Category Archives: Folders

Folders, Photos

Spyderco Domino C172CFTI – Flipping High Quality EDC – The JD / Nemo exchanges

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For this post I have invited my friend JD to discuss together about the Domino.
It’s a on going project and the post will be updated regularly instead of letting the discussion rolls afterward. Also more pics will be released later.

Spyderco Domino Nemo Knives Review

When I first heard about the release of the Domino and being not present at the Minimeet. Well, I was not excited. Another Spyderco flipper, why not, the more the merrier. On the picture I have found that the hole on the blade was made to much forward for my test giving to the knife an unbalanced look.
But that was on the picture.

Spyderco Domino Nemo Knives Review

Now I got the chance to own the Domino. I have change my mind.
My new impressions were:

– The knife is compact.
– The action is smooth.
– The knife is perfect balanced.
– The blade is stock is thin pointy with a nice belly.

Immediately I have changed the clip into a tip down carry, giving me the possibility to easy spyder drop open the knife. It works great.

So, as my friend JD in the Great Kingdom of Holland got the same Domino, I have asked him to test it together and update that post with our different point of view.

So is the Domino the best EDC Golden can provide to us in 2013 ? Let’s find it out.

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JD
Alright, here we go! I did handle the Domino for the first time at the mini-meet and thought it was a nice modern folder but probably not for me. It is somewhat bigger than the knives I normally carry and use. Knives like the Spyderco Air and Pingo. Practically 6cm of edge is all I need in a pocket knife.
Since the meet I have become more interested in the modern, state-of-the-art, folders. Folders with bearings, titanium frame-locks, steel lockbar inserts, flippers and high-carbite steels. Watching Youtube video’s from Elliot Williamson (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCue1SJON3WBgfY0KGUNXImw) and John Grimsmo (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8SC-01ZKmzTIa2Usn6fexQ) certainly helped spark my interest in this folder genre.
During the summer the Domino came out and received positive reviews. So when I went to Paris to visit Nemo and go to the SICAC this was a knife I was hoping to reacquaint myself with. When I did I was impressed with the build quality and, importantly for me, the lean edge grind. The grind in not in Opinel territory, few modern style folders are, but it is one of the thinnest I have seen on any Spyderco or other modern folder. Good work Spyderco! So, besides all the fun modern bells and whistles, it has the potential to be a good cutting tool too. I decided to get one to give it a spin to see how it would work for me.
First impressions out of the box confirmed what I had seen in Paris. Great build quality! The only thing was that the clip was to strong to easily clip to my pocked. After a little careful bending it is now the way I like it. Time to carry it, use it, and report back…

30/09/2013 at 07:02 (Edit)

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nemosandman
The Domino’s blade is wide but it’s a leaf shape. One of Eric Glesser’s favorite shape.
Here we got a nice belly and a very pointy tip.
It gives you very powerful cuts in wood as the belly works like a guillotine.
This is one of the feature which made the Dodo such a great wood cutter.
The very pointy tip creates almost a recurve edge. It’s providing a great penetration power.
All in all, the blade design seems to have been shrunk to provide great power in a compact package.
More to come soon.

30/09/2013 at 07:11

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JD
Yes, this is a pure Spyderco design!
Some observations after a little carry and use:
– The factory edge will cut newsprint and receipt paper with just a few small hangs but has very little bite while slicing, so it would not cut the plastic packaging material a sample thee back came in for instance.
– I carry mine right side, tip up. When I draw the knife from the pocket I have to make sure my last three fingers are on the clip and not on the lock bar. If they rest on the lock bar the detent is pushed in to the blade to much for it to flip. If the lock bar is free drawing and flipping is fast and smooth.
– Still getting used to how much bigger and chunkier it is compared to what I used to carry.
– The flipper is addictive 🙂

01/10/2013 at 07:10

Spyderco Domino and Pekka Tuominen Urban II

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nemosandman
Oh, That nice belly is really powerful on pushcut in hard materials and the steel CTS XHP is really a great alloy. This is my second experience with it since my Techno.
I have fumbled with my Domino which has fallen on the tiles of my kitchen. I was certain that the tip wuldbe damaged. But no. Nothing. CTS XHP so far is a very forgiving and easy to get scary steel.
I have only used leather yet.

