Kershaw assisted openers, why I like it the best

[jzmtl]

Half an hour ago I took out my kershaw leek to cut something. Usually it opens quick with a snap, but this time "clunk", the blade is only a quarter open. Damn, the spring bar must broke, good thing I have spare huh? When I first got the leek I emailed kershaw and asked if they could send me a spare for when mine breaks, they said sure thing, and I had it in a week or two. So out comes the torx set, and the leek is good as new in less than ten minutes.

Another company that makes assisted openers however (who shall remain unnamed, but love to stamp their name all over), was not as easy to deal with. I asked them the same thing, if I could have a spare spring. No was their answer, and they claimed it's not user replaceable and they haven't met anybody who could assemble it correctly after taking knife apart. Well duh, has it ever occurred to you that only people who mess it up comes for help? I even tried to pitch the angle of I don't want to send the knife across border twice risking confiscation, which is partly true depends on how overzealous the particular border agent is, but they just stopped acknowledge me.

So send it in for warranty, wait for repair, and wait for it to be mailed back, probably 4 weeks downtime minimal, vs. 10 minutes of downtime, pretty clear which one I'd prefer.


Broken parts replaced, good as new

[Benner]

It's a bit sad that you felt the need to order a spare for "when it breaks" though.  Puts me off the whole system TBH.  Much prefer Benchmades Nitrous system.

[Foskey]

Love the design on that Kershaw blade you have there. Personally, I think spare parts are great. And the fact that they would just send one out like that shows great customer service. The reason I stick with Gerber, which in my mind is on a par with Kershaw. Is because I can put it through very hard use and not be heartbroken if for some reason it fails (which has never happened mind you). Benchmade makes some fantastic knives. I plan to pick up one of those next. But, I will be honest. The benchmade I pick up will never see the kind use that any of my Gerbers have. I just couldn't use it that hard to the point of damaging it (unless I absolutely was forced to). Now, if that Kershaw has just been lightly used. I can totally see where you are coming from on that note.

[jzmtl]

It's a bit sad that you felt the need to order a spare for "when it breaks" though.  Puts me off the whole system TBH.  Much prefer Benchmades Nitrous system.

They all break, just a matter of time. The assist spring sees a lot of tension in closed position, plus I've played with it a LOT. Kershaw's is one of the best out there.

[Benner]

It's a bit sad that you felt the need to order a spare for "when it breaks" though.  Puts me off the whole system TBH.  Much prefer Benchmades Nitrous system.

Every one of them breaks soon or later.

That is a bit sucky.    Mind you, I want a Kershaw that I can take the bar out of so I guess I do't have a problem.    The Kershaw system seems a bit more "hefty" than SOG's though.

[jzmtl]

They can all be taken out quite easily. Even if it breaks you just have a non-assisted knife, still functional but not as fun to play with. 

[Freudian Frog]

I just don't like the feel of these assisted openers, gets me a little itchy in the liver.
I do however, love flippers. I keep my AO knives in the box and play with a flipper all day long.

But yeah, my leek was smooth as silk until I gave it away. =P

[sappyg]

i'm a new fan of the leek myself and recently rediscovered kersaw. everything about it suites my needs well. they turn out a well made and useful blade at a very competitive price. as much as i flip it why would i not exspect the spring to break eventually? i've seen a g10 scaled version that looks very interesting. 
the only shortcoming in the clip location so i never use the clip... problem solved.   

[Nutznboltz]

Have a few kershaw's myself , two of them scallions and they do open up with authority.  I also like the fact I can remove the torsion bar if need be or when the hammer drops on a/o knives.

[Styerman]

I like Kershaw products , but I think all AO's are a potential source of legal trouble . all it would take is a cop not too literate in knife law , and a judge who decides statute law be damned , they violate the spirit of the law . It could end up costing you a lot of bucks . In my hood ( Canada ) the crown wins 90% of the time .

Chris

[Roadie]

They all break, just a matter of time. The assist spring sees a lot of tension in closed position, plus I've played with it a LOT. Kershaw's is one of the best out there.

If they all break then they have been designed badly, springs do not wear out by being placed under compression, physical damage (inc corrosion) and being forced beyond their yield point are things that will wear them out.

[jzmtl]

They all break, just a matter of time. The assist spring sees a lot of tension in closed position, plus I've played with it a LOT. Kershaw's is one of the best out there.

