Tag Archives: Larrin Thomas

The Serrations of the Everyday — Notes on a Serrated Magnacut UKPK enhance with titanium scales.

There are objects we own, and others that, through use, quietly become extensions of our hand. The UKPK in Magnacut—here in its serrated form, dressed in Heinnie’s Titech titanium scales—belongs firmly to the latter. Not a piece to be admired at a distance, but one to be lived with. Everyday. Tested. Carried without ceremony.
This tool is low profile but with an hungry edge.

What strikes first is the paradox. A familiar, ergonomic silhouette—born from a will shaped by strict legal constraints—yet delivering a level of cutting performance that feels anything but limited. That serrated edge does not flatter at first glance. It unsettles some, even repels others. And that is precisely where its relevance begins.

Because real life does not deal in ideal materials or perfect technique. A slice of cooling pizza, a stubborn thread, double-wall cardboard, an electrical cable—each offers a different resistance. Where a plain edge demands precision, serrations adapt. They bite and initiate cuts. From a caresse to firm push cuts, using thin SpyderEdge serrations is an escalation in my cutting intentions. I need that material to be cut fast !!
It helps a lot when you cut a label in a store without to be noticed (once you bought it of course…)

In this configuration, Magnacut reveals a deeper character. I had noticed it on the wonderful Chief Salt . Its reputation is well established, but it is in repetition—across mundane, unremarkable tasks—that it truly asserts itself. Edge retention ceases to be a technical metric and becomes something tangible.
Days pass, materials accumulate, and yet the initial sensation—a ready, immediate hungry bite—remains intact with a quiet, almost disconcerting consistency. That makes a real difference for an EDC.

It is telling that even its own designer, Sal Glesser, found himself rediscovering the knife through this serrated Magnacut expression.

Notice my “preaching to the choir” post 😄

This is a genuine sense of surprise at the endurance of the edge, accompanied by a nod to Larrin Thomas, whose metallurgical work made this steel possible. This is more than technical acknowledgment; it is recognition of a rare alignment between design intent and material innovation.

The titanium scales subtly shift the relationship further. The knife gains density, heft and presence. I just love that. It’s no more a lightweight though but the tactile experience becomes cooler, more deliberate. There is something almost architectural about it—a structure defined as much by its material honesty as by its purpose, ready to meet the unpredictability of daily use by sea, air or land.

Over time, what emerges is a quiet redefinition of the serrated edge itself. Long confined to specialized roles—rescue, rope, marine environments—it finds here a broader legitimacy. Not as an alternative to the plain edge, but as a different philosophy of cutting. More instinctive. More pragmatic.

I have felt the same with the Chaparral serrated, offering those performance in a lady/gentleman format. The UKPK offers a longer blade but a legal solution.

The serrated Chaparral brings this same idea into a more restrained, almost tailored format—slim, discreet, almost polite in profile, yet unexpectedly serious once it starts working. It’s the kind of tool that disappears into a pocket and reappears only when needed, delivering performance without ever looking like it intends to.

The UKPK serrated Magnacut, on the other hand, pushes the concept further in a different direction. Same underlying logic, but with more reach, more cutting length, more immediate utility when the task scales up. It’s not trying to be more aggressive—it simply extends the capability envelope while staying within a legal framework that forces discipline into the design.

Put together, they sketch an interesting continuum rather than a category:
the thinner Chaparral as refined minimalism with bite, the thin UKPK as everyday legality stretched to its most useful expression.

Different formats, same underlying surprise: serrations stop being “special-purpose” and start behaving like a perfectly normal, highly efficient everyday cutting system !

To reach for a serrated blade to cut burger or break down a box should no longer feel unusual. If anything, it is where this knife feels most at home. Its modernity lies not in spectacle, but in normalization—in making high performance feel natural within the ordinary.

The serrated Magnacut UKPK does not argue its case. It does not need to. It simply works—and in doing so, it quietly resets expectations.

Low-profile in the pocket, yet unmistakably assertive at the edge, it pairs a hungry, enduring bite with a reassuringly solid construction. All of it contained within a form that remains legally acceptable in many places—an understated balance of restraint and capability.

Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight 15V Sprint Run – C223PBN15V – First glimpse at the Lil’Brown Bear !

Jumping on the Para® 3 Lightweight Brown CPM® 15V® Sprint Run® wagon was an easy choice after a month of watching our American friends review this new CPM-15V batch.

Following the Manix 2 release two years ago, showcased in the Reveal 11, and a Paramilitary Brown version, here is the chance to test this remarkable steel on a lightweight platform: the Para 3 in brown FRN.


For record CPM 15V is “Boasting almost a 15 percent vanadium content, this remarkable material offers the highest wear resistance of any cold work tool steel available today. The full-flat-ground, satin-finished blade of this knife is further enhanced by a specialized heat-treating protocol developed by acclaimed custom knifemaker Shawn Houston. The result is a blade that offers extreme sharpness and unparalleled edge retention.”

Shawn Houston is known as Big Brown Bear on youtube and his skills in metallurgy and knifemaking as drawn the attention of the Glesser’s family.

In 2018, he has written on the Spyderco Forums that request:
Sal, Can we get CPM 15v?
I like this steel. It’s easier to work with then Maxamet and Rex121.
Takes a killer edge and seems to be more stable then s110v.


Larrin Thomas even answered:
“You guys are crazy. But with Spyderco anything is possible.”

And in 2022 a first Spyderco knife designed by Shawn Houston in 15V with his own heat treat protocol was proposed. Eric’s Manix 2.

“The CPM 15V Sprint run was supposed to be a surprise treat.
Eric wanted to share the CPM 15V with the custom heat treatment I worked on for my folder design.
His idea was to use a standard model so people can get their hands on the steel. Which I thought was really, REALLY cool of him to do that.
Working with Crucible and Niagara Specialty Metal we were able to select a specific melt of the CPM 15V that would respond best to this specially developed custom heat treatment. 
So, Eric and Sal really went all the way on this, no other production knife company on the planet would do something like this. Eric and Sal are one of a kind. 
You guys need to understand this is very unique having actual knife/steel/sharpening/edge people running a knife company that can cater to enthusiasts. 
Originally, I was given options for different handle scales for the Manix but the most important priority was to get the CPM 15V Manix out as soon as possible so it didn’t make any sense to use exotic scale materials.
G10 is a great material to work with and brown g10 was selected because “Big Brown Bear” aka Triplebhandmade. (Me)
I am aware as many others that brown g10 is not unique to this model.
But the color of the handle scales and the handle scale material are irrelevant to edge performance and the most important priority was getting this out to you guys as soon as possible.
Looks like the price is great too, if we used carbon fiber etc cost would have been higher.
So, I hope you guys can respect that.
The folder collaboration design was being pushed back due to production capacity being completely full at Golden.
Please understand that I’ve been very persistent at wanting the knife made in Golden come **** or high water; I would wait until the
stars burned out.
Spyderco has been very busy increasing the size of their golden factory to meet the insane demand of the current knife industry after the global pandemic.
Keep in mind, when a new product comes through the factory, they have to train the staff on how to make them, and what the best procedures are for creating that specific model in high volume with maximum efficiency. So, there is hidden effort when new designs come through at Spyderco.
Folks need to remember if we want this folder made in Golden (my favorite factory) we have to be patient. 
My dream is to have a Golden folder we can all experience together.

I’ve gotten a chance to meet the people from the Golden factory I must say I’m even more excited about the idea of it being made in Golden. I’ve talked to the people that do grinding and heat treatment and there’s just something special about being able to talk to the folks that make your collaboration knife design.
So, I keep pretty quiet about the folder because I don’t feel it’s necessary to see get people excited about something that doesn’t have a clearly set date of exactly when it can be expected and I don’t want to put any undue pressure on Spyderco because they’ve been working very very hard over the past couple years to get things that sometimes people take for granted and expect to magically appear on the shelves to buy.
While I haven’t been posting in this thread everyday, I really appreciate you guys making sure to let Spyderco know this is something you want.
So, thanks for always updating this thread and talking about it on social media.I really think you guys will like this knife and I can’t wait to get one in my pocket one day.