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JD
I have given my Domino its first sharpening. I started with the Norton Medium Crystolon to set the edge bevels. The bevels I put on are at a lower angle than the factory ones. I do not know the exact angle, the hump over the hole was about 5mm above the hone. During this first sharpening stage I noticed that the edge had been sharpened asymmetrical at the factory. The right (back) side took longer to sharpen and ended up with a bigger edge bevel than the left (face) side.
I refined the edge on the other side of the stone, which is a Norton Fine India. Before each sharpening I de-stressed the edge (cut into the stone with the weight of the blade) to make sure I was working on ‘clean’ steel. I noticed that the steel burred readily once the apex was reached and that those burrs took quite a number of high angle, light passes, alternating sides into the stone, to be removed. This might be from the steel being damaged during power sharpening at the factory. This is not unusual and usually goes away after more sharpening. I will keep you posted on developments…
The Norton India cut the steel well but was slow going. Diamond would have cut faster, but this is the only bench hone I have is this grit range. I have the impression that this steel is about as high a carbide steel as you would want to sharpen on this stone.
I finished sharpening on the diamond side of the Fallkniven DC4. I have more experience with using pocked hones so they give me the most control. After more burr hunting I ended up with a nice toothy edge that would whittle hair and easily cut newsprint and phonebook paper. Back in pocket she goes and time to see how this edge works out!

03/10/2013 at 07:26

JD
A few words on build quality: impressive! With the exception of the edge I can not find anything to fault, what should be straight is straight, what should be curved is curved. The blade is perfectly centered. There is no blade play and non of the screws have worked loose after over a week of flipping. The lock-up is at 40% and inspires confidence but is easy to disengage when it comes time to close the knife. The detent sucks the blade into the handle the way a good detent should! Oh, and did I mention she is smooth? Well done Spyderco-Taiwan!

05/10/2013 at 08:22
Reply

JD
Yesterday I sharpened the Domino for the second time. I only used the Norton Fine India stone and it took me 25 minutes to get a sharp edge. It shaved arm hair and easily cut phonebook paper. There were still a few stubborn burrs but at the end the edge formed cleanly. Pretty happy with the results. 🙂

08/10/2013 at 06:49

Folders, Photos

SPYDERCO SCHEMPP TUFF BY ED SCHEMPP – C151GTI – PART 2 – VARICELLE STORIES.

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So I went to Italy with my Tuff (named “Varicelle” aka Chicken Pox because of her handle) in my pocket.
And no back up blade but my Paul Watson Victorinox Swisschamp. So Varicelle was on duty.

My idea was: with a blade like the Tuff who needs a fixed blade ?
What possibly would bring a fixed blade over Varicelle ? A better handle ? Yes. Even if the Tuff got great ergos, it’s hard to compete with my Bushcrafter. But the Tuff is easier to carry around.

BTW in the ease of deployment department the Tuff is joining my Millie. The Spyderdrop is so easy: you grap the hole or the fuller or both…
I even started to believe the Tuff is the easiest knife to spyderdrop.
Better, I’m now able to open it with some inertia: a whipping movement from the forearm and the blade is open.
Thanks to what ? The weight of that CPM3V thick heavy blade.
So ZERO complaint about that. What a great folder for quick draws !

Now what are the advantage to have my Tuff with me instead of my Military C36 in M390 ?

Main avantage: quoting Bilbo the Hobbit: ‘Take care ? I don’t care!’
Spyderco Tuff cutting
My Millie is slicer and Lamborghini which needs to be cared with love.
The Tuff is also a Lambo’. On the tractor side.
It is solid beyond records. The Tuff is care free. The edge and mechanism are forgiven.

This is an important factor. Sometimes “Orcs and Goblins” are using your “precious” cutting tools. I do not state my friends are orcs BUT I was able to see some blades ruined in a fistful of seconds by beloved ones. My father in law was able to destroy the finish of a blade in 5 seconds by just showing me how to resharp it on a flat stone !!! Go figure.

I don’t mind that kind of abuse with Varicelle. This is such a relief…
I had convexed the grind for whittling. I knew how that wonderful CPM3V steel would behave.
Good and reliable. But please, use it, be my guest. I don’t mind at all.
(I got a BRKT Bravo 1 in CPM3V. I love it BTW… That steel is tough and easy to maintain.)
So you want my knife to cut a thick pizza on a hard plate? Go ahead ! I will eventually realign the edge on ceramic later. It will cost me… 30 seconds of my time ? If the edge is really dulled. Because CPM3V is like that: forgiving and “gentle”. Only leather stropping are enough for maintaining it. No tricks.

