Kershaw was one of the very first companies to bring assisted opening knives to a broader market. Thanks to their speed safe mechanism which was designed by Hall of fame knife maker Ken Onion. This mechanism ushered in a sea change in the knife industry.
Now from a great line of Kershaw’s assisted knife, today we will put two very best edc against each other- Kershaw Cryo 2 Vs cryo. They are said to be the most high-quality knife on a budget. In this blog post, we have narrowed down the key similarities and differences of the knives so that you can find out which one of these Kershaw’s is the one for you. So read on!
What’s the difference between the Kershaw Cryo II vs the Cryo?
The hand-to-hand comparison comes down to the basics- the overall length of the Cryo II is 7.75 inches and weighs 5.4 oz, with 3.25 inches blade length, which is made of 8CR13MOV stainless steel, with titanium carbo-nitride finish and blade style is the drop point.
And the overall length of Cryo is 6.5 inches and weighs 4.1 oz with 2.75 inches blade length made of 8CR13MOV stainless steel, and the blade style is a drop point for maximizing performance.
Kershaw Cryo vs Cryo II – Key Comparisons
The Kershaw Cryo II and the Kershaw Cryo, these two models are very very similar. There is almost nothing different as far as the overall shape. The Kershaw Cryo 2 is the scaling up of the design of Kershaw Cryo.
The Cryo II offers more length at just over 7.75 inches vs 6.5 inches on the Cryo. The Cryo 2 has 3.25 inches of blade length the Cryo comes with a 2.75″ blade length. The hollow grind of the cryo ii blade is leaner and the hollow grind of cryo is more like a full flat grind.
Aside from the obvious difference in the overall size, they are some noteworthy changes in the upgraded version.
Weight wise the cryo ii is a little heavier at 5.4 oz than the cryo at 4.1 oz. The thickness is super close. Unless you measure them with calipers, There’s no way to tell.
But where you will feel the difference is, in the thickness of the width of the handle. The width of the cryo 2 handle is 1.09 inches compared to 0.92 inches on the cryo. And the handle length of the cryo 2 is so much more comfortable at 4.375″ than the cryo at 3.80″.
The lock bar is stabilizer flush with frame lock on the cryo, giving it a better look than the cryo ii.
Another minor difference between these two knives is, the divot on the frames that allows the knife to flex is on the exterior on the cryo and it’s on the interior on the cryo ii. And there’s a little bit more jimping on the cryo than the cryo ii.
Even though cryo 2 is a larger knife, the pockets clips on both the knives are the same size. It looks different as the retention disc prevents overextending the frame lock is much more noticeable in Cryo ii.
The Cryo has a very crisp deployment but the cryo 2 is not quite as crisp, it’s a bit slower caus they used the same size torsion bar.
Side by Side Comparison- Kershaw Cryo Vs Cryo II
| SPECS
| Kershaw Cryo
| Kershaw Cryo II
|
| Overall Length
| 6.5”
| 7.75”
|
| Blade Length
| 2.75”
| 3.25”
|
| Blade Steel
| 8cr13mov
| 8cr13mov
|
| Knife Weight
| 4.1 Oz | 5.4 Oz
|
| Blade Style
| Drop Point
| Drop Point
|
Kershaw Cryo vs Cryo II – Some Key Similarities
Steel: Both the knives have the 8CR13MOV stainless steel. This budget steel offers great corrosion resistance, great wear resistance, and durability, and comes with low edge retention. But it’s very easy to resharpen. Blade: Both the knives have a drop point blade with a hollow grind.Design: Both the knives have the infamous Rick Hinderer design. Handle: Both knives feature a 410 stainless steel handle with titanium coating.
Kershaw Cryo vs Cryo II – Some Key Differences
- Overall Length: The Cryo 2 offers more length at just over 7.75 inches vs 6.5 inches on the Cryo. The Cryo 2 has 3.25 inches of blade length the Cryo comes with a 2.75″ blade length.
- Weight: The Cryo 2 weighs 5.4 ounces and The cryo weighs 4.1 ounces. They are heavier for being small, you can say.
Kershaw Cryo – Detailed Review
Kershaw Cryo is a very popular knife in the budget knife world. It’s a Rick Hindered design, offered by Kershaw for their budget edc knife. This is a very interesting knife and one of the few, I personally enjoy in the world of less-expensive knives. You can get this knife for under $50, which is the best thing about this knife.
The Cryo is 6.5 inches overall in length with a 2.75-inch cutting edge. The Cryo weighs 4.2 ounces, so it’s kind of heavy for being a little guy. The knife has a compact design and doesn’t take up a lot of space in your pocket. It’s 3.75 inches when closed.
Although it might feel heavier in the pocket. It’s perfect for people who don’t mind a little beefy knife. The blade steel is 8cr13mov stainless steel, coated with titanium carbo-nitride. The blade has a nice satin finish. It has great wear resistance and corrosion resistance but in terms of edge retention, it’s not the best.
The blade style is a drop point with a hollow grind and has a fairly large swedge on top. The blade has a thickness of 0.118 inches.
This Kershaw Cryo screams Hinder. You will see the Rick Hinderer lock bar stabilizer on the handle. The stabilizer goes across the frame lock so that you can’t accidentally over-extend the frame look and make your knife useless.
