Anyone else think the Bolster is too big on the Sage 4?

EZ Bake

EZ Bake

Joined
Mar 5, 2009
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That thing is HUGE! Not that its going to keep me from getting one, but it just sort of looks odd being almost half bolster.

I love the look, but have always considered bolsters as being ornamental and sort of just at the top or bottom of the handle-scales. I don't know - maybe its just me.
 
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Yeah, I think they got the lock release back a little too far, it kind of throws the proportions off.
 
I might be the odd man out, but I think the proportions look right/good. Especially with that Al Mare photo, the lock sits right in the center of the wood and metal. The Sage is just a taller knife.
 
It may just be the angle of the bolster on the Sage that makes it look...not quite right...to me. Once I had both pictures together, the lockbar length looks better than I thought at first.
 
Personally, I think its a good placement. If the titanium was any closer to that second screw, I think it would look funky. For me, I think it looks fine either the way it is, or with the titanium ending before the second screw, equidistant from the pivot and first screw.

The dividing line between the two being equidistant from the screws is what makes it visually appealing in my view.
 
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The bolsters don't bother me as much as the exposed screws. They are a real turn-off.
 
D1omedes said:
The bolsters don't bother me as much as the exposed screws. They are a real turn-off.
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Absolutely agree.
I'm assuming you mean the ones in the handle.
Those screws pretty much ruin the look. I hate to be critical of anything Sal & Co. do, but that one I don't undertand.

The bolster would really look nice if one got some nice engraving done on it.
 
To me, the length of the bolsters is consistent with the "Al Mar" look they were trying to accomplish, but the material (titanium) and the visible screws definitely detract from the effect. It's not going to stop me from getting a couple but I will then see if I can find someone to fix the screw issue. It was definitely a disappointment when I first saw it in the catalog.
 
I love bolsters, but these are little too big for my taste. I see where they came from, but on slick Al Mar knives they looks much better for me. Still this is not a huge issue for me, not as big as exposed screws. However, I will need to see the knife to make my decision. I didn't like Damascus Delica on the pictures for the same screws reason, but fall in love when I saw her on the knife show.
 
Alann45 said:
Absolutely agree.
I'm assuming you mean the ones in the handle.
Those screws pretty much ruin the look. I hate to be critical of anything Sal & Co. do, but that one I don't undertand.

The bolster would really look nice if one got some nice engraving done on it.
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The ones on the handle are most glaring, yes. But I don't understand how Al Mar knives and Deacon's modified Stretch have hidden screws/rivets but the Sage 4 doesn't. IMO, the price point does not represent the lack of fit and finish on this knife.

I also am not sure how you can fix this after buying. I was really looking forward to this Sage but am disappointed.
 
D1omedes said:
I also am not sure how you can fix this after buying. I was really looking forward to this Sage but am disappointed.
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Only way I can think of is to find screws of the proper size with taller (and preferable larger) heads, reduce the diameter, screw them in, then grind them off flush with the bolsters. Kind of like the way Corby bolts get ground down to look like pins on FB handles. Might need to have the bolsters engraved after that to make them blend in better.
 
The Deacon said:
Only way I can think of is to find screws of the proper size with taller (and preferable larger) heads, reduce the diameter, screw them in, then grind them off flush with the bolsters. Kind of like the way Corby bolts get ground down to look like pins on FB handles. Might need to have the bolsters engraved after that to make them blend in better.
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Right on, Deacon! :thumbup:

I think this new Sage would look amazing with a little scrollwork on the bolsters... love the wood scales! :cool:
 
Or possibly some mosaic pins of an appropriate color and pattern. Wouldn't think that would add much to the production cost.
I'd still like to know why it went this route. Spyderco doesn't tend to do things for no good reason.

Not having scrollwork is understandable, that can raise the cost if its done right. Modding with etching or engraving and some attractive pins could make this really something special.
 
Well now - I wasn't trying to gripe or cut down Sal's work, so I mean no disrespect at all. The more I look at the knife, the more I'm sure I'll be getting one. The bolster would look more normal to me if it cut-off right under the pivot screw/finger-choil.

I used to not care too much for back-locks, but the more I own them, the more I appreciate them. I'll say that the Sage 4 is really starting to grow on me, but the screws do sort of bother me now that its been pointed out - maybe if they were stainless or uncoated they wouldn't stand out as much. I'm definitely going to pick one up though - I love that Arizona Ironwood.

I skipped the Sage 3, but mainly because of the full-length G10 back-spacer (love the cookie-monster blue, just think it needed to be broken up a bit), I wish it had been made like the Manix with the Lock enclosed and stand-offs at the rear of the scales - just to break up the G10 (although, I've heard that the effect they were going for was to look like FRN since most of Blackie's bolt-actions were implemented in some sort of Fiber-glass-nylon handles - don't know if that's true or not).

Having said that, I don't believe I'll be skipping the Sage 4.
 
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I think what throw things off visually with having longer bolsters on this knife is that the Sage is a broader across the handle compared to something like an Al Mar Hawk or Eagle. You end up with a good bit more metal there overall and that makes an impact. The proportions in one dimension are correct to the inspiriation but the Sage is much different in other dimensions. I don't dislike it though.
 
EZ Bake said:
Well now - I wasn't trying to gripe or cut down Sal's work, so I mean no disrespect at all. The more I look at the knife, the more I'm sure I'll be getting one. The bolster would look more normal to me if it cut-off right under the pivot screw/finger-choil.
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No problem. I'm in somewhat the same boat over different "issues" with this knife. Bottom line, as always, is that nothing pleases everyone and beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. Whether we admit it or not, purchasing a production knife is always going to involve compromise. I can't think of one I own where, given the ability to do so, I would not change something.
 
I think it's a beauty HOWEVER, my ideal rendition is for this knife to be the size of a D-fly with no clip. The small "pocketknife" lockbacks were my first love and still have many Bucks, US Gerbers, Bokers, etc..
It might be hard to restrain though......
 
I LOVE the Sage line and overall like the looks of this one. I actually like the use of titanium for weight reasons. My major beef with it is the screws - those are a disappointment. I am especially unclear why they're black. I still think it's an attractive knife and will most likely pick one up.
 
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