Now let’s talk about THE LOCK.
The RIL (Chris Reeve’s Lock) is not 100% genuine as there is a steel interface. That steel interface is an real improvement to prevent lock wear and sticking lock.
BUT.There is a ‘but’.
That steel interface can transmit energy with no absorption. I mean soft titanium is sticky. Hard steel is more slippery.
A hard palm chock on my tuff’s lock was able to disengage it!!!
Wait a second ? This is the hardest use folder ? How could that happen ??
It happen like on that video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj8ZAFo8H6o
(I had not abused their lock. I had used Varicelle for light chopping though. And I do not test my knives by doing hard spine whacks on table. It’s stupid. See the Stupid Video later…)
Now the “vicious part”:
It’s happen to me after some breaking in.
So new models should not have any problem. And it cannot be spot at quality controls.
But it can happen on a phase during ‘breaking in’. It can.

NO BIG DEAL. As all the parts of that Spyderco are engineered for tough jobs. This is not a cheap knife. The axis is monstrous ! The stop pin is HUGE ! The lock bar is strong.
But keep in mind the strength of a lock bar is not linear. It’s logarithmic ! The further the bar engages the less strenght ! The shortest the bar the thinner the range.
But this is only a part of what is happening. On a chock, forces are distributed on a different way than normal uses.
The design is not the culprit. The exact position, the angle, the surface materials combination at that very moment are the culprits.

So eventually how did I cured my Tuff ?
I have forced the lock to engage and disengage again and again. I have continued the breaking in. Until… Three minutes later (!!!) it was reliable again. Locks are working on fraction of fraction of millimeters. Since I did not have any problem anymore.

So, good news, if it ever happen to you: this is NOT a big deal. It’s just a phase. Your Tuff is a hardchore tool. Use it hard and it will do the self adjustments by itself.

I’m not able to disengage the lock of Varicelle anymore with a tap on the back of the blade. And I even tried it on a wooden table many times. Going stupid and destructive for once !
But It is now behind it. Varicelle stays locked.

STUPID VIDEO

So what do you got with a Stuff ?
An elegant design. A reliable tool. A forgiving edge. A fast opening folder.

Mine is convexed and her edge can be back to razor with twenty strops on a leather belt. Yesterday I have cut and process a small tree with her. The heft of the blade is great for light chopping. The convexed edge is great of a choke up wood carving. It cuts deep and with ease.
As convenient as my Lionspy, the Tuff is more forgiving but also very sheeple friendly just by its original looks.
Mine has been used by sheeples with… pleasure. Beyond the “Why are carrying such an heavy knife” to “Please, give my your knife !”
Varicelle is not threatening. Exotic perhaps but not threatening.
I have witnessed kids whittling with her (that careless way kids got to cut wood and cut into mud afterwhile). And they were happy with their results! Asking me for my knife again and again. And me asking them to keep it close and not running with it open…

Abuses:
Varicelle has been thrown with shuriken on a wooden board and it sticks very well.
I have open a chianti wine wooden crate in a breeze.
I have chopped three inches diameter trees.

normal uses:
I have eaten with Varicelle in many restaurants.
It have been borrowed from me in restaurant !
I have let children disappeared from my sight and whittling with it. Ok.
I have let my mother in law cutting beef with it. Ouch !

Anyway, the Tuff is a special knife: carrying a folding light chopping tool in a solid package is a great experience.
And knowing it won’t be damaged by clumsiness (mine or others) is a SUPER plus.

Next review teaser:
I won’t let my Manix 2 in any hands.

    Tuff SPyderco

Folders, Photos

SPYDERCO SCHEMPP TUFF BY ED SCHEMPP – C151GTI – My Folding Kukri

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When The Going Get Tough…The Tuff gets going !

I have witnessed the evolution of that knife since the first prototype in 2005. The beautiful fuller was already its signature and I felt, this was a great complement to the hole for opening purpose.
For descriptions and length and weight, please use the link above.

This folder is not my first “heavy duty folding tool”, but certainly one of the most solid. The Gayle Bradley is an hard used cutter.
My Lionspy is another great contender as I have used it as a light chopper many times. But the heft of the Tuff is making that Ed Schempp designed knife a great woodman folding companion, in my own humble opinion. It’s unique.
Why ?
Because I enjoy being able to process wood with some light equipment: my Cold Steel Voyager, my Lionspy and now my Tuff are able to work quick as light chopping tools. Of course it won’t replace a hatchet, a machette, a campknife. But they are a folding “attempt” to create reliable hard used knives. The new fashion in folding cutlery. Tactical means nothing. Hard used knife means everything.

