Tag Archives: Mike Read

SPYDERCO C192TIP – My Knife In Law.

25/01/2018 nemosandman 2 Comments

Following the arrival of the PITS, the daily testing has come quite quickly as it hasn’t left my pocket still so there have been a bunch of opportunities to put it in play.
The first thing I noticed was the action required to open the folder which is much harder than for any compression locks. This is something to keep in mind as you won’t be opening it quicky; the Urban for example is faster to open.
This resistance is also a proof of how sturdy the spring and the design are.
The second thing I had noticed was how quickly the blue handle was subjet to getting scratched.
So, I was obliged to put my mind at rest by simply sanding the handle…

I just used a 600 grind sandpaper and the result kept the blue inside the holes and inside the mechanism, like a well worn denim jacket… The scratches are easy to keep at bay and the blue aura and reflections are beautiful.

Another thing which I had noticed: there is one very hot spot…. The horn on the talon of the blade can bite you ! It happen once when I was sanding; a sharp and neat cut!

After some convexing of the blade’s bevel, I was able to improve the geometry and cut really easily through plastic bottles which are everyday processed before recycling.

This is also a knife I wanted to compare with my faithful Urban.

My Urban has got a hightech tool steel blade and a customized Cuscadi carbon fiber handle. I can carry it in my watch pocket. The PITS cannot go there but it provides a much stronger mechanism and a longer blade which makes it a real all terrain folder when the Urban is really limited to the city sleakers.
So far, and that’s not surprising, the N190co steel blade has been kept as a razor using some white ceramic and leather stropping. The PITS unique mechanism makes it great to strop on leather as the blade cannot easily fold on your fingers when the Urban softer mechanism asks for a lot more attention.

The PITS is really easy to live with. The steel keeps an excellent edge with no chipping or rolling and is easy to touch up. The bad weather these days makes it outside wet and cold but the titanium handle conveys a warm touch and the grip is secure. Currently I make it team up with the big bad Real Steel D2 bushcraft folder and both seems to go very well together.
Those are the two extreme among the folding cutlery bow.

Oh and just for the pleasure, you can also play the comparaison game with the Spydiechef !

lasted edited by Pascal Jaffré on 25 jan 2018

Folders, Review

Spyderco C192TIP – Tasting the Pie In The Sky.

22/01/2018 nemosandman 1 Comment

“I am the Pie in the sky
Looking at you
I can read your mind…”

This knife used to have the MSRP of a small Sebenza but as it’s been discontinuited I got the chance to buy one at a fraction of its original price. And really, I’m glad to be a later adopter of that wonderful and unique attempt to make a hardchore non locking knife.

The PITS is the acronym of Pie In The Sky. It’s a folder based on Mike Read’s knives. He is a knifemaker in the UK. So, this knife has been specifically designed for EDC in the United Kingdom. In brief, her Majesty’s laws say you can carry any knife if you have a “good reason”, but just in cases there isn’t a good reason you can still carry a folding knife with a blade of less than 3 inches without a lock. The UK designed small Wolfspyder with it compression lock is not UK law friendly but the Urban is ! Also the slipjoint Manly Comrade won’t because of its longer blade… but the PITS will !

This knife is an eye candy. It has a powerful full-flat ground N690Co steel clip point blade and a stunning precision-machined skeletonized blue anodized titanium handle that aids in providing a very positive texture for grip.

The handle features integral split spring arms to form the knife’s unique slip-joint mechanism. Titanium has got that elasticity that Chris Reeve was one of the first to explore for his Integral Locks. Here you have another variation of the use of that incredible metal here used as a strong spring.

The very good thing I will repeat again and again is that Mike Read has designed this knife to be a tough, hard-use folder and, yes, this is not easy and also this is a good thing.
Not many non-locking knives are destined to be used hard. The Manly Comrade is an exception for example… but here, the PITS is really shining in another department: in the one hand opening and closing realm (making it illegal in Danemark too BTW) . There are no mid steps like on the Comrade as the action is smooth until the blade is fully opened or closed – making even Spyderdrops possible !

Then you got the choice to apply your thumb on the bar and it’s cleverly secure. Zero play in any direction. Also there a quillon after the choil where your index can rest; meaning, held in the proper manner, the blade cannot close on your precious finger.

