- Joined
- Nov 16, 2002
- Messages
- 9,948
Thomas W of Kershaw/KAI recently provided me access to a Kershaw brand Leek folding pocketknife designed by Ken Onion. From borrowing STR's Kershaw brand Storm and Storm II folding pocketknives, I've found that tip-down right-handed pocket clips work great in my left front pocket (I'd better order that Spyderco Centofante 4 pretty soon, then!). Also, from my Blackout and Vapor to STR's Storms, I've been impressed with the consistant quality of Kershaw's locking liner knives (nested and integral). An extra bonus for the lock is the integral blade guard. Should the liner fail to engage the lock for some reason, the user's index finger provides positive pressure against the integral guard. It's similar to the choil seen on some Spyderco, Strider, and Boker brand knives only it's not as obvious as the choils on such knives.
Vincent Tseng's reviews of the Leek have pretty much said all that needs to be said about the knife although Kershaw is switching over the blade from 440A to Sandvik brand 13C26 steel. The distal taper is very noticeable and the tip is quite fine as a result. The handle is made out of bead-blasted stainless steel and one of those steel scales provides the locking liner. The bead-blasted finish is nice because this folder is going to see both enjoyable useage and scrape against one's car keys. It's being steel is enjoyable because steel is harder than titanium and can provide more strength with less volume (albeit with more weight).
The blade arrived with a very sharp factory edge and was set up for right-handed tip-down carry. Works great for left-handed carry that way. If you're one of those people who can't get pocket knife with a thin enough edge out of the box, the thin hollow grind allows for easy thinning. Lay it flat and seek out that burr, cowboy. If you're not one of those people, don't worry; the edge is thin enough for pleasing cutting and thick enough not to blow out when slicing open plastic.
The Leek has Ken Onion's SpeedSafe assisted-opening mechanism. I don't like that I like it. I'm not supposed to like making the knife pop open without effort and yet I do. I get a kick out of it. The knife also has a safety to reduce the likelihood of accidental SpeedSafe openings. The safety button slides on and off the spine-side tip of the blade and can be tightened or loosened with a T6 size Torx driver. Since everyone has a multi-size Husky Torx driver from Home Depot (or should. Go get one! Go go!), tightening the safety is problemo nada.
The handle is a little small in my hand and I have smallish hands. Even so, the Leek is comfortable in most every grip I've tried. The hammer grip with thumb on spine popularized by Michael Janich is very comfortable. Fall asleep with the knife in a death grasp comfortable.
So about distrusting locking liners. What's a d00d to do? I put my trusty Leek in a vise and torqued left and right with the blade being grasped near the spine and then further towards the tip (not on the tip itself as it's very thin) and no unlocking occurred. Survived light spinewhacks, too.
Guess all that's left to do is cut more than plastic and to take pics of the blade. Thinned out the edge a bit by laying the knife flat to a DMT brand D8XXC hone, so ignore how fugly my Leek looks and anticipate the gorgeousness of yours.
Vincent Tseng's reviews of the Leek have pretty much said all that needs to be said about the knife although Kershaw is switching over the blade from 440A to Sandvik brand 13C26 steel. The distal taper is very noticeable and the tip is quite fine as a result. The handle is made out of bead-blasted stainless steel and one of those steel scales provides the locking liner. The bead-blasted finish is nice because this folder is going to see both enjoyable useage and scrape against one's car keys. It's being steel is enjoyable because steel is harder than titanium and can provide more strength with less volume (albeit with more weight).
The blade arrived with a very sharp factory edge and was set up for right-handed tip-down carry. Works great for left-handed carry that way. If you're one of those people who can't get pocket knife with a thin enough edge out of the box, the thin hollow grind allows for easy thinning. Lay it flat and seek out that burr, cowboy. If you're not one of those people, don't worry; the edge is thin enough for pleasing cutting and thick enough not to blow out when slicing open plastic.
The Leek has Ken Onion's SpeedSafe assisted-opening mechanism. I don't like that I like it. I'm not supposed to like making the knife pop open without effort and yet I do. I get a kick out of it. The knife also has a safety to reduce the likelihood of accidental SpeedSafe openings. The safety button slides on and off the spine-side tip of the blade and can be tightened or loosened with a T6 size Torx driver. Since everyone has a multi-size Husky Torx driver from Home Depot (or should. Go get one! Go go!), tightening the safety is problemo nada.
The handle is a little small in my hand and I have smallish hands. Even so, the Leek is comfortable in most every grip I've tried. The hammer grip with thumb on spine popularized by Michael Janich is very comfortable. Fall asleep with the knife in a death grasp comfortable.
So about distrusting locking liners. What's a d00d to do? I put my trusty Leek in a vise and torqued left and right with the blade being grasped near the spine and then further towards the tip (not on the tip itself as it's very thin) and no unlocking occurred. Survived light spinewhacks, too.
Guess all that's left to do is cut more than plastic and to take pics of the blade. Thinned out the edge a bit by laying the knife flat to a DMT brand D8XXC hone, so ignore how fugly my Leek looks and anticipate the gorgeousness of yours.
It might stop cutting real well if it finds out!