issues.  It’s a flipper design, which means that it’s designed to be opened one-handed by flipping the blade open using your index finger. Just like all of Kershaw flippers I’ve used, the Junkyard Dog opens very easily, and with authority.

The clip is funky but functional. It doesn’t bury as deeply in the pocket as I normally like, but has a bold skeletonized look that’s very cool in my opinion. Unfortunately the clip is not reversible, so you are stuck with tip down carry.

Impressions

The Junkyard Dog is a big knife for everyday carry (EDC). At 5.2 ounces, and almost 5 inches closed, it’s one of the larger blades that I EDC. My Junkyard Dog came incredibly sharp out of the box. Surprisingly sharp in fact. A couple weekends ago, I took it on a camping trip to test it out. As a camp knife, it was great for everything except heavy wood processing. Being a liner lock folding knife, it’s not meant for battoning, but make no mistake, the Junkyard Dog is a cutter.

Ergonomics are outstanding. I love the curves, and the knife is properly gimped on both the thumb ramp and the index finger groove. It has strong lockup and is wicked sharp.

Wrapping Up

At the time of writing, you could buy a Junkyard Dog 2.2 Composite for around $70, which I think is good value. The Junkyard Dog is a striking blade with good steel, great ergonomics and build quality. If you’re looking for a moderately large production folding knife that’s a bit different, take a look at the Junkyard Dog.

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One Response to Kershaw Junkyard Dog 2.2 Composite

  1. Dean May 31, 2012 at 12:20 pm #

    That blade is sick! I have several Kershaw knives they are all great. I think I’m gonna have to get one more!