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 Kershaw Ken Onion Black & Red Leek Folding Knife with Speed Safe By: Kershaw Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 32 More Information seration pitch narrow  On: 2008-07-09I have had this for 6 months and was a no-brainer to carry all the time. it was slim, inconspicuous, and useful to have around, although folks at the office always raised eyebrows when I broke it out to cut a box or something... :) I was working in the garden when I needed to just shave a little off a PVC pipe I was installing and reached for the knife. I didnt try hard, but the angle on the serration is so narrow that the metal was too thin to scrape the PVC and ended up bending that portion of the blade out of whack and even breaking off a piece of the blade. That you cant use it as a workhorse is the only flaw. Other than that, I love the knife. It took a while, but I really like the speed-open mechanism, the blade lock is a nice comfort, and the design is thin and subtle. Not too big, yet not too small, either. A great tool to keep around if you need/want to have a knife handy. Great knife  On: 2008-05-15This is a great knife. Nice and slim for every day carry. Blade holds an edge well and is easy to sharpen. Ive used it for everyday mundane items and hunting. Fits great in the hand and pocket. I would recommend this and have gifted it already. My favorite knife! On: 2008-05-09Love this design and I carry it daily. Light, fast, & safe. This is my third one since I tend to lose them, and the price is quite reasonable. The best - a prefect pocket knife On: 2008-02-13Just unboxed my Leek and it is fantastic! I have a Kershaw Chive already and the two knives are very very similar in everything but size. I have had a tendon break in my thumb so the knives with thumb-studs were out and I live in a region where full-auto (switchblade) knives are illegal so they were out. That left assisted knives (with a spring) with a flipper on the back (legal in most places) and after a few hours on YouTube I chose the Leek & Chive. I have reviewed the Chive already so here I will just talk about the Leek. The knife comes with a razor-sharp blade and pin-sharp point, which makes you appreciate the "speed safe" opening. Unlock the safety switch and press firmly on the flipper on the back and the knife flies out and locks open with a confident click. The liner-lock is firm too so theres no chance it will close accidentally and when you do unlock the knife it needs pressure to close it - unlike some other folders that snap shut suddenly and can trap fingers. Everything about the knife shouts quality and with a lifetime warranty Kershaw obviously trust their guarantee. The belt clip can be removed easily with a small torx (6-pointed star) screwdriver and remounted the other way up for point-up carrying. The Leek and Chive are both great knives but for my big hands the Leek just feels more comfortable. This means Ill probably carry the Leek but keep the Chive for use around the home. Simply the best folding knifes, ever. On: 2008-02-08Love it. I have always been a huge fan of Kershaw. This is my second leek folding knife and they are shipped razor sharp and ready to use. I wouldnt consider buying another brand of folding knife unless it was a Spyderco. Great so far, BUT  On: 2008-01-12I just received my knife and like it a lot, BUT, the first thing I wanted to do, after learning how to use it, was to take off the pocket clip. At first glance, its held on by very small phillips screws, but it turns out to be tiny allen head screws. Who has those size wrenches? You would think they would spend a few cents to include the tiny wrench necessary to remove the clip, especially since one of their selling points is that the clip is "easily" reversible!! Great so far, BUT On: 2008-01-11I just received my knife and like it a lot, BUT, the first thing I wanted to do, after learning how to use it, was to take off the pocket clip. At first glance, its held on by very small phillips screws, but it turns out to be tiny allen head screws. Who has those size wrenches? You would think they would spend a few cents to include the tiny wrench necessary to remove the clip, especially since one of their selling points is that the clip is "easily" reversible!! Great Everyday knife! On: 2008-01-09I have many kershaw products, they all serve a purpose and all do their respectable jobs well. I used to carry the chive for my everyday pocket knife, but i upgraded to the leek for everyday carry plus personal defense. It is a smooth knife, opens well, good weight, good shape, good and sharp, easy to resharpen and not gonna break the bank. I would easily replace this with another one if i lost it. I dont have to worry about it breaking, ive broken a few kershaws in the past from negligence and they always rent me a new knife for no charge (minus shipping) The turn around time was about a week and they even sent me an extra new knife as a gift of appreciation. Go ahead and get this, its a great price, for a great knife that will last longer then you. Just another great Kershaw knife On: 2007-12-26I bought this knife for my boyfriend on Christmas and he absolutely loves it! It is the perfect size pocket knife and the blade looks really mean. It is very easy to flip out the blade and comes with a lifetime warranty. I also have a Kershaw in another style and the quality is outstanding. Kershaw Leek - It's one sharp Onion On: 2007-09-25I have a lot of knives, among them Benchmade, Beretta, CRKT ... but this Ken Onion Leek may be THE sharpest knife I have ever purchased. Aside from all the other great features you will read about in these reviews (theyre all true) it simply has a razor edge that is a box cutters equal. I have been developing my knife sharpening technique with a diamond stone and a steel for years now, and I can put an amazing edge on a knife. But not quite like