Buck Rush or Kershaw Ken Onion Leek Help?!?

T

TB383

Joined
Aug 25, 2005
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29
Hey guys I am very new to knifes and not to long ago I started to carry one with me everywhere I go. Anyways I am new to knifes and need some help on picking a new knife. I fish alot and having a knife that has assissted opening is needed. Also I am wanting to carry in pocket so clip is good too. I dont want to spend a fortune (around 50$- 90$) on a new one. I have found two knifes that look decent for price and what they are.

Buck Rush and Kershaw Ken Onion Leek The Buck rush comes in either ATS-34 or 440hc. The Leek comes 440a. I dont know much about these but I am leaning to the Rush with the ATS-34 blade.

Just looking for what yall think the best knife is for me.

Please any help out there would be appreciated and if anyone else knows of a better knife for my situiation please tell. Like the forum alot and has already expanded my knowledge of knifes. Thanks guys
 
Check out the new Spec-Bump. It has 3D textured G10 scales over stainless steel liners, black DLC coated blade, the blade is CPM 154CM and the lock is the new Stud Lock. Street price is supposed to be $100-$130.

I've been carrying one for about a week and I like it. If it cuts as well as my frame lock Bump I will be very happy. :thumbup:

The image is from Skylands Cutlery:

K1596.jpg
 
From the original question, I would go with the Buck. It is a meatier knife, and I happen to think the action on it is much better than the leek. The ATS 34, will out perform the 420HC and the 440A.
I would also recomend looking at the Buck Tempest and Sirus. I think the handles are more comfortable than the Rush.
 
Go with whatever you like better. Probably both are great. But I would rather have the Kershaw, they are truely great knives for the price. As for the steel issue you won't notice the difference for everyday things.
 
Thanks for all the help guys... I guess both the knifes are really a decent knife for the prices of them. I went and checked out the Rush and i like it. I guess before I purchase it i do want to check out the Kershaw though. Anyone know of a good knife shop around the DFW, Texas area?
 
Also yall mentioned the SOG knifes cound someone explain alittle on that...Which model and personal expierences? I just am wanting to get the best deal on a decent quality knife.
 
Hi TB383,
I'd like to offer my suggestions, as someone who has fished close to 50 years, and also had knives that long.

The main consideration with a fishing knife is having to work with water, fish slime, dirt, and possibly a pitching boat. Your knife will be wet with water for a good proportion of the time you use it, and will also be covered with fish slime, blood, and guts. That means the knife must have a GOOD GRIP. That also means that you must keep your fingers away from the blade, which means that liner-lock knives are OUT! One slimy slip of the knife while your thumb is on the liner lock, and you are cut. As for dirt getting into the knife workings, if you fish from shore, you will have to put your knife down on the dirt or sand some times, so you don't want a knife that has lots of open spaces in the handle, etc.

Therefore, I strongly advise against both of your choices. The Buck Tempest has huge handle cut-outs, as well as a liner lock. The Kershaw Leek has a liner lock.

I would suggest a knife that has a solid handle, which also has good grip when wet, and a lock-back to keep your fingers away from the closing blade.

I would also suggest that you do not need "assisted opening", because in a pitching boat, or in the exciting action with a fish on, such a knife will be likely to accidentally open. You want more safety than that! I think what you want is a "one-hand opening" knife, which a lot of knives have, using a thumb hole or stud in the blade.

Personally, I use fixed blade knives for fishing: no need to open a blade, and no workings to worry about dirt and stuff in. So, I can't give you a personally-tried folder suggestion, but check out the grip on this lock-back! The CRKT Hammond Cascade Lockback:
php6TLxk5_550-.75x550_34196.jpg


The Kershaw Black Colt II also has a nice grip, plus a lock-back. But, it is a 2-handed opener:
KE-1045A.jpg


And there's the Spyderco Pacific Salt, with a new type of blade steel that's supposed to be rust-proof. It has a harder material for the handles, so it would pull out of your pocket easier than those rubber-type handled knives above:
C91YL_M.jpg


Tight lines!
 
I understand exactly what you are saying but I will be using this knife also as a daily knife not just for fishing. I said i would be using it alot for fishing but now that I think about what you just said, it wont be used as much as I may have implied. I guess I could change it to just a all around pocket knife, for use on everyday stuff.
 
Pocketknife wrote: "I'd like to offer my suggestions, as someone who has fished close to 50 years, and also had knives that long.
The Kershaw Leek has a liner lock.
Personally, I use fixed blade knives for fishing: no need to open a blade, and no workings to worry about dirt and stuff in."

