The Glock 19 is, of course, the downsized version of the original Glock 17, a 9mm pistol that, though it wasn’t the original polymer framed pistol, truly brought the concept to the public eye, as well as spawned the myth that there are widely available “plastic pistols” that are undetectable by metal detectors and x-rays, a myth that is perpetuated to this day. (The truth, of course, is that there is far more metal in a Glock pistol than there is plastic and it won’t evade detection any better than any other hunk of steel!) The Glock series has been continuously refined and elaborated since its introduction in 1982, and is now available in a variety of sizes and fires many different cartridges.

The Springfield Armory XD series is a design created by Croatian manufacturer HS Produkt and rebranded for distribution in the United States. It has several similar features to the Glock line, which has given way to plenty of comparison and competition. The XD is a semi-automatic, striker-fired handgun with a polymer frame, available in several sizes and calibers – all of which also describe the Glock.

So what sets these two apart?

The Safety

The Glock has been relentlessly criticized through the years for its lack of an external safety switch; its only external safety feature is a “button” on the front of the trigger that is disengaged by pulling the trigger to fire the gun. This feature makes the gun very simple to use, as it has no switch to find and disengage before it can be fired. If used in a self defense situation, this could even save your life. On the other hand, some think of this as unsafe, as an object could potentially catch and pull the trigger, and without a secondary safety feature, nothing is preventing the gun from firing.  The Glock series also has a number of internal safety features that prevent it from being fired by any function except a complete pull of the trigger, such as dropping the gun.

The XD also has no external safety switch (though some specialized models have been made available relatively recently that are equipped with safety switches), and it has a trigger safety similar to the Glock series, but additionally, a grip safety has been added, similar to 1911 style pistols; a large “button” on the rear of the grip that is disengaged by the user’s hand gripping the gun, and is engaged automatically when the grip is released. This way, if an object were to catch the trigger without the grip safety being pressed at the same time, the gun is unable to fire. For convenience, there is also a striker indicator on the back of the gun that indicates if the gun is cocked and ready to fire, and a chamber loaded indicator on top of the slide to indicate if a round is chambered. (For the record, I don’t recommend trusting a chamber loaded indicator. Always inspect the chamber yourself!)

There are benefits and drawbacks to each, of course. A random object catching the trigger is pretty unlikely, but in that event, the Glock is a little more prone to fire accidentally. The XD’s grip safety would seem to solve this problem while keeping the gun just as simple to use, but personally, the XD’s grip doesn’t quite fit my hand and in some cases, it’s possible for a loose shooting grip to not completely disengage the grip safety, rendering the gun inoperable. On the range, this would just be an annoyance, but in a self defense situation, it could be a very bad thing.

The Grip

The single biggest difference, and what makes many fans of one detest the other, is the grip. The Glock uses a somewhat unusual grip angle, sweeping back a few degrees farther than many other popular handguns, causing many who have practiced extensively with other guns, such as the 1911, to naturally point the Glock too high. Of course, this comes down simply to personal preference, and millions - myself included - obviously don’t have this problem.

The Glock 19 grip has a set of finger grooves sculpted into the front strap, and is actually considerably shorter than that of the XD, by around half an inch. The front-to-muzzle length of the guns are nearly identical, and for the extra grip length, the XD only holds one additional round over the Glock’s fifteen. The capacity is odd, as the Glock’s frame is almost exactly the same width as the XD’s, and the walls of the Glock magazine are even thicker than the XD’s, being made of plastic with a thin metal liner for reinforcement, where the XD’s is entirely metal, it seems that the XD would fit a round or two more in there.

The XD has a shallower grip angle, roughly the same angle as the 1911, so those who are uncomfortable with the angle on the Glock will find themselves right at home here. The front strap is a little bit more rounded, doesn’t have finger grooves, and the checkering feels a little less aggressive. The texture of it is a little more comfortable, but traction may be sacrificed.

The entire shape of the XD’s grip is considerably different than that of the Glock and will play a big part in any choice between the two.

The Trigger

Both guns’ triggers are equipped with a trigger safety which only allows the trigger to move when direct, rearward pressure is applied, which helps prevent accidental firing. The trigger safety doesn’t detract from the trigger pull in any way, as both are nearly unnoticeable.

