Bel Air Pocket Knife, Made in the USA, 3.4 inch CPM MagnaCut Steel Blade, EDC Design, Duralock Locking Mechanism, Manual Folder, Pocketclip

I got the light colored frame option. This review is based just on design and functionality, since I haven't put the knife's blsde to serious use, yet. I bought my wife the benchmade a couple years back; she loves it, but when I got this and compared it against hers it's not even a question, the aluminum frame and the build quality of this puts the benchmade to shame. I just got this in January 2026. I understand some of the first units out, a few years ago, had a little bit more play in the blade and some people didn't like that; Kershaw obviously listened, because this thing has no play. The blade is so easy to flip open, the knife is lightweight (heavier than the benchmade, but still super light to be a casual EDC pocket knife), the balance and feel of the frame and blade and everything is just so ideal. Even though I haven't to battle tested this, so I can't attest to the heat treatment, etc., for those of you who don't know much about a knife steels, this steel, CPM Magnacut, is probably the best possible deal you could use for a small folding knife. It has terrific edge retention, up there near the hardest of steels that are picked specifically for edge retention, while not sacrificing on toughness (the thing that keeps you from snapping the blade when you use it to pry something apart or banging on something), and while also being near-stainless (aka won't rust). Dr. Larrin Thomas designed this steel before Crucible went to bankrupt. He designed it to have smaller carbide formation, which allows it to be hardened to the levels of a much harder super steel without sacrificing toughness. Until Larrin releases his next steel (he's been working on commercializing his latest design), this is the best option out there for a small blade, and one of the best two options for a larger (bushcrafting) blade, the other being CPM 3V, which sacrifices some of the edge retention that Magnacut offers in return for better toughness (for malleting, machete hacking, etc.).

I own a lot of knives, and many are around the same size as the Bel-Air, all from respected companies. All I can say is wow! This is a fantastic knife. Fit and finish are excellent, action is incredible, and the Magnacut steel lives up to its reputation. This knife is a joy to flick open and close quickly with just a little pull on the lock. It feels almost like a razor-sharp fidget toy, it's that much fun to play with. The clip is great, low profile and holds well. The clip was the ONLY issue I had with the knife at first. I'm a lefty, and couldn't figure out how to get one screw out. The top screw on the clip goes all the way through the handle, and is actually TWO pieces nestled together. Getting it loose required a torx driver on either side. Once it came off though switching it to lefty was no problem. It took me a while to finally pull the trigger on this knife, and I'm sorry I waited so long. It's not a heavy-duty user by any means, but as an EDC that carries and handles well with great steel in that +/- 3" blade range, the Bel Air is hard to beat. I own a Benchmade Bugout that I was carrying before I got this Kershaw. If anyone wants to buy a used Bugout, let me know......

It is hard to beat a kershaw bel air knife for a EDC. I really like this brand as they make. high quality knife made in the USA. The bel air is super smooth opening and closing. The knife fits the hand and is grippy. Gimping on the blade adds to blade control. The knife’s hardware is very good and its blade is centered in the frame. The magnacut steel blade arrives super sharp. Kershaw has a fantastic warranty and customer service too.

Love the bearing lock system. Finger flick opening is a breeze. Very smooth action, high fidget factor. The sharp thin blade of strong magnacut steel fantastic & being USA made is the icing on top.

The moment I unboxes this knife I knew I was going to love it. The green micarta texture against the tumbled stainless hardware is a great look, with the overall appearance being quickly recognizable as a Kershaw. The knife flips openly easily with comfortable thumbstuds and good geometry for a snappy start. The lockup is sturdy and I love how these types of locks allow the blade to swing free when disengaged. The blade itself is on the thin side so I am concerned about heavy use for this one. Comparing it to other EDCs like the Osborne the blade seems fragile. Despite that, I was primarily attracted to this knife for the Magnacut steel and it has not disappointed. Wicked, scary sharp and has been tough through the first few days of opening packaging and random household tasks. I have a few EDCs I rotate and it’s hard not to pick this knife every day! I think the sweet spot for blades is around 3.25-3.5” so this blade is a little compact in that regard. The light weight, aesthetics and entertainment value along with reasonable price point makes this knife a safe bet for a lot of folks.