The Leek is a pretty well-known knife, so I know a review on it isn't going to be all that useful to most people on this forum. But it might help someone, and hey, I am in the mood to write a little review, so bear with me.
Also note that I am no knife expert. As I have said many times on this forum, "I am a knife newbie". But I can still compare the Leek to other knives in its price class, as I do have a fair amount of experience with knives in that class.
The 1660ST is the all-silver model with the partially serrated edge (as opposed to the black and rainbow models and the plain edge option).
The Leek is an assisted opening knife, but "not a switchblade". Rather than being opened with a press of a button, the Leek has a torsion spring that opens the knife the rest of the way after it has been started manually. What this means on the Leek, since it has an index-finger-open "feature", is that you simply press on the index finger mound just as you would press the button on a switch blade. It is technically not a switchblade for legal purposes, which means it is legal in California (for example), but opens just as easily. It really is just like pressing a button.
The Leek can also be opened using the tumbstuds (one on each side) to initiate the assisted opening, but they are so small that this is fairly difficult. There is also a fair amount of power needed to start the blade out of the handle. This is easily done using the index finger mound, but sort of tricky using the thumb studs. Using your left hand to open the knife with the thumb stud is especially hard with the clip in place. It can be removed, however. But you can forget all about the thumb-studs and just open it with your finger as if you were pressing a button on a switchblade.
So one-hand opening is as easy as a true switchblade. But one-hand closing is more diffilcult than non-assisted liner and framelock knives. You must overcome the effect of the torsion spring to close the knife. This can be done with one hand, but it takes some work.
The thing about the Leek that really spoke to me is the design. It is very svelt without being too small. It is very skinny from side to side, and thin from front to back. But the blade is still long enough that it isn't a mini-knife, and the handle is long enough that it fills your hand. It is very light and being so low-profile, fits into the pocket very nicely. Very little of the knife sticks out of the pocket as well.
I also like the all-titanium color of the knife. The blade, handle, and clip being the same color makes it look classy, though not in a wood or bone handle sort of way. I've also found that the blade and handle do not show dirt and finger prints. On most of my knives, I find myself wanting to wipe them off after every use to keep them looking good. The Leek, however, can be used all night long in a dirty warehouse and look brand new. Even though it looks dainty and shiny, it is definitely a work knife.
The blade is made of 440A. Not an exotic steel, but it works well enough. Mine came fairly sharp out of the box, but not scary sharp. Compared to the Spyderco knives in the same price class, the Leek's blade is pretty low-tech. You can get S30V on the Native for the same price. But the Leek cuts well enough and has the assisted opening. If you want the best blade for the money, the Leek is not your best option. But I feel the design and assisted opening make up for it (I still have a Native, though).
I've only used my Leek at work, so I can't comment on how it will stand up to other duties. I have cut cardboard, plastic wrap, plastic straps, and packing tape with it. These are fairly light duties that any knife can handle, but the Leek handled them very well, requiring little effort from me. It doesn't slice as good as a Spyderco in the same price class, but it is on par with most knives in the price range. The serrations work very well. When I was cutting plastic straps I noticed that I had to use a bit of pressure to get the honed portion of the blade to cut through, but if the strap touched the serrated section, even slightly, it would break. I tend to dislike combo edges and got the combo-edge Leek because it is all WalMart had. But I am glad I got it now, after seeing how well it worked on certain matirials.
After a fair amount of use, the edge is still as sharp as it was when new (as far as I can tell). I haven't thrashed the knife yet, so I can't say how long it will hold the edge, but it certainly doesn't dull very quickly.
The handle doesn't fill your hand like a bigger knife would, but it's not too small (for me at least). I like that it doesn't show dirt or fingerprints easily, even though it looks like it would being bare metal. However, I can see it being hard to grip in wet conditions. It also gets very cold when working the graveyard shift in a warehouse in winter.
The clip can be moved for tip up or down carry.
The knife has a framelock, which is part of the reason I got it. The framelock is very elegant and fits the knife's minimalistic design. I also don't have any framelock knives and wanted to add one to my collection. The blade locks up tight with no play side to side, or front to back. The lock is easy to disengauge.
So, the Leek has a very smooth, elegant design. It is svelt, and minimalistic, but still a worker's knife. However, one area of the design is not so clever or flowing: the safety.
The Leek has a tip safety which is slid forward of backwards with your thumb (or another finger). It works well enough, but if you want to lock the knife each time you put it in your pocket, it adds to the time it takes to open it. It can be opened with one hand, using your ring finger to slide the lock open while holding the knife in a normal position, but it could have been done better. The Buck assisted opening knives use a safety that is right by the index finger opening mound. This lets you unlock the safety with the index finger right next to the "open button".
