Caly 3.5 Super Blue

Just got mine today. I really appreciate Spyderco using Super Blue in a folder. The Caly 3.5 is quite a bit smaller than I like for an EDC. My Military M4 is 5.5 inches closed. The Caly 3.5 is 4.25 inches. It feels tiny, but my EDC today is the Benchmade Rukus with a closed length of 6 inches.

I know this steel is awesome, and I trust that Spyderco did a great job with it, because it usually does. It's nice to have a knife company that I can trust.

A larger blade would have made me happier, but I'll take what I can get. The fit and finish is good. This knife was built in Japan. The blade is centered. There is no play. The scales are pinned. I like lockbacks, and this one has the detent. Its action is stiff and slow, but that will probably improve.

The key feature of the full flat grind is the width of the edge shoulder. My Military M4 is a slicing machine. It's edge width at the shoulder is 0.028 inches. The Caly 3.5 is 0.020, so it should cut like a maniac, especially because I know what a great edge Super Blue will take. The factory edge came extremely sharp. Thanks.

People usually underestimate the Sebenza, thinking that its key features are the framelock (RIL) and some nice engineering. The Sebenza actually goes farther than that. The blade is hollow ground with an edge shoulder width of just 0.018 inches. The Sebenza cuts extremely well, which is its function. The Caly 3.5 is close, and I like the steel better than S30V, although it's obviously not stainless.

I use Aogami Super Blue in the kitchen in a Takeda gyuto 240mm hardened to 64 HRc. It will chip, but it is very, very thin and will cuts unbelievably well. Its edge width at the shoulder is 0.014 inches -- this off a full flat grind on a blade 2.5 inches wide. It cuts like you would not believe, and is super easy to sharpen. It is brittle, but I just adjust my behavior for that.

I haven't tested the Spyderco Super Blue yet, and I don't know the hardness, but this should be an extemely good pocket knife, if cutting stuff is what you're about.
 
Grapefruit patina:

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Here, allow me to help you resist. Cutleryshoppe has them in stock and ON SALE (33% off?).

I'll continue to resist the forced patina, being a believer in not forcing anything..
 
got mine today, a CC numbered one from howes, very fast service btw :thumbup::thumbup:

my first of the calypso line, so it's a complete discovery...

great little knife ;)

too small handle for me actually. at least at first.

i mean not small like too short, it's fine lenght wise i can even get a pretty decent full grip without using the choil so the handle is long enough. but the it doesn't really fill my, rather large and "military spoiled", hand at all, too thin, not wide enough. when griping it in a "choil pinch" with the thumb on the ramp my ring and middle fingertips touch my palm before i get a full grip, if i made myself clear ....

that's probably a drawback of the wide leaf blade because once closed it's not much sleeker than my CF stretch wich fills my hand much better because of it's wider handle, especially at the butt. in fact the closed stretch is only wider than the caly's widest point at the hole's hump

very nice gent knife anyway. great edge profile, great thin tip and, from my extensive experience with it on kitchen knives, one of the best carbon tool steel available. great F&F too, i cant tell where the liners and the backspacer meets without playing with the light and even this way it's the color difference that tells me. the liners are perfectly flush with the G10 everywhere and nicely skeletonized, blade and edge grind look perfect, blade finish is very nice and shiny, very smooth action especially for a washerless knife... all good

or maybe i must get used to it ... don't know :D :D :D :D
 
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and another important update for those who feel concerned, i said bullshit.

i just tried taking the blade out and i've yet to find an easier folder to maintain. in fact due to the pinned handle and washerless construction, and probably the biggest pivot and softer backspring than my CF stretch too, it's a matter of second to take the blade out then back in. doesn't even need a zip tie to hold the backlock open, it's a breeze to do this just by hand.

very nice :thumbup:
 
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