Kershaw Leek Review
Review of: Kershaw Leek
Use: Everyday Carry
Blade Steel
Mid-range blade steel with great corrosion resistance
Handle Material
410 Stainless handle doesn’t provide much grip
Price
Sub $50, very good price for an everyday carry
Rating
High praise from many satisfied customer reviews
We Like
- Sandvik 14C28N can be get razor sharp fairly easy
- Flipper deployment is quick, easy and fun to use
We Don’t Like
- Slick handle, doesn’t provide much texture for grip
- Weak tip, prone to breaking with heavy duty use
Quick Summary: The Kershaw Leek is a popular choice for many reasons, it’s a dang good knife at a reasonable price, under $50 on Amazon. If you in need a good budget EDC, you’d be hard pressed to find a better option than the Leek.
The Kershaw Leek is a favorite of many knife-enthusiasts. With its simple design, it’s something of a force – packed into an EDC package and tied up with a good many other features.
It’s a kind of template for the EDC knife. It’s small, it’s tough, it’s practical and it’s fashioned from quality materials. Granted, it’s not particularly out-there in its design. But it doesn’t need to be. What many love about this pocket knife is its simplicity and the way it doesn’t try to be anything else.
Key Specs:
- Blade Length: 3 Inches
- Closed Length: 4 Inches
- Overall Length: 7 inches
- Weight: 3 ounces
- Handle: 410 Stainless
- Blade Steel: Sandvik 14C28N
Our Impressions of the Kershaw Leek
The Leek has a closed length of 4 inches which opens up to 7 inches. Weighing in at just 3 ounces, it sits comfortably within the spec range for an EDC and isn’t too bulky in the pocket. As always, this Kershaw is balanced well. Its size is well-utilized to give optimum cutting action.
The 3 inch blade is made from high-quality Swedish Sandvik 14C28N steel which is both extremely sharp, resistant to corrosion and most importantly, holds its edge well. The blade is of a “modified drop-point” design. The fine-point is great for detail work but can be detrimental if using for more vigorous jobs.
The Leek has a sophisticated stainless steel handle which is where some of that weight comes from. It’s fitted with Kershaw’s signature Speed-Safe deployment system making for quick and easy ambidextrous deployment by pushing on the thumb stud or pulling back on what’s called the “flipper”. The handle has a bead-blasted finish which feels great. The only fault with stainless steel handles is the possibility of it being freezing cold in colder climates, but that’s a small price to pay. There’s a small amount of well-placed thumb jimping which holds well. Ergonomically, the Leek has it down pat.
How does the Leek Compare
Sticking with the Kershaw brand I would highly recommend the Cryo. The Cryo is an award-winning knife. It won Blade Magazine’s “Best Buy of the Year” award in 2012. As for other brands, you can never go wrong with Spyderco or Benchmade. The Spyderco Delica 4 is a great knife as well as the Benchmade 940. Both are top quality knives worthy of praise.
Final Thoughts
As a whole, for a knife named after a vegetable, the Leek packs a punch. In signature Kershaw style, it has a simple charm to it. It’s small yet powerful, and proves why Kershaw is a force to be reckoned with in the knife industry. With Speedsafe deployment it’s a breeze to open. Ergonomically, it’s great and it just feels good. Made from quality Swedish steel, the modified drop-point blade makes light work of most jobs expected of an EDC. It’s a template for the EDC knife – and comes highly recommended.
