D'Allara Drop point vs Griptilian

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rabican

Joined
Oct 1, 2007
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18
Kinda stuck on which one to buy, i think price wise they are about the same, both have their respective company's specialty lock on it and are around the same size, anyone have one or the other or both and can tell me their opinion on it? Oh and if i were to end up getting the griptilian, it'd be the older model not the HG one
 
D'allara. I was going to buy one but the store didnt carry it anymore, so instead i got the griptilian. You can't go wrong with either but if i had my way i would have gotten the d'allara. I like my griptilian, LOVE the axis lock. I tried the ball bearing lock when the store did carry it, i loved it. Very good for if you have gloves on.
 
rabican said:
Kinda stuck on which one to buy, i think price wise they are about the same, both have their respective company's specialty lock on it and are around the same size, anyone have one or the other or both and can tell me their opinion on it? Oh and if i were to end up getting the griptilian, it'd be the older model not the HG one
Click to expand...

Griptilian
-Easier to carry
-Smaller when closed
-Axis seems to be a little easier in general to work with
-Some people don't like the hollow feeling of the large Grips because they don't have full liners

D'Allara:
-Made in memory of a hero
-Better egros (One of the best feeling knives in hand in my experience)
-Arguably better steel
-Some think the Ball lock is stronger/more secure than the axis
-VERY wide when closed
-Some don't like Spyderco Wire Clips
-Some have issues with Ball Lock being too slippery and difficult to use because of that


Of the 2, I'd go with the D'Allara because I like it better when it's open over the Griptilian. I like the Griptilian better for carry, but I don't care so much about large folders in my pocket. I rotate a Mini Rukus and a Mini Manix for EDC. The size when closed on the D'Allara is an issue for a lot of people.

You absolutely cannot go wrong either way.
 
ignoramus said:
Griptilian
-Easier to carry
-Smaller when closed
-Axis seems to be a little easier in general to work with
-Some people don't like the hollow feeling of the large Grips because they don't have full liners

D'Allara:
-Made in memory of a hero
-Better egros (One of the best feeling knives in hand in my experience)
-Arguably better steel
-Some think the Ball lock is stronger/more secure than the axis
-VERY wide when closed
-Some don't like Spyderco Wire Clips
-Some have issues with Ball Lock being too slippery and difficult to use because of that


You absolutely cannot go wrong either way.
Click to expand...


:thumbup: I agree entirely!
 
The one big beef I have with the ball lock is that I sometimes have trouble gripping it. If my hands are wet or sweaty, forget about it. I also find it impossible to open the lock with just my thumb (which you can do with an Axis or Arc Lock) as the ball just spins in place. I definately find the Axis lock to be far easier to work with on a regular basis.

That said, I find the D'Allara to be the superior knife in all other categories. I find it more comfortable in my hand, I like the blade better and the fit and finish seem to be superior.

I've heard rumors that the D'Allara might be discontinued soon. If true, I'd definately get one before they become hard to find.

If you opt for a Grip, I'd rate the different blades in this order:

Doug Ritter (552-RSK)
MDP (551)
Sheepsfoot (550)
HG Sheepsfoot (550HG)
Tanto (553)

or you could always opt for the Mini-Grip (which I find the perfect size for my EDC chores).
 
I prefer the D'Allara when it's open. Ergos are good and doesn't have that chintzy feel in the hand like the Grip. Grip rides easier in the pocket and I still don't care for the wire clip on the Spyderco.

That being said...D'Allara.
 
I have owned both in the past. The D'Allara takes up a lot of pocket real estate. I do like the ball lock better than the Axis lock. I also like the feeling of the D'Allara (Although I did own the Ritter Mini Grips.) better.
 
One yet to be mentioned plus for the D'Allara is it's amazing sharpness - Like most knife nuts I've got a box full of knives and the D'Allara with it's combination of steel, grind and heat treat is the no:1 when it comes to scary, stupid sharp and staying that way...for me anyway.

If you are obsessive about edges then you'll like the D'Allara.
 
Personally I like the spring design of the Ball-lock better than the Axis. The Axis is easier to manipulate quickly but by design the coil springs on the Ball-lock seem less likely to break than the omega springs on the Axis. That said, one of my favorite knives uses the Axis, so I have no problems trusting either.
 
I tried a D'Allara, but found the ball to be too slippery. I think that the knife would be improved a great deal if the ball was housed within a ribbed cover, like the P'Kal.

I use Griptilians a lot and the fact that they are easy and quick to close is very important to me. When I use a knife at a Road Traffic Collision or while performing RTC training I close the knife after every cut. The reason for this is to keep the time that a sharp blade is deployed in close proximity to work colleagues and members of the public to an absolute minimum.
This is a fast and simple task with an Axis lock, even when wearing two pairs of gloves (leather/Kevlar working gloves over "surgical" nitrile gloves).

However, there are other locks that are easy to manipulate in gloves. I have been very impressed with the Spydie lock backs. Over the years I have carried a Rescue, a Delica and an Endura in my firejacket. I now rotate between my Endura and 550HG Grip. When I'm out in the boat I carry a Pacific or Atlantic Salt.

Anyhoo..I digress... because of my slippery ball issue :) I favour the Grip.
 
hey guys, i decided to go with the griptilian, mostly because of the size, although they are the same length wise, it looks like the d'allara would take up alot more pocket space for the same length knife. maybe ill get a d'allara later since you guys have given it such praise >:D
 
rabican said:
hey guys, i decided to go with the griptilian, mostly because of the size, although they are the same length wise, it looks like the d'allara would take up alot more pocket space for the same length knife. maybe ill get a d'allara later since you guys have given it such praise >:D
Click to expand...

Congrats on your decision. Let us know how it holds up.
 
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