-Shawn

Now this is new batch including Microjimbo, Yojumbo, Yojimbo2, Native, Military 2, Para3 G10 and Para3 Lightweight.

Like all its brothers and sisters it boast the BBB logo proving that the blade has followed Shawn Houston heat treatment.

In his excellent vidéo Shawn share his first impressions and also check the hardness of his Para3 and the result is 65.4 HRC ! Impressive !

Framed from his video: he performed five separate hardness tests just to be sure. It’s well known that Shawn Houston’s special heat treatment — refined over years and tested by renowned professionals — brings out the quintessence of CPM-15V, elevating its performance to exceptional levels.

“Well, most heat treatment protocols are for tooling, like the ones in datasheets — not really optimized for things like edge stability.”
— Shawn Houston, on his own heat treatment

In practical tests, Pete from the Cedric and Ada Gear and Outdoors was able to cut through a rope 2,000 times without compromising the edge.

The action on my new Para 3 is perfectly smooth. I notice a little lock sticking but this is not an issue in my book.


And smooth enough that nothing unscrews on it — the blade closes like glass, effortlessly and precisely.

My Para 3 arrived perfectly centered, but with some burrs on the scales.
(A burr is a raised edge or small piece of material that remains attached to a workpiece after a modification process.)

You can feel these tiny imperfections under your finger along the FRN edges.

I have “deburr” it with some diamonds rod. Nothing fancy but now the handle is fine. I don’t remember having that issue on my previous Para 3 review.

The edge is even.

I don’t see myself working on a convex edge on this one. Not for the moment.

The sharpness is high and that blade is a hair popping sharp razor right out of the box.

I have already cut my self with its very pointy point. My Para 3 is baptized !

Now it is truly mind.

It is said that CPM-15V loves leather for a crispy edge.
(S90V or M398 for example don’t care about stropping…)

I’m curious how its 68 grams will compete with my Maxamet Para 3 G10 (98 grams) — sturdy yet smooth as velvet.

According to Spyderco:

“The term ‘lightweight,’ or the use of injection-molded handle components on a Spyderco folder, isn’t just about how the knife tips the scale. It’s about taking full advantage of the remarkable properties of FRN and FRCP, as well as our decades of experience as an industry leader in their use.”

So yes, this is a “light” saber.

The edge appears ground thinner than on the notoriously brittle Maxamet blade. Both blades receive special attention: the spine is smooth under the thumb, and the edges are expertly bevelled.

The chance to have such a steel on a lightweight folder would make it a great hunting knife like the Michael Walker ZDP-189 was in his days.
The game’s fur is very abbrasive. CPM-15V could be even stronger than ZDP189 on the joints, more permissive.

Ericasedc has made a video about that:

She seems really happy with her Para 3 since she has received it. You can see all the videos she has made on her channel about the Para 3 15V.

Anyway, going in the woods equipped with a Tenacious CPM M4 and a Para 3 in 15V would be a great combo nowadays.


Now that I can carry the mighty CPM-15V steel in my pocket, I’m eager to test its performance over the long run. Stay tuned for updates on this page or in another chapter.

Having a featherweight folder equipped with such a formidable blade and steel is uncanny — it packs remarkable power in a pocket-sized package. I still remember fitting the Maxamet blade on my red FRN Para 3 just to experience that sensation of a powerful engine on a lightweight platform.

This Para 3 Sprint Run is already a triumph, offering the chance to experience a remarkable steel crafted by passionate knifeaholics.

As mentioned, I have no intention of convexing the edge for now — I’m trusting Shawn’s expertise. Unlike AEB-L, which can be thinned while remaining strong, CPM-15V is packed with carbides, so I’ll stick with the angle specified by Spyderco and Shawn, which is already thinner than Maxamet.

But now, the real fun begins: testing!
Spoiler: the combination of geometry and steel makes it an excellent whittler — the blade cuts deep, and the wood feels incredibly smooth under the cut.



