Choosing a travel folder is easy for me — I own quite a few knives of various lengths dedicated to that purpose. Traveling from France to the UK, however, means avoiding any locking blade and any edge longer than 3 inches (76 mm).
For the record the non locking mechanism of the SlipIts is reviewed in this review here.
But this time, I’ve decided to take the Squeak designed by Sal Glesser. The Titanium/Elmax Sprint Run Jewel. Easy to pocket, One Hand opening are my choice. Usuaully I use a UKPK from Heinie for my UK trips. This time, it will be the SqueakDeluxe. This micro-folder has been a constant companion in my pocket since 2017, and it’s perfectly watch-pocket friendly — but as my only knife for a road trip? That’s the real question.
I don’t know about you, but my uses for a knife when traveling abroad are many — from cutting labels to sharing a piece of cake.
The first thing I ask from a blade is that it stays very, very low-profile. A deep-carry clip is mandatory in that regard. However, the Squeak’s stock clip isn’t exactly discreet, so I swapped it for a MicroJimbo clip — the same one used on the Lil’ Native — which is noticeably shorter.
Frankly, this shorter clip should come standard on all SlipIt models from the factory!
I often use my EDC knives right on the plate. Eating with a sharp blade is non-negotiable — and most of the time, my wife ends up borrowing mine, so it goes back and forth throughout the meal.
Of course, ceramic plates aren’t exactly a razor edge’s best friends. They can sharpen a blade in spots, but mostly they’ll dull it fast.
For food prep or eating on a plate, my favorite blade shape is the Wharncliffe, since only the tip makes contact with the hard ceramic surface. The MicroJimbo would have been perfect for that — if only it weren’t a locking knife. Honestly, I’d love to see a Wharncliffe SlipIt someday!
For now, the Squeak brings a bit of belly and that razor-sharp Elmax edge. It truly shines with pizza — that perfect mix of soft top and hard crust demands a blade that cuts deep and steady.
I didn’t bring any sharpening stone to touch up the edge, but I found that mostly the tip was the part coming into contact with the ceramic. With longer blades, I usually tilt the knife slightly to avoid any 90° cuts against the plate. But with the Squeak, I just went at my pizza like a hungry wolf.
The result? A bit of dulling — maybe 1 mm toward the tip — but nothing I actually noticed during the trip. I sometimes straighten a rolled edge on a mug’s rim or a sink edge, but not this time. I didn’t bother. Elmax isn’t brittle, so there was no real concern anyway.
The tip needs to stay razor sharp, since I also use it to open plastic bags, while I use the edge near the pivot for cutting labels. Despite the dulling, I couldn’t feel any loss of performance on plastic.
Using a short blade naturally means a bit more sawing motion, or sometimes two slashes for one cut — but with the Squeak, that was no issue at all.
Its biggest challenge might have been scones, but with those, I just think twice and cut once! Even slicing a lemon for tea worked perfectly — I simply rolled the fruit on the board while cutting through it.
All those mundane tasks only proved how essential the Squeak was as our sole cutting tool during our five-day road trip. It handled every meal — cutting bread for toast, slicing soda bread leaves — and never once did I feel underknived. The Squeak performed flawlessly in every task, and above all, it was an absolute pleasure to carry and use.
So, does size matter? In this case, the Squeak has clearly proven itself as both a great travel companion and a perfect EDC for countries that are cautious about knife laws.
First of all, thank you to Guillaume Xais who has convinced me to try the Sage 5 Salt. I have found a deal under 200 euros. In the past, I have owned some Sage(s) from the Sage 2 to the Sage 4 actually. You still can find the reviewss by clicking the links. The Sage 2 was a Sebenza killer when all the crave was about Christopher Reeves Integral Lock and titanium slabs. The Sage 3 was the Blue Brother. The Sage 4 was a masterpiece with its Front Lock and titanium Bolster never reviewed because too much a jewel of a knife.
(Picture by Guillaume Xais – instagram Spydigex_knives)
I wasn’t particularly interested in the Sage 5 Compression Lock, and even less in the Sage 5 Lightweight. Yet both the Sage 5 G10 and Lightweight versions proved so popular and well-regarded that Spyderco expanded the lineup into Maxamet, SPY27, REX 121, Magnacut, and CPM-M4 (thanks to Guillaume for the editing).
With the vanilla S30V, the Sage 5 was offered in six different alloys — some of the most impressive in terms of performance — demonstrating just how versatile and capable this design can be. “The Sage 5 Lightweight has also proven itself to be a perfect platform for showcasing the elite properties of high-performance blade steels.”
(Picture by Guillaume Xais – instagram Spydigex_knives)
For the record the Sage Series has traditionally expressed the same iconic design with different lock mechanisms, paying homage to the innovative designers who created them. Also Spyderco donates approximately 5% of sales of the Sage line to the National Alzheimer’s Association Denver, Colorado Chapter. (A Sage 6 is soon coming with a button/compression lock as found on the Smock.) So I have asked to Guillaume in the Spyderco Fan Club France, why should I invest in a Sage 5 Salt Lightweight in the first place ?
(Picture by Guillaume Xais – instagram Spydigex_knives)
“Its action, like any self-respecting Sage LW, is dazzling! This yellow contrasts with the hardware, the clip, and the deep black of the liners, like a Black Mamba face… I love it! My first Magnacut, by the way… I fish and am quite often at the seaside, it will complement my Ukpk salt (which is also very good). My favorites, however, remain the 2 and 4, true works of art!
For me, it does everything better than a Para3: handling, fluidity, less fragile tip, less tactical image, more rewarding feel of the FRN… there’s no comparison (from my point of view, of course). Add to that the Taichung Quality and Magna’versatility… they’re worth it, right?“
I was convinced !
