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New Kershaw Mini Multitool Arrives on the Scene

April 16, 2021

Kershaw has released a new one piece multitool into the wild: the Downforce. The Downforce is a minimalist gadget with a small tool spread and a restrained footprint.

As a genre, the one piece multitool obviously imposes certain size, weight, and functionality restrictions. So the Downforce’s profile is slim, resembling a piston arm – which is probably no accident, given that its name refers to a gravitational phenomenon important in Formula 1 racing, and the bright orange GFN crossbar is a nod to the famous McLaren race car color scheme.

Kershaw built four main features into this slender form factor: a bottle opener, flathead driver-combination-mini pry bar, and a 3D phillips head driver. The addition of the cross bar could, for sticklers, discount the Downforce from the one piece multitool category – but because it’s removable, and solely an aesthetic feature, we’re going to give it a pass. The Downforce’s main body is made from blackwashed 3Cr13 steel, and in total it weighs a scant .6 oz.

Multitools of any sort are in short supply in Kershaw’s lineup. That being said, they often release knives with secondary functions, like the Platform and Drivetrain, both of which debuted in the main Kershaw product reveal back in January.

Interestingly, the one piece multitool genre as a whole, which seems to have shrunk in recent years, could be making a minor comeback in 2021. In addition to the Downforce, SOG recently collaborated with PopSockets on the SOG PopGrip.

Featured Image: Kershaw Downforce

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