Kershaw Leek: blade material?

[Gord]

Okay, I'm hoping hso or others can give me a straight answer on this.

Girlfriend bought me a Rainbow Leek, model 1660VIB, for Christmas. I love it, but I'll love it just a tiny bit more once I know exactly what the blade steel is. It isn't marked anywhere on the knife, and the internets is telling me variously that it's 420/440HC, 440A/B, Sandvik 13C26 or "composite."

Just want to know what I've got here. Thanks!

ETA: A big thumbs-up for Kershaw CS as well. Noticed today that one of the Torx screws holding the pocket clip on had fallen out; called in to inquire as to the thread/size of screw (couldn't tell whether it was 2-56 or M2) and the CS rep simply told me that replacement screws were on the way free of charge. It's the little stuff...

 

[JShirley]

According to Kershaw, your model has 410 series stainless, covered by titanium.

 

[Gord]

Dude, you're making it worse - that's the handle material.

 

[hso]

Older Leeks had 440A and then they switched to Sandvik 13C26.

Nothing says they have to stay with the same blade steel when a "better" alternative presents itself.

 

[Gord]

Many thanks.

Are the Leeks in other finishes as slippery as the Rainbow is? Only downside I've managed to find so far; sure wouldn't want to be playing with it while covered in oil or dust or sweat or blood, but I suppose that's true of most knives without guards.

 

[rust collector]

My S30V G-10 leek won't let go. Has a tendency to rasp the pocket, but it's worth it to me to get away from a cold/slippery metal scale.

 

[Limeyfellow]

The 410 stainless handles are as slippery as the Rainbow Leeks. I found the red smoke, blue smoke and so on with the 6061-T6 anodized aluminum handles to be less slippery. I can keep a decent hold on the ones of these I have. The G10 handled ones stay in place really well and would be my recommendation, but of course you'll pay much more for it. I never handled the 410 stainless-steel handles with the tungsten DLC coat. I should really one of these days and see how it compares to my other Leeks.

For the blade material look at the date on the knife. On July 8th 2008 they phased out 440A and went over to Sandvik 13C26. Since it sounds like your knife is more modern than this it is likely the Sandvik 13c26.

 

[Gord]

Any way to date it? I've looked around on the knife, the box and all accompanying paperwork - there's no serial number or anything else that would uniquely identify the knife. The box has a standard barcode label - that's it.

I'm fairly certain it is 13C26 because I've used it quite a bit and the blade hasn't dulled that I can notice yet (unlike 440, which, IME, holds an edge okay for light work but dulls really quickly in heavy cutting) but it was purchased off eBay so I have no idea to really know whether or not it's old stock.

 

[Limeyfellow]

It should be dated on the blade with the month and year usually. This is done in some sort of white ink on the rainbow and tungsten coated and in black ink on the other models. Not sure on the pink handled one. I got one coming in for a friend for her birthday. Of course now my wife wants the pink handled one too. This is going to be an expensive time of the year.

I don't know for sure though if every Rainbow is date marked liked that.

 

[Gord]

It would appear mine, at least, is not - I've not yet disassembled the knife (need to find those bloody Torx screwdrivers first) but the only markings are the usual "Kershaw Speedsafe USA" on the handle and the model number markings on the blade. I'm curious to see if there's a date code etched somewhere on the inner handles or something.

And yeah, my girlfriend is demanding a pink one as well. Birthday's coming up.

 

[Limeyfellow]

I am still sad that there is a scratch on my smoky blue leek. I dropped it outside in the snow for two weeks where it got run over a few dozen times by cars and trucks, before it rained enough to melt the snow and finally find the bugger. It looks like at least the snow plow only knocked it off the road into the path of the USPS truck lady drives to my postbox. That knife is pretty tough. My lesson was to make sure I have it clipped in my pocket properly next time.

 

[millertyme]

Kershaw CS is awesome - on par with Ruger, etc. I had a Tanto Blur and the serrations chipped off. I sent them an email, then sent them my kinf and they replaced it with the standard profile model per my request free of charge. Since then, they have also sent me a replacement pivot screw the same as you.

 

[Gord]

I also inquired about the size of the clip screws for my old Vapor, which I'd stripped after forgetting that I'd Loctited them in - they offered to send me a whole new knife if I'd just send mine back. I declined that offer; but man, they will definitely go above and beyond to make things right, even for the sake of a $15 Chinese-made knife.