If they all break then they have been designed badly, springs do not wear out by being placed under compression, physical damage (inc corrosion) and being forced beyond their yield point are things that will wear them out.

Theoretically yes, but we all know how that works out in practice. In case of assisted knives there are a lot of energy stored in the spring, much more so than likes of clicker pen, slip joint back spring, or even automatic knives after you take spring size and travel range into consideration, so it really shouldn't be a surprise that it wears out faster.

[Freudian Frog]

They all break, just a matter of time. The assist spring sees a lot of tension in closed position, plus I've played with it a LOT. Kershaw's is one of the best out there.

If they all break then they have been designed badly, springs do not wear out by being placed under compression, physical damage (inc corrosion) and being forced beyond their yield point are things that will wear them out.

Different style of spring, bro!

[MultiMat]

I would love a Composite blade & Damascus blade Leek , but a good chance it would not make it in the country

[american lockpicker]

I love AO kershaws I used to have 2 of them.

[MultiMat]

WOW HAY UM GOSH. It would not be TOO hard to get a buddy to remove the Leek's spring send Leeky too Australia were Mr Customs hopefully does not know his knives opens the blade & then puts it back in the box & sends it to Mat  . Mat then puts spring back into Leeky as it(spring) was kindly posted separately when his buddy remembered , rather absent minded of him  , that he had taken the spring out for 'cleaning'.

Does the Leek operate normally with out the spring  . Does the opening & locking process feel normal without the spring 

AO knives are sold in OZ but at a premium as some get seized at border entry. The rules governing AO knives is not very clear so a knife getting into OZ is wholly dependent on the individual agents interpretation of fluffy worded regulations  .

Hypothetically  speaking 

[jzmtl]

WOW HAY UM GOSH. It would not be TOO hard to get a buddy to remove the Leek's spring send Leeky too Australia were Mr Customs hopefully does not know his knives opens the blade & then puts it back in the box & sends it to Mat  . Mat then puts spring back into Leeky as it(spring) was kindly posted separately when his buddy remembered , rather absent minded of him  , that he had taken the spring out for 'cleaning'.

Does the Leek operate normally with out the spring  . Does the opening & locking process feel normal without the spring 

AO knives are sold in OZ but at a premium as some get seized at border entry. The rules governing AO knives is not very clear so a knife getting into OZ is wholly dependent on the individual agents interpretation of fluffy worded regulations  .

Hypothetically  speaking 

I'd do it for ya since it's only 5 minutes of work, but Canada post shipping to Australia is gona cost $20, on top of whatever it'll cost to ship to me. 

Leek works just fine with no spring (or broken spring), but since the small thumbstuds also act as blade stop in both open and close position it can be a bit awkward compare to other folders.

[MultiMat]

Thanks for the offer jzmtl , I think I need to save some $ as I have lusted after the Damascus Leek's for some time & I think I would like a G10 S30V Leek as well  . Something to save up for 

[Benner]

I have had my eye on a Damascus Scallion for a while as well.  They look 

[Grant Lamontagne]

For those in Canada, I have (somewhere) a copy of a Canada Customs memo that describes assisted openers (and I thin mentions Kershaw's Speed Safe openers by name) as perfectly legal.  Whenever I buy an assisted opener knife I email the scan to the seller and ask them to print it and include it with the package.

I'll post it here when I locate it- it's been a while since I grabbed an AO!

Def

[Grant Lamontagne]

Found it!

Def

[jim guy]

Kershaw has great knives I have had many of their knives, and no complaints. Even their made in china knives arent that bad.

[GMArthur]

 I always thought that the Speedsafe torsion bar did double duty. Not only helping to propel the blade into the open position but also provided the detent to keep the blade closed. With no ball bearing detent hole in the blade, the removal of the speedsafe bar would turn your knife into a dangerous, pocket eating, gravity knife. This is the reason I passes on both the 300 and 350. I love the looks and materials on the models but can't stand to have assisted opening on a knife.

[jzmtl]

I always thought that the Speedsafe torsion bar did double duty. Not only helping to propel the blade into the open position but also provided the detent to keep the blade closed. With no ball bearing detent hole in the blade, the removal of the speedsafe bar would turn your knife into a dangerous, pocket eating, gravity knife. This is the reason I passes on both the 300 and 350. I love the looks and materials on the models but can't stand to have assisted opening on a knife.

It does, but most models also have the traditional ball and detent on liner/frame.