The Leek is still a lot of fun to open, but the speed is marred by the fact that you have to each down to unlock the safety.
Also, the safety being exposed (you can see the stop inside the frame) isn't very clean. The rest of the knife has a very clean design, sort of like a modern chopper with all of the lines and wires hidden inside the frame. The safety may be a small thing, but it is like a oil filter sitting right there in the open of an otherwise clean bike.
I have nothing against mechanical-looking designs. Actually, I prefer them. I prefer bikes that have their wires and lines exposed rather than hidden. But the rest of the Leek is very clean and smooth, and the exposed and clunky safety is a scuff on the design. It doesn't fit the design of the knife in terms of form, and it doesn't function as well as Buck's safety either.
Buck's assisted opening knives have a safety that is not only easier and faster, but don't throw off the design of the knife.
I got the Leek over the Buck Rush, however, because I felt the overall design was better, it's a framelock (which I think is more elegant), and because I already have three Buck knives and no Kershaws. These may not be the best reasons in the world, and they may not apply to you.
The Leek has it's shortcomings. The blade steel isn't the best in the price class, the thumbstuds are mostly useless (but you don't need them since you can open the knife by basically pressing a button), it is hard to close with one hand, and the safety is clunky and out of the way. But the knife has its strong points, too. It is basically a legal switchblade- it opens with the press of what is virtually a button. The design is overall very sleek and beautiful. It is very light and slim and it sits low in the pocket, making it a joy to carry. The serrations work very well. And the handle and blade don't pick up fingerprints, dirt, and lint like a magnet as it seems many other knives do (I find myself having to wipe off my Native every time I open it).
If you need the best blade for the money, the Leek may not be the knife for you. But because of how slim and light it is, how low it sits in the pocket, and because it is very easy and fun to open, it is an excellent EDC knife for people that don't need to cut cars in half.
I love my Native, but the blade is sharper than I need, and it is harder to open with one hand and no easier to close with one hand. Also, like I mentioned before, the Native seems to pick up dirt, lint, and prints much easier, so I find it to be a little annoying to use in a warehouse. It (the S30V Native) is a much better blade, though, so I wouldn't recommend the Leek to someone that is all about scary-sharp knives and insane edge-holding.
The Leek's direct non-Kershaw competition are the Buck ASAP knives such as the Rush. They are great, too, but I find that all they really have over the Leek is the safety being in a better spot.
I want to note that the blade on the Leek does take some power to get out of the handle. It is very easy to open with one finger, but you can leave it in your pocket without the safety on and have no worries. Many times I forgot to put the safety back on and even after being in my pocket for hours of me running and jumping around, working my *** off, it never opened. So while I do feel the safety is in a bad place, you can just leave it off and not have to worry about it springing open. In other words, it's not like you have to unlock the safety every time you open the knife. If that were the case, it being assisted opening would pretty much be useless since any lockback normal liner/frame lock would open faster. I lock the safety any time I know I will not be using the knife for a while. But if I know I will have to use it off and on, I leave the safety off so I can open the knife as quick as possible, just like a true switchblade. However, with the Buck's safety I could feel I could put the safety on every time I closed the knife, as I could open it very quickly and easily each time I want to open it,
I do feel assisted opening (be it such as that on the Leek, or a true switchblade like a Godfather) is a bit needless and a bit of a gimmick. I can open a normal frame or liner lock knife very quickly with one hand (either with a flick, or with the thumbstud) and many lockback knives can be opened with one hand as well (be it with the Spyderhole, or a stong flick of the wrist). However, assisted opening is very fun, and definitly takes less hand and wrist effort than other methods. I have found myself having to open and close the knife (without putting the safety on) many times in a short span, and the assisted opening made this much less of a chore.
Lastly, I want to aknowledge that I have not put my Leek through a torture test like some reviewers do (Cliff Stamp, I am looking your way- and give you much respect for what you do). Cutting plastic and cardboard is not the true test of a knife's metal, but it's all I use knives for. That said, the Leek does feel very solid despite being so small and sleek. I would not trust it as much as I would a sturdy fixed blade, or a rugged folder like a Strider or a Sebenza, but for the price and size, it feels very strong. At least as strong, as say, a Buck 110 (though much lighter) or a Native. I want to point this out because looking at the Leek, I would think I could break it in half with my bare hands. But upon picking it up, I realize how sturdy it is.
