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I was forced to leave my wife’s Kershaw Leek behind recently and was about to just order up a replacement for her (along with the deep carry clip I had installed) when it occurred to me that maybe there was a better option?
She really seems to like the assisted opening aspect, and the overall blade and handle length seemed good for her, so it’s probably best to just stick with that but if there’s something markedly better in a similar price range...
Speaking as someone with a Leek clipped to his pocket right now, I think it's a perfectly reasonable choice and I'm not about to try to talk you out of replacing a lost one with a fresh copy, but I am curious to see what people suggest as alternative choices.
I do not think there is no good replacement for a Kershaw Leek, besides another Leek. The Leek is a bit like the Spyderco Delica, it's a staple of the line, because it's near perfect.
Not that anyone needs excuses to buy knives around here, but the 'Kershaw Guy' goes over to the factory and scoops up a lot of blems/factory seconds and sells them at a pretty good discount - https://kershawguy.com/products-page...ctory-seconds/
What about XXXX-marked Kershaw blems? :)
Attachment 71238
I didn't need another knife, but I've got a blem Leek on the way now. Dammit, Rob! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by RevolverRob
There are various Civivi knifes that review well. Often D2 or better steel, G10 scales etc in the Leek sub 50.00 space.
Not assisted but the flippers are all reported to be quite smooth.
I confess that I am not an assisted fan and I reject most goods made in the PRC out of hand such that a made in the USA Leek would be hard to beat if it is already “vetted”.
I would buy first quality for her on pure principle as the 15.00 max is not a game changer and I would never want to hear any ya ya about buying something less good for her v myself etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RevolverRob
I got the shipment email about an hour and a half after placing the order. I know that only means the label was produced, but still, on a Sunday afternoon, that's pretty quick!Quote:
Originally Posted by revchuck38
When I read the title, before I read the full post, the first thing that popped in my head was a Delica. But with the desire for assisted opening, that drops the Delica. Now, I pretty much got nothing except just buy another Leek.Quote:
Originally Posted by RevolverRob
I don’t own a Leek. I’m not crazy about assisted opening (and for some reason I’m lukewarm on flippers also). I will say I am a big fan of having a folder with a blade a bit shorter than 3” where the overall look of the knife doesn’t look “tactical.” The Delica and the Leek both fit that role fairly well.
@rob_s
If she can do without the assisted opening and you don’t mind dropping the extra coin on one, Spyderco’s Para 3 LW is a great knife. Deep carry clip, good steel, compression lock, very light, and a 3” blade. I bought one for my wife about a year ago and that was the most expensive friggin knife I ever bought because it turned her into a knife nut....
Kershaw Packrat would be a good contender. I believe it's been discontinued by now, but wouldn't be too tough to find.Quote:
Originally Posted by rob_s
Same weight and length as a Leek, has assisted opening flipper and regular thumb studs for opening. IMO it is superior in several ways.
The grip is G-10 and the flipper doubles as a good choil guard.
This overall makes it safer knife to cut with, there's way less chances of slipping onto the blade while using it. I feel more comfortable handing it off to non-knife people when the need comes up.
The shape is also more comfortable than the Leek, but that's personal preference.
Thanks for the suggestions, or re-assurances, guys.
I went ahead and ordered a new Leek. The old one was a green handle so silver lining here was that I had an excuse to order up an all-black version for her as I know the green wasn’t her favorite.
Of course, if it was entirely up to me I’d have bought and all-silver so I could quit losing the damn thing, but it’s not my knife...
I did get the silver deep-carry clip off of EBay, so I guess that’s one compromise.
The Leek is a good knife, and not too expensive. If that’s what she likes, then that’s what you should get her.
That said, I like the Spyderco Sage more than the Delica or Leek.
Late to the game, but I'd have offered up the Oso Sweet:
https://www.amazon.com/Kershaw-Pocke...s%2C195&sr=8-1
I got my wife one several years back. No studs, only a flipper, and the clip doesn't look so much like a knife clip.
I love my Leek, but do prefer a blade with some belly to it. Have been carrying one of the Kershaw Emerson licensed knives for a year or so. Don't really need the pocket catch opening, but it's been a great all purpose knife. The Leek has become my "going to church" knife while the "Emerson" gets worked.
And although I won't buy another new Benchmade, the Mini Griptilian is another in that category. Of all three, the Leek is the one that WILL open up PDQ even if an old cat fumbles things... that can be good or bad. If I had to dedicate one of the three for pocket carry on a casual walks in case of a confrontation, it would be the Leek.Quote:
Originally Posted by RevolverRob
They are useful, nice folders that don't break the budget yet still have some style. We always keep a Leek or an old USA-made Zing handy in the kitchen for grungy tasks to spare "better" knives, but the truth is that the other knives aren't so much better as simply more expensive.
Leek tips are not real tolerant of abuse, but that can be said of many knives.
Yeah, it's a pretty fine point. I wouldn't want to use it to pry with, but prying is not, IMO at least, what knives are for, outside of desperate circumstances where no other tool is available, of course.Quote:
Originally Posted by gato naranja
I am with the cat here; I no longer have the Leek I bought for specifically this reason. I found the tip especially fragile.Quote:
Originally Posted by gato naranja
Being a knife minimalist, all I have is a Spyderco Dragonfly2 for carry most of the time with a Mini Grip (old style) in my "drawer of useful stuff" to deal with recalcitrant Amazon boxes.
Mini Grips are good for that. Here at Schloss der Katzen, the task is often performed with a USA-made Zing* having orange (!) scales... the color is easy to see amidst the usual countertop clutter. The tip is a wee bit more robust than the Leek. The Leek is, however, the blade of choice to specifically poke holes in plastic wrap, tapes & assorted packaging materials when the need arises, and I find it easy to control with my fingertip out on the spine as a stop to keep the blade from going too far into the package during a long draw cut once the tip goes through the tape.Quote:
Originally Posted by RJ
*We were disappointed when production of the Zing went to the PRC. An underrated knife when introduced... maybe due to the scalloped sides of the blade.
Certainly not as delicate a blade but,
I've read rave reviews on the Ontario Rat
pocket knives for years and just keep on
buying ZT's, Spyderco's, CRK, Emerson's etc.
A few months ago I Picked up a Rat 2 in D2
and was quite impressed, then I got a Rat 1
in Aus 8 ... and found they live up to the
reviews, great inexpensive knives (not to be
confused with cheap), mine have come sharp
out of the box with a pretty even edge that
touches up well on my sharp maker, mine fly open.
More often than not I have a Rat in my pocket
at work, I use it like I don't care if it breaks,
neither have and if / when one does, I'll order
another that day.
Not fancy but a user bargain.
I see the need has been satisfied with another Leek, but if anyone is looking again, I'd recommend the metal-scaled Kershaw Dividend (they have an FRN scaled version). I read somewhere that the Dividend was to fix Leek shortcomings. A little bigger form factor, but the clip option is 4-way compatible. I contact Kershaw for the deep carry clips. I love my Leek that my father gave me, but I carry my Dividend.
Best, Jerry
Since our last reply to the thread, we bought a Random Leek Blackwash just to have one. Impulse buy.
I tend to avoid tanto blades and have been ambivalent about reverse tanto blades, but this new acquisition impresses me as a Leek that has just a tad more "insurance" at the tip of the blade without otherwise screwing up what makes the Leek appealing. This might become the new "favorite" Leek.