There are certain knives that transcend the usual cycle of product releases, reviews, and eventual obsolescence. They become icons. The Kershaw Leek, designed by Ken Onion and introduced well over a decade ago, is one of those knives. It has been reviewed countless times, praised by critics and users alike, and carried by everyone from office workers to off‑duty police officers. Its combination of a sleek, thin profile, a long modified drop‑point blade, SpeedSafe assisted opening, and a sturdy frame lock has made it a perennial best‑seller and a benchmark against which other slim EDC knives are measured. I will not rehash the many excellent reviews that have already been written about the Leek's fundamental design. If you are looking for a thin, easy‑to‑carry, unobtrusive pocket knife, the Leek is among the best, and the general consensus on that point is well‑established. The question with the 1660BLKW, the BlackWash edition, is not whether the Leek is a good knife—it is—but whether this particular finish adds something meaningful to an already‑beloved design. The answer, as it turns out, is a resounding yes. The BlackWash finish gives the Leek the look and feel of a well‑worn pair of jeans, the kind that have been washed a hundred times and have achieved the perfect level of softness and familiarity. It is a finish that invites use, that hides scratches gracefully, and that makes the knife feel personal from the moment it comes out of the box.

The Blade: Sandvik 14C28N, Modified Drop Point, and the Infamous Ultra‑Thin Tip


The Leek BlackWash features a blade forged from Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel, a Swedish alloy that Kershaw has used extensively across its product line. 14C28N was developed in collaboration with the knife industry, and it is optimized for a balance of edge stability, sharpness, and corrosion resistance. It takes an exceptionally keen edge—capable of push‑cutting newsprint and whittling individual hairs—and it sharpens easily on a range of abrasives. The edge retention is not at the level of S30V or D2, but it is more than adequate for the light to moderate tasks that the Leek is designed to handle. The blade profile is a long, sleek modified drop point that tapers to a very fine, needle‑like tip. This tip geometry is one of the Leek's defining characteristics—and it is also the source of its only significant vulnerability. The tip is ground so thin that it excels at precision work: opening clamshell packaging, piercing plastic, scribing lines, performing delicate cuts that require pinpoint accuracy. It is essentially a folding scalpel. But that thinness comes at a cost. The tip is not designed for prying, twisting, or lateral stress. Users who attempt to use the Leek as a screwdriver, a scraper, or a pry bar will quickly discover that the tip can snap. This is not a design flaw; it is a design trade‑off. The Leek is a precision slicing and piercing instrument, and it performs those tasks superbly. It is not a hard‑use work knife, and it should not be judged by that standard. For the office worker, the professional who carries a knife for light daily tasks, or the enthusiast who appreciates a blade that feels like a surgical instrument, the Leek's tip is a feature, not a bug.

The BlackWash Finish: Worn‑In Character Right Out of the Box


The BlackWash finish is what distinguishes this particular Leek from the myriad other versions that have been produced over the years. BlackWash is a multi‑step process that begins with a black coating—likely a durable conversion treatment or a thin DLC—which is then stonewashed to remove portions of the coating and create a mottled, distressed appearance. The result is a finish that looks like it has already been carried for years, with the darkened recesses and lighter high spots that normally develop through extended use. The beauty of the BlackWash finish is that further wear does not degrade its appearance; it enhances it. Scratches and scuffs blend into the pre‑existing pattern, and the knife develops a personalized patina that is unique to its owner. For those who appreciate tools that show their history, the BlackWash Leek is a joy to carry. The handle, like the blade, is made from stainless steel—410 stainless, to be specific—and it is also finished in BlackWash. The result is a knife with a cohesive, monochromatic look that is both rugged and refined. The steel handle is thin and smooth, contributing to the Leek's exceptionally pocket‑friendly profile. At just 3.0 ounces, the knife disappears in the pocket, and its slim silhouette means it does not create an unsightly bulge even in dress pants. The frame lock is substantial and engages the blade tang with a secure click. The SpeedSafe assisted‑opening mechanism, actuated by the flipper tab, fires the blade open with Kershaw's characteristic snap. The pocket clip is reversible for tip‑up or tip‑down carry on the right side, and there is a sliding safety lock near the blade tip that can be engaged to prevent accidental opening—though, in my experience, the detent is strong enough that the knife has never opened inadvertently in the pocket, and I have never felt the need to use the safety.

Who Should Carry the Kershaw Leek BlackWash?


The Leek has always been an ideal EDC for office environments, professional settings, and situations where a large, aggressive knife would be inappropriate. When you pull out the Leek BlackWash and flick open the blade, people will not dive for cover or assume you are about to terrorize them. The Leek is such an elegant, capable, and unintimidating size that it blends seamlessly into a civilized environment. It is the knife for the person who wants a high‑performance cutting tool that does not advertise its presence. The BlackWash finish adds a layer of personality that makes the knife feel more approachable, more lived‑in, more like an old friend. For hard‑use applications—construction, landscaping, heavy‑duty prying—the Leek is the wrong tool. The tip is too delicate, and the handle is too slim. But for the vast majority of daily cutting tasks, the Leek is more than capable, and the BlackWash edition is one of the most attractive and enduring versions of this iconic design. Made in the USA, backed by Kershaw's limited lifetime warranty, and priced affordably, the Leek BlackWash is a knife that belongs in every collection—or in a single pocket, carried every day until it becomes a cherished part of the owner's daily ritual.

Kershaw Leek BlackWash 1660BLKW Specifications


SpecificationDetail
Model1660BLKW
Blade SteelSandvik 14C28N Stainless, BlackWash finish
Handle410 Stainless Steel, BlackWash finish
Blade Length3.0 inches (7.6 cm)
Closed Length4.0 inches (10.2 cm)
Overall Length7.0 inches (17.9 cm)
Weight3.0 ounces (85 g)
DeploymentSpeedSafe assisted, flipper
LockFrame lock
ClipReversible (tip‑up/tip‑down, right side)
Made in the USAYes
Price$99.99 MSRP


Conclusion: The Leek BlackWash—An Icon Gets Better With Age, Even When the Age Is Artificial


The Kershaw Leek has been on the market for over a decade because it gets the fundamentals right: a sharp, precise blade; a fast, reliable deployment; a slim, pocket‑friendly profile; and a build quality that punches above its price. The BlackWash edition takes that winning formula and adds a finish that transforms the knife from a pristine object into a familiar companion. It looks like it has a history. It invites use. It hides scratches and encourages the owner to stop worrying about keeping the knife perfect and start enjoying the experience of carrying it. For the office worker, the professional, the collector, or anyone who appreciates the intersection of precision engineering and timeless design, the Leek BlackWash is a knife that will serve faithfully for years and look better with every passing day.