# De-assisting liner locking knives



## brucec (Oct 22, 2009)

I never really liked the assisted opening of the Kershaw Leek. I always thought it was really loud upon opening and I didn't feel very safe closing it one-handed. So, I opened it up and removed the rod that was providing the assist. This was a very easy change and I like it much better now, just like any other liner lock as far as I can tell.

My question is are all assisted liner locking knives similar in how they do the assist? Or more to the point, are all assisted knives just as easy to de-assist? Thanks.


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## Patriot (Oct 23, 2009)

I'm not sure if they're all the same but the Blur is "de-assistable" with disassemble. My question would be why would you want to? I know for me that if I want a non-assisted blade I've got a ridiculous number of options.


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## jzmtl (Oct 23, 2009)

No. All kershaws are the same, but others use different mechanism. SOG use coil spring similar to auto knives, CRKT (and benchmade?) use a bar spring. Most can be taken out but I think some are pressed in.


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## brucec (Oct 24, 2009)

Patriot said:


> I'm not sure if they're all the same but the Blur is "de-assistable" with disassemble. My question would be why would you want to? I know for me that if I want a non-assisted blade I've got a ridiculous number of options.



I've always wanted to get a Benchmade Nitrous, but the assisted opening kind of puts me off. I think there were a few other knives that I thought looked cool, but were also assisted opening. I had never owned an assisted knife before the Leek and bought one to try it out, but it turns out that sharp objects springing out under their own power are not my cup of tea.



jzmtl said:


> No. All kershaws are the same, but others use different mechanism. SOG use coil spring similar to auto knives, CRKT (and benchmade?) use a bar spring. Most can be taken out but I think some are pressed in.



Hmm, it's just luck of the draw I suppose. Thanks.


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## NonSenCe (Oct 24, 2009)

umm.. i also wonder why to get an assisted opener if you dont like them.
or were you only experimenting with ao knives like i am.

and kershaw leek is loud opening? hmm i thouhgt of mine that its very subtle and smooth soft click. classy even. 

agree on the closing thing it feels bit "unsafe". but then again i dont close any of my folders onhandedly. 

my problem with my leek is that i must use the backflipper to open it.. not the side stud. somehow i feel like im about to loose tip of my thumb if i use the side stud. somehow it feels like it about to slip into the blade. 

might be just adjustment issue.. or lack of practise. 

all in all. i dont like the leek. the blade shape is wrong for me and the tip is just too fragile and pointy. akward closing. and limited to using only one stud. and also the threads shaved the threads off the screw as i tried to reverse the clip.. now its clipless.

but i did buy it as test of kershaw.man it is sharp!

i will buy some other kershaw later on maybe. scallion or blur or something like that. just not leek or similar blade shape. 

i think blades in my sogs are shaped better for me..


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## Patriot (Oct 24, 2009)

brucec said:


> I've always wanted to get a Benchmade Nitrous, but the assisted opening kind of puts me off. I think there were a few other knives that I thought looked cool, but were also assisted opening. I had never owned an assisted knife before the Leek and bought one to try it out, but it turns out that sharp objects springing out under their own power are not my cup of tea.





Makes sense. Nothing wrong with giving them a try as you are. Personally I inertia flip my knives open so I'm not a big assist guy myself. They do take a bit of care to close one handed and they're never as fast as an unsprung blade in that regard. I've always liked the Kershaw Blur and that that it was a good value. I had two at one time but I'm back down to one again. Something for everyone I suppose.


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## brucec (Oct 26, 2009)

NonSenCe said:


> and kershaw leek is loud opening? hmm i thouhgt of mine that its very subtle and smooth soft click. classy even.
> 
> my problem with my leek is that i must use the backflipper to open it.. not the side stud. somehow i feel like im about to loose tip of my thumb if i use the side stud. somehow it feels like it about to slip into the blade.



What I mean is that the Leek kind of "snaps" into place instead of "clicking" in like other manual opening framelocks or linerlocks that I have. My Spyderco lockbacks also have a pretty loud snap when opening. But when you open a Sebenza, it just kind of clicks in. If I try to open the Leek with the side stud, it flies out in front of my thumb, but not quite enough to fully engage the lock. So, before the de-assisting job that I did on it, like you, I only used the backflipper. Now after the de-assist, I can open it in a controlled manner with the stud. Or I can flick it open too. And the other thing is that now I don't really feel like I need to use that flimsy plastic safety catch that holds the blade in. For me, it's much better without the assist. If your Leek is just sitting in a drawer try taking out the spring. It actually makes a pretty big difference.


