Kershaw 1660CF blade tip question

[Bazuke]

Hey everybody,

1st post here and i’m really going to show my level of novice. I couldn’t find a sub forum for Kershaw/KAI, so delete or move this post if need be.

I’ve been carrying a Kershaw Thermite for a couple of years and it was used mainly in a warehouse setting for breaking down boxes, etc. I no longer work in a field that requires much knife use, so I wanted to pick up a blade that was much more pocket friendly than the Thermite.

I ended up picking up the Leek with the carbon fiber handles and CPM154 blade, but had a question about the tip of the blade. When I look at the blade, from the top of the spine looking down, the tip angles in on the right side and is straight on the left side. I assume this is the design of the blade and that i’m ignorant, but wanted to double check while i’m still within the return period. I have attached pictures below to explain what i’m trying to say.

Can someone tell me is this is normal?

 

[Velitrius]

I'm looking at a 1660CF as we speak, and my tip looks nothing like yours.... mine comes to a tip evenly on both sides. My eyes may be deceiving me, but mine also seems to be a bit thinner at the tip than the one pictured.

As far as the knife itself, the Leek is one of my favorites and the CF and CPM154 steel make it a perfect carry.

Your photos don't show the edge, so I can't see if it is ground unevenly all the way to the tip.

Up to you as to whether you want to return it. It's certainly one of the pricier Leeks as it approaches the hundred dollar mark.

I'm interested to see if there is anyone else who has one ground thusly.

 

[Bazuke]

I'm looking at a 1660CF as we speak, and my tip looks nothing like yours.... mine comes to a tip evenly on both sides. My eyes may be deceiving me, but mine also seems to be a bit thinner at the tip than the one pictured.

As far as the knife itself, the Leek is one of my favorites and the CF and CPM154 steel make it a perfect carry.

Your photos don't show the edge, so I can't see if it is ground unevenly all the way to the tip.

Up to you as to whether you want to return it. It's certainly one of the pricier Leeks as it approaches the hundred dollar mark.

I'm interested to see if there is anyone else who has one ground thusly.

Thanks Velitrius for commenting. The size is perfect for me and it will only be used for easy slicing task as it’s intended. I’ve read good things about CPM154, so I am very happy about the purchase. $70 is no small amount of money though, so if it’s determined to be abnormal then I would probably exchange it.

Here’s the best shots I could get of the edge.

 

[Old Biker]

That's not normal for any Leek I have seen. You can fix it with some careful sharpening, or send it back. The choice is yours. If you have a sharpening system and skills that you are comfortable with, you could fix it tonight and be carrying it tomorrow. If not I would say send it back.

O.B.

 

[Velitrius]

Okay, Tip Exam: Redux...

So I examined your edge pics, and compared them to mine. Pretty similar.

So I hand my knife off to my son, who has the younger eyes. I show him your pic of your tip and hand him my knife for a comparo...

He says that while not exactly the same, our tips are similar in their askew-ness.

So I go in search of a magnifying glass and eyeball the tip of my knife under the lights.

Yes, closer examination reveals that the tip on your knife and the tip on mine are somewhat similar.

O Old Biker is right though: Give me a couple swipes on the Sharpmaker and this issue is over.

 

[Bastler]

Welcome to the forum. I would use it and sharpen it until the uneven edge resolves itself, or you could contact Kershaw with your concerns. My experience with Kershaw customer service has been exemplary.

 

[Bazuke]

O Old Biker Thanks for throwing in some insight. I’ve watched a few youtube videos on freehand sharpening to get the idea, but am a noob and have never sharpened a blade before. I’m going to practice on my Thermite once I learn decide on a system.

Velitrius Thanks for getting the youth involved haha! I appreciate you really taking a look into it for me. Since it’s not something that is detrimental, I just may just end up keeping it and fix it once I get some sharpening experience.

Bastler Thanks for the welcome, it’s a pleasure to be here. I’ve read some good things about Kershaw’s customer service so i’m not worried. I bought the blade about 5 days ago from Amazon, so I would just exchange it thru them since it’s within the first 30 days.

 

[MolokaiRider]

It’s not uncommon unfortunately for grinds to be wonky.

From my personal experiences, if I notice something that bothers me, it usually will keep bothering me.

Send it back to the distributor you bought it from if it’s still unused and explain the issue, and get a replacement.