this - this is a true razors edge. It starts to cut you the instant you test it. I got my Leek because I wanted an every day carry knife with a "stay closed" safety, so it only opens when I want it to. I wear my knife hanging off a carabiner with my keys, and sometimes my old Beretta would come open when sliding into or out of my truck, for example. So I love that this has a tip safety. And for sure, the Speed Safe torsion opener is waaaaay cool. Its the closest thing to a switchblade Ive ever tried. And major kudos to Kershaw for really putting a pro edge on this blade. A "criminal edge" - because its "sharper than the law should allow". Have fun and be careful. Great knife, great design On: 2007-09-09This knife has a great design and is a perfect everyday utility knife. It is sleek and easy to carry in a pocket. The assisted open works great. My only complaint is that I could have used a little more sharpness. Great knife On: 2007-05-30This is a great knife!!!!!! My husband had this knife for over a year before he lost it, and he loved it! I ordered him a replacement and the tip broke on it within 2 weeks. I sent it back to Amazon and a replacement was sent out that same week. This is a great product, and if there are any issues Amazon resolves them very fast! Good pocket knife On: 2007-05-15Price is much lower than the kershaw site. Very nice action. Great size for an everyday pocket knife. Highly recommended. Sharp & "Sharp" little knife. On: 2007-05-07Huge fan of Kershaw, and Ken Onion. Had the Ken Onion "Chive" already and wanted an option for a slightly bigger pocket knife. The dull finish is attractive, and the knife is super sharp. Speed Safe opening is second only to spring loaded italian switchblades. Great Knife On: 2007-04-05Love the knife, its just a little too large to carry in my pocket on a regular basis. I returned it and bought the Chive..its perfect. Sexy, yet stabby On: 2007-03-01Like the Chive, this knife is a nice small package thats deceptively stabby. Sure, it looks innocent, but how much of that blade do you want in your eye? Hypothetically speaking, of course. I would never indicate that you should stab people with this knife. Never ever. The high points are the sleek design, flawless assisted opening, and light weight. I have problems with thumb studs on assisted opening knives, so I am very pleased that this has an index opening. For the safety-conscious, there is a safety lock to keep the blade from opening in your pants. Not that it will, but just in case I guess. The Leek is a perfect knife for people with small hands; that is assisted opening is a definite bonus. Too many assisted opening knives are too bulky for my hand, or too powerful when it snaps open (Kershaw Tactical Blur, for example). The Leek firmly snaps into place without "recoil" and is light and small enough for people with small hands to easily use. But dont be fooled by its innocent appearance. This knife can be a deadly little package and should not be underestimated. Sleek quality. On: 2007-01-25This is a beautiful, slim, sharp, functional, fast knife. The knife is slim, and with the clip can be carried easily in your pocket. The safety on the end of the knife is a little stiff, but can be adjusted so that it is easier to slip on or off. The pocket clip is reversible, allowing you to carry the knife point up. This is a great feature, because when the knife is carried in your pocket point up, you do not have to swing the knife around in your hand to get it in position for opening. The knife can be deployed much quicker when carried in this fashion. The speed-safe index opening flipper works very well, opening the knife quickly with just a little pressure on the mechanism. No grand flourishes, thumb strength, or wrist flicking is needed to open this knife. The finish is good, the quality is great, everything about this knife is amazing. A great knife to own. VERY NICE! On: 2007-01-17I bought this for my boyfriend as an exact replacement knife. He had lost the original doing god knows what. :) He loves it, its not too big but not too small, securely clips on your pocket and is so sharp its down right scary but I guess thats why its a mens knife. Opens quickly and the serrated part is a nice addition. Nice little knife On: 2007-01-11Maintains a decent edge, the opening/lock/closing mechanism is simple and smooth. The color is as intense as seen in the pic, and pretty resistant to wear. In general, happy with the knife. Speed safe broke, but no big deal On: 2007-01-05Ive had this knife and their rainbow leak model for few years. All I wanted was a thin, small and light knife and I got it. The blade material is hard enough to stay sharp for a while, soft enough to easily sharpen but not brittle like a ceramic or carbon steel knife for example. I have had the vary tip break a couple times but its because I was doing something foolish with it (like using it as a throwing knife *wink wink* ;) ). Its not the best, its not the worst but can compete with ether, witch is the best in my opinion. Shortly after I bought it the speed safe spring broke, eehhh who cares it opens fine without. Its vary well made it can take all of my fat butts weight easily when laying sideways on a hard surface. Its vary thin profile is comfortable and I sometimes cant tell if I have it with me or not. It has what looks like brass or copper washers/bushings instead of cheap thin steel/plastic ones (means no binding up, even when in need of oil). The frame lock is far stronger than a line lock and best of all it deforms and wares much slower meaning my knife will stay ridged when opened for a long time. My favorite thing about it is the fact you can position the clip henge up or down. I chose henge down so its ready to open the second it comes out of my pocket. If you want nice quality and availability for the price, kershaw is worth looking at. I love this knife!!! On: 2006-11-11Im not