SPyderco Tuff and Lionspy by Nemo

My tuff has been named “Varicelle” or “Smallpox” in French. Why ? Because of its handle. All those “bubbles” give it some kind of steampunk look.
Once closed, you recognized the attention for details of Ed Schempp. Varicelle looks like a perfect oval. It’s a beautiful object even if the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just look at that mega huge screw pivot, that massive stop pin, that unique fuller on that thick blade, everything in this knife screams toughness.

Once open, you feel that you are holding a tool not a weapon. Even if the balance is perfect with a sweet spot under your index. This knife has been created to be a reliable companion toward the hardest situation a folder can withstand in a…. farm ! And what is useful in a farm can be useful everywhere. But, thinking about it: the most famous martial artists weapons were initiated by farm tools.
Ed told me he has cut into aluminium tanks without any damage to the blade. I don’t know wahta he was cutting but I trust him to put his blades in pace to test them. (E.G. My Persian is such a great knife BTW)

CPMS3V is a really tough steel. It’s another crucible powder steel. I love the behavior of that steel and its forgiveness toward my clumsiness.
I cherish a great BRKT Bravo and I love how its convexed edge is easy to maintain while being a true laser. Oh I love that powder manufactured steel.
It’s not stainless, but it’s a fine grain tool steel which can stand a lot of abuses.
Having the chance to carry “that” steel on a folding knife is absolutely rare. Another Spyderco premiere.
I had the purpose of convexing my Tuff as I knew how easy that tough alloy was with leather stropping.
So Varicelle has been slowly convexed. Using elbow’s oil mainly.

Eventually the blade on the Tuff is longer than the edge. Again the mighty choil is another Ed Schemp signature like on my Navaja.
You can hold your knife by the blade only, helped by the fuller and the choil, the hardest jobs can be soft on the lock and pivot.
The edge is making that knife very legal. It’s not threatening. Again you got a tool in your hand not a serial killer nightmare.
Yes, but it looks like a kukri and it perform like a folding kukri. And Kukris are famous to be the sacred weapon of Burkhas…
But again Kukris are great tools tunred into weapons. The Tuff’s designer was focus on some kind of G-Shock folder. Not a self defense device. Not a sentry removal tool. The Tuff is just a gentleman farmer’s knife designed by one.

By the way, I don’t have any problem to open it fast. I have changed the clip position to tip down carry. Now I can spyderdrop it, holding the blade by the hole and the fuller. It’s as easy and smooth as with my Millie. The heavy handle helps a lot. The lock bar can be harder than other knives. I won’t mind.
The closing is even easier than on my Lionspy. The meat of my thumb catches the lock release with ease. So I can open it fast and close it fast which is a must in safety for hard used tools in difficult environment. My tuff is reliable. Easy to put in play and easy to remove from sight.
This is all I ask from my folders.

So what do you got ? A CPMS3V folder with RIL Lock in a compact package offering great ergos while open.
Now will come the time of testing.
Stay tune for part 2.


Before convexing.


In between convexing.

Spyderco Tuff by Nemo
Fully convexed.

Folders, Photos

Spyderco Caly3 C113GGY in Super Blue Steel Sprint Run- Grand pa knife is going high tech.

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“Yasuki Hagane steel has been produced in their plant in Shimane prefecture in Japan where the high quality iron sand has been produced for making traditional Japanese swords since ancient times. These are three main premium grade high carbon steels (Shirogami, Aogami and Aogami Super) that have been used for making Japanese made field & kitchen knives. Hitachi metal is also known as the manufacture of high grade premium stainless steel, ATS-34 and ZDP-189.Blue Steel is made by adding chromium and tungsten to Shirogami (White Steel) that makes the material more durable and provides corrosion resistance and mostly used for making high-grade Hocho (kitchen knives) and outdoor knives.
Now Super Blue Steel is made by adding chromium and tungsten to Shirogami (White Steel) that makes the material more durable and provides corrosion resistance and mostly used for making high-grade Hocho (kitchen knives) and outdoor knives.”

From http://japan-blades.com/how-to.

I’ve never been interested in the Calypso. Call me names but the lock was “old”. Not the smoothest operating tool… as all lockbaks.
But the Calypso and all its offsprings got a common feature: ergonomy. A thin blade (not wide for a Spyderco after all) in a light and pointy package.
The years (decade) go by. The Caly 1.5 turns into a test platform for the Aogami Super with a first Sprint Run. I was very excited when Jur has shown me that absolutely beautiful folder. But alas to much vertical play for me and that, made me step back.

