Photo comparison: Strider SMF & Spyderco Tuff

[kwackster]

Just for the heck of it: a photo comparison between the Strider SMF & the Spyderco Tuff, complete with measurements taken with a digital caliper.



Specs Strider SMF:

Length open: 22,7 cm
Length closed: 13,2 cm
Blade length: 9,8 cm
Actual edge length: 8,0 cm
Blade thickness: 4,79 mm
Steel: CPM-S30V stainless steel
Hardness: +/- 60 HRC
Handle material: Titanium & G-10 scale with integral backspacer
Locktype: titanium framelock without insert (titanium on hardened steel)
Stabilizer: Yes, a Hinderer lockbar stabilizer/over extender safety
Lockbar thickness: 4,0 mm
Length of the lockbar from lockface to cut-out: 6,0 cm
Thickness of the titanium lockbar at the cut-out: 0,99 mm
Weight: 177 grams


Specs Spyderco Tuff:

Length open: 22,5 cm
Length closed: 13,0 cm
Blade length: 9,5 cm
Actual edge length: 7,9 cm
Blade thickness: 3,99 mm
Steel: CPM-3V non-stainless tool steel
Hardness: +/- 60 HRC
Handle material: Titanium & G-10 scale on steel liner
Locktype: titanium framelock with hardened steel insert ( hardened steel on hardened steel)
Stabilizer: Yes, the hardened steel lockbar insert doubles as a stabilizer/over extender safety
Lockbar thickness: 3,45 mm
Length of the lockbar from lockface to cut-out: 3,4 cm
Thickness of the titanium lockbar at the cut-out: 1,35 mm
Weight: 178 grams

[KLJTech]

Very interesting knife! Somehow I hadn't heard about this one and even though I'm a huge fan of the SMF and like its appearance better (just my opinion...I bet many will disagree) I'd be willing to bet that the Spyderco feels great in hand and you can't beat 3V!

Congratulations! Looks like a fantastic knife and I'm now going to have to put it on my short list of knives to buy.

[Twindog]

Thank you for that nice comparison. I was trying to figure out why they are the same weight, when the blade and everything else is thicker on the SMF. Must be the steel liner in the Tuff.

In addition to the blade thickness, can you measure the width of the edge bevel at the shoulder?

[kwackster]

@ Twindog:

The SMF measures 0,99 mm at the shoulder, the Tuff is 0,57 mm at the same point.

[Sonnydaze]

Thank you for the information. Keeping in mind that many of us have not converted to the metric system, allow me to put in the conversion factor(s).
It was nice of you to come up with this comparison.

to convert cm to inches........divide by 2.54
to convert mm to inches.............. divide by 25.4
to convert grams to ounces..............divide by 28.35


Specs Strider SMF:

Length open: 22,7 cm 8.9"
Length closed: 13,2 cm 5.2"
Blade length: 9,8 cm 3.85"
Actual edge length: 8,0 cm 3.15"
Blade thickness: 4,79 mm 0.189"
Steel: CPM-S30V stainless steel
Hardness: +/- 60 HRC
Handle material: Titanium & G-10 scale with integral backspacer
Locktype: titanium framelock without insert (titanium on hardened steel)
Stabilizer: Yes, a Hinderer lockbar stabilizer/over extender safety
Lockbar thickness: 4,0 mm 0.157"
Length of the lockbar from lockface to cut-out: 6,0 cm 2.36"
Thickness of the titanium lockbar at the cut-out: 0,99 mm 0.039"
Weight: 177 grams 6.24 oz


Specs Spyderco Tuff:

Length open: 22,5 cm 8.86"
Length closed: 13,0 cm 5.12"
Blade length: 9,5 cm 3.74
Actual edge length: 7,9 cm 3.11"
Blade thickness: 3,99 mm 0.157"
Steel: CPM-3V non-stainless tool steel
Hardness: +/- 60 HRC
Handle material: Titanium & G-10 scale on steel liner
Locktype: titanium framelock with hardened steel insert ( hardened steel on hardened steel)
Stabilizer: Yes, the hardened steel lockbar insert doubles as a stabilizer/over extender safety
Lockbar thickness: 3,45 mm 0.136"
Length of the lockbar from lockface to cut-out: 3,4 cm 1.34"
Thickness of the titanium lockbar at the cut-out: 1,35 mm 0.053"
Weight: 178 grams 6.28 oz

[jill jackson]

Never mind.

