off an ol' boy at a gunshow for $30 - I like these assisted opening Ken Onion Kershaws.... new, clearance price, a black/smoke tiger stripe handle. This is a nice thin everyday carry knife. I really don't see what the new SOG assisted-open knives have that makes them worth almost twice what Kershaws go for - they don't even have a steel liner. Oh, but they're 'tactical'.
I took a Leek
- Thread starter GunGoBoom
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And don't forget kiddies, when it's tactical, you can run faster and jump higher! Congrats on the knife steal. Great blades that are realistically priced. I believe my next purchase is going to be the Camillus Heat. But Kershaw has a couple of fixed blades that I can't see myself living without.....
Valkman
Member
Is the Outcast one? I got one at Blade and it's a great knife for chopping stuff!
My wife LOVES Kershaw folders - she bought 4 or 5 at Blade.
modifiedbrowning
Member
Kershaws are great, I have a Blackout, a Vapor and a Leek. I bought my Leek at Wal-Mart for $45, but they only have the stainless combo edge version.
Valk- Trooper (#3), Military (Strong in the #2 spot), and yes, the Outcast is the one I'm drooling over. I've been considering a Kukri-style knife for a while, this one has moved to the head of the pack. I have a Busse that handles any chopping chore, but I'm always looking for that "bang for the buck" knife. How is the sheath? I always compare the company by the sheath they provide- little details always impress me.
Valkman
Member
The Outcast sheath is a great big Kydex one - I'm not big on Kydex but it's pretty good for what you're paying.
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
Greetings All-
Hey folk's, I'm just getting into blades and know very little 'bout them.
My first purchase was a Benchmade 3550SBK Mel Pardue Auto, as I
liked the look and design. My second purchase was a smooth edged
Kershaw (Ken Onion) Leek 1660BB, of the blue-black anodized handle
design.
Either, may be used at times to open packaging upon receipt of firearms,
fishing gear, or their accessory's. Which would you recommend and why?
Hey folk's, I'm just getting into blades and know very little 'bout them.
My first purchase was a Benchmade 3550SBK Mel Pardue Auto, as I
liked the look and design. My second purchase was a smooth edged
Kershaw (Ken Onion) Leek 1660BB, of the blue-black anodized handle
design.
Either, may be used at times to open packaging upon receipt of firearms,
fishing gear, or their accessory's. Which would you recommend and why?
modifiedbrowning
Member
Ala Dan, I would suggest that you get a cheap box cutter, or one of the knives that use exacto blades. No need to dull your nice pocket knife on that stuff (though I've used em for that purpose myself).
A Leek! Why? Because they're fun! I love mine and the assisted opening is a huge plus. Plus the rainbow finish I have is pretty nifty (pictures don't do them justice). Lucky for me, my friend will sharpen mine up to a razor finish when it gets dull with his trusty Gatco, free of charge.
I bought a Kershaw Leek and carried it every day for more than a year.
I still carry the Leek, but have had some problems with it.
The "assisted opening" feature is whiz-bang and cool. That's primarily why I bought the Leek.
However, the "assisted opening" feature is no more.
Basically, I'm rough on stuff. I use my pocket knives.
It just took a couple of drops and bumps to ruin the assisted opening feature on my knife.
Also, in the course of carrying the knife, all the little special hex screws in the frame kept coming loose.
I had to keep tightening those little screws over and over. But one is now missing, and I have no idea where it went to.
Also, I have found that the little "safety" on the butt end of the knife is basically useless and downright annoying, because it tends to get stuck in the "safe" position right when I'm trying to open the knife.
I got so annoyed with having to constantly tighten the screws on the frame that I eventually took the thing completely apart, and pulled out the broken leaf spring that used to make the blade go "flick" at the touch of the little lever on base of the blade.
The bad thing is that the blade won't go "flick" any more.
The good thing is now, with that extra little piece gone, I can now tighten all the little hex screws down tight enough so that I can go for about a month without having to worry about tightening them all again.
I still carry the Kershaw. But now it just works like a regular pocket knife.
The next knife I buy will probably be a Spyderco.
It's that old adage at work again.
Something that's more complicated means it's got more parts to come loose or break or malfunction. And complicated and prone to breakage or coming loose is just not something I look for in a knife.
I still think the Kershaw assisted opening feature is wicked cool. It's just not for everyday use.
But from now on, I'll stick to more simple knife designs with fewer screws to come loose, and fewer parts and mechanisms to break with wear and use.
hillbilly
I still carry the Leek, but have had some problems with it.
The "assisted opening" feature is whiz-bang and cool. That's primarily why I bought the Leek.
However, the "assisted opening" feature is no more.
Basically, I'm rough on stuff. I use my pocket knives.
It just took a couple of drops and bumps to ruin the assisted opening feature on my knife.