Final word of this review are from Shawn Houston who was quoting and answering to Todd from Scienceofsharp.com about 15V (as Todd’s goal is to increase our understanding of the role of carbides in cutting performance and how different sharpening techniques “interact” with the carbide):
““tremendous pleasure in using an extremely sharp knife or tool (and satisfaction when you have sharpened it yourself). Even though it is often a fleeting experience”
That’s the “idée fixe” of it all.
The little smile and feeling of elation when the edge lasers through material with zero effort.
The stones, geometries, steels, heat treatments and the techniques.
Chasing those fleeting moments of joy with high performance and riding the line between madness and clarity in trying to understand at the most intricate levels how it all really works.
An insatiable quest.

The Edge is a Ghost. Always changing. Dying (dulling) being reborn (sharpened) split personality (angles and geometry changing).

Think of the edge as gas in a vehicle. It runs out of gas and you put in more gas. We provide the format, materials, design for use, variety to avoid boredom and create interest, but the edge is your creation. The result of your understanding, education, experience and practice.”

Sal

CPM 15V is a very difficult steel to manufacturer, so it may not always be available in the future.
Crucible Industries LLC went to great lengths to produce the steel, it puts a great amount of wear and tear on the ceramic refractory designed to hold the super heated liquid steel during melting. This is necessary to dissolve the vanadium carbides to the very fine sizes that we see in the finished product.
It’s quite a marvel that’s not often appreciated.
15V is basically the commercial limit for how much carbon and vandium they can get in a steel for production sizes batches.
The benefits of this to the end user combined with excellent heat treatment is a enjoyable, lasting cutting experience that also touches up at the edge nicely with proper abrasives and sharpening experience.”

Shawn Houston on Spyderco Forums

Spyderco Roadie XL C267BK – Size matters

Six years ago, I reviewed the Working Poney, also known as the Roadie. Mine had been reprofiled by Jan Dirk, and even at its tiny scale, it proved to be an outstanding performer. For six years, it quietly stayed in my pocket, accompanying me across the UK, Vietnam, and countless places where knives were frowned upon.

Then, in 2024, I noticed the announcement of an XL version — the C267BK — featuring upgraded steel and a clip. Right away, I saw the new pointed blade, replacing the classic sheepfoot-style blade, now ground from Böhler-Uddeholm N690Co. Even more exciting, the XL uses M398, an exotic steel reserved for flash batches — a serious step up in performance and collector appeal.

And so, here it is: Ladies and gentlemen, the Roadie XL!

Back to the Roadie XL: it is made in Maniago, Italy, like my Nano and many other excellent modern knives. The Maniago factory remains one of the world leaders in precision and manufacturing quality.

Specifications:

  • Overall Length: 6.51″ (165mm)
  • Blade Length: 2.74″ (70mm)
  • Steel: M398
  • Closed Length: 3.76″ (95mm)
  • Edge Length: 2.31″ (59mm)
  • Weight: 1.5oz (43g)
  • Blade Thickness: 0.108″ (2.8mm)

Its shape and size make it extremely pocket-friendly, easily fitting into the watch pocket of jeans thanks to its deep-carry wire clip. You could remove the clip, but why? It keeps the knife perfectly secured at the pocket’s edge. The clip is also reversible, though that is not essential for a two-handed opening folder.

With its thin profile and light weight, combined with the clip, the Roadie XL can even be carried in a shirt pocket like a pen. In short, it is a knife designed to remain on you almost unnoticed.

The action is smooth, with two detents before the blade fully opens. In practice, it feels smoother than my Urban, which deploys with a single motion.

With a slightly longer blade than the Urban, the Roadie XL remains legal to carry in countries such as Denmark, the UK, or Germany. Mine arrived razor sharp straight out of the box, so I am not in any hurry to convex the edge.

Mine came razor sharp straight out of the box, so I’m not in any particular hurry to convex its edge.