This is the problem with all back locks but with my Caracara chinese made G10 first generation. I remember falling in love with the first XL Cold Steel Clip Point Voyager… vertical Play. Massad Ayoob first Spyderco folder… vertical play. The Mighty Chinook , first and second generation ? Vertical play.
Oh you can live with that.
But I do not like a tool which got moving parts in the palm of my hand when I’m cutting something hard.

The Caly3 in Super Blue Steel got vertical play but much less than the Caly 3.5 I had tested.

Now the Cold Steel Triadlock is curing that “disease”. That’s why they are so pleasant to use and so reliable to chocks like Fred Perrin has shown us by throwing his mini Lawman repetitively (more than a 1000 throws!) without any failure or even any vertical play.

Vertical Play is a curse. I remember Michael Janich’s “Street Steel” book explaining why to go away from any lateral or vertical play in a folder knife. And I believe every single words Mr Janich is writing. Common sense is more precious than adamantium nowadays.

Ok my Caly3 vertical play is minor. And on a short knife with ergos like a boot knife this is not a major problem. I mean if the lock should ever fail (and that vertical play on locks has been noticed on very very strong backlocks) my precious fingers would be protected by the quillons on the blade: when you are holding a Spyderco folding knife, you are holding it mostly by the blade. Giving all strength and all structure stress directly to the blade not “through” a fragile channel: the pivoting handle. The C36 Military was the first to offer that “boot knife” feature. Holding the knife by the blade is something as ancient as the Roman folding knives you can find in archaeological fields. In the ancient times, the handle was considered merely as a sheath not something to hold your tool… So folding knives were used as hand razor: by holding the blade.

So about the Caly3, this means that I don’t “feel” any important play when I cut on a board for example. This is mandatory for me to trust a folding knife and sticking to short fixed blade for EDC (as you perharps know I love short fixed blade, Ian Grenier’ FIne Urban Cancelled Knife, Fred Perrin’s Lagriffe, my Izulas, My Newt Livesay NRG, my wonderful Fred Perrin / Spyderco Streetbeat and my great BRKT Bravo1… (chich is not that small after all).

Ok, the Caly is sheeple friendly. It got a thin, short, not threatening blade and this Sprint Run got also a grey G10 handle and a stainless steel back spacer. It doesn’t scream “TACTICAL KNIFE!!!” like the mighty Cold Steel Recon 1 XL CLip Point… So I can use it in the plate in a restaurant. nobody notice it and it makes the difference as a matter separator.
The Caly3 clip is the wire clip and this is the masterpiece in the clipping design industry. I got the same of my Sages, my Techno, my Slipits, my Pingo, my Dodo, my Chaparral and they are simply the best. Nothing can get close to it. It may look cheap. But they are the best in low profile, and ease of pocketing. (Let me hammer that the clip of the Southard being the worth of all Spyderco’s clip ever made IMHO.)

The Sprint Run of C113 got a non stainless steel blade. This is something to experiment. I love my 1075 and 1095 and my M2 blades to get stain. A patina is a must IMHO. It gives character and low profile to a bad reputation tool. I first enjoy patina on my 1095 Schrade Sharpfinger almost 20 years ago… The blade feels “natural” to react to oxygen and acids… It gives “beautility” to a very personnal tool.

Now the Grey G10 gives also some kind of beautility to the Caly 3. Mine is dirty and I love it that way.I got Fifty shades of grey… (and with the Games of Thrones fans I should score…)

So what to not love in the Caly3 ?
Even closed that folder featuring Sal signature is radiating honesty and confidence. I remember reading an article about a man saving his baby boy from a mountain lion attack with a Spyderco Caly 1.5 knife. This means confidence in your tool.

My Caly3 is reliable. I can trust it when I need it to cut deep and fast. And I can trust it to get stains in warp speed too. No surprise there. Like an Opinel in carbon steel you know how to clean and oil it to keep it far from rust.
The Caly is pointy. Much more than a Techno. It got almost more edge length than a Native.
Ho, there is something I love: the bulging pivot screw on this sprint run. The pivot screws is falling perfectly under your thumb when cutting horizontally. About ergos the knife is held in full grip like a much bigger knife. On the handle, there is place for four fingers even without involving the choil.
The Caly3 is not a all screw construction and …. I don’t mind. I got no plan to dismount it. I have cleaned it by rinsing it under hot water tap.
It so far so good.

