Caly 3 Vs Stretch

P

pollo

Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
199
Gentlemen,

I am looking for a relatively small folder to EDC together with one of my fixed blades or larger folders.

It has to be an excellent cutter, a good looker, and won't be abused.

I narrowed down my choices to either a Caly 3 or a stretch. I like the fact that both blades are flat grinds, and i love the carbon fiber and the simplicity and reliability of the lock. i also really like the Steel.

Both knives cost a little over what i generally like to spend for a production folder, but i could deal with that.

I would like to hear some opinions about this two knives and i am open to suggestions. does anyone have both knives?

Will these two knives cut as well as my beloved Calipso JR?

Thank you in advance!
 
the stretch does not strike me as a smallish knife.

have you thought about a sage? the cf version is around $100.


of course, the frn/vg10 stretch is under $100 as well.
 
Thank you! i am not crazy about liner locks, but the FRN stretch sounds really interesting, i did not know they were actually out.

any thoughts about the caly 3?
 
pollo said:
Thank you! i am not crazy about liner locks, but the FRN stretch sounds really interesting, i did not know they were actually out.

any thoughts about the caly 3?
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a little small for my tastes. i got rid of a sage for that reason, and the caly is about the same size.

btw, im also itching to pick up a stretch cf/zdp!
 
I would like to handle one before buying.... but i think that the CF stretch has the potential to be perfect for me. I would have liked a wire clip on it though.
 
I've had them both.Sold the Cali,cause it was too small for my hands.The Stretch II w/CF & FFG ZDP blade is outstanding!:thumbup:Worth every penny IMHO.
 
For me, the Caly and Stretch are two different vehicles.
The Caly is a real sprinter, say a Mazda 3, fun to drive, quick and reliable.

The Stretch is more like the Mazda 6 better in the long haul, and doesn't leave you with the feeling of needing more hp/knife.
I know a dumb analogy, but it works for me :p
 
lol me too
thumbsup4kk.gif
 
I have the CF Stretch, Caly3 and the Sage. The Sage gets about 80% of the pocket time. If the Stretch was a titanium/CF frame/liner lock it would probably get 95% of the carry time.

The blade and handle on the Stretch are great, but I prefer liner/frame locks to back locks:o

The Caly3 is smaller and lighter than the Stretch, but both carry well. The Caly and Sage carry lower and more discretely than the Stretch if that is important to you. STR can make you a more discrete titanium clip for your Stretch if you decide to get one.

All 3 are great knives so there really isn't a bad choice here... :D
 
IMO, the Stretch 2 ZDP, Caly 3, and Caly jr. are all in the top 10 spyderco knives ever produced.

The stretch 2 is luxurious, but has the heart of a racehorse. Perhaps a BMW M5. It looks like a family car but runs with the best of the sports cars.

Production price but performance that most customs can't keep up with at 10 times the price. Joe
 
Own both, but a Stretch, in one flavor or another, is in my pocket almost daily while the only time I'd carry the Caly 3 would be if I were going somewhere with a 3" limit. It's an excellent knife, don't get me wrong, but the Stretch gives me more blade and an even better grip.
 
I'm getting a FRN/VG-10 stretch sometime next week. It's possible it will convince me that a CF/ZDP-189 model is something I would need.

I loved my CF/ZDP-189/420JS Caly3. The knife was the perfect dress knife. Nice leaf shaped blade with a nice choil and jimping. The UKPK and Caly3 are two knives I think really benefit from the low riding wire clip.

I think that either the Caly3 or Stretch should join the Military/Mule in terms of a testing platform for new steels and materials. You'd have the liner lock, the fixed blade, and the back lock all as independent testing sites. Something for everyone. :)
 
VG-10/G-10 Caly3 now gets 100% of the carry/use time. A S90V (or BG-42)/textured carbon fiber Caly3 would replace it if only...
Very pointy, cuts anything, small yet usable, carries low with a clip leaving room in the pocket for other things.
 
I really like both my Caly 3 CF and my Stretch 2 CF. The ergos on the Stretch are pretty amazing, and I find 3.5" is a great blade length for EDC. The Caly 3 is thinner at the edge and has a slight edge in cutting, but the ergos aren't quite as good as the Stretch and the CF isn't as grippy as the peel ply CF on the Stretch 2, but it makes a great dress knife and is great in slack. Either knife will cut like a champ for you, but due to the ergos of the Stretch 2 it would be my choice. To save some money you could wait a little bit longer until the Stretch FRN/ZDP model is released if you decide to go the Stretch 2 route.

Mike
 
Thank you for all the inputs.

I think i will wait a couple of weeks and get a CF stretch. the FRN version is tempting, but i have many delicas and enduras and would like to get something fancier.

If i know myself i will anyway end up with both the stretch and the Caly 3 at some point....

This forum is always a great way to convince myself i do indeed need more toys....

I lurked around BF and the spyderco Forum for a while looking for a pic of the CF stretch together with the Caly 3, but could not find one. Does anyone know where to find one?
 
Where is the titanium sage made BTW? i read "imported" on the newgraham page.... seems like the CF version is USA made.
 
pollo said:
Where is the titanium sage made BTW? i read "imported" on the newgraham page.... seems like the CF version is USA made.
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Both are made in Taiwan IRC. Some of the parts are from the US (blade and possibly scales)
 
That really is a tough choice... the upside is that you can't go wrong. The Stretch and the Caly 3 are both great knives. If you are not restricted by the 3" law, and use your knife in the outdoors (hunting etc.) I would opt for the Stretch. If you have the 3" rule in your locale and just need to do some "everyday" cutting, the Caly fits the bill very well. I bought the Stretch first, because I will always choose "cubic inches", when all else is equal...... The Stretch actually carries very nicely, for a knife with the amount of blade it packs (cubic inches), it is my outdoors knife, an frn Delica (zdp), is my EDC at work and a Caly 3, is my "gentlemans" knife. Regards, Steve
 
The Caly 3 gets the nod from me. I believe it has a more sheeple friendly blade design. It is a classy package with a good reliable back lock. A 3" blade is just about perfect for situations where you want a good looking and hard working knife that will not offend the natives.
 
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