You can immediately recognize Sal Glesser’s signature design — a clear mark of his inventive approach. Sal is an inventor at heart, and it is always impressive to see how he manages to create clever, practical tools. Quoting him directly:

“When the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) briefly considered allowing the carry of knives on airplanes again, Spyderco designed the Roadie™ to fit their guidelines. We created an incredibly popular modern expression of the classic penknife. Since bigger can indeed be better, the Roadie now has a big brother: the Roadie XL. It faithfully offers all the defining features of its smaller counterpart — including a non-locking “notched-joint” mechanism, a textured index-finger choil, and contoured, injection-molded handle scales. Its full-flat-ground sheepfoot-style blade is crafted from M398 stainless steel and features our distinctive “Double Dent™” — a pair of symmetrical dimples in the blade that provide a solid purchase for fingernail-free, two-handed opening. In addition to its larger size, the Roadie XL also adds a deep-pocket wire clip for convenient top-of-the-pocket carry.”

Now, let’s talk about M398, one of Spyderco’s premium powder metallurgy steels, produced in limited flash batches in Maniago, Italy.

From what I understand, M398 is closer to CPM-90V than to M390. Quoting Darrin Thomas’s analysis:

“The original M390 has a reported carbide volume of 20.5%, and the new M398 has about 30%, so there has been an increase in carbide of almost 50%… [text unchanged] …”

When M398 was used in a previous flash batch for the SpyMyto, I was not particularly excited — it felt like overkill for a folder intended for hard use. The Myto is essentially the big brother of my Nano in CPM Magnacut, and a SpyNano in M398 is also on the bench. In comparison, Magnacut is far tougher than M398, making it better suited for wider, workhorse blades.

On the Roadie XL, however, it is a different story. Like with my Heinie Urban in S90V, these small blades are not intended for bushcraft — although skilled users can achieve remarkable results even with a 2-inch slipjoint, as shown in an inspiring video I recently watched.

Slipjoints are gentle companions for both ladies and gentlemen. For those with long nails, the Roadie XL features its distinctive “Double Dent™” — a pair of symmetrical dimples in the blade that provide a secure grip for fingernail-free, two-handed opening.

Its high wear resistance is useful, as these small blades often encounter cardboard, which can be surprisingly abrasive. I also recall Roger, my father-in-law, using his old Pradel slipjoint like a crowbar or screwdriver without hesitation. Older users often treated knives as true tools until they were worn down to almost nothing.

I am confident the Roadie XL, with its M398 blade, would make an excellent hare skinner — fur full of sand can destroy an edge very quickly. Tuscan hare hunters would likely appreciate its durability. The high wear-resistant alloy makes perfect sense here, and the blade is also relatively thick at 2.8 mm, reducing the risk of damage.

Ergonomically, the Roadie works beautifully for a slipjoint because you can use the choil for control — a feature rarely found in traditional designs. Even most Swiss Army Knives do not offer that level of security. As Spyderco notes:

“Unlike traditional penknives, the Roadie also features a subtle index-finger choil that increases control of the knife during use and acts as a safeguard against unintentional closure.”

There is no undue pressure on the pivot, often the most fragile part of folding knives. If you avoid twisting the tip in wood, the Roadie XL can handle direct cutting force on the blade. This makes it another “Lil Big Blade” — small, but highly capable.

It can serve as a steak knife, whittler, label remover, balloon popper, nail cleaner, or cardboard cutter. Cardboard is especially abrasive, but not for a steel like M398, rich in carbide content.

And in today’s world, one final advantage: it is extremely sheeple-friendly. It looks like a pocket knife, not a tactical weapon — discreet, elegant, and highly functional.

Roadie, K390 Pingo, S90V G10 Urban, and Roadie XL (all green links refer to full reviews).

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but to me, this blade — shaped like a scaled-down cutlass — is pure eye candy.

Interestingly, I can open it one-handed in two different ways:

  1. A quick wrist flick while holding the blade.
  2. By gripping the blade between thumb and index finger while pushing the handle away with the remaining fingers.

So even though it was not designed as a one-hand opener, the Roadie XL can still function surprisingly well as one.

Compared to a traditional sheepfoot slipjoint, the Roadie XL is incredibly light while offering a premium alloy blade. (Since August 2025, another M398 slipjoint has joined the lineup: the Metropolitan.)