If I left anything out, please let me know.
Also note that I am no knife expert. As I have said many times on this forum, "I am a knife newbie". But I can still compare the Leek to other knives in its price class, as I do have a fair amount of experience with knives in that class.
The 1660ST is the all-silver model with the partially serrated edge (as opposed to the black and rainbow models and the plain edge option).
The Leek is an assisted opening knife, but "not a switchblade". Rather than being opened with a press of a button, the Leek has a torsion spring that opens the knife the rest of the way after it has been started manually. What this means on the Leek, since it has an index-finger-open "feature", is that you simply press on the index finger mound just as you would press the button on a switch blade. It is technically not a switchblade for legal purposes, which means it is legal in California (for example), but opens just as easily. It really is just like pressing a button.
The Leek can also be opened using the tumbstuds (one on each side) to initiate the assisted opening, but they are so small that this is fairly difficult. There is also a fair amount of power needed to start the blade out of the handle. This is easily done using the index finger mound, but sort of tricky using the thumb studs. Using your left hand to open the knife with the thumb stud is especially hard with the clip in place. It can be removed, however. But you can forget all about the thumb-studs and just open it with your finger as if you were pressing a button on a switchblade.
So one-hand opening is as easy as a true switchblade. But one-hand closing is more diffilcult than non-assisted liner and framelock knives. You must overcome the effect of the torsion spring to close the knife. This can be done with one hand, but it takes some work.
The thing about the Leek that really spoke to me is the design. It is very svelt without being too small. It is very skinny from side to side, and thin from front to back. But the blade is still long enough that it isn't a mini-knife, and the handle is long enough that it fills your hand. It is very light and being so low-profile, fits into the pocket very nicely. Very little of the knife sticks out of the pocket as well.
I also like the all-titanium color of the knife. The blade, handle, and clip being the same color makes it look classy, though not in a wood or bone handle sort of way. I've also found that the blade and handle do not show dirt and finger prints. On most of my knives, I find myself wanting to wipe them off after every use to keep them looking good. The Leek, however, can be used all night long in a dirty warehouse and look brand new. Even though it looks dainty and shiny, it is definitely a work knife.
The blade is made of 440A. Not an exotic steel, but it works well enough. Mine came fairly sharp out of the box, but not scary sharp. Compared to the Spyderco knives in the same price class, the Leek's blade is pretty low-tech. You can get S30V on the Native for the same price. But the Leek cuts well enough and has the assisted opening. If you want the best blade for the money, the Leek is not your best option. But I feel the design and assisted opening make up for it (I still have a Native, though).
I've only used my Leek at work, so I can't comment on how it will stand up to other duties. I have cut cardboard, plastic wrap, plastic straps, and packing tape with it. These are fairly light duties that any knife can handle, but the Leek handled them very well, requiring little effort from me. It doesn't slice as good as a Spyderco in the same price class, but it is on par with most knives in the price range. The serrations work very well. When I was cutting plastic straps I noticed that I had to use a bit of pressure to get the honed portion of the blade to cut through, but if the strap touched the serrated section, even slightly, it would break. I tend to dislike combo edges and got the combo-edge Leek because it is all WalMart had. But I am glad I got it now, after seeing how well it worked on certain matirials.
After a fair amount of use, the edge is still as sharp as it was when new (as far as I can tell). I haven't thrashed the knife yet, so I can't say how long it will hold the edge, but it certainly doesn't dull very quickly.
The handle doesn't fill your hand like a bigger knife would, but it's not too small (for me at least). I like that it doesn't show dirt or fingerprints easily, even though it looks like it would being bare metal. However, I can see it being hard to grip in wet conditions. It also gets very cold when working the graveyard shift in a warehouse in winter.
The clip can be moved for tip up or down carry.
The knife has a framelock, which is part of the reason I got it. The framelock is very elegant and fits the knife's minimalistic design. I also don't have any framelock knives and wanted to add one to my collection. The blade locks up tight with no play side to side, or front to back. The lock is easy to disengauge.
So, the Leek has a very smooth, elegant design. It is svelt, and minimalistic, but still a worker's knife. However, one area of the design is not so clever or flowing: the safety.
The Leek has a tip safety which is slid forward of backwards with your thumb (or another finger). It works well enough, but if you want to lock the knife each time you put it in your pocket, it adds to the time it takes to open it. It can be opened with one hand, using your ring finger to slide the lock open while holding the knife in a normal position, but it could have been done better. The Buck assisted opening knives use a safety that is right by the index finger opening mound. This lets you unlock the safety with the index finger right next to the "open button".
