The Lionspy expresses its design in the woods. The heavy blade and strong lock even make it a light chopping tool for small branches.
But the handle open construction next the pivot is not the most confortable spot for push cutting into hard material like 90% of modern folders the use of working gloves is mandatory for hard cutting. On that, the Gayle Bradley is more ergonomic.
The thick high flat ground blade’s belly gives you a lot of power especially when you need to cut with the first third of the blade (near the point as shown on the picture) when the knife is not perpendicular to the cutting material and the belly acts as a guillotine. Here it works great.
With its heavy blade the “need” to chop comes naturally. It helps a lot to clean small branches when making a staff for example. Also I was able to give some lateral pushs and pulls to that wedge blade and everytime the wood gaps with a satisfactory crack. I did not baton it yet, it’s a short blade, but in this case I would certainly not engage the lock.
The open construction makes it very easy to clean but even very dirty all the elements of that big folding knife works perfectly. Sand and dirt do not prevent the blade to lock and unlock perfectly with both systems (RIL and Roto). So far I was not able to noticeably scratch the handle or the blade.
The Lionspy is really destin for hard user it really remembers me the HEST fixed blade. No surprise the HEST Folder is also made by Lionsteel and got since its second batch so well appreciated.
Both the Lionspy and my good old HEST folder have been used for cutting roots. The Hest is my favorite dirty jobs small knife as I know how solid is it and how easy it’s to restore the convex edge I put on it.
The Lionspy came with a gently convexed grind and Elmax is surprisingly easy to keep razor sharp with ceramic and leather stropping.
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