Now about Super Blue. I have re-profiled the blade as I was expecting much better sharpness. no the edge is thin and convexed but still… I got a much better sharpness feeling with my AUS8A blades (Cold Steel Voyagers, Recon1 and Code4) or the CPMS3V on my BRKT Bravo 1…. I need more mileage on Super Blue Steel to crown it. So far it could be 1075, I don’t feel the difference.
So guess what ?
More on patina and old timer steel in the 52100 serie…

Folders

COLD STEEL RECON 1 SPEAR POINT – Removing the Paint in Black

3 Comments

I was already in love with Cold Steel Recon 1 Tanto. The the Spear Point came. Same greatness in construction, perfectly balanced, mega solid triadlocklock, amazing ergos and razor sharp thin hollow ground blade. This is a beast of a knife !!!
But this time I wanted to have it less “Recon” and more “Workhorse”. So good bye black paint… Same treatment as on my old Izula:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/752692-Stripping-my-Naked-Black-Izula-in-30-minutes

got a lot of knives since the 80’s. I have tested a lot of knives since 1995.
You mileage may vary but like everyone I got my favorite regarding pure cutting power, ease of resharping, ergos…
For example the SPyderco Bushcrafter is one of my joy to use in the wood. My 1990’s ATS 34 Sebenza has proven many time to be reliable in the worst situations.
I’m amazed by my Paramilitary S90V edge holding capabilities.
For push cutting in wood, my Blue Dodo has always a phenemonal performer, the S shap thin edge is getting deep.
Then the thin Michael Walker and the Gayle Bradley have been demonstrating all their power on hard plastic and delicate works.

And after stropping the Cold Steel Recon 1 blade to a dangerous whittling hair level, this big folder is breaking my own records. I was able to cut through the thick butt of plastic bottle twice in parallel cuts with ease. The handle is so confortable, I can apply a lot of strenght and the hollow ground powerful blade separate material like in butter.
I’m really realy impressed and will continue my testing.

Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point

Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point

Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point

Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point

Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point

Cold Steel Recon 1 Spear Point

Folders

Spyderco Stretch C90CF – Part III – EDC of high performance

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Spyderco C90CF ZDP189

So after the initial impressions and the convexed edge enhancement how the C90CF is performing on a daily basis ?

The first thing wich stands out in this folder is how flat and confortable it is to pocket. This is the kind of knives you totally forget once clipped.
The second thing is how easy it is to put in action. The oversize hole and the relatively heavy butt handle and the smooth action make it a great spyder drop opener if your carry it (like myself) with the clip mounted near the pivot. The grap the hole between the thumb end the index and in a fluid motion the knife is open in your hand, ready for any chore.

Spyderco C90CF ZDP189

Now the thin blade is a laser. Again the thin cuts through all materials submitted to it with ease and, good news, the little vertical play of the backlock seems to have disappeared with the breaking in and the constant use. Now the knife feels rock solid. Also the thin edge on the thin blade doesn’t need a lot of force to cut deep.
The ZDP 189 edge seems to lose its hair popping sharp sharpness fast but the working edge seems to last forever. Another good news, leather bely and compound is enough to bring back the hair popping edge in a matter of seconds. So far I was not able to ruin the edge: no chipping, no bending, no excessive dulling. My edge is polished and convexed and it cuts, cuts, cuts:

Spyderco C90CF ZDP189

Some very hard cardboard tube is no match for the Stretch thin blade.
Also I got no discoloration or pitting on a ZDP189 blade which has been used a lot in the kitchen. It has been cleaned by rinsing under water and wipe just after.

All in all the Stretch is an incredible high performer. It’s relatively long blade makes it really useful for a wide specter of chore and his polyvalence will be hard to match. This is really great folder to EDC.

Folders

Spyderco Stretch C90CF – Part II Stretch on the Bench.

3 Comments

I was testing my Stretch when I got the urge to compare it to the Daddy of all my Spydies: my M390 Millie.

My M390 got a very thin factory edge and I was able to maintain mainly by stropping on leather. it cuts like a laser.
Compared to my new Stretch the difference was hug. The C90 with a thinner blade got a thick edge. I was not able to measure it but it’s a good 40°…

So I have decided to convex the edge of that thin full flat ground blade, even if ZDP 189 is a bear to sharp.
My first step has been with Lansky diamond pads for eliminating the shoulder of the thick edge. I was able to do it with out scratch the flat of the blade.
Then I have stropped the blade on leather with white compound until I got a mirror finish.

