Free Shipping
Made In USA
Kershaw Cryo
Kershaw Cryo Folding Knife - Hinderer Design Without the Custom Price
The Cryo folding knife brought Rick Hinderer's design language to the production knife world in 2012, and people took notice. Blade Magazine named this folding knife Best Buy of the Year, and Men's Journal gave it their Approved Gear nod in 2013. This collaboration between Hinderer and Kershaw proves you don't need custom knife money to get Hinderer's tactical aesthetic and real-world design thinking in a quality folding knife.
Hinderer DNA
Rick Hinderer was a firefighter and EMT, and his knives reflect that hands-on background. The Cryo carries his signature frame lock with lockbar stabilization—a feature he developed after accidentally over-extending a lock while working an accident scene with heavy gloves. The stabilizer is a small tab that prevents the frame lock from traveling too far when disengaged, protecting against lock failure. It's a straightforward solution to a genuine issue, and it works.
The 2.75-inch drop-point blade on the Cryo folding knife is 8Cr13MoV steel—a stainless steel that's easy to sharpen and holds up reasonably well for daily tasks. Both blade and handle wear a titanium carbo-nitride coating that's three times harder than chrome. It adds abrasion resistance, reduces friction on moving parts, and gives the folding knife that unified matte gray look. SpeedSafe assisted opening deploys the blade through either the flipper or thumb studs, making the Cryo a reliable folding knife for everyday carry.
All-Steel Build
The Cryo is pure stainless steel construction. At 4.1 ounces, it has some heft, but the slim profile and deep-carry clip keep it manageable in a pocket. The contoured handle fits the hand well, and the 4-position clip allows you to carry it however you prefer—tip-up or tip-down, left or right side.
At 3.75 inches closed and 6.5 inches open, the Cryo sits in that sweet spot where it's compact enough for EDC but substantial enough to feel like a real tool. There's also a BlackWash version if you prefer the worn tactical finish, and a Cryo II that bumps the blade up to 3.25 inches for those who want a larger knife.
What It Delivers
The Cryo isn't trying to replace a custom Hinderer—it's bringing Hinderer's design approach to people who can't justify spending a lot on a folder. You get his lockbar stabilization, his tactical styling, and a knife that's built to work. For the money, the Cryo remains one of the better ways to carry a Hinderer-designed knife daily without worrying about beating it up.