The Leek is still a lot of fun to open, but the speed is marred by the fact that you have to each down to unlock the safety.
Also, the safety being exposed (you can see the stop inside the frame) isn't very clean. The rest of the knife has a very clean design, sort of like a modern chopper with all of the lines and wires hidden inside the frame. The safety may be a small thing, but it is like a oil filter sitting right there in the open of an otherwise clean bike.
I have nothing against mechanical-looking designs. Actually, I prefer them. I prefer bikes that have their wires and lines exposed rather than hidden. But the rest of the Leek is very clean and smooth, and the exposed and clunky safety is a scuff on the design. It doesn't fit the design of the knife in terms of form, and it doesn't function as well as Buck's safety either.
Buck's assisted opening knives have a safety that is not only easier and faster, but don't throw off the design of the knife.
I got the Leek over the Buck Rush, however, because I felt the overall design was better, it's a framelock (which I think is more elegant), and because I already have three Buck knives and no Kershaws. These may not be the best reasons in the world, and they may not apply to you.
The Leek has it's shortcomings. The blade steel isn't the best in the price class, the thumbstuds are mostly useless (but you don't need them since you can open the knife by basically pressing a button), it is hard to close with one hand, and the safety is clunky and out of the way. But the knife has its strong points, too. It is basically a legal switchblade- it opens with the press of what is virtually a button. The design is overall very sleek and beautiful. It is very light and slim and it sits low in the pocket, making it a joy to carry. The serrations work very well. And the handle and blade don't pick up fingerprints, dirt, and lint like a magnet as it seems many other knives do (I find myself having to wipe off my Native every time I open it).
If you need the best blade for the money, the Leek may not be the knife for you. But because of how slim and light it is, how low it sits in the pocket, and because it is very easy and fun to open, it is an excellent EDC knife for people that don't need to cut cars in half.
I love my Native, but the blade is sharper than I need, and it is harder to open with one hand and no easier to close with one hand. Also, like I mentioned before, the Native seems to pick up dirt, lint, and prints much easier, so I find it to be a little annoying to use in a warehouse. It (the S30V Native) is a much better blade, though, so I wouldn't recommend the Leek to someone that is all about scary-sharp knives and insane edge-holding.
The Leek's direct non-Kershaw competition are the Buck ASAP knives such as the Rush. They are great, too, but I find that all they really have over the Leek is the safety being in a better spot.
I want to note that the blade on the Leek does take some power to get out of the handle. It is very easy to open with one finger, but you can leave it in your pocket without the safety on and have no worries. Many times I forgot to put the safety back on and even after being in my pocket for hours of me running and jumping around, working my *** off, it never opened. So while I do feel the safety is in a bad place, you can just leave it off and not have to worry about it springing open. In other words, it's not like you have to unlock the safety every time you open the knife. If that were the case, it being assisted opening would pretty much be useless since any lockback normal liner/frame lock would open faster. I lock the safety any time I know I will not be using the knife for a while. But if I know I will have to use it off and on, I leave the safety off so I can open the knife as quick as possible, just like a true switchblade. However, with the Buck's safety I could feel I could put the safety on every time I closed the knife, as I could open it very quickly and easily each time I want to open it,
I do feel assisted opening (be it such as that on the Leek, or a true switchblade like a Godfather) is a bit needless and a bit of a gimmick. I can open a normal frame or liner lock knife very quickly with one hand (either with a flick, or with the thumbstud) and many lockback knives can be opened with one hand as well (be it with the Spyderhole, or a stong flick of the wrist). However, assisted opening is very fun, and definitly takes less hand and wrist effort than other methods. I have found myself having to open and close the knife (without putting the safety on) many times in a short span, and the assisted opening made this much less of a chore.
Lastly, I want to aknowledge that I have not put my Leek through a torture test like some reviewers do (Cliff Stamp, I am looking your way- and give you much respect for what you do). Cutting plastic and cardboard is not the true test of a knife's metal, but it's all I use knives for. That said, the Leek does feel very solid despite being so small and sleek. I would not trust it as much as I would a sturdy fixed blade, or a rugged folder like a Strider or a Sebenza, but for the price and size, it feels very strong. At least as strong, as say, a Buck 110 (though much lighter) or a Native. I want to point this out because looking at the Leek, I would think I could break it in half with my bare hands. But upon picking it up, I realize how sturdy it is.
If I left anything out, please let me know.
) work.