The trigger pulls feel distinct on each. Both have a fairly large amount of slack before the trigger break, which a shooter can easily get a feel for and quickly overcome. The XD’s trigger pull is lighter than the Glock’s, both in slack and break. However, the Glock trigger seems to break crisper and sooner, with less travel, while the XD feels a little smoother, but with more travel.

The Glock trigger is well known for its short reset, allowing quick follow-up shots instead of requiring the shooter to completely release the trigger to fire again. The XD’s trigger reset is a little longer, with some travel, which would conceivably slow down fast shooting. Like the grip, the trigger comes down to personal preference.

The Verdict

I didn’t cover how the two shoot because it’s almost certain that either gun is more accurate than you are. Some people just can’t shoot a Glock, some people just can’t shoot an XD; it all comes down to preference and how the gun fits you. While features can help you decide, the major factor in a decision between either of these fine firearms should really come down to how the gun fits you and how well you can shoot it. If you can rent one or shoot a friend’s before you buy, that’s the way to go!

While I personally prefer the feel of the Glock, it’s easy to see why both of these have the popularity they do, with their ease of use, durability, and dependability.

One fateful day last year, I was meandering around Smoky Mountain Knife Works (a 55,000 square foot cutlery store in Sevierville, Tennessee; an impressive place which I do recommend visiting) and found in one of the display cases the Kershaw Tactical Blur. I requested to handle it and, after answering that I was indeed over 18 (do I really look that young? Oh right, I do.) it was in my hand. I had only ever owned or even handled one other Kershaw knife, the Chive, and with its small stature it was only ever a “nifty trinket” to me, so I never carried and used it. The difference between a small assisted opening knife like the Chive and a larger one like the Blur is considerable. I was really impressed by the knife, and though I didn’t have the cash on me at the time, I did end up ordering one off of the internet about a week later.

About the Knife

The Kershaw Tactical Blur (model 1670TBLKST) is a variant of the standard Blur, one of Kershaw’s “SpeedSafe” line of assisted opening folding knives. The Tactical version substitutes the “recurve” blade profile for a tanto profile, which has its pros and cons; the more angular appearance of the blade is less consistent to the styling of the handle, but it should prove to be quicker to sharpen thanks to its straight lines, and I found the aggressive styling more visually appealing. (Not that I’m an aggressive kind of person!) The Tactical model is only available with a combo edge: partially serrated at the base and partially plain edge.

The knife is pretty well constructed; its black anodized aluminum handle with partial stainless steel liners (for reinforcement and to facilitate the liner lock) add a bit of heft that contributes to a feeling of sturdiness. After about a year of use, the knife is still tight and I’ve yet to develop any noticeable blade play. The aluminum does seem to scratch pretty easily, especially on the pocket clip, which is the one part of any knife which will receive the most abuse, even such that brand new out of the box there were a number of scratches on the clip. Since this is only a cosmetic problem, and this isn’t exactly a collector’s knife, I wouldn’t call it a big deal.

The pocket clip is held securely with two Torx screws. I’m accustomed to three, so my first impression was that it would be weaker than others, but I’ve yet to have a problem with it. I would have liked a longer “lip” on it, since not only is the clip rather tight to begin with, but the grip inserts in the handle catch the pocket pretty hard and make it difficult to slip on. I’ve found it almost impossible in most cases to clip the knife with one hand; I need one hand to hold the pocket steady and the other to slip the knife on.

The rubbery “Trac-Tec” inlays in the handle give a solid grip, almost uncomfortably rough when it’s new out of the box, but it wears down over time to reach a comfortable balance between grip and comfort. Unfortunately, that feeling like you’re tearing up your pocket every time you clip it never really goes away. The edges of the handle itself are nice and smooth, never digging into the hand. The handle is pretty “meaty”, substantial enough to get a solid grip on, though it never really seems to sink into the hand like some of my Spyderco knives.

The blade’s thumb stud and assisted opening action can take some getting used to. Once you find the right way to hold it and press against the stud, it becomes effortless, but it’s a little tough before you get the hang of it.

