KershawLeek, BlackWash Pocket Knife (1660BLKW); 3 Sandvik 14C28N Steel Blade, 410 Stainless Steel Handle, BlackWash Finish, SpeedSafe Assisted Open, Frame and Tip Locks, Reversible Pocketclip; 3 OZ

I say I'm on number 7 of these, but I've actually lost count. (That's not the knife's fault - retention is excellent - I just lose them at airports and security). Been carrying them for almost 20 years. Tried plenty of others at way higher price points. Ken Onion was a master, and this is his opus. Incredible form factor, opening speed (feels like a switchblade), edge and build quality. My favorite at any price, but for $80 it truly is the best EDC value out there of any category. If it seems like I'm a fan, it's because I am. Do yourself a favor and get 2.

I really love this knife. It's been my EDC knife for almost 10 years now. I'm on my 3rd one. I lost my 1st one after 2 years and promptly ordered another. I lost that 2nd one just a couple weeks ago and promptly ordered another.The 3" blade is the perfect size. And I love the blackwash finish on both the blade and the handle. It's like a well-worn pair of jeans - comfortable without being ostentatious. What's great about having a blackwash blade is that it doesn't stand out or scare non-knife people when you pull it out and use it, like some knives do. This knife is sized so that I can pull it out of my pocket, flick it open with the flipper, use it for what I need to, and fold it back up with one hand and put it back in my pocket, all without most people even realizing what I did. Other knives I own are not that way. Anything with a wide-body blade, or a blade longer than 3", tend to elicit a gasp from non-knife people when you deploy it and use it.I'm hoping I can keep this 3rd one for awhile without losing it, especially since the price has gone up about 50% since I bought my first one. But if I do lose it, I'll buy another.

It was exactly what I wanted. I’ve been carrying this exact knife for years and this one did not disappoint. American made, extremely sharp, just a beautiful tool. I love it!

My favorite knife! Don’t leave home without it!

Love this for a small, discreet blade that can be carried in most any pocket. I’ve tried to find a replacement that has more/better features, but so far haven’t had the luck, so I keep coming back to the Leek. On #5

The Kershaw Leek is a classic EDC (everyday carry) knife, and has been since it launched almost 20 years ago. It’s not a great big brute of a working knife, but it’s big enough to fill your hand and give you a solid, four-finger grip on the handle. The first one I got was all black, and it stayed in my pocket for several weeks—I love it enough that I decided I wanted one of the black wash models for everyday use—it won’t be as glaring if the blade gets scratched. So I already own two of these babies—and I see that if you really want to blow some money they now have versions with semi-precious stone handles!Tip to tip length of the open knife is 7”, blade length is 3”, and (I’m sure you can do the math, but…) the handle is 4”. Width is 1”, and the thickness of the handle without the pocket clip is about 1/4”. Blade Steel is 14C28N.This is a spring-assisted knife, meaning that when you push down on the flipper, this thing is going to FLY open. If you’re a new user and holding it too loosely it actually might fly right out of your hand, so watch it. I definitely recommend new users spend some time with this knife, opening and closing it, to get the hang of handling it (it won’t be a chore—there’s a certain fun factor in doing this!).There’s a safety at the base of the handle—just a little bar that slides up to block the blade and keep the knife from deploying in your pocket. A lot of reviewers on YouTube grump about the safety, and in truth it’s probably not necessary, but all it would take is one, one-in-a-million clash with your car keys and this very slicey three inch blade would be open in your pocket. So I have made a habit of using the safety every time I put the knife back in my pocket. The safety was a little stiff when I got the knife, but a tiny dab of oil and a tiny tweak of the screw made it slide more smoothly without being too loose.There is also a small thumb stub, so in theory you could open the knife that way, but I’ve tried it a few times and my thumb always ended up bumping against the edge of the blade after it popped open—I could probably learn how not to do that, but given the flipper works really well I’m not going to bother.The frame lock is simple enough to reach, though I have a tendon issue with my thumb so it isn’t as comfortable as, say a button lock or axis lock, but honestly with the spring assist, I’m not sure one of these other locking mechanisms would be ideal. On my first, all-black Leek it comes in somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 of the width of the tang. On the black wash model it comes in right at 1/3. The latter is probably more ideal, but there is absolutely no play in the blade with either model when the blade is locked open.I like the sleek, smooth look of this knife, and it’s super slicey. It would easily cut through a seat belt if you needed it to, and I’ve already used mine to cut into that horrid plastic blister packaging—sliced right through like butter. This is a nice-looking, practical knife for light to moderate everyday use. It’s built solid, and everything looks and feels like it’s made to last. This knife is a classic for a reason.