A great utility Spyderco.....

mmmotorcycle

mmmotorcycle

Captain Slow
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Jun 17, 2006
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During the holidays I came across a bit more spending money than I would have imagined. I enjoy Spyderco's smaller knives (Delica, Native, Dragonfly, etc.) quite a bit and thought that since I use them all for utility tasks, why not get a really nice user.

I have done quite a bit of searching, and looked at everything from the Native 4, Leafstorm, and Sage 2.... all of which are around the size I am looking for, as well as the price. At approximately $150 all these knives fit into my budget well. You might say I am trying to find perfect utility Spyderco that still could pass as a gentlemen's folder.

It would be a great help if some of you might share pictures, stories, and general thoughts on these knives and any others (Kopas and Kiwi's perhaps) that come to mind.

Thank you all very much, I should mention that this need is stemming from my recent acquisition of a Benchmade Dejavoo. Without getting into specifics, the knife just wasn't for me.....

I will let you know what I decide on! (I am leaning towards the Sage 2) :)
 
i would say the ti sage, but i forgot how much it costs. a pure utility knife i would say any of the salt series.
 
I think of utility and gentleman's folder as two different things but that's just me. For utility I like the Delica due to the thicker blade tip, FRN handle grip and cost. For a gentleman's folder I like the Caly3 carbon fiber for the full flat grind, laminated zdp-189 blade, and carbon fiber.
Now that I looked at the Bob T slipit, it may have the best of both worlds.
 
sounds like you are looking for a military, or paramilitary.

That or an endura, but you already have a delica and your buget is $150... so yeah, a military
 
ctk123 said:
sounds like you are looking for a military, or paramilitary.

That or an endura, but you already have a delica and your buget is $150... so yeah, a military
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I have handled a Military and while the knife's weight and ergos are spot of for my liking, it is just too big for my uses. However, it has been quite some time since I tried out a Para-Military....maybe that would feel good.

Thanks for the suggestions! :)

Does anyone have size comparison photos of any of the knives listed so far?
 
Stretch II Carbon Fiber can be found for $140 at a particular "shoppe". IMHO, the best Spyderco knife to date.
 
The Stretch did appeal to me quite a bit. I am not sure if I need ZDP for a general use blade but I would be interested in knowing where one can find it for that price....... ;)

I should mention that this knife will go everywhere with me and consequently, the size of the Military or the supposed weight of the new Gayle Bradley folder would not be qualities I am looking for. Are there any thoughts on the Kopa or Kiwi? Both of which seem nice and gentlemanly and good, if not great, for utility.

Again, I appreciate all the feed back! :thumbup:
 
I personally think the Kopa and Kiwi are too 'gentlemenly' to be considered utility knives. There are definitely tasks I can think of that neither would be suited for, especially the Kiwi.

I'd suggest the Sage I or the Para. Both are great EDC utility blades.
 
For a semi-gent's folder, I would say either of the Sage models. You could even do a SS E4 or D4.

If you're looking purely for utility, I would recommend the Stretch, Manix 2, Para-Military, and Military. Even a D4/E4 would do great.
 
I have a Para and a Sage 2, they are both awesome knives! Both have great ergos, solid locks and excellent fit and finish.

sage 2 is a tiny bit slimmer. smooth Ti handles make it easy to slip in and out of pocket, RIL sounds and feels great, solid lockup, no play.

Para has a sharper tip (a plus for me), it opens smoother, and closes easier. the compression lock has a tiny bit of flex, but that's normal.

I tend to carry the para more, I like tip down... and the sharp tip. you wouldn't be dissapointed with either.
 
The Para might be more utilitarian than the Sage 2 but something about the phrase: S30V, Ti framelock, and Spyderco......really makes me excited! :D

With all that said, that gentlemens Terzuola also is of strong interest to me since I have a couple of Slipits already and it IS a Terzuola design....... decisions, decisions!

Any thoughts on the Lum Chinese? :)
 
mmmotorcycle said:
The Para might be more utilitarian than the Sage 2 but something about the phrase: S30V, Ti framelock, and Spyderco......really makes me excited! :D

With all that said, that gentlemens Terzuola also is of strong interest to me since I have a couple of Slipits already and it IS a Terzuola design....... decisions, decisions!

Any thoughts on the Lum Chinese? :)
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The Lum Chinese is sexy. Very unique, slim and light. I like it a lot but wouldn't trust it for hard use if that helps any. As far as the quality goes, it's the worst I've seen from spyderco personally. That doesn't mean it's bad or not worth the price, it's just different. See my thread entitled Lum Chinese owners sound off. :thumbup:
 
Thanks for pointing that thread out to me. Fortunately, I live only about 30 minutes away from a cutlery store that has a great selection of Spyderco's. Not great prices but I think my final decision may come down to how each knife feels in my hand. The Sage 2 appeals to me most but until I handle one, I can't be sure.

It just occurred to me that the Native 4 in Carbon fiber might also be a good option. Does anyone have thoughts on that knife? :)
 
I have the Sage 2 and I just got the Stretch in FRN w/ VG-10. Do a search and you can find several threads on the Sage 2 w/ pictures.

The Sage 2 is superlative. There aren't words to express how great I think that knife is. I haven't had the Stretch very long, but my initial impressions are that it is also a great knife. I am happy I chose the VG-10 over the ZDP-189. I've had very good experiences w/ VG-10 in the past and I don't want the added trouble of sharpening the ZDP-189 or have to worry about the greater risk of corrosion.

The Sage 2 carries very well. Size and weight put it into the same category as knives you already have. The Stretch is a little bigger. The blade is 1/2" longer and the handle is about 1.5 mm thicker. To me it carries more like the Military than the Delica and I think that is because of the thicker handle. The Stretch is more noticeable in my pocket than the Sage or maybe even the Endura due to the thicker handle I think. Those are just my impressions, which are subject to change as I carry the knife more.

The problem with Spyderco is that they make too many great knives. It's not a simple matter of just picking the best one because they are all the best for some particular occasion, purpose, person, etc.

IMO the Sage 2 is a must have for any serious knife guy, and because it won't be around forever I'd say go ahead and get it. Let us know what you decide.
 
Sage 2 ti is a beautiful knife and is a hard user imo.
This spdydie can be had for $140 shipped, thats the deal I found with mine anyhow.

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Sorry, folks, in my book "gentleman's folder" reads CF Caly3. Might be a very civilized knife, but still very able!
 
mmmotorcycle said:
Thanks for pointing that thread out to me. Fortunately, I live only about 30 minutes away from a cutlery store that has a great selection of Spyderco's. Not great prices but I think my final decision may come down to how each knife feels in my hand. The Sage 2 appeals to me most but until I handle one, I can't be sure.

It just occurred to me that the Native 4 in Carbon fiber might also be a good option. Does anyone have thoughts on that knife? :)
Click to expand...

I don't want to deter anyone from the Lum Chinese. If you have a chance to handle one check it out for yourself. The Sage might be a better tougher knife but the Chinese is still pretty cool and much more unique. Depends on what you use them for.
 
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