jideta
Gold Member
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2020
- Messages
- 2,099
Just a quick review of three Spyderco fixed serrated knives.
I got them for fishing; cutting bait, line, whatever.
The top is from the kitchen/cooking line I think it's listed as a utility.
Blade thickness is like a kitchen knife so utility in the sense of just cutting food.
I put this knife in for while it does okay on bait, because of the different size of the serrations (larger with deeper scallops) I don't like it for the kitchen as parts of the blade don't contact the cutting surface all the time.
Strange.
Middle is Aqua Salt. I don't like the coating (no coatings for me!) as stuff tends to stick to it. In other words the surface isn't exactly slick like a plain blade (it is very smooth). Probably not designed to cut bait.
Finally the Jumpmaster. I always wanted one (the sheepsfoot Jumpmaster 1) so I plunged. This is more like a 'regular' knife with full tang and screw on scales. I like the thumb ramp and jimping.
If you look good, the Jumpmaster and the Aqua salt have slightly different serrations. I think I read somewhere it's a super cutter, designed to cut those static lines in case someone gets hung up. Compared to my Endura, the serrations are just slightly closer together giving more TPI.
Both the Jumpmaster and Aqua Salt are hollow ground.
All three have FRN handles (bleah), again the Jumpmaster has screw on scales, the other two are hidden tang. All have good grips and feel good in the hand; the utility typical kitchen size, what the Aqua Salt gives up in width, it makes up for in thickness, the Jumpmaster is narrow, but wide.
Only the Jumpmaster and Aqua Salt have sheaths:
Kydex something or other form fitted and both are secure. The Aqua Salt is easier to remove; the Jumpmaster, because of the design of the handle locks it and more effort is needed to draw. Probably a military thing. I'm probably going to Dremel the sheath to make extraction easier.
Both sheaths are set up for front horizontal carry but it comes vertical RH/cross draw.
Both sheaths have drain holes.
All three do what I need them to do so I suppose it depends on what you are going to do with them.
I also have a Fish Hunter on back order (what I really wanted) so I'll add to this once I get it. When I get it.
I wish the Aqua Salt didn't have that coating (earlier versions are plain) and I'm thinking of trying to sand it off. Bait guts tend to stick some and if you don't rinse right away dries quickly (black don't you know). Drying also leaves spots on the blade.
Jumpmaster is the most expensive and for what I do, the other two are just as good.
I wrote this more because of the different serrations, but it turns out for what I do there is no difference in performance.
To paraphrase, these three blades will kut...
Lastly, H1 will oxidize. Can't really tell, but if you take some fine grit sandpaper after awhile and take it to your blade you will see it. Sort of how aluminum gets a thin coat and doesn't really change color but it's there.
Worth it?
I wouldn't get the utility knife again. I prefer my Victorinox paring knives; cheaper and for me, better slicers.
The other two I guess you get what you pay for. Spyderco I don' think are really known for their fixed blades and I wish they were just a tad thicker in the spine. You know, for just a bit more heft.
As slicers though, they do what they were meant to do!
YMMV
I got them for fishing; cutting bait, line, whatever.
The top is from the kitchen/cooking line I think it's listed as a utility.
Blade thickness is like a kitchen knife so utility in the sense of just cutting food.
I put this knife in for while it does okay on bait, because of the different size of the serrations (larger with deeper scallops) I don't like it for the kitchen as parts of the blade don't contact the cutting surface all the time.
Strange.
Middle is Aqua Salt. I don't like the coating (no coatings for me!) as stuff tends to stick to it. In other words the surface isn't exactly slick like a plain blade (it is very smooth). Probably not designed to cut bait.
Finally the Jumpmaster. I always wanted one (the sheepsfoot Jumpmaster 1) so I plunged. This is more like a 'regular' knife with full tang and screw on scales. I like the thumb ramp and jimping.
If you look good, the Jumpmaster and the Aqua salt have slightly different serrations. I think I read somewhere it's a super cutter, designed to cut those static lines in case someone gets hung up. Compared to my Endura, the serrations are just slightly closer together giving more TPI.
Both the Jumpmaster and Aqua Salt are hollow ground.
All three have FRN handles (bleah), again the Jumpmaster has screw on scales, the other two are hidden tang. All have good grips and feel good in the hand; the utility typical kitchen size, what the Aqua Salt gives up in width, it makes up for in thickness, the Jumpmaster is narrow, but wide.
Only the Jumpmaster and Aqua Salt have sheaths:
Kydex something or other form fitted and both are secure. The Aqua Salt is easier to remove; the Jumpmaster, because of the design of the handle locks it and more effort is needed to draw. Probably a military thing. I'm probably going to Dremel the sheath to make extraction easier.
Both sheaths are set up for front horizontal carry but it comes vertical RH/cross draw.
Both sheaths have drain holes.
All three do what I need them to do so I suppose it depends on what you are going to do with them.
I also have a Fish Hunter on back order (what I really wanted) so I'll add to this once I get it. When I get it.
I wish the Aqua Salt didn't have that coating (earlier versions are plain) and I'm thinking of trying to sand it off. Bait guts tend to stick some and if you don't rinse right away dries quickly (black don't you know). Drying also leaves spots on the blade.
Jumpmaster is the most expensive and for what I do, the other two are just as good.
I wrote this more because of the different serrations, but it turns out for what I do there is no difference in performance.
To paraphrase, these three blades will kut...
Lastly, H1 will oxidize. Can't really tell, but if you take some fine grit sandpaper after awhile and take it to your blade you will see it. Sort of how aluminum gets a thin coat and doesn't really change color but it's there.
Worth it?
I wouldn't get the utility knife again. I prefer my Victorinox paring knives; cheaper and for me, better slicers.
The other two I guess you get what you pay for. Spyderco I don' think are really known for their fixed blades and I wish they were just a tad thicker in the spine. You know, for just a bit more heft.
As slicers though, they do what they were meant to do!
YMMV
) and we have a Spyderco Z-Cut serrated kitchen knife that is so sharp it's past scary -- it slides through fruit and veggies like there's nothing there. And a 30-year-old bread knife we got as a bonus when we bought a new washer/dryer from Sears, which still works fine. Not much experience with other serrated blades other than the weird one on my ancient Super Leatherman... it looks more like WOWs in that blade than actual serrations and doesn't cut worth a damn.