First impressions: there’s some real heft to this lightweight — thanks to the full liners. I love it. The blade is perfectly centered, and the lock doesn’t stick.
The detent is impressively strong, almost magnetic — stronger than the detents on my recent Para 3 and Military 2. Go figure! And the action is smooth as oily butter. Classic, perfect Taichung craftsmanship.
The FRN pattern is hard, grippy and catchy I even got some issue to put in my pocket. It the same issue I had with my Chaparral Lightweight.
A passage under the sandpaper would be perhaps mandatory ? Let’s see what Papa Sal would advice in my case of protecting my pockets: “You can lessen the tension on the clip as an easy solution. Some sand the scales bit.”Sal in the Forums.
Some gaffer to protect the black screws when using sandpaper. Then cleaned under the tap and it’s good to go.
Well… it is so compact it can eventually be carried inside the pocket watch. But Sal was right like always, bending the clip a little has completely changed the way it clipped and for the better.
The metal hardware is all black certainly PVD coated. “Like all Salt Series folders, the clip, liners, and all handle hardware are also crafted from marine-grade materials.” said Spyderco. And Guillaume is right, the contrast between the black and yellow is an eye candy.
I have found a little hot spot on the choil which I felt under my index finger. Nothing a little diamond file won’t eliminate in a matter of minutes.
The Para3 is a really light package because there is almost no liner.
64 grams.
78 grams for the Sage 5 with its nested steel liners
The FRN is smoother on the Para3 as it is not the same pattern. Being a Salt the Sage 5 is destined to be used with wet hands.
The Sage 5 has a thinner 3 mm blade, and the chamfered edges on its spine are just stunning — smooth under the thumb and a true Taichung signature. Even the Spyderhole is gently finished.
A major plus for whittling is how easily my left-hand thumb finds a comfortable spot on the blade spine. With the Para 3, the thumb doesn’t have a proper ramp parallel to the cut. On the Sage 5, the parabolic spine of the leaf-shaped bladelets the thumb push comfortably in the middle of the spine, which makes a real difference during whittling.
Same blade length, but a different spine shape. The Para 3’s Spyderhole is especially suited for use with gloves.
Is the Sage more of a civilian EDC and the Para 3 more tactical? Not entirely certain. The Sage feels more solid in the hand and has more heft, while the Para 3 feels like a light, quick-reaction tool, and the Sage 5 is an all-terrain EDC.
The Sage handle is more compact and can be carried in the watch pocket, thanks to its grippy FRN and strong clip.
Grip is essential when working around water or with wet hands. The Para 3 is gentler on pocket edges, while the Sage out of the box can be a pocket shredder. Following Sal Glesser’s advice, I flexed the clip slightly for lighter retention — now it’s perfect.
Next, let’s take a look at the Sage’s geometry straight out of the box.
I was able to cut through the plastic without having de-shouldered the edge yet. It will be done in the next chapters. For the record, I was not able to get a clean cut with the factory geometry of my new Para3 and Military2 in CPM 15V.
So this blade has excellent geometry right out of the box: this is really impressive ! Without any touchup of the factory edge it goes deep in any material, soft or hard.
The Sage 5 Salt is a pure Sal Glesser design with its iconic leaf-shaped blade. Fun fact: the letters S‑A‑G‑E appear in order in his name!
This great folder is made in Taichung, Taiwan, renowned for its exquisite manufacturing and quality control. The blade is chamfered, and the jimping is soft under the thumb, making it a joy to handle.
Ultimately, this is a Highlander knife: “In the end, there can be only one.” The Sage 5 Salt feels like a Spyderco to rule them all — the only one I’d ever need in terms of portability, reliability, and performance.
Purely stainless from blade to screws, it is a true all terrain tool. I mean, you won’t need another knife as this one is totally impervious to salt water and boast that CPM Magnacut blade known for its great performance: “a revolutionary particle metallurgy steel that offers an exceptional balance of edge retention, toughness, and the extreme corrosion resistance.” It is true when properly heat treated and with the best geometry. (Again all those green marks are links to previous review or sources of this review.)
Polishing the Sage’s edge on a leather strap — aka stropping — removes the final imperfections, leaving an even razor-sharp edge. Magnacut, in particular, responds beautifully to leather stropping.
With the Vigtig and the Nano. I managed to get these three knives for under €200: the Sage 5 at €194, the Vigtig at €130, and the Nano at €192.
This means that, as of March 2025, CPM Magnacut knives can be found for as low as €130 — a good deal, though it may not last. The UKPK in CPM Magnacut should be in a similar price range, which I’m looking forward to.
So far, first impressions are excellent! The yellow handle makes it feel less threatening — more like an everyday tool than a “ninja mall weapon,” which is a definite plus these days.
It’s also ready for kitchen use, thanks to a strong edge that isn’t afraid of ceramic plates. Magnacut takes a razor-sharp edge easily with just a bit of ceramic and leather work. No need for diamond paste like on the mighty CPM 15V.
The amphibious Sage 5 is a perfect traveling companion — from mountain rivers to the ocean. It delivers impressive cutting power for its size, biting into hard wood effortlessly. The blade spine is very comfortable for push cuts, making it a reliable all-terrain tool.
It’s a dream knife for fishermen and woodcrafters, capable of accompanying you in virtually any environment. So far the Spyderco Salt serie is enlarged to very nice plateforms with Military flavours and civilian purposes.
First impressions of the Sage 5 are excellent — in terms of action, geometry, and ergonomics. This is a great EDC that’s fearlessly corrosion-resistant.
Thanks to Guillaume for the tip! Now time to convex it !
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