Kershaw Launch 21 Auto – 3.45″ CPM M4 Black PVD Drop Point Blade, FDE Aluminum & Black G-10 Handle USA Made – 7106

The Kershaw Launch 21 7106 is a USA-made side-button automatic folder with a 3.45-inch CPM M4 black PVD drop point blade on a Flat Dark Earth anodized aluminum handle with black G-10 inlays — the field-carry, corrosion-managed version of the Launch 21’s maximum-edge-retention platform, with the most durable black coating available protecting the CPM M4 blade from the moisture exposure the uncoated 7106RAW requires active management against.

CPM M4 is a high-speed tool steel produced by Crucible Industries through the powder metallurgy process — a steel that pushes edge retention and wear resistance to their maximum in a production folder, at the explicit cost of corrosion resistance. CPM M4 is not stainless. In the 7106RAW, that trade-off is carried raw: uncoated blade, requiring wipe-dry after any moisture exposure and regular oiling. The 7106 addresses that trade-off directly with black PVD coating — physical vapor deposition bonds a titanium nitride or zirconium nitride layer to the CPM M4 blade surface at the molecular level under vacuum conditions. The PVD layer is harder than the CPM M4 steel underneath, more adhesion-stable than any chemical conversion coating, and adds a meaningful corrosion barrier on top of the CPM M4 substrate — reducing but not eliminating the need for moisture management, since PVD coating can wear at edge bevels and contact points over time. The FDE anodized aluminum handle with black G-10 inlays delivers the field-carry aesthetic of the two-tone handle — warm Flat Dark Earth aluminum frame alongside black G-10 panels that add grip texture, moisture resistance, and visual contrast. FDE and black is the most carries-everywhere earth-tone two-tone in the production automatic market. All assembled in Tualatin, Oregon on Kershaw’s USA production floor.

• Blade: CPM M4 tool steel, drop point profile, black PVD finish — the highest edge retention and wear resistance in the Launch lineup under the most durable black coating available; PVD adds a functional corrosion barrier on top of the CPM M4 substrate, significantly reducing moisture maintenance requirements versus the bare 7106RAW
• Handle: FDE anodized aluminum with black G-10 inlays — the field-carry two-tone that pairs warm earth-tone aluminum with grip-textured moisture-resistant G-10 panels; FDE and black is the most versatile and field-credible two-tone in the automatic folder market
• Deployment: Side-button automatic — press the button on the spine; KVT ball-bearing pivot delivers fast, smooth, one-hand deployment; liner lock retention
• Carry: Tip-up, USA made (confirm clip configuration)

Buyers who want the maximum-edge-retention CPM M4 Launch 21 in a PVD-coated, lower-maintenance configuration rather than the uncoated 7106RAW — the 7106’s black PVD adds a meaningful corrosion barrier that reduces but does not eliminate the need to maintain CPM M4, making it the better carry choice for buyers who cut frequently and want M4’s edge performance with less moisture anxiety than bare M4 demands. Field, tactical, and outdoor carry buyers whose kit runs in FDE and black who want the most edge-retention-focused automatic folder available in those colors. Buyers completing the Launch 21 pair who want both the raw aluminum 7106RAW and the PVD FDE 7106 as the full two-finish M4 set.

CPM M4, black PVD drop point, FDE aluminum with black G-10 inlays, USA-made side-button automatic, and Kershaw Lifetime Warranty — the Kershaw Launch 21 7106 is the maximum-edge-retention automatic in a field-carry PVD configuration.

Specifications