At under 100 euros, the Roadie XL is an exceptional bargain for what it delivers.

This is one of Sal Glesser’s finest EDC designs — a perfect balance of elegance, utility, and performance. And for once, size really matters with a Roadie. No wonder it sold out so quickly on the Golden site!
Part II is here.

The Amphibian Milestone in CPM Magnacut : the Paramillie 2 Salt has landed !

The Amphibian Milestone in CPM Magnacut iq PARA MILITARY® 2 SALT® BLACK G-10 CPM MAGNACUT® BLACK BLADE – C81GMCBK2, which is much too long to fit in a title.

This is not my first Paramillie 2. I usually wear the 52100 carbon fiber version, but I have used many versions in S90V, CPM Cruwear, and S30V. The 52100 is actually the exact opposite of this new version.
Announced at the 2023 Amsterdam Minimeet, a Paramillie impervious to the elements. Better: a nautical version ready to stand tall in front of the salty waves of the ocean’s breakers.
Then the wait began.

And here it is, in all its glory!
Delivered with Larrin Thomas’ dreamlike alloy: the CPM Magnacut!
A steel that hits a lot of sweet spots. Like a sort of totally rust-free CPM M4: strong, resilient, and able to withstand thin edges without chipping.
So why add a DLC on that alloy? Overkill can be fun, can’t it?

Here are 3 versions. The 52100, the CPM Cruwear, and CPM Magnacut from right to left. Three excellences in their own way, all designed by Sal and Eric Glesser.
CPM Magnacut is a story of love.
Quoting its metallurgist and designer:
“The carbide structure of MagnaCut is much finer than the common powder metallurgy stainless steels such as CPM-154, M390, Elmax, S35VN, etc. The only stainless PM steel I have imaged which is competitive in terms of carbide/nitride size is Vanax. MagnaCut is even somewhat finer than CPM-4V and Vanadis 4 Extra, the non-stainless steels that MagnaCut was modeled after. This is an excellent result and should lead to excellent properties.”

Quoting Spyderco:
“This tour-de-force expression of the Para Military 2 showcases a full-flat-ground blade crafted from CPM MagnaCut—a state-of-the-art particle metallurgy steel that offers an exceptional balance of edge retention, toughness, and superior corrosion resistance. Cloaked in a non-reflective Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating, the PlainEdge blade is housed in a handle featuring peel-ply-textured black G-10 scales machined with the signature Caribbean Bi-Directional Texture pattern of Spyderco’s US-made Salt Series knives. To complement its blade steel and finish, the knife’s nested stainless steel liners, four-position pocket clip, and all other hardware are also made from ultra-corrosion-resistant materials and black coated.”

That new Salty Paramillie is destined to be an amphibian workhorse, a hippocampus!!
All hardware is black coated except the stop pin, which is silver and made of “fearlessly corrosion-resistant marine-grade materials“.
The handle (as efficient as it is in being non-slip) is destined to be a pocket shredder, as it is carved to be used with wet, oily hands. Your trousers will suffer!!
Unless, like myself, you are a compulsive user of sandpaper. Even then, it will be hard on pocket lips.

The Diamond-Like Coating is not only protecting a blade that doesn’t need any protection; it also gives a strong Mall Ninja vibe.
Usually, coatings bring some kind of lubrication to material separation. I’m not impressed so far, even on sausages.
The geometry is perfect on my PM Salty—thin as a razor though.

One thing I had to change was the clip. It was replaced by a Flytanium Universal Titanium Clip, which is short and deep-carry.
Also, I moved the clip for a tip-up carry, which suits the Paramillie better in my book.

Of course, de-shouldering the edge is the first step before convexing, which I do on new knives. Especially since I have read that Magnacut loves leather stropping.

And this is true! The edge turned quickly into a über-razor state.

It zipped through meat like a lightsaber into bantha meat.

So now the game is on. The Salty Magnacut Paramillie is ready to kick all other knives from my pockets and be used long term.
Let’s see what this cutlery apogee-era knife has to propose in the long run!