Kershaw Leek

[qwert65]

I went to use my Kershaw Leek yesterday and could not open it eithier with the bar or the thumb stud. When I had an opportunity I banged it hard against a wall(the butt end of the handle) It now works fine.

Anyone else have this prob? Just giving a heads up for those like me who sometimes need a knife "right now" that maybe it's not the best for that.

It's the Buck sirius for me now, though the damn thing is quite dull and I don't have time to sharpen it. Anyone use Bucks sharpening service?

 

[Shytheed Dumas]

The "safety" is the onlything that's ever tripped me up opening my leek and it keeps a seriously sharp edge. I'm thinking of removing the safety. I wonder if you had some grit that got knocked loose when you hit it on the wall?

 

[Limeyfellow]

You could always use a number 6 torx driver to screw down the safety really tight out of the way. That works just fine.

I never had a problem with mine opening. Maybe something was stuck in the mechanism or a problem with the torsion bar being bent.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Sharpening?

Anyone use Bucks sharpening service?

Used it a couple of years ago. At that time, the charge was $5.00, and I paid cash at the window (I live near the factory).

I had acquired an old El Cahon era #301 Stockman with scratched blades and poorly maintained edges. I took it to the factory, and picked it up a few days later. The edge was perfect, the blades had been polished, and the whole knife had been cleaned up. I was impressed.

I posted [post=5767578]pictures of it here[/post] at the time.

Here's one of them:


Their service is first rate.

I believe the sharpening service cost has gone up since then. Probably more like $10.00 to get your perfect edge back.

If they find that the knife has problems too serious to correct, they will usually just replace it without comment.

I took my Buck 298 Sirus back to get the liner lock repaired; it was jamming under certain conditions. My Sirus had a factory blemish and the (154CM) blade was signed by both Chuck and CJ Buck, so normally they would call before replacing that knife. When I got it back, I found they had replaced it with a brand new knife (no more blem) and had gotten the (ATS-34) blade signed by Chuck and CJ before returning it to me. No charge.


I should mention that both Kershaw and Buck are very strong on customer service and, given a defective knife, they will both make it right.

If you call Kershaw, I would imagine they would do the same thing Buck would do, and have you send them the knife for cleaning and repair at no cost.


You may already know that the Sirus is substantially heavier than the Leek, and won't be as handy in casual use. I own both. In a normal office environment I would always prefer the Leek over the Sirus.

If I really felt I had to replace the Leek with something made by Buck, I would go with the Vantage.

The Vantage is light, flat, and quick to open. It's a one-hand opener, using either the thumb hole or the "flipper" tab. It snaps right open, is kept open by a liner lock. It has no springs at all, and a very smooth action. It is available in 420HC (Select), Sandvik 13c26 (Avid), or S30V (Pro). I have the Avid, in 13c26 steel. I carry it regularly. I'm a big fan.


Seriously, though, you should call Kershaw and see about getting your Leek fixed. From my own experience, I can tell you it's an excellent EDC.

 

[qwert65]

Arfin,
I guess since you live by the factory you don't know turn around time? Sounds like a good deal though.
I did not know the Leek has a safety I will look in to it.

I actually prefer the Sirus (why its dull) I like the extra heft when cutting syringe tips. When I wear jeans its my knife of choice. Where I am now is professional so I had the leek cause it weighs down my khakis less plus all the other crap in my pockets.

I'm not a knife guy, I actually bought both of these knives thinking they were just manually operated; The Buck off the Internet, and the Leek at Dicks. I appreciate a sharp knife but they are tools to me.

Thx for the replies guys

 

[blindhari]

I am a little flabbergasted. I have a dozen lightnings with a half serrated edge that I use as everyday carry. I have used these as knives, screwdrivers, prybars, sheet metal punches. Every time I had a half dozen in the sharpen drawer I just sent the batch to Buck. Back they came in new condition no charge. I didn't know they had a pay sharpen service. I have a friend that works (?) for Buck and I am going to have to give her a call on Monday. I am a wood carver and for that I use a RAZOR wheel and cerium oxide polish.

blindhari

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Safety?

I did not know the Leek has a safety I will look in to it.

Ah. Yes.

The Leek's safety looks like a rivet installed in a slot at the tail end of the handle. It has about an eighth of an inch of travel and, when engaged, it blocks the very tip of the blade so it won't open. It prevents embarrassing really-sharp-point-in-the-thigh syndrome.

I can still open mine one-handed even with the safety engaged; it just requires a thumb & forefinger pinch to slide if off, then adjust my grip to flick it open.

In re-reading your original post, it sounds like you did pretty much what I did the first time I accidentally engaged the safety, except that I didn't whack mine to disengage it; I just stared at it until I grasped what had happened, and spent the next fifteen minutes playing with the safety.

 

[joshk-k]

I went ahead and took the safety off of mine. I had no need for it, and it even though I didn't lock it when finishing a task, it always locked itself as it was drawn out of my pocket. Without fail. I haven't had any embarrassing thigh wounds. I did leave the safety intact for the Kershaw Scallion (the little sibling) that I just sent to a friend for his ninth birthday.

Great knife.
Josh

 

[qwert65]

Ok, I think that safety was the problem. I'm very happy if that's what it is. Now I'll carry this and send my other one out for sharpening. Thanks for the replies guys. I feel kinda dumb now.

 

[Texas Gun Person]

I don't use the safety on any of the Kershaw knives I own. They are a pain to use because you'll find yourself trying to deploy the knife only to have the safety stop you.

I carry Kershaw pretty much everyday and have yet to have one open up in my pocket by itself.

 

[7X57chilmau]

It had to be the safety. THe Leek's speedsafe assist mechanism is VERY simple - it just cannot prevent the blade from opening.

I used blue locktight to keep my lock unlocked.... A twist of the screwdriver and it becomes functional again, but I never use the lock on my Leek.

My Onion/Centofante has a much more funcitonal lock location (at the pivot end) and I much prefer this one.

J