a huge outdoorsman but wanted a nice everyday pocket knife. The Kershaws Leek fits the bill. I love the size, long enough to get your whole hand envolved with the task yet small enough to have clipped to your pocket and forget its there. I was planning on taking the clip off and just letting the knife "float" in my pocket but fell in love with the clip. The only thing better than light weight in your pocket is no weight in your pocket. I find that the knife is well designed and I really like the Speed Safe opening action. It has a solid "click" that lets you know that the knife is in a locked position. Super sharp and the perfect drop point blade. A great Knife... On: 2006-11-07The knife is sleek and has a great profile. I love the speedsafe function on it. The blade lock is a bit stiff, but I suppose thats just so it doesnt slide open on accident. Great Quality... Great Carry Knife On: 2006-10-20I purchased this knife at a gun & knife show three years ago and have carried it everyday since. Ive owned ($60.00) Spyderco and ($150.00) Benchmade (Automatic) knives, but this Stainless Leek model is slimmer, quicker to draw and has a better clip than both of these knives. Because of the unique spring action mechanism, many think its an "automatic" knife. My only recommendation is to occasionally lubricate/clean the mechanism to keep the action quick. I did have to tighen the allen screw to keep the safety from slipping "on" in my pocket. I will be ordering a second one at this price. This is a very well designed, well made pocket knife. OPENS BETTER THAN IT CLOSES... On: 2006-10-17The Leek is a wonderful knife, but its sword-like point is subject to breakage. (Throwing the knife into a wooden target will invariably break the tip--which is what happened to two of my Leeks!) Fortunately, Kershaw lives up to its lifetime guarantee policy and quickly replaced both of my broken knives with brand-new ones, no questions asked. I just shipped them the knife, explaining what happened, and a week later got back a new knife. The knife itself opens beautifully, though Ive found that the liner lock sometimes sticks and isnt that easy to depress with one hand. Nice Knife On: 2006-09-03Very well made knife, and is thin enough for the front pocket. Sharp and easy to open and close with one hand. Just be sure it is completely closed before you return it to your pocket, Because of the torsion spring, it does not SNAP shut like old style pocket knives. The tip may stick out of the handle just enough to cut you. Great price at Amazon - will order several for gifts. speed safe poor quality  On: 2006-08-23While this is a greart knife and my son loves it, after only two weeks the speed safe know longer works. It appears to be a plastic stop and has bent, no longer keeping the blade safe inside the knife, we plan to exchange it and if it happens again, look for another knife. Great Knife, But Not What I Wanted On: 2006-08-14I purchased this knife to carry on my keychain. Turned out it was too big. I returned it and purchased the Kershaw Black Chive Pocket Knife as a replacement. Both are high quality knives with very sharp blades. Amazing On: 2006-05-05The sharpest knife I have ever owned. That combined with the assisted opening feature can mean for some accidents (Ive experienced 3 myself), but once you get the hang of this knife its beautiful. wow ! On: 2006-02-28Very, very sharp knife. This knife opens fast. I really like the "safety" that you can flick on or off, too and if on, prevents the blade from opening. Really nice knife. wow ! On: 2006-02-27Very, very sharp knife. This knife opens fast. I really like the "safety" that you can flick on or off, too and if on, prevents the blade from opening. Really nice knife. My Favorite Knife On: 2005-12-30strong, swift and agile ken onion creates perfect slicing energy Best Pocket Knife Ever. On: 2005-12-30sharp as a razor, knife hasnt gotten dull yet, opens like lightning. Very, Very, nice On: 2005-12-23A great little knife. Flat and light enough to fit the pocket of even dress pants. Springs open at a touch and has a safety to keep that from happening in your pocket. I would have given it 5 stars except the blade could be made of a higher carbon steel. It will be in my pocket every day. Put a Rainbow in your pocket! On: 2005-11-19An elegant knife which opens easily, but not too vigorously, and locks open. Can be locked shut with speed-safe tab at the heel of the knife. A little better for right-handed use, this knife can reasonably be managed with the left hand as well, though there are knives more completely suited for left-handed use available (Spyderco models, for example). This knife may be carried blade up or blade down in the pocket by moving the pocket clip. For a smaller hand (Im 511" with a medium large hand) look at the Rainbow Scallion, with its scimitar-inspired blade shape for a sleek, elegant alternative to the Rainbow Leek. The rainbow finish is really a nice touch, complementing the overall elegant appearance of the knife and emphasizing the tasteful line of the knife when open or closed. It will remind you of a hummingbirds wing, or a soap bubble in sunlight. I think youll enjoy it each time you use it as I do. The finish is tough, but does show light marks after about eight months of duty. Very light marks, though, but I mention this if you want to keep the knife in perfect condition. You might get a workhorse knife like the Vapor or the Whirlwind II to carry daily, and then carry the Rainbow Leek or Scallion with you when you are casually dressed after work or on weekends. The knife comes razor-sharp, and can easily be returned to that condition with an inexpensive diamond sharpener. It holds an edge well, but is definitely a knife you wont want to abuse by throwing or prying with it. I hope this helps you in making your decision. If you decide to invest in this knife, Im sure you will enjoy owning and using it. |