Also, in the course of carrying the knife, all the little special hex screws in the frame kept coming loose.
I had to keep tightening those little screws over and over. But one is now missing, and I have no idea where it went to.
Also, I have found that the little "safety" on the butt end of the knife is basically useless and downright annoying, because it tends to get stuck in the "safe" position right when I'm trying to open the knife.
I got so annoyed with having to constantly tighten the screws on the frame that I eventually took the thing completely apart, and pulled out the broken leaf spring that used to make the blade go "flick" at the touch of the little lever on base of the blade.
The bad thing is that the blade won't go "flick" any more.
The good thing is now, with that extra little piece gone, I can now tighten all the little hex screws down tight enough so that I can go for about a month without having to worry about tightening them all again.
I still carry the Kershaw. But now it just works like a regular pocket knife.
The next knife I buy will probably be a Spyderco.
It's that old adage at work again.
Something that's more complicated means it's got more parts to come loose or break or malfunction. And complicated and prone to breakage or coming loose is just not something I look for in a knife.
I still think the Kershaw assisted opening feature is wicked cool. It's just not for everyday use.
But from now on, I'll stick to more simple knife designs with fewer screws to come loose, and fewer parts and mechanisms to break with wear and use.
hillbilly
congrats, ala Dan. I think Kershaws are the best value going in knives. AND they're American made (I think). I love my Leek, and now carry it every day - it's GREAT for opening boxes because it's so sharp & thin that it slides right into the tight spaces. And of course it's mondo sharp from the factory. My two favorite folding knives now are the Kershaw Leek and my new CRKT "Cruiser" (specifically, the Desert Cruiser). Man I love that knife. CRKTs are a great value too but they're made overseas. I can't seem to get past the looks of Spydercos, or the price of Benchmades. I also actually like the Gerber knives, both fixed and folders - they seem to be a good value as well. I'll have to check out this Outcast you speak of....Let's see....
Desert Cruiser:
http://www.crkt.com/dsrtcrsr.html (again, highly recommended, but large for EDC - this is my 'hunting & outdoor' EDC knife now, rather than 'daily EDC'. If you want to know why I like it so much, ask me in PM or a post).
Outcast:
http://www.kershawknives.com/large.htm
under "Outdoor Tools"
Hillbilly, you could just put a smidge of superglue, or other glue or epoxy on the safety, to hold in the "out" position, and voila. I find it to be the perfect EDC knive (that I've found so far). But then again, I'm not as rough on them as you are. The little "Scallion" Kershaw was NOT a good EDC knife because the assisted-opening on it was too sensitive to pressure, and it would accidentally come open in the pocket - dangerous. But the Leek is the goldilocks of the assisted-openers - it's the perfect balance of closed-tightly-yet-super-easy-opening.
Desert Cruiser:
http://www.crkt.com/dsrtcrsr.html (again, highly recommended, but large for EDC - this is my 'hunting & outdoor' EDC knife now, rather than 'daily EDC'. If you want to know why I like it so much, ask me in PM or a post).
Outcast:
http://www.kershawknives.com/large.htm
under "Outdoor Tools"
Hillbilly, you could just put a smidge of superglue, or other glue or epoxy on the safety, to hold in the "out" position, and voila. I find it to be the perfect EDC knive (that I've found so far). But then again, I'm not as rough on them as you are. The little "Scallion" Kershaw was NOT a good EDC knife because the assisted-opening on it was too sensitive to pressure, and it would accidentally come open in the pocket - dangerous. But the Leek is the goldilocks of the assisted-openers - it's the perfect balance of closed-tightly-yet-super-easy-opening.
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
Thanks guy's for the congrats on the purchase of the Kershaw Leek folder~
Att: Hillbilly -
How 'bout a smidgen of blue "Loc-Tite" on those hex head threads,
would that not work?
Att: Hillbilly -
How 'bout a smidgen of blue "Loc-Tite" on those hex head threads,
would that not work?
I'll try the Loc-Tite on the screws, but I'll still be annoyed for having to do it in the first place.
Again, the biggest problem is that the "assisted opening" feature proved to be fragile.
Here's how it broke.
Because I teach at a college, I can't really walk around with a knife clip showing on the outside of my pocket.
I have a lot of stuff in my pockets for what I do during the day, and thus any pocket knife I have on me is truly a "pocket" knife.
I was on a hard tile floor and I reached into my pocket to get my keys to open a locked storage room.
When I pulled the keys out, the knife that sits at the very bottom of the pocket, underneath the keys, came with them, and fell onto the hard tile floor from however high the top of my right pocket is.
After the fall, the blade had come just barely open, and when I picked it up the assisted opening feature would not work any more.
A while later, when I took out the little hex screws that had come so loose, and took the handle apart, a small dark leaf spring with an obvious break at one end just fell out of the knife.