[kwackster]

Hi Jill, but no, here in Europe we use a comma in the same way you guys in the US use the period.

[jill jackson]

Hi Jill, but no, here in Europe we use a comma in the same way you guys in the US use the period.

I'd never seen that before, thanks for the info.

[Nullity]

The thickness of the lockbar cutout only tells part of the story.

The Strider is apparently thinner, but it looks to have more material if you count all three dimensions.
(Random observation.)


Thanks for taking the time to measure the knives. Threads like this are great for the curious, like me.

[Twindog]

@ Twindog:

The SMF measures 0,99 mm at the shoulder, the Tuff is 0,57 mm at the same point.

Thanks. That's a big difference in cutting geometry. I want to like both of these knives, but never quite get there. The SMF has too thick of a blade for high-efficiency cutting. And the Tuff is too busy with all those dots and grooves.

[KrisOK]

The Tough is an interesting knife. I wonder if the big groove in the blade has a practical purpose other than to reduce weight and look distinctive? Ed Schempp is known for adding design touches that have no fnctional application, like the ratcheting sound when you open a Spyderco Navaja. But that groove is pretty huge..... It almost looks like a blood groove, but I can't imagine anybody skinning a deer with one of these.

[Twindog]

The groove is called a fuller. If I understand it correctly, it's meant to stiffen the blade without adding weight. Some swords used to have this feature. I'm not sure how effective it is in a pocket knife, especially one made of 3V.

[shqxk]

Tuff has much better engineering compare to the SMF.

-Shorten frame lock which provide more strength.
-Hardened steel lock face.
-The blade groove to reduce weight.
-Better pivot
-Much better fit and finish.

Well the Tuff looking was considered ugly by several people.

[MEJ]

The groove is called a fuller. If I understand it correctly, it's meant to stiffen the blade without adding weight. Some swords used to have this feature. I'm not sure how effective it is in a pocket knife, especially one made of 3V.

How does that affect stiffness (im just curious)? Some people have also said it was a blood groove, but my best guess would be aesthetics or weight reduction.

[Nullity]

Tuff has much better engineering compare to the SMF.

-Shorten frame lock which provide more strength.
and make it harder to unlock.
-Hardened steel lock face.
and more complexity/potential for failure
-The blade groove to reduce weight.
and ruin any improvements that a flat-grind offers. If you really want to save weight, make it a deep hollow-grind.
-Better pivot
How?
-Much better fit and finish.
That is probably true, but I hate throwing "finish" into the same category as "fit".

Well the Tuff looking was considered ugly by several people.

...but hey, I'm having fun with your posts. I seriously don't mean to offend you.

My point is that they are both good knives, but things are not so simple as "best" or "worst", it's more about trade-offs.
Figure out what each knife offers and decide what features you need/want.
The more you learn, the less you know, as they say...

Personally, I like Strider, but I'm a ninja assassin.

[mkjellgren]

How does that affect stiffness (im just curious)? Some people have also said it was a blood groove, but my best guess would be aesthetics or weight reduction.

It is a fuller, but it's not meant to stiffen the blade exactly, more like lighten the blade while maintaining most of it's strength. Don't ask me to explain the physics behind it but fullers have been used in this way (cut weight but keep strength) on knives and swords for nearly as long as there have been knives and swords.

[Nullity]

It is a fuller, but it's not meant to stiffen the blade exactly, more like lighten the blade while maintaining most of it's strength. Don't ask me to explain the physics behind it but fullers have been used in this way (cut weight but keep strength) on knives and swords for nearly as long as there have been knives and swords.

Well said. That is my understanding too.

[KnifeThursday]

When I recently got to handle the Tuff and it was much smaller then I thought it would be.

[Twindog]

Ed Schempp explained the fuller on his Tuff this way in a post in the Spyderco section:

“Fullers stiffen and lighten a blade, they don't make it stronger. It might be a moot point to put a fuller in a folder, but if there is any advantage I want it. I've handled large fullered blade and swords. You can control the flex points on a piece with fullers, it makes pieces lighter and faster.”

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...lade-for/page2

[Lycosa]

I'd consider the Tough if it came with a chisel ground Tanto blade.