Most of the swag at SHOT Show consists of stickers, t-shirts, patches, and hats. Sooo many hats. There are exceptions, of course; one standout for the 2017 SHOT was a customized Kershaw Leek 1660 from Q LLC.
The 1660 features an incredibly smooth assisted open, which just snicks right out and locks cleanly in a very satisfying manner. There’s both a thumb stud and flipper for opening, and with this particular folder I prefer the flipper. The Leek sports a liner lock, which I don’t mind but some people do. If you’re in the latter category, this isn’t the one for you.
I’ve never been a fan of those giant you-call-that-a-knife shitkicker blades. Hell, every Ka-Bar and bayonet I was ever issued mostly stayed buried in the bottom of my pack, under important stuff like ammo, chow, pornography, and various tobacco products. The Leek is lightweight at 3oz, slim, sleek, but not so small as to be useless.
[You can use the same picture twice in two days if it’s awesome]
The blade comes sharp, which means I’ve already cut myself several times. The 1660 cuts through paper like…. like a sharp knife cuts through paper. Obviously I’m lost on metaphors today.
There’s a lanyard hole in the base and, in theory, the pocket clip can be swapped around. But so far as I can tell, to do so requires the smallest hex wrench that’s ever been created so I’ve been unable to test this feature. The Kershaw Leek also has an intuitive locking mechanism that’s tension adjustable and removable (once again, assuming you have one of those microscopic hex wrenches). I’d prefer screws this small to be Torx because they’re far, far less likely to strip out.
On their webpage Kershaw lists the specifications as:
Made in the USA
SpeedSafe® assisted opening
Frame lock
Reversible (tip-up/tip-down) pocketclip
Steel: Sandvik 14C28N, bead-blasted finish
Handle: 410 stainless steel, bead-blasted finish
Blade length: 3 in. (7.6 cm)
Closed length: 4 in. (10.3 cm)
Overall Length: 7 in. (17.9 cm)
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g)
One major difference you’ll see with this one, aside from the Q LLC logo, is that the blade and body finish is different. The smooth surface picks up fingerprints perfectly, so probably not the best knife to use for a shanking assault. Oh well, you can’t have everything.
-DFM
[You can visit Kershaw online here, and Q LLC online here]
Mad Duo, Breach-Bang& CLEAR!
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The Kershaw Leek is a very nice knife, but it has a couple small draw backs. The safety is plastic and can break. As I carry tip up with the clip moved for right or left carry, the closed blade sits tight against the back edge of my pocket, this isn’t a problem. I never have to worry about snagging the blade open when I reach into my pocket after something other than the knife.
The bigger draw back, and it’s not the knife, is there are so many counterfeit knives on the market. Maybe Mega-store has the real thing, and many be not. I’m sure the guy with a tray of un-boxed knives standing at the door of the gun show has counterfeits.
The best option, if the knife seems like too good of a deal, it isn’t.