I used Kershaw knives almost exclusively for over a decade. I’ve had a bunch of different models over the years. They tend to offer consistent quality and they have excellent customer service. I rather like the Dividend. It feels like a superior successor to the Leek but I’m not crazy about 420 HC at that price. Due to recent changes in the market, it runs into some stiff competition in the $30-50 range. Once you get around $30 and up, I’d definitely recommend checking out Tangram, Civivi, and some of the other new quality budget makers from China.
As far as classic Kershaw designs in 8Cr13Mov, my favorite is still the Clash. It cuts well and is quite comfortable in my hand. It suffers the same problem as a lot of other Kershaws in that not everyone is going to love that clip. If you want a more streamlined deep-carry clip, you can call Kershaw. I’ve found that the clip from the Kershaw Brookline fits the Clash perfectly.
I’m not super into your list, only because I prefer having fewer knives with better steel choices, but I did recently run across one that checks a lot of my boxes and is Kershaw (your specialty):
:+1: … I know what you mean. I have not bought a new one in several years. Then I innocently looked at their site the other day… :person_facepalming: Low & behold I find the Sebenza has progressed to 31 lately. It has been a struggle of resistance ever since. :money_mouth_face:
They are honestly fantastic knives. A rare combination of simplicity & well thought out perfection.
I carried a fancy version of the Leek for years. It was my “office carry” and served well enough in that role. However, there are three things about the Leek that I don’t like.
1. First is the little safety doodad. It shouldn’t have been a necessary feature but mine also had a weak detent and could be edged out slightly before the assist became active. Given the blade shape, that could mean just enough to bite if the safety wasn’t engaged. I came to hate this.
2. Second is the pocket clip. For the kind of carry and situations where I wanted the Leek, this was the wrong kind of clip. I often ended up carrying it loose in a pocket, which isn’t always very comfortable.
3. This is the fancy anodized aluminum that I was always worried about scratching. This is only a problem on some models of the Leek.
At the end of the day, I feel like the Dividend in decent steel is a good replacement for the Leek. Unless you really love the blade shape on the Leek, the Dividend will often a better choice. The Dividend can also be had with a deep-carry loop-over which makes carrying it a dream. It works well either tip-up in a pants pocket or tip-down in a sturdy enough shirt pocket or inside breast pocket of a suit or jacket.