Stretch on the bench

Nemo Convexed edge on Stretch

The performance is night and day. I will check now how the ZDP189 convexed edge will behave, but I had applied the same treatment with a Michael Walker which is now used every week end as a skinning knife. Anyway, I have been able to cut through a plastic bottle’s butt is one pushcut. My C90CF is now laser sharp. As sharp as my Gayle Bradley but certainly not as strong. We will check that later.


Talking about sharpness. The jimping is really sharp and hurting the hand. Again diamonds has given me the possibility to eliminate those teeths. The new version of the Stretch got better jimping, the same as those applied on the choil.

So now, my Stretch is ready for more tests, tonight it will tomatoes slicing time.

Conclusion in the Part 3.



Oh yes it cuts…

Folders

Thoughtful Southard part 2.

4 Comments

Spyderco Southard Nemo

Using the Southard is a pure pleasure.
Why ?
Because you got a thin edge and a thick spine.
The full belly has proven to be hard to mistrust. It’s a curved guillotine.
Cardboard sheaths are cut like with a lightsaber, tomatoes are slices thin, rabbit’s bones are cut with no chipping even wooden wine boxe from Burgandy are open with a twist of the handle.
The thick handle is really confortable for hard and long period of work. I cannot find any hot spot in this knife especially since… I have removed that awful clip.
It’s look like folded metal sheath. It’s pointy and will pierce my pocket instead, it’s shiny, sharp and will keep my knife on an high profile while clipped to my pocket.
The Southard is so nice without its clip.
Since I have Steve Rice from STR’s Backyard knifeworks who has gently sent to me one of his beautiful Lowrider’s clip he has especially invented for the Southard and a Southard part 3 is in preparation.

For now on, my C156 is clipless and this is a pure wonder. The Carpenter version of M390 has proven to be absolutly reliable as CTS 204P is really a great steel. No chipping so far. Stay razor sharp for a week long. Easy to strope on leather. Easy to maintain on ceramic.

But clip are an issue on a lot of flipper. Check the Massdrop Falcon for example.

You can see there is a lot of attention to detail. I love how the blade flush with the handle, especially near the pivot. I love the No Spin construction. The absence of any play in any direction. This folding knife looks more solid and beefy than my Sebenzas !
The flipper is acting as a guard. But its all rounded so choking up the blade is possible. The asymetrical handle’s slabs/liners are not a big deal as they are providing a very comfortable experience.

As you can notice the blade of the Southard got something special. It’s full belly but also it seems like the tip is able to catch the cutting material. Like the last centimeter toward the tip is a claw. When I cut with my Southard I can feel all the length of the edge being in use. This is really something unique in that edge design. The blade cuts with ease without any drift. Like the Spyderco Dodo.
Yes, the Dodo is one my favorite whittling knife. Not for fine work but to cut a rod from a tree. The continious curves in the Dodo edge make it a great matter separator. The Dodo was able to cut into hardwood with less energy than any of my knives. The belly and the geometry of the Southard are in the same league.
Now the thick spine is a pleasure for my thumb when I’m doing powerful pushcuts. I can choke up the blade beyond the flipper and work with all my weight. Thanks also to its thick square handle I do not need gloves like with the Lionspy or my Sage 2.
So my mileage with that flipping beauty so far is exceeding my expectations. It’s even hard for me to enjoy my Techno or my Tuff or my Persian: the Flipper is really addictive and beyond the gimmick there is a really thoughtful design in that Southard.
Easy to use. Confortable. Easy to clean.Easy to keep razor sharp.
The Southard is also an eyecandy.
Anyway, mine has been used daily, in the plate, the kitchen, the wood, the boat, the city, the car, the office, the field, the dirt, the rain, the sea… It cuts. Stay sharp. Is easy on my palm. Is nice in my eyes.

SPyderco Southard without clip
No clip, more clip.

Southard Techno Nemo
The Techno clip is really the best. The Techno is the only SPyderco folder which is absolutly flawless IMHO.

Southard Techno Nemo
Fred Perrin and Jerry van Cook ?

Southard Nemo
CTS 204P is easy on white ceramic and the edge is kept on the popping hair sharp level.

Spyderco Southard
Eye candy when closed too !