Something you ask to a hard working tool is the ease of cleaning. The handle is fully open by construction and thanks to the holes in the titanium slap, it’s very easy to clean and rinse your blade – also there is a lanyard hole !

N690Co, heat treated (certainly with cryo) in Maniago, is a just a great steel for an EDC. I always considered it as some kind of European VG10. It can get back to razor sharpness very easily and it stays sharp long enough between touches up. It’s not brittle and I got the same sense of all-terrain steel (like VG10 on Fallkniven knives) as when I had done hard testing of other fixed blades made in Maniago. N690co is very stainless. It’s the kind of steel to use around the kitchen and even close to the sea with no after thought; just rinse it!
Also the geometry on the PITS being very thin and with its belly, the first cuts in wood were really deep. The blade did not move/unlock even when stuck in the wood fibers. So this is a very secure non-locking knife. Immediately, you bond with it and want to use it.

The handle is generous even in reverse grip and it fits in the hand very well for such a small knife. This is in hammer grip a four fingers knife, which is welcome for hard cuts.
I have found it very confortable with zero hotspots when held tight.

Also the full titanium handle gives a near to perfect balance. The PITS is light and fast in the hand, it is alive. To close the blade it’s better to push the spine with the thumb as the notch is not easy to pass.

The PITS Folder includes Spyderco’s best clip: the deep carry wire clip for reversible tip-up carry. It almost disappears in my pocket.

SO here we have got a non threatening tool, with a beautiful blue handle. It cannot make non knives people unconfortable at all. Also titanium being not easily detected by metal detectors, the PITS should not make them beep easily…. No, I mean you can cut live wire with as titanium does not conduct electricity… oh well, I only have bad recommandations tonight.

So here we have got the Pie In The Sky, a knife which is going to kick my Urban out of my pocket when I go for a walk in the city. It’s very pleasant to have a tool engineered to be a user. Next step is to remove the sharp edges on the blade spine and give a little convexed edge to this baby…
More to come soon.

“…I am the maker of rules
Dealing with fools
I can cheat you blind
And I don’t need to see any more
To know that I can read your mind, I can read your mind …”

The Alan Parson’s Project lyrics is an idea from our editor: Pascal. 🙂

last edited by Pascal Jaffré on 24 jan 2018.

Folders, Photos, Uncategorized

Spyderco Amsterdam Minimeet the 10th Anniversary Report

10/03/2014 nemosandman 3 Comments

Amsterdam Minimeet 2014

This review will be update on regular basis as we are also dependent from Spydercollector pictures.

Nemo: Again we have been 80 lucky people to attend the 10th Anniversary Spyderco Meet in Amsterdam.
Some were there since the beginning like my friend JD and this post will be both impressions.
Here the list of knives and our impression.
For the model pictures you can visit Spydercollector excellent blog here as he got the exclusivity:
http://spydercollector.wordpress.com/page/2/

Sal Glesser

29 concepts and prototype are a lot in a single session. They are a lot and a lot of ideas in non locking knives, bushcrafting, SD tools, long forgotten designs and performances researches but… without showing any pics it’s a little pointless to talk about them here.

JD and Sal

Eric and Sal have harvested our impressions, sucking up feedbacks from 80 feverish minds.
For example JD gives the important hint that Walter Brent trademark was mirror finish blade on his Mamba Concept Model.
JD: Polished deep hollows, thats Walter Brend!
Nemo: And Eric will now see what would be the best steel for respecting that particular signature.

This is where the Minimeet shows how important exchanges are ! Eric and Sal are here to listen to the “hot” feedbacks and they take very good notes of each of them. It’s quite obvious after to notice the changes in a final product. (We got some very passionate exchanges three years ago with Sal about a huge folder featuring an “über” strong lock which could be used as a tough folding camping tool for example…)

Also the Minimeet is the chance now to see designers and knifemakers coming in Amsterdam to present their prototypes.
Like Ulrich “Uli” Hennicke:
Uli new proto

or
Filip De Leeuw:

So let’s browse the memory of some models we liked:

Slisz Bowie Marcin Slysz Prototype
JD: Impressive! Ergonomic, solid, slicy.
Nemo: This one is my favorite so far in this 10th Anniversary. A sexy shape, a ergonomic titanium handle. This could be a Sebenza Killer with a bowie blade and full flat ground blade. It should be release for mid 2014. So we will have to review it in september.
(I will like pictures from Wouter site as soon as he will have them on line.)

