- Joined
- Feb 28, 2006
- Messages
- 4,012
Clues:
Basic design is to be 1/8th stock, parallel skeleton tang, and stabalised wood handle
Not sure about the sheath yet. We sent Sal a prototype ambidexterous leather sheath with eyelets at strategic points to allow for neck and baldric style carry. We haven't had any feedback as to the feasability of the design. Leather isnt' something that Spyderco have used before. I like Kydex, but leather would suit this style knife better.
When the project first kicked off Sal was talking of 52100 bearing steel, but apart from manufacturing problems, there were huge logistical problems getting this in sheet stock from the source in Europe to the manufacturer in Taiwan. When we looked at manufacturer's prototypes back in February, one was done in D2 and two in O-1. I was a little dubious about the D2 and although Charles May, and a few other custom makers have been turning out Scandi ground knives in D2, CPM 3V, S30V and the like, I found the D2 too difficult to sharpen in this style.
This knife was meant for bushcrafters, not knife junkies. Users rather than collectors. While a lot of bushcraft enthusiasts are also very keen on knives and can quote blade steels with the best, there are quite a lot who really don't care as long as it works and can be sharpened.
I know that the super steels are sharpenable with the right kit. I have some of that kit, but quite a few don't.
I like flat grinds with convex edges. I like making them, I like how they look and I like how they cut for the things that I do. I loath making scandi grinds because I am not practiced and I keep lousing them up, they dont baton through wood as smoothly as the flat grinds and they dont slice my dinner as well. However this knife isnt meant for me and in every survey that I have been able to find, every conversation with wood workers and with bushcraft instructors (who, lets face it, are a big influence on people newly come to the subject), the Scandinavian grind has come in head and shoulders ahead of anything else. Sorry, not my choice.
C_Claycomb
----------------------
Some time ago, UK Ken suggested that we make a Bushcraft model. After much thought and discussion, we contacted Bushcraft UK and found Chris Claycomb. The knife will be called the Bushcraft UK.
Chris Calycomb designed the knife for us. He also designed the leather sheath that will come with it.
I added the hole and it does have "function", You certainly know it's a Spyderco.
We also have plans for a "NASA" version with a full flat grind (S90V) and a synthetic handle (probably Carbon Fiber), depending on the success of this first design.
I wouldn't say that it is designed for the American market. Most Yanks think Bushcraft is chasing girls. The market we're looking to is global.
We don't make anything like it and it seemed like a good idea at the time.
We won't know price for a while, we need to know costs. Once production is underway, we'll have a better idea.
We'd like to be in production by Christmas.
On the hole question, It seems that there are many companies that are trying to "look" like Spyderco these days. Even the new SAK Rescue has an "almost" round hole. I wonder why that is?
The round hole in a particular location of a folding knife blade is our registered tradedemark. It is at this time, probably the most identifiable trademark in the knife industry. One of the arguments against our trademark is that we didn't put it on all of our knives. (fixed & kitchen knives) Now we do. Certainly the Mule team is immediately identified as a Spyderco.
Now the round hole is still associated with Spyderco and it is probably the most powerful identifier in the industry. That is prpobablu wjhy so many companies want to look like us. Since it is our trademark, I have chosen to incorporate the round hole in all of our knives. That way people will know it's a Spyderco just by looking at the knife and not having to read the tang.
- Sal
Basic design is to be 1/8th stock, parallel skeleton tang, and stabalised wood handle
Not sure about the sheath yet. We sent Sal a prototype ambidexterous leather sheath with eyelets at strategic points to allow for neck and baldric style carry. We haven't had any feedback as to the feasability of the design. Leather isnt' something that Spyderco have used before. I like Kydex, but leather would suit this style knife better.
When the project first kicked off Sal was talking of 52100 bearing steel, but apart from manufacturing problems, there were huge logistical problems getting this in sheet stock from the source in Europe to the manufacturer in Taiwan. When we looked at manufacturer's prototypes back in February, one was done in D2 and two in O-1. I was a little dubious about the D2 and although Charles May, and a few other custom makers have been turning out Scandi ground knives in D2, CPM 3V, S30V and the like, I found the D2 too difficult to sharpen in this style.
This knife was meant for bushcrafters, not knife junkies. Users rather than collectors. While a lot of bushcraft enthusiasts are also very keen on knives and can quote blade steels with the best, there are quite a lot who really don't care as long as it works and can be sharpened.
I know that the super steels are sharpenable with the right kit. I have some of that kit, but quite a few don't.
I like flat grinds with convex edges. I like making them, I like how they look and I like how they cut for the things that I do. I loath making scandi grinds because I am not practiced and I keep lousing them up, they dont baton through wood as smoothly as the flat grinds and they dont slice my dinner as well. However this knife isnt meant for me and in every survey that I have been able to find, every conversation with wood workers and with bushcraft instructors (who, lets face it, are a big influence on people newly come to the subject), the Scandinavian grind has come in head and shoulders ahead of anything else. Sorry, not my choice.
C_Claycomb
----------------------
Some time ago, UK Ken suggested that we make a Bushcraft model. After much thought and discussion, we contacted Bushcraft UK and found Chris Claycomb. The knife will be called the Bushcraft UK.
Chris Calycomb designed the knife for us. He also designed the leather sheath that will come with it.
I added the hole and it does have "function", You certainly know it's a Spyderco.
We also have plans for a "NASA" version with a full flat grind (S90V) and a synthetic handle (probably Carbon Fiber), depending on the success of this first design.
I wouldn't say that it is designed for the American market. Most Yanks think Bushcraft is chasing girls. The market we're looking to is global.
We don't make anything like it and it seemed like a good idea at the time.
We won't know price for a while, we need to know costs. Once production is underway, we'll have a better idea.
We'd like to be in production by Christmas.
On the hole question, It seems that there are many companies that are trying to "look" like Spyderco these days. Even the new SAK Rescue has an "almost" round hole. I wonder why that is?
The round hole in a particular location of a folding knife blade is our registered tradedemark. It is at this time, probably the most identifiable trademark in the knife industry. One of the arguments against our trademark is that we didn't put it on all of our knives. (fixed & kitchen knives) Now we do. Certainly the Mule team is immediately identified as a Spyderco.
Now the round hole is still associated with Spyderco and it is probably the most powerful identifier in the industry. That is prpobablu wjhy so many companies want to look like us. Since it is our trademark, I have chosen to incorporate the round hole in all of our knives. That way people will know it's a Spyderco just by looking at the knife and not having to read the tang.
- Sal