One good fall on a tile floor from pocket height is apparently enough to destroy the assisted opening feature on a Leek.
hillbilly
Again, the biggest problem is that the "assisted opening" feature proved to be fragile.
Here's how it broke.
Because I teach at a college, I can't really walk around with a knife clip showing on the outside of my pocket.
I have a lot of stuff in my pockets for what I do during the day, and thus any pocket knife I have on me is truly a "pocket" knife.
I was on a hard tile floor and I reached into my pocket to get my keys to open a locked storage room.
When I pulled the keys out, the knife that sits at the very bottom of the pocket, underneath the keys, came with them, and fell onto the hard tile floor from however high the top of my right pocket is.
After the fall, the blade had come just barely open, and when I picked it up the assisted opening feature would not work any more.
A while later, when I took out the little hex screws that had come so loose, and took the handle apart, a small dark leaf spring with an obvious break at one end just fell out of the knife.
One good fall on a tile floor from pocket height is apparently enough to destroy the assisted opening feature on a Leek.
hillbilly
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
Att: Hillbilly-
Sorry to hear 'bout your Kershaw Leek breaking so quickly, with what
one would think would be normal wear; with certainly NO intended
abuse. I too, think the factory ought to fix or replace your Leek at
NO cost to you~
Sorry to hear 'bout your Kershaw Leek breaking so quickly, with what
one would think would be normal wear; with certainly NO intended
abuse. I too, think the factory ought to fix or replace your Leek at
NO cost to you~
Hillbilly, Kershaw should fix your Leek up for you. Looks like you fall under the "defective" part of their Limited Lifetime Warranty. I think they replace the torsion bar when it wears out from use, also (its guaranteed for 10,000 openings or something like that). The screws have also been a little iffy for me too. I don't carry it all day (high schools aren't exactly knife friendly to students ), but it is definitely looser than it was when I got it. Anyone know the name of the screwdriver needed for the screws, as I wouldn't mind reversing the belt clip?
), but it is definitely looser than it was when I got it. Anyone know the name of the screwdriver needed for the screws, as I wouldn't mind reversing the belt clip?I have the Kershaw Blackout. Nice design and well made except for 2 things.
1. The 440A steel doesn't hold an edge very well, though it does sharpen up to a nice edge pretty easily, except;
2. The edge is warped. Part of the straight edge toward the back of the blade is laterally warped and won't come into contact with the sharpening stone.
I give it a 7 out of 10. It would be a 9 with a 440C blade that was true...
1. The 440A steel doesn't hold an edge very well, though it does sharpen up to a nice edge pretty easily, except;
2. The edge is warped. Part of the straight edge toward the back of the blade is laterally warped and won't come into contact with the sharpening stone.
I give it a 7 out of 10. It would be a 9 with a 440C blade that was true...
texas bulldog
Member
really old thread, i know, but i was doing some searches for knife stuff...
hillbilly:
i've dropped my kershaw leek many times. usually it flicks open loudly and dramatically, drawing stares from all those nearby. but it has never broken, and i use the crap out of that knife. i must flick it open 20 or more times a day. sounds to me like you got a defective knife. and if you've still got it [a year and a half later], i would suggest contacting kershaw to fix it.
good luck.
hillbilly:
i've dropped my kershaw leek many times. usually it flicks open loudly and dramatically, drawing stares from all those nearby. but it has never broken, and i use the crap out of that knife. i must flick it open 20 or more times a day. sounds to me like you got a defective knife. and if you've still got it [a year and a half later
], i would suggest contacting kershaw to fix it.good luck.
Rey B
Member
For anybody needing parts or repair work here is the email contact at Kershaw.
[email protected] I emailed them about some parts for mine and three days late got a package in the mail with parts and a tool for all the torx screws in the knife. I will buy more of these for just that reason.
[email protected] I emailed them about some parts for mine and three days late got a package in the mail with parts and a tool for all the torx screws in the knife. I will buy more of these for just that reason.
Hillbilly, I think you must have gotten one that slipped through the cracks, as it were. I've had a stainless Leek for several years now, and it's been through the wash -and- the dryer TWICE. Both times, I lost the "lock" (the plastic part that locks it closed) due to the heat, and the second time around I lost the point of the blade (punched holes in a few shirts, too). After the first incident (the knife was >2 years old), I wrote an email to the factory from their website, asking for pricing info on replacement locks so I could buy one. They sent me 4 bagged lock kits, for free, which were in my hands 7 days after I wrote to them. I was pretty impressed, and wrote them back to say so.
I've NEVER had any of the hex screws back out on me. The only thing about them that irritates me is that they're in 3 different sizes!
I've NEVER had any of the hex screws back out on me. The only thing about them that irritates me is that they're in 3 different sizes!
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