His ‘father’ could be the K2 by Farid Mehr.
JD: Pocked machete!
Nemo: but again if it’s going to be produced in CPM10V this huge Sebenza / Bowie like knife is going to be a must have.
Farid is known for his Heavy Metal knives. He was making RIL locks in stainless steel on thick blades !! The K2 has been refined by Eric and Sal a lot before to born. Now it’s a big folder but with a slick appearance. It’s big but it’s a very useful shape. You can easily see how to cut a whole chicken or a pinapple with it. This knife is also very easy to clean.
Fortunatly we got a link to the pictures here:
http://spydercollector.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/spyderco-2014-production-prototype-farid-mehr-k2/

The Native 5 Lightweight production sample
JD: Favorite Native so far !
Yes it’s light and it’s solid a s a rock. Sal loves it. This is a knife destined to be a classic.
It’s a Native 5 with FRN handle but the feel in your hand is balanced. A great tool to clip. The plastic handle is square and smooth. I really liked it.

ARK Sam Owens design production prototype
Nemo: This little FB is destined to be a self defense tool to prevent rapes under the shower in the Army… Go figure how people are crazy nowadays. What can I say ? Of course it will be rust resistant as it will made in H1. I would have preferred a Fred Perrin La Griffe as even with soap in my hands I would not have lost my grip. Anyway, fighting naked with a blade in the shower seems like a nightmare…
They should invest in video camera instead. The blade shape is like a Sharpfinger which is a very nice utility and skinning edge. For SD I would have prefer a serrated edge for a maximum of pain without to inflict lethal wounds. Anyway a razor sharp neck knife for shower does not seem like a good idea to me anyway. I’m much more for the use of psionic blasts…
picture and description here

Battlestation Alex Diaconescu production sample.
JD: Much of the jimping has been removed after feedback. Nice handle but this is not a thin slicer.
Nemo: Th grip once open is very secure. It’s a very solid feel. again it looks like a weapon oriented project. Would look great in a movie. It’s a “dramatic” design for Snake Plissken to escape from a battle station.
Picture and description here:
http://spydercollector.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/spyderco-2014-production-sample-alex-diaconescu-battlestation/

Bradley Folder 2 Gayle Bradley design Concept model.
We had the chance to tot two BG folders. One with a bolster and the other one without it.
JD: Both very nice, but the bolstered one is nicest. Most comfortable in the hand and prettiest!
Nemo: Yes, but the bolster does not leave any access to the pivot screw… Beautiful knives. No finger choil, very sexy lines. Like a stretched and lighter Gayle Bradley previous hardcore folder.

Chubby Michael Burch design Production Prototype
A lot of belly and a false edge for nice looking little big knife. But I did not get any vibes from this one… I did not like the clip at all as it is ready to scratch the car’s paint.
Pictures are here:
http://spydercollector.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/spyderco-2014-production-prototype-michael-burch-chubby/

Condor Jot Singh Khalsa design CM
JD: Interesting look, awkward and uncomfortable in the hand.
Nemo: Yes, there is pig tail to the handle for the pinky to rest. But like you I was not convinced. They are a lot of curves in this knife but I was not able to find it confortable to hold too.

Dice Eric Glesser Design PP
JD: The Dice is Nice. Fits me even better than the Domino.
Nemo: The opposite to me. I miss the blade of the Domino which is the minimal length for me.
Pictures:
http://spydercollector.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/spyderco-2014-production-prototype-dice/

Dog Tag Folder Serge Pancheko PP
Nemo: this one going to be a success as it is so cute. It could be a anti rape self defense tool too as this small folder can be a latch ditch weapon for naked fights.
Pictures:
http://spydercollector.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/spyderco-2014-production-prototype-serge-panchenko-dog-tag-folder/

*******Edition of the 10th of marc 2014. Further reading will be even more chaotic than the previous one. 🙂

Foundry Spyderco design PS
JD: Comfortable and useful design. Bit heavy.
Nemo: and it will be rare as the Carpenter workers will have it in priority. Eric told us it took him one year to design it as he wanted to design a simple knife for blue collars. This is a knife which can be used for eating, the kitchen and for hunting. This is the kind of knife my grandfather would have love.

Frontier Ed Schemp design PP
JD: Nice thin grind!
Nemo: I usually a big fan of Ed Schempp design but here the S guard is getting in my thumb’s way. I like to give pressure on the back of the blade with my thumb (that’s why I do not like vertical play also).

