Head-to-head · Best EDC Pocket Knives

Kershaw Leek 1660 vs Spyderco Para Military 2

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Spyderco Para Military 2 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.3 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about everyday users who want one folder that handles both light tasks and hard use — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #5 in Best EDC Pocket Knives

Kershaw Leek 1660

4.3

$68.41as of Jun 7

The 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

$68.41 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best EDC Pocket Knives

Spyderco Para Military 2

4.7

$175

The Spyderco Para Military 2 is the knife enthusiasts keep coming back to, and the current C81GP2 ships with upgraded CPM-S45VN steel in a 3.42-inch full-flat-ground blade. KnifeInformer scored it 89% and GearJunkie rated it 8.0/10 after testing the platform across 250 knife reviews, both highlighting the Compression Lock as a genuine engineering standout. The G-10 handle and acute grind make it equally at home opening packages or doing borderline-abusive cutting, with the only consistent knock being a tip thin enough to snap if pried. It costs and weighs more than the Bugout, but it is the more durable, more confidence-inspiring tool of the two.

Strengths

— Compression Lock is rock-solid and praised as nearly impossible to fail in normal use
— Full-flat-ground CPM-S45VN blade cuts like a high-end kitchen knife and resists corrosion
— Textured G-10 scales over steel liners give a confident, stable four-finger grip

Watch-outs

— Narrow tip can chip or snap under prying or hard-point work
— At 3.9 oz it is more than twice the weight of the Bugout
— Open-back design lets pocket lint collect around the pivot

$175 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Kershaw Leek 1660

The Kershaw Leek 1660 is the slimmest, dressiest knife in this group and the only one with spring-assisted SpeedSafe deployment. Like the CIVIVI Yonder it uses budget-friendly 14C28N steel, trailing the Benchmade Bugout 535's CPM-S30V and the Knafs Lander 2's S35VN. Its needle tip is far more delicate than the Spyderco Para Military 2's already-thin point, so it is the least suited here to anything beyond light cutting.

Spyderco Para Military 2

The Para Military 2 is the most capable hard-use folder in this group, with a rigid G-10 handle that outlasts the Benchmade Bugout 535's flexier Grivory under pressure. For edge retention and corrosion resistance its blade steel edges out the Bugout and the CIVIVI Yonder. The trade-off is weight: at 3.9 oz it is the heaviest carry here, more than double the Bugout and a full ounce over the Knafs Lander 2.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Kershaw Leek 1660	Spyderco Para Military 2
Blade Steel	Sandvik 14C28N	CPM-S45VN
Blade Length	3.0 in	3.42 in
Closed Length	4.0 in	—
Weight	3.0 oz	3.9 oz
Lock Type	Frame lock	Compression Lock
Handle Material	410 stainless steel	G-10
Deployment	SpeedSafe assisted flipper	—
Designer	Ken Onion	—
Overall Length	—	8.24 in
Blade Shape	—	Clip point, full flat grind
Origin	—	Made in USA

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