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Kershaw 1550 Blackout Ken Onion SpeedSafe USA NIB
Ships Wednesdays only — please read before messaging
We pack and drop USPS once a week. Paid by Tuesday 11:59 PM EST ships that Wednesday. Paid Wednesday or later ships the following Wednesday. Combined shipping: message after purchase and we will revise the invoice. U.S. only. Full policy at the bottom of this listing.
This is a New in Box Kershaw 1550 Blackout designed by Ken Onion. USA SpeedSafe assisted liner lock. Black DLC drop-point, black glass-filled nylon handle, tip-down clip. Marks: 1550 / KAI Patented / Ken Onion Design and KERSHAW SPEEDSAFE USA. Clip: PAT NO. 454,768 / 455,062. Box UPC 087171155005 — that is the plain-edge 1550, not the 1550ST combo. Factory wrap and papers included. Opened only for these photos.
Assisted flipper / thumb-stud liner lock. Not an automatic. Not a switchblade.
Key Features
- Brand / Model – Kershaw 1550 Blackout (plain edge)
- Designer – Ken Onion
- Mechanism – SpeedSafe assisted opening, liner lock
- Blade – 3-1/4\" drop point, black DLC, plain edge
- Handle – Black glass-filled nylon / polyimide, textured panels
- Clip – Tip-down, design patents as pictured
- Country of Origin – USA (Kershaw / KAI Oregon plant)
- Condition – New in box / unused — clip note below
- Packaging – Original red USA box, factory wrap, papers
Specifications SKU / UPC 1550 / 087171155005 Pattern Blackout — plain edge (not 1550ST) Blade length 3.25\" Closed / open 4.50\" / about 7.6\" Weight About 3.5 oz Steel Later USA spec was Sandvik 14C28N with DLC; early runs were 440A / 13C26. Steel is not stamped on this blade. Lock / open Liner lock / SpeedSafe assist, flipper + thumb stud Clip Reversible tip-down; factory finish rub possible
Condition Notes
New in the original red USA box with factory plastic wrap and the Kershaw sheet. Removed only for photos. Factory edge. No carry wear we can see on the handle or blade coating. The pocket clip has finish scratches — common on unused 1550s from the wrap and the box tray. We are calling it NIB with that clip disclosure so there is no surprise. Judge from the pictures.
Description & History
Pete Kershaw started the company in Portland, Oregon in 1974. KAI of Japan later bought the brand and kept a real U.S. plant in the Portland / Tualatin / Wilsonville corridor. That factory is what “KERSHAW SPEEDSAFE USA” on this blade means. It is not one of the later imported Kershaws that took over much of the catalog.
Ken Onion is the Hawaii maker who designed SpeedSafe: a torsion bar that holds the blade shut until you hit the stud or flipper, then drives it open. Kershaw licensed the system and built a whole generation of affordable assisted knives around it. SpeedSafe is why Kershaw owned the early-2000s EDC case at every gun show and hardware counter. The patents on this knife are that system — not a switchblade spring.
The 1550 Blackout was one of the first catalog SpeedSafes people actually carried. All black, 3-1/4\" coated drop point, liner lock, USA. It sat in the line for years, picked up the usual “Blade Magazine Best Buy” talk of that period, and then left the catalog. Clean boxed USA examples are what collectors want now. This is the plain-edge 1550. The combo is a different SKU: 1550ST. Do not confuse them.
Production ran long enough that steel changed under the same model number. Early knives are often listed as 440A. Later USA Blackouts were sold as Sandvik 13C26, then 14C28N, with the black DLC coat. This blade is not steel-stamped. We are not guessing a heat-treat code that is not on the knife.
What you are buying is a discontinued Oregon SpeedSafe in the box — wrap, papers, red USA carton, UPC 087171155005 — not a current China Kershaw and not an automatic.
Collector\'s Note
We carry New Old Stock and discontinued USA knives as well as vintage traditionals. Fresh pieces from Benchmade, Case, Buck, Puma, Schatt & Morgan, Weidmannsheil, Spyderco, Queen Cutlery, Great Eastern, Victorinox, Kershaw, and other makers are added regularly. Click the “Save this Seller” heart icon to get notified when new listings go live.
Shipping & Returns
We ship securely within the United States via USPS. We do not ship internationally at this time.
Combined Shipping: Happy to combine multiple items into a single package for one shipping fee whenever possible. Just message us after winning or purchasing and we will adjust the invoice accordingly.
Shipping Schedule (Once per Week): All orders are dispatched on Wednesdays. Orders finalized by Tuesday at 11:59 PM EST will ship out the immediate following morning. Orders placed on or after Wednesday will step into the next week\'s shipping cycle. Thank you for your patience as we carefully pack and document this historic collection.
