Ranked #5 in Best EDC Pocket Knives
Kershaw Leek 16604.3
$68.41as of Jun 7The Kershaw Leek 1660 is a Ken Onion design that has sold in huge numbers for two decades, and it still defines the slim, dressy assisted-flipper category. Its 3-inch Sandvik 14C28N blade rides Kershaw's SpeedSafe assist in a 4-inch closed, 3 oz package that disappears into a pocket. KnifeInformer scored it 79% and CleverHiker rated it 4.9/5, both praising the slicing geometry and value while flagging the one universal weakness: a needle tip fragile enough that owners report snapping it. It is the most elegant and affordable knife here, ideal for light office and EDC tasks, but its delicate point keeps it out of hard-use territory.
Strengths
- — SpeedSafe assisted opening flips the slim blade open fast and one-handed
- — Sandvik 14C28N blade offers an excellent price-to-performance ratio
- — Very thin slicing geometry bites into cardboard and packaging with ease
Watch-outs
- — The needle tip is notoriously fragile and can snap off under modest side load
- — Edge can roll, so the blade needs care during tougher cutting
- — All-steel handle is slipperier than G-10 in wet conditions