Mini Nilakka Pekka Tuominen design CM
JD: Interesting. Clip needs to move to the back of the handle.
Nemo: The clip was not as clever as the Nilakka folder. A very impressive little knife.

Grievous Dave Gagne design CM
JD: Do not understand what it is for.

Introvert Chris Knutson CM
JD: Interesting look, fun to flip, rings get in the way of use.
Nemo: another folding Lagriffe. Good thing is that Spyderco is always giving credits to the original designer.

Ion Brad Southard design
JD: Pretty and smooth. Liked the inlayed lock the best. Gentac knives.

Joule Michael Reinhold design
JD: Functional design if the handle is rounded. It has to many shar points now.

Kingyo Liong Mah design
Kiwi 4 G10 Prototype
Lady Finger Ed Schempp design
Lil’ LionSpy Gianni Pauletta design Proto
JD: Nice but thick.

Liong Mah Liong Mah design CM
JD: Nicest and most practical of the two Liong Mah designs.

Manix 2 LTWT 110V
Mike Draper design PS
JD: Big but comfortable and useful design.

Myrtle Filip De Leeuw design CM
Native 5 Fluted CF Proto

One-Eyed Jack A.T. Barr design
Opus 14 Ulrich Hennicke design CM
JD: Anonimus, would like to de a DE/UK legal design from him.

Ouroboros Paul Alexander design
JD: strange ergonomics.

Para Military 2 Composite – Sprint Sample
Para Military 2 Fluted CF – CM
JD: Most comfortable PM2 ever!

Parata Paul Alexander design
JD: strange ergonomics.

PIP Jamie Bailey design CM
JD: End of handle too pointy, fun little knife

PITS Mike Read design Proto
JD: Comfortable, practical & elegant. Most upscale UK legal production folder.

Retract Ed Schempp design CM
Roadie Spyderco design
JD: Cute! Sharpen flat on the stone to make a pocket scalpel

ROC Serge Panchenko design proto
Rockhopper Michael Reinhold design CM
Spydi hole hard to reach.

Roto Wedge Spyderco design CM
Rubicon Peter Carey design Proto
JD: Pretty! But clip is digging uncomfortable in the hand.

Shaman Spyderco design CM
Six Blade Tool CM
JD: Pointy holes.

Southard Folder (all black)
Spin Blue Nishijin
Splitter. Spyderco design CM
JD: Solid, ATR 2.0

SpydieChef Marcin Slysz design CM
JD: Impressive! Beautiful and practical.

Spy-DK Prod sample
JD: Nice thin edge! I could open it with one hand, but not easily.

Stop Lock CM
Swede Michael Henningson CM
JD: Nice look, lanyard hole very sharp and pointy.

Szabo Higo Laci Szabo dsign CM
JD: Needs to be found thinner, more like the knife it is based on. Other than that nice modernization of and classic.

Three Blade rescue CM
JD: Small holes have pointy tops.

Texture tech CM
ULU CM
Ulize M Ulrich Hennicke design
JD: Very Spyderco jet different. More carriable size.

Valloton Sub-Hilt 3.5 Butch Vallotton design CM
Victory Jot Singh Khalsa design
JD: Interesting look, awkward and uncomfortable in the hand.

Worker G-10
JD: Comfortable handle. Will probably be sold out very quickly.

Genzow Hatchet Martin Genzow design CM
Lum tanto Sprint
Ronin 2 Michael Janich Proto
Packer Gayle Bradley design
JD: Excellence!
Nemo: I was very impressed by the balance and the heft of that “Tomahaxe” 😉
Beautiful lines and great handling. I would love to test it as soon as it is released. I think this gorgeous hatchet has made a great impression !

The Dutchman tom Zoomer design CM
B & T Phil Wilson design CM
JD: Slicey
Nemo: But the “cobrahood” guard wich will go in the way when power cutting and batonning.

Whale Blade H1 w/handle Spyderco design.
JD: For the GI’s

Eric Jur and Sal

NemoKnivesReview

Tag Archives: Mike Read

SPYDERCO C192TIP – My Knife In Law.

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Spyderco C192TIP – Tasting the Pie In The Sky.

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Spyderco Amsterdam Minimeet the 10th Anniversary Report

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