I won’t bother commenting heavily on the blade steel or the sharpness of the knife, since I pretty much use my knife like a city boy and, as more of a collector than a user, I make a point of not abusing my knives.

The one major functional concern about the knife is the torsion bar used to assist the opening of the knife. Admittedly, I would sit absent-mindedly flipping the knife open and closed throughout the day, but after what I would guess was about six months (an estimation since I don’t actually remember now when I bought it), one afternoon I flicked open the Blur, thumbed off the liner lock, pushed the blade closed, and heard a quite noticeable “pop“. I stared inquisitively for a moment, pushed the thumb stud, and found myself slowly rotating the blade into the open position. My Kershaw assisted opening knife wasn’t assisting its opening! My immediate reaction was anger. “I’ll never buy another Kershaw again!” I said immediately about my broken knife.

A Positive Customer Service Tale?

Once I stopped and thought about it though, I realized this wasn’t really a big deal. It’s just a spring, and even though it probably shouldn’t have broken so soon, I would give Kershaw a chance before swearing them off forever. That afternoon, I sent them an email to find out what my options were, and got a reply an hour or two later. They told me that I could send the knife to them and they’d fix it for free (with complimentary sharpening), or they could just mail me a replacement for the broken part, also for free. I emailed them back that I only wanted the part, and about an hour later I received another email informing me that the part should be sent out the next day.

The postal service took their time, as they generally do, but about a week later I received a padded envelope marked from Kershaw, and found inside a packet of not only the replacement torsion bar, but a new pocket clip and a full set of handle screws – in case I lost any when I disassembled the knife to fix it. It may be a small gesture, but a meaningful one.

It took me longer to find the correct size Torx screwdrivers than it did to take the knife apart, replace the torsion bar (which had sheared in half), and reassemble it. Even after removing the blade and having to fiddle with the pivot screw to make sure it wasn’t too tight, the reassembled knife hasn’t been loose at all, and it is once again “assisted opening”!

Bottom Line – 4 out of 5

Despite its temporary down time and some cons, I like the Kershaw Tactical Blur a lot and it’s still my go-to knife every day. I can’t say that’s because it’s necessarily better than any of my other knives, but it does its job, and it’s, well, fun to play with. It also helps to have excellent customer service!

From base to end, the blade is pushing 2 inches, but the cutting edge, measured straight from end to end, is just a little over 1 ⅝ inches. This is useful for places with a 2-inch legal limit, and, to its credit, the curving “reverse-S” blade profile gives it more functional edge, and the hooked shape is very useful for pull cuts. The blade came shaving sharp out of the box, as I’ve come to expect from Spyderco, and is made of high-end VG-10 steel, so the edge will last you a while and sharpen fairly easily when the time comes. The opening hole is only 11 millimeters in diameter, making it rather difficult for gloved thumbs to handle, but shouldn’t be a problem otherwise.

The Cricket isn’t for people with big hands or who commonly use their knives while wearing gloves. It’s certainly small and kind of cute, so don’t worry about scaring passersby while you use it. For office use and general utility use, the Cricket is an excellent tool, and because of its small size, can even double as a money clip. Mine earned a five star rating.

The spear-like blade shape is visually appealing, with its false-edge grind on the spine. The blade is hollow ground and about 2.5 millimeters thick, made of CPM S30V, one of the higher-end steels on the market, and comes shaving-sharp out of the box. You almost can’t beat the price, considering the blade steel, as other knives of comparable materials are often priced near the $100 mark, while the Native can now commonly be found around $40.

However, it’s not perfect. The knife has several sharp edges in various places, which can sometimes be uncomfortable; for example, the inner edges of the handle where it meets the blade when the knife is closed, the edges of the blade’s spine, and the edge of the trademark Spyderco opening hole are all fairly sharp. Also, the opening hole is a bit small and partially submerged in the handle when the knife is closed, making it difficult to access if you have big thumbs or if you’re wearing gloves. Similarly, the forward finger groove is a bit small. I have fairly small fingers and mine fit snugly, so bigger or gloved fingers might not work so well.

My Native is still nearly shaving-sharp without ever being sharpened, and despite its flaws, it’s a pretty tough knife for general purpose use, and an excellent value. I highly recommend it.