The history of Kershaw Knives dates back to 1974 when Pete Kershaw started selling his first wares, but nothing prepared the company for the explosion that occurred in 1998. That was the year Kershaw released the first SpeedSafe blade opening mechanism, widely known as the Assisted Opener. Skirting around Draconian laws against automatics (or switchblades), Kershaw’s rapid blade opening mechanism quickly opened a folding knife blade with the nudge of a thumb stud or flipper, while being legal to carry in many jurisdictions. It was an instant success and within a few short years, assisted openers were in every tactical/EDC manufacturer's catalog.