Amazon has a long history of selling knives that are not always factory firsts, or even returns. I have had some knives that were fine, and others that were obviously returns. I have even had fakes that we sent as authentic.

 

[Bazuke]

It’s not uncommon unfortunately for grinds to be wonky.

From my personal experiences, if I notice something that bothers me, it usually will keep bothering me.

Send it back to the distributor you bought it from if it’s still unused and explain the issue, and get a replacement.

Amazon has a long history of selling knives that are not always factory firsts, or even returns. I have had some knives that were fine, and others that were obviously returns. I have even had fakes that we sent as authentic.

I personally can be pretty obsessive when it comes to things sometimes..i’m the fool that picks the box behind the box when purchasing something lol

I kinda feel the same about amazon. I’ve been eyeing some spyderco’s and when I decide on one, i’m definitely going to look elsewhere.

I should probably just keep this Leek, with my luck i’ll get one with a perfect blade but will be off center lol, we’ll see.

 

[MolokaiRider]

It it’s any consolation, I also have that model Leek.

My first one would not lock up (the liner lock would barely engage the tang). I sent it to Kershaw with the warranty form, and it was returned in the same condition. I called the customer service dept., explained the situation, and sent it back in.

They sent me a new knife that was perfect. Granted, I’m out shipping costs twice, but finally received a perfect example.

The carbon fiber CPM-154 Leek is an awesome EDC!

 

[Bazuke]

It it’s any consolation, I also have that model Leek.

My first one would not lock up (the liner lock would barely engage the tang). I sent it to Kershaw with the warranty form, and it was returned in the same condition. I called the customer service dept., explained the situation, and sent it back in.

They sent me a new knife that was perfect. Granted, I’m out shipping costs twice, but finally received a perfect example.

The carbon fiber CPM-154 Leek is an awesome EDC!

I appreciate the words of encouragement! I do like everything about it so far.

 

[comis]

I went back and checked the two copies I have, one from 10+ years ago and the other one in more recent years. Turns out the older one suffers the same problem you'd mentioned, the uneven grind from side to side is obvious, but I never actually noticed it in use. The more recent one seems to have thinner stock, and the grind more even.

But I agree with what other said, if that bothers you, definitely exchange it while you can. You could reprofile it to make it even, but it certainly will take some time and practice with the right tools. Meanwhile, it will be so much easier to just exchange it.

 

[Bazuke]

I went back and checked the two copies I have, one from 10+ years ago and the other one in more recent years. Turns out the older one suffers the same problem you'd mentioned, the uneven grind from side to side is obvious, but I never actually noticed it in use. The more recent one seems to have thinner stock, and the grind more even.

But I agree with what other said, if that bothers you, definitely exchange it while you can. You could reprofile it to make it even, but it certainly will take some time and practice with the right tools. Meanwhile, it will be so much easier to just exchange it.

Thanks for taking the time to look at yours for comparison. I’d do a lot worse trying to reprofile it, just need to decide if I want to overlook and keep it I guess. I really shouldn’t be so critical since it’s just a fancy tool.

 

[Velitrius]

Thanks for taking the time to look at yours for comparison. I’d do a lot worse trying to reprofile it, just need to decide if I want to overlook and keep it I guess. I really shouldn’t be so critical since it’s just a fancy tool.

This attitude is what keeps me from looking at knives with microscopic attention. I generally look to make sure the blades are centered enough not to hit the scales, and see that there is no blade play. If it isn't sharp out of the box, I sharpen it. And into the pocket it goes.

Now that you've shown me that my knife has its own defining characteristic making it uniquely my own, I'm happier about it.

 

[metsfan]

Just looks like an asymmetrical grind to me, nothing to even concern yourself with. It’ll still cut perfectly, so just enjoy that Leek!

 

[Bazuke]

This attitude is what keeps me from looking at knives with microscopic attention. I generally look to make sure the blades are centered enough not to hit the scales, and see that there is no blade play. If it isn't sharp out of the box, I sharpen it. And into the pocket it goes.

Now that you've shown me that my knife has its own defining characteristic making it uniquely my own, I'm happier about it.

Love it, definitely a more stress free lifestyle!

 

[Bazuke]

Just looks like an asymmetrical grind to me, nothing to even concern yourself with. It’ll still cut perfectly, so just enjoy that Leek!

The asymmetry is what caught my eye and turned me off, but I had to realize that I’m talking about a mass produced tool and my expectations of perfect machining are a little unrealistic.