The Mighty Little Leek

vwb563

vwb563

Gold Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2007
Messages
2,998
I know this knife has had many articles and reviews written about it but I’m gonna add one more. I’ve been collecting and using folding knives for over 40 years now and have owned everything from gas station knives to mid-techs such as Sebenzas, Demkos, and Medfords. I’ve owned many brands from A to Z and I haven’t found any knife that I like better than the Kershaw Leek. My first Leek was actually sent to me as a replacement from a retailer who must have been out of stock on the knife I actually ordered or it was a complete mistake on their part in sending me my the first Leek. I remember opening the package and thinking “This isn’t the knife I ordered!” But the more I played with the little Leek the more I fell in love with it. The Leek I received was actually a more expensive knife than I ordered which was a Scallion so after playing with it I decided to keep it. Man am I glad I did. I haven’t found anything to date, no matter the brand or style, that fits me and my cutting needs better than it does. I know it’s certainly not the knife for everyone have a rather fragile tip and thin blade but for my needs it’s pretty much perfect. One would be hard pressed to find a knife as thin, light, and as quick to open as it is. The Leek cuts like a laser and can perform precision cutting tasks like no other can. What the Leek lacks in robustness it makes up for in performance. Long live the mighty little Leek.
 
Great little knife. My brother surprised me with this one for my birthday. Carry it often. Bought my son-in-law one for his first knife some years ago.

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The Leek has a lot going for it. The A/O has fallen out of style and I don't know that I love that but I do love the most things about it - especially the hollow grind.
 
I got rid of my Leek for two reasons:
  1. I didn't like needing two steps to open it; made it slower than a manually opening knife. I also didn't like the idea of not using the lock and possibly having it flip open and castrate me. What to do then?
  2. I was worried the needle-sharp tip wouldn't last many sharpenings. This was probably nothing to worry about, as I haven't rounded off a tip in a good while.
Anyone who carries theirs in a pocket without using the lock? Any times it sprung open on you?
 
Smaug said:
I got rid of my Leek for two reasons:
  1. I didn't like needing two steps to open it; made it slower than a manually opening knife. I also didn't like the idea of not using the lock and possibly having it flip open and castrate me. What to do then?
  2. I was worried the needle-sharp tip wouldn't last many sharpenings. This was probably nothing to worry about, as I haven't rounded off a tip in a good while.
Anyone who carries theirs in a pocket without using the lock? Any times it sprung open on you?
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I never lock mine. It has never opened in my pocket but has when I dropped it on the floor.
 
I like the knife except for the safety.

I gave it to my wife to use. I tried to disable the safety seems to have worked this far.
 
I've kinda come full circle with the Leek. When I first joined bladeforums, I was looking for a replacement for my Rainbow Leek, as the 440A steel wasn't exactly holding up to my needs. A couple years ago I bought a carbon fibre CPM154 Leek and carried it nearly exclusively for a long time. Recently I also got one with the GitD carbon fibre, the yellow Random Leek sprint run (Frankenleeked the blade to the GitD handles) and a newer Rainbow Leek to replace my old one, which I gave away years ago. I loved the blade back then, and I still love it now. Obviously I'm also a big fan of the MXG pocket clip; deep carry and the safety (which, granted, I never use) is still accessible.

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I am also a fan.

I have three models;
Black liner lock in 14c28n (has the fine tip)
G-10 with S30V
Carbon fiber in CPM-154

It’s a handy little blade and has a neat blade profile that cuts great.

I have personally always thought how a larger model would be sweet.

I do, however, always make sure I carry it with the blade against my pocket seam.
 
Skar said:
That's what I did.
Personally I can't stand secondary safety's on knives.
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Me either. I have a Buck which has it on the back of the knife. I hate it. Always in the way and hard to manipulate from locked to un-locked.
 
Planterz said:
I've kinda come full circle with the Leek.
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Same here. I’ve put my Leeks in the drawer several times over the past years to try the latest and greatest but I always end up back with a Leek in my pocket. It just seems to suite my likes and needs better than any other blade. And another good thing is there are many blade and handle options with the Leek.
 
For a knife that comes with a clip, the Leek is not bad. I have the plain stainless one, and the rainbow, or “disco” Leek my son gave me. If I ever went out clubbing, I guess that is the one I would carry. Of course, I treasure it.
 
Great little knife, I carried one for about a year before I got my Skyline. The blade shape makes it pretty good for every day tasks. Overall it was a great design for the early 2000s, but with all the new models and tech available it's kind of dated now.

To bring it up to speed I would change two things on it:
1. Drop Speedsafe and give it KVT. Even a manual flipper with good washers and a decent detent is better than Speedsafe. I make no apologies to anyone who likes assisted opening, it's awful.
2. Get rid of the safety and move the clip towards the tail, using something like the Link/Dividend clip. It would sit at a more comfortable level and be less wasted space.

It would probably benefit Kershaw if they would adopt a CQI model similar to what Spyderco does, but unfortunately it seems KAI rarely if ever listens to anyone's input.
 
Nothing that hasn't already been said - there's a lot of good in the Leek...but I don't own one. I'm just over assisted knives (though, admittedly, I thought they were pretty awesome after getting my first - a Kershaw Blackout). The simple truth is that with today's knives, assisted opening is no faster than a decent manual....and, to add opinion (and what I dislike) - the resistance to opening & closing, esp closing, is the deterrent to a/o knives.
 
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