Anyone have a Spyderco Bushcraft factory second?

I have had mine for a couple of weeks now. When I got it, there were some small cracks, and the handle scales had some shrinkage. There was visible and tactile evidence of that, the tang was exposed.

I steamed it lightly, which opened the cracks. I then used a good quality CA adhesive to fill the cracks. It took several applications, and in between each one I lightly sanded the wood.
When I was satisfied with that, I used 300 grit sand paper to buff the wood, and then finished it with Min Wax Maple stain. Several coats, each buffed with 000 steel wool, and finally with 600 grit paper. One last coat, and it looks good, the cracks are sealed, and the shrinkage taken care of.

For $90 and some time, it was well worth it to me.
 
I'd wait to see if any more have tang failures. You can probably find a well-made similar knife in the makers FB for sale section for just a bit more than the factory second from Spyderco.
 
scattershot said:
I'm with beameupscotty. What could you buy for $100.00, that you don't have to fix?
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There are plenty of other choices. But I don't think anyone bought the factory seconds as some great bargain. Most of us know the story behind it and how it came to be. Then we learned of the difficulties with the handle and how this unique (first Spyderco bushcraft knife) knife failed.

When they were offered as seconds, a lot of people decided to take a chance and help Spyderco recover some of the expenses by purchasing these knives. We all knew what we were getting into. Sal and company often went out of their way to help us out, we tried to return the favor.

I see nothing wrong with that and I ended up with 2 perfectly functional knives I'm very fond of.
 
dsmegst said:
There are plenty of other choices. But I don't think anyone bought the factory seconds as some great bargain. Most of us know the story behind it and how it came to be. Then we learned of the difficulties with the handle and how this unique (first Spyderco bushcraft knife) knife failed.

When they were offered as seconds, a lot of people decided to take a chance and help Spyderco recover some of the expenses by purchasing these knives. We all knew what we were getting into. Sal and company often went out of their way to help us out, we tried to return the favor.

I see nothing wrong with that and I ended up with 2 perfectly functional knives I'm very fond of.
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I completely agree, well said.

Canis
 
Mannlicher said:
I have had mine for a couple of weeks now. When I got it, there were some small cracks, and the handle scales had some shrinkage. There was visible and tactile evidence of that, the tang was exposed.

I steamed it lightly, which opened the cracks. I then used a good quality CA adhesive to fill the cracks. It took several applications, and in between each one I lightly sanded the wood.
When I was satisfied with that, I used 300 grit sand paper to buff the wood, and then finished it with Min Wax Maple stain. Several coats, each buffed with 000 steel wool, and finally with 600 grit paper. One last coat, and it looks good, the cracks are sealed, and the shrinkage taken care of.

For $90 and some time, it was well worth it to me.
Click to expand...
here is what the knife looks like after my working on the handle, and after a rough week in the woods, where I really worked the knife hard. In the field, it performed very well, batoning, cutting, chopping and kitchen chores.
It performed like the $300 knife it really is.
BCUK2.jpg

BCUK.jpg
 
If the knife design, materials, and construction appeals to you - and you want an almost-ready-to-use 'kit' - it's a deal. If you want a great 'bushcraft' knife and you want a more involved kit, a few more bucks will land you a Swedish Fallkniven F1 or S1 blade - ready for your handle and sheath. Yeah, it's Swedish like the Spydie Bushcraft is American. The F1/S1 VG-10 laminate blade is made in Japan, while the Spydie Bushcraft clearly has Taiwan on it. You could get a custom handled F1, made by BRK&T and sold through KSF. Better yet, just buy a good old A2 bladed Barkie - lots of 'bushcraft' choices - lots of handle choices. Made in the USA. And... if it cracks, send it back!

Stainz
 
beammeupscotty said:
Incomprehensible.
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I don't get it either. There are so many great knifemakers in the US that offer beautiful handmade, wood-handled bushcraft and woods knives, yet people go silly over a defective knife from Taiwan.

For example, for less money than the original street price of the Spyderco Bushcraft it is possible to get a handsome ML Knives Woods and Bush knife in 1095 carbon with tiger maple scales ..with no cracks in the handle and without excessively large holes cut out of the tang.

I understand that tastes differ, but I do find the situation strange.
 
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I have a multitude of knives, bushcraft, camping, outdoors, fighting, slicing, hunting, skinning.....................

The Spyderco is a well made blade, and performs superbly in the field. Thats all I ask of a knife.

If'n ya'll don't want to buy one, then................. don't ;)
 
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