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## PCC (Oct 26, 2009)

I like my Leek the way it is, as originally designed. I'm a bicycle commuter currently and I carry my Leek as my only defence against idiots who might take an interest in my cheap commuter bike. It doesn't help that I'm a skinny asian guy in cycling clothing and no traction cycling shoes with what may seem like an expensive bike. Since I'm working swing shift that means that I'm riding the subway late at night and I recently found out that the county jail is walking distance from the station that I use to get home and that they release prisoners on the last day of the month. Yeah, that was a nerve-racking ride home. The AO Leek means that I can draw the knife and open it with one hand while holding onto my bike or defending myself with the other. If I need to use the knife at work I actually do a two-handed operation to open it, catching the blade with my off hand then pulling it open to make it seem less like I'm carrying a switchblade. I do plan on de-assisting a Benchmade AO knife that my cousin gave to me since that one will, one day, take my thumb off while trying to open it. The blade springs open faster than my thumb can try to stay on the knob on the side of the blade and my thumb almost always brushes on the sharp edge of the knife blade.


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## brucec (Oct 26, 2009)

PCC said:


> The AO Leek means that I can draw the knife and open it with one hand while holding onto my bike or defending myself with the other.


 
I originally wasn't going to respond since this is not a self-defence thread, but I think you should probably reconsider this plan.


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## jzmtl (Oct 27, 2009)

brucec said:


> Hmm, it's just luck of the draw I suppose. Thanks.



Go to a knife forum and ask about the specific model you are thinking of. Most can be de-assisted easily, I only know two or three that's not doable.


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## PCC (Oct 27, 2009)

brucec said:


> I originally wasn't going to respond since this is not a self-defence thread, but I think you should probably reconsider this plan.


Why? It would be a last defense sort of thing.


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## Patriot (Oct 27, 2009)

Inevitably the defensive topic is going to come up when discussing knives that are widely considered tactical folders. I'm not sure there's a way around this unless you state in your thread opener that you don't wish to get into defensive matters only mechanical. Personally I only see it as natural discussion progression and read what I want to read and skip what I want to skip....no great sweat imo.


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## brucec (Oct 27, 2009)

PCC said:


> Why? It would be a last defense sort of thing.


 
Drawing a knife of any kind while riding a bike one handed is dangerous. Using it to fend off an attacker while riding or holding onto a bike or even clipped in with bike shoes also sounds unrealistic. Also, I'm not a LEO, but I don't think stabbing or cutting someone with a knife is justifiable if they are just pushing you around to take your bike. You could end up going to jail. If it were me, I would either take another station on that day, let the attacker take the bike, or perhaps keep some pepper spray handy.


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## PCC (Oct 28, 2009)

Sorry to take this off topic.

The only time I would consider drawing the knife is when I'm on a subway train, not while riding it, and this would be a last defense thing. The hope is that just the fact that I am armed would be sufficient to deter someone. If it is not then I am prepared to use it as needed. As for taking the next station, that is not an option as I'm catching the subway at the end of the line and the next station is 10 miles away with over 1000' of elevation gain to get there. I get off work almost at closing time for the subway system and I live almost 50 miles away from work. I'd rather be lightly armed than to be armed with no more than a tire pump or a water bottle.


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## derrickd803 (Oct 29, 2009)

To answer the OP's question, yes, you can "de-assist" a Leek, all you have to do is remove the torsion bar


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## RA40 (Oct 30, 2009)

I'm not current on some of the designs lately, some of the models do not have a ball detent system. Once that spring bar is removed, the knife is somewhat free to open. A Kershaw Onion I have is that way.


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Oct 31, 2009)

I completely dig where the OP is coming from.

I had a Chive for some time. Cute little bugger. But it had a hair trigger and and I have rather large paws and it scared the beejeezus out of me.

Fortunatly it is gone.

My SOGs on the other hand do NOT have hair triggers. Got to want it open.

I had already decided that I liked the Leek except for the AO, and should I ever be able to get one I too will do away with the AO. That knife is not of a size class that I think of as SD anyhow.


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