That's really good advice.

Just a small correction - not that is should affect the overall recommendations - the original Kershaw Leek was a frame-lock - which although seem to be "same-difference" - it is not, since the normal action of gripping tighter - actually tightens the lock.
(note: there are also now liner-lock versions of the original frame-lock Leek).

As a general purpose (NON-fishing) knife I like the (frame-lock) Leek a lot - having EDC one at home for over 2 1/2 years now -
please see this review and discussion -

Kershaw/Ken Onion LEEK (pics)

I really like the recommendation of a fixed blade over a folder - the stainless steel and plastic handled Moras - like the Swedish Army Knife - are both inexpensive and very good quality - true bang for the buck (pun intended :D)

--
Vincent

http://UnknownVT2005.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVT.cjb.net/
http://UnknownVincent.cjb.net/
 
Yes, it is wise to get a separate knife just for fishing. I've found it's usually impossible to find an "all-purpose" tool for most situations. An easy example is wanting a vehicle that can haul a big trailer, and is also very good on gas. A good hauler would be a full-sized diesel pickup truck, and a good gas miser would be a tiny car.

So, ya, get a good "town" knive for every day, and also get a fishin' knife to toss in your tackle box, that also fits on your belt. I've used the Scandanavian knives like UnknownVT suggested for years. Good knives, easy to sharpen, and when (not if...when!) you lose one overboard, it won't make your wallet cry!

Here's my current fishing knife, the Frost River Knife.
4004222_v1_m56577569830518282.jpg


It is regularly exposed to saltwater, and is still in great shape (although I do rinse it in fresh water ASAP after use). I don't know what kind of stainless steel it has, but it gets a scary-sharp edge. This knife only cost me CAN$12, so that's about US$9.

The double hilt is a vast improvement over the others I've had, with no hilts at all. That, combined with the good grip of the handle material, and the little turn-down at the butt, make this knive almost "lock" into my hand. No more fingers riding up onto the sharp blade! It is a very, very good handle, in my opinion.

This knife also has an excellent plastic/rubber sheath that has nothing to corrode, and it keeps the knife very secure. The opening of the sheath snaps over the knife's hilt, and there is also a nice, tight snap-strap across the top of the handle. The only thing I don't like about this knife is the blade is a little long, at 4". I prefer a 3" blade on my belt for fishing, since I also have a longer, thinner, flexible blade in my fishing box for filleting. But, if my filetting knife is not around, the 4" blade will do...for the small fish, at least!

UnknownVT, that's interesting info about the older Leeks having a frame lock. There's always something more to learn!
 
alright, So I will get a seperate knife just for fishing, like you were saying just to throw in the tackle box. Now back to what knife should I get for a everyday knife? Good knife thats not a fortune but will last a long time and is a good overall knife for everyday stuff? Any suggestions? By the way I appreciate all the help yall are giving, awesome stuff.
 
I took a Scallion (assisted open w/liner lock) on a fishing trip and it did great. I was glad to have knife that opened and closed easily with one hand because I usually holding onto my pole, hook, or line with the other hand.
 
Yea that Scallion looks like a nice smaller pocket knife that i could also take with me fishing and use for everyday stuff. Its similar to the Buck Rush in size. The Rush hase ATS 34 blade which from my understanding is better than 420HC, which the Scallion has. So what knife do yall think i should get? What SOG knifes out there are nice for what I am looking for?
 
TB383 said:
Anyone know of a good knife shop around the DFW, Texas area?
Click to expand...
There may be a better one, but if not, there's always Cheaper Than Dirt, up on Loop 820 (on the north side of FW). See their website at www.cheaperthandirt.com. They've got a fair-to-middlin' assortment of Kershaws, BM's, etc. in the store.

Mike
 
I have a Twitch 2 also. I like the knife but the Scallion gets more pocket time. The Twich 2 is most definitely a two hand closer, it is a lockback. I'm sure one could figure out how to close it one handed but it won't be easy. Altough the Scallion is a liner lock I feel it is a bit more secure than the Twitch 2's pass-through lock back. I get blade woble on the Twitch 2, none on the Scallion. I tried to adjust the pivot on the Twitch but then it wouldn't spring fully open. It is a tricky matter to adjust the pivot just right so that it allows the knife to spring open and limits blade wobble as well. I can literally turn the pivot with my thumb. Until I get some loctite the Twitch 2 will not be carried too often.
 
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