Folders, Uncategorized

Spyderco Air – Popping Sharp ! by JD

3 Comments

I had asked my Dutch friend JD to write a review of the Spyderco Air. He’s a big fan of small blades. From the classic slipoint to the most modern design, he’s always seeking for the best geometry in cutting. Through the years he has developped an wide encyclopedic knowledge in cutlery but also has proven to be the best free hand sharpener I have ever met, being able to enhance any edge to a very high level of pure performance. Here is his review of the Spyderco Air:

 
Spyderco Air by JD
 

I have had the Air in my possession for 4 months of which I have carried it for about two. When I first got it I liked the knife overall but thought it was too thick behind the edge and found blade finish a little rough. Since then I have thinned out the shoulder of the edge, so now the blade flows from the back to the edge in a slightly convex curve. The first halve centimeter from the edge is now just a little thicker than on an Opinel in the same area. I consider the blade grind on Opinels to be a benchmark of a thin, very well cutting, folder blade. I used an extra course DMT diamond stone for most of the shaping. It was then cleaned up with sandpaper. The edge was finished on an extra fine DMT stone. It how has a fine jet toothy edge that will easily cut phonebook paper, shave arm hair, as well as be grabby enough to bite into and cut plastic packaging material.
I tried sharpening it with the brown Spyderco ceramic hone. A hone that I have good experiences with sharpening other (Spyderco) knives. But found that for this knife it was not the right tool for the job. It polished more than it ground and so was right for the shaping part of sharpening. The M4 steel the blade is made of is quite wear resistant compared to, for instance, VG10, a steel Spyderco uses in many of its popular models. M4 is not stainless.
I use the Air to cut up an apple in the evening, to cut a piece of cheese or to get liverwurst from its plastic packaging. It also works well for opening up a kaiser roll and putting butter on it for lunch (butter with the back of the blade). It work great for the usual edc tasks of opening packages and cutting paper. With use, mostly thanks to the apples, it has developed a nice dark patina.

Spyderco Air by JD

The handle feels good in the hand. No sharp points and, thank goodness, no jimping! Only when you push hard on it does the open construction become a little uncomfortable.
The Air opens and closes smoothly. The linerlock on my example has moved a little past the middle of the locking ramp. Slightly further then when new.

The detent is strong enough to keep the knife savely closed in the pocket.
In the pocket you hardly notice it, it is so light and compact. I have not missed a pocket clip at all! I think on this knife a clip would compromise the ergonomics of the handle to much.
The more I carry this knife the more I enjoy it. Thinning behind the edge make all the difference! It has transformed the knife from okay to a great cutter.
JD

Folders, Uncategorized

Spyderco Pingo – Do NOT mess with the Danish Cookie

10 Comments

In those days of tactical fever.
In those days of fears.
In this last day after the End of the World.
This is the time to change all the rules.

For the first time , Spyderco is releasing a folding knife with a hole in a blade which is like a blue carrot’s salad for a sniper: useless.
A folder with a hole in the blade so tiny it will only catch germs….

WTF ?

The Pingo is a collaborative effort of Danish knifemakers Jens Anso and Jesper Voxnaes. This knife was specifically designed to conform to the knife laws of Denmark, which prohibit both lock-blade folding knives and all forms of one-hand-opening knives.

(I love copy and paste… from there.)

OK now I’m currently carrying a Spyderco Techno. I love this little dwarven titanium folder but the Pingo ???

The handle looks well thought. The blade is unusual and non threatening. Sober design.
Wait a minute, the Pingo looks like it could be a great EDC.

Spyderco Pingo

Spyderco Pingo

Spyderco Pingo

Spyderco Pingo

Spyderco Pingo

Spyderco Pingo

Spyderco Pingo

Now after two weeks of being in my pocket 24/7 this little Pingo is an excellent surprise.
First thing first…. DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU ARE DANISH BUT: I open it with a flick.
This is good as I do not live in beautiful Danemark.
But beyond that detail, the knife got excellent ergos. Great ergos !
Its a full four fingers handle knife ready for hard work because it has a great belly and a great geometry.
And this knife is a cutting machine.
I was very surprised to see how that little knife was able to handle a lot of jobs with ease.
The belly is on the reason of its high perf. But also the razor thin full flat ground blade.

All in all for a great price you can go legal on a lot of ground with an incredible workhorse. Trust me the Pingo will surprise you.
Kuddos to Jens Anso and Jesper Voxnaes fo bringing it and Spyderco for always giving birth to the most exotic and pragmatic projects.