The handle is made of 410 stainless steel and has the same titanium carbo-nitride finish. It features a nice four-way pocket clip and it sits really nice in the pocket. You can do a tip up and tip down or also left and right side which is fantastic.
The knife has a flipper or ambidextrous thumb stud for deployment. The knife has some very rick hinderer jimping on the back of the handle and a little bit on the back of the blade. It provides great traction and a secure grip for your hand. It feels good in your hands and gives you a lot of control.
Overall I would say, this affordable rick hinderer assisted flipper is an excellent EDC knife. It’s small enough to not be the scariest thing when you whip it out or carry it around at the same time it has a big enough blade to get your jobs done. It has the most convenient thumb stud opener in the market so the deployment of the blade is always smooth.
Kershaw Cryo II – Detailed Review
If you like the Kershaw Cryo but it’s too small for your taste, don’t worry Kershaw got you covered with the updated version of Cryo.
The award-winning Cryo pocketknife and the grip on this folder are much improved. Buying the Cryo II is also the easiest way to own a Rick Hinderer design without shelling out big bucks. The SpeedSafe assisted opening and flipper tab means the stainless steel blade is going to be ready at a moment’s notice.
If you’re a Kershaw Cryo fan but are worried about the II’s larger build, fear not – the design is slim and its deep-carry clip lets it ride comfortably in your pocket.
The Kershaw Cryo ii is the big brother to Cryo. It has the same features but a little bit more length. The cool thing about this knife kind of straddles the line between the tactical knife and the EDC.
The Cryo II is 20% larger than the original but it is essentially just a scaled-up version of the original cryo. It offers more length at just over 7.75 inches vs 6.5 inches on the Cryo. The blade is three and 1/4 inches long and it’s made from 8cr13Mov steel.
The blade is a lean hollow ground blade with tanto style. Although it’s an inexpensive budget Chinese steel, it’s easy to sharpen, it carries the edge for a good period and it’s well worth the 30 bucks you will spend on the blade.
The whole knife is coated with titanium carbo-nitride, so it won’t get rust even after multiple years of use. The handle of the knife is made of 410 stainless steel. The knife is 4.4 inches long when folded. The knife weighs 4.5 ounces. So it feels a little heavy in the hand.
With cryo ii, there are two ways to open the blade. One is the flipper opener, which is very quick and my favorite way to deploy the blade, and another way is the thumb stud. It is ambidextrous on both sides. This knife features a four-position pocket clip, so you can run this any way that you want to.
The handle has a lanyard hole and jimping on the blade and the handle. It allows excellent control. Down at the bottom of the handle, there is more jimping all around for the safety of your finger so the blade doesn’t go anywhere.
This knife sits perfectly in the hand. It’s not too short or not too long. It takes an edge with ease which is extremely important for an edc pocket knife.
Still Can’t Decide? Here’s an Alternative- The Kershaw Leek
The Kershaw Leek Pocket Knife is one of the knives that has endured since those early days of Kershaw, not just because of its snappy action but because it’s a fantastic design. With slim handles and a narrow blade, it makes a highly refined EDC.
It’s perfect as a gentleman’s pocket knife and it also makes a fantastic example of what we like to call an executive knife with a narrow blade than many modern folders. As with any knife that has endured for as long as the leek has you’d expect to see some variants, and you will be surprised to see what the leek series has to offer.
The Kershaw leek features an aluminum frame with an integral frame lock. It’s made of Swedish steel blade Sandvik’s excellent 14C28N stainless steel. The blade is 3 inches long, drop point style with a bead blasted finish. This is fine grain steel that can take a wickedly sharp edge quite easily with very respectable edge retention.
The blade itself is a modified Wharncliffe design with a very acute point. It’s gonna pierce very well and it’s excellent for opening packages or envelopes or breaking down some boxes and even food prep comes in handy with this knife.
The speed safe opener has been a key part of this knife since its introduction and Kershaw knows how to dial it in for super fast deployment. The blade can be open either with small thumb studs or with a press on the flipper tab which also creates a nice small finger guard when it’s open. The knife features a tip lock slider that will prevent the blade from accidentally opening.
This knife model comes in a variety of colors and some a little bit updated designs to choose from. Overall, it’s an A-class knife and a must-have for any knife enthusiast.
Conclusion:
As I previously said the two blades are Identical as far as steel, ergonomics, lock framework, opening framework, the main distinction is the edge length. Cryo 2 is just the big brother of the original.
Performance-wise, I’d say both the knives give excellent performance but then again, it depends on the operator. If you are someone like me, who prefers a large knife in your hand for better control, I will say Cryo 2 will be the best for you. And if you are someone, who prefers a compact and small knife to keep in your pocket, the cryo is more like your taste. But ever you get, you will have an excellent blade for your edc.
One thing to remember with these knives, they won’t hold an edge for too long. So you got to take good care of your blade after using it.
Other than that, both are the good blade and they look great, and with 30 bucks, it’s always a win.
Hi, my name is Taras Kulakov and I’m a knife enthusiast. I have been collecting knives for over 30 years and I’ve owned literally thousands of different models over that time. My goal with this site is to share some of what I’ve learned about knives. You can find more info about Taras Kulakov here.
