ATR's with washers ?

R

Roefisher

Joined
Feb 20, 2005
Messages
535
Hello.

Although I had ordered it over seven months ago, and having thought that it wouldn't come :( I have now got a Titanium ATR.

I am surprised by the finish of the knife and really like the way the compression lock snaps in with a solid thunk. The blade shape is also attractive.

Now to the point. There was a lot of chat about all new Spyderco's having PB washers. As I have just got this in new stock at an online shop, I was expecting it to have the PB washers, too.

It doesn't seem to have any - of any description, ie nylon, teflon, or PB !

Does the ATR not have washers yet, or have I bought an old model ?

Thanks

Mark
 
Mark, on the label on the end of the box there should be a two letter code, first letter is the month, second the year. So, for example, CE would indicate the knife was manufactured in March of this year.

I strongly suspect that your knife does have the "plastic" washers, they are extremely thin and hard to see on knives that have them. I say that because one of the reasons titanium is often used for linerlock liners and framelock frames is that it "galls" against steel making the lockbar less likely to slip. That being the case, it would only seem logical that washers would be needed to isolate it from the blade.
 
Thanks for "cracking" the code. I posted a thread back when Spyderco started this new labeling system and asked what the letters meant, nobody ever replied.
 
Deacon, firstly thank you for the knowledge sharing. On the end of the box it is written;

C70PTI ATR AE

AE would mean January of this year, so it's a new model. Correct me if I'm wrong, sir.

They must indeed be thin plastic washers!! I cannot see them at all :eek:

The action is smooth. The only slight resistance comes from the compression lock bar against the tang as you open. This creates a little rubbing, but that is intergral to this locking mechanism, I suppose.

Generally pleased, though. Finish is OK, and the S30V sharpened up in a few minutes on the fine stones. The lockup is a good solid thunk and absolutely no play. The blade sits dead centre along the handle, when closed, too. Grip and ergonomics are good, too. A large handle, in my experience, makes for a stronger hold and my thumb sits neatly on the cobra hood.

I was a bit dubious about the tip up with a cobra hood, having previously read some bad reports about that combination. Thankfully, one feature on my knife is, that the blade closes into the handle with a thunk, too. I cannot see it opening in the pocket, as it takes a fair amount of pressure to start blade travel ~ which I like anyway, it's safer.

Overall, impressions are on the favourable side and will probably rotate it into one of my EDC's {I always carry two, one permanantly and one rotated} It would definitely be the best of any Spyderco's I have owned.

Mark
 
I've done a couple of snaps to show the size and shape of an ATR. Very poor lighting at my location today :( But it should still give you a general idea :)

By the way, taking a picture of one's hand would make walking bare footed on broken glass seem like a pleasure :D

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Thanks for the info and the pics Roefisher; And Deacon, thanks for the info about the code on the end of the box.
I ordered a titanium handled ATR yesterday and have been attempting to hold my breath until it comes. :eek:
............Ron
 
Thank you.

I hope you have a shorter wait than mine :p {just over seven months -UK}

In all seriousness the Ti ATR is a very good knife. Great handles and strong, too. I hope you enjoy it :)

Mark
 
Roefisher said:
Deacon, firstly thank you for the knowledge sharing. On the end of the box it is written;

C70PTI ATR AE

AE would mean January of this year, so it's a new model. Correct me if I'm wrong, sir. Mark
Click to expand...
Glad the codes were useful Mark, and yes, your knife was manufactured this past January.

IIRC, Spyderco was still using the thin plastic washers on everything at that point. I could be wrong, but it seems to me that the decision to begin changing over to PB washers only was made a couple months back. The new models coming out all seem to have the phosphor bronze. Can say with certainty that the Viele II and the SpyKer do. Beleive the new Walker does too, but I don't have that any longer, so I can't confirm it.

Have no idea what the "schedule" for changing the existing models over is. I imagine it will not happen overnight, as it would appear to require either a thinner blade, or thicker backstrap components, since the plastic washers were probably not even .001" thick and the PBs appear to be well over .01".

Am just hoping they confine this change to the "screw together" models. Think the gaps on both sides of the blade would ruin the looks of knives like the Kiwi and Kopa.
 
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