Favorite Mini-Griptilian/Griptilian Blade Shape?

What is your favorite mini-griptilian/griptilian blade style?

  • 550/555 Sheeps Foot

    Votes: 2 100.0%

  • 551/556 Mod Drop Point

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 553/557 Tanto

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Ritter Grip

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    2
TrailWolf

TrailWolf

Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
2,809
Well, I got rid of my last minigrip 555 about 4 months ago and, though I pretty much just carry fixed blades now, find myself missing the little guy.

With that said, I have owned about four mini grips and one full size but, all in the model 555/550 with "sheeps foot" blade - just loved it.

Curious about maybe purchasing a different style and wanted to see the popularity in the BF community...

So, what is your favorite Mini-Griptilian/Griptilian blade shape? Why?

What drove me to the 555 shape was simply that I thought it looked the least aggressive, as it was an EDC, and I really like the thumb hole over stud - I find studs to get caught when taking the knife out/putting it away.
 
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Definitely the Doug Ritter, although I like the standard modified drop-point quite a bit also.
 
I really like how the modified sheepsfoot looks, and i've found it to be a useful shape to work with as well
 
I have 4 different Grips and my favorite is the 555. Love the blade shape and the spydie hole.
 
555's all the way

grips.jpg
 
I have the 555 mini sheepsfoot and full size 551 drop point as well as the full size Ritter. Love the 555 and Ritter. Don't care for the 551.
 
Did Spyderco collaborate with Benchmade or something? I mean the hole is their trademark after all.
 
I prefer my Ritter Mini over the 556 because of the high grind and blade shape. The high grind seems to give me less resistance in cuts, and the blade shape seems more geared towards slicing. I also prefer the Ritter blade shape from an aesthetic perspective. The stonewashed finish is a nice touch as well, much more attractive and doesn't show scratches :thumbup:.

Have no experience yet with the sheeps foot ones, hope to try one out sometime.
 
I'm in the full sized sheeps foot club but I got mine with the black blade...I love it. I would eventually like to get a Ritter but won't be in the near future...paying rent is more important.
 
Only have the Ritter Grip and think it is great but now I'm thinking min-grip but not sure of blade so appreciate this thread; probably will go Ritter again!
 
derrickd803 said:
No, the hole is not trademarked, it is just the only opener they use.
Having a TM on the hole would be like another company having a TM on thumb studs.
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You need to check your facts. The hole IS trademarked by Spyderco. Has been for years. They had a fourteen year patent on it and when that ran out they trademarked it. Why does Spyderco tolerate BM using their trademarked hole you ask? Good question. When you find out let me know. For now Sal has encouraged everyone on the forums to "back off" and leave shiny footprints, but it still burns me up to see this travesty. What especially frosts me is back when BM was using the oval hole they actually came out and said the oval hole worked better than the round hole. Gee, why didn't they stick with it? Oh well... Shiny footprints. Enough said. Ergh!! :grumpy:
 
Harry Callahan said:
You need to check your facts. The hole IS trademarked by Spyderco. Has been for years. They had a fourteen year patent on it and when that ran out they trademarked it. Why does Spyderco tolerate BM using their trademarked hole you ask? Good question. When you find out let me know. For now Sal has encouraged everyone on the forums to "back off" and leave shiny footprints, but it still burns me up to see this travesty. What especially frosts me is back when BM was using the oval hole they actually came out and said the oval hole worked better than the round hole. Gee, why didn't they stick with it? Oh well... Shiny footprints. Enough said. Ergh!! :grumpy:
Click to expand...

Because the hole in a folder blade has utility and any reasonable contest in court would result in the loss of the trademark.

What really frosts me is that no one has contested the trademark yet in court. Once that trademark issue is resolved, we can stop wasting time and energy on this "mcguffin" and get on with more important issues.
 
I just got a 551, and the blade is great. I'm positive I would like the Ritter's, and equally positive I would dislike the Spyderholie models.
 
Harry Callahan said:
They had a fourteen year patent on it and when that ran out they trademarked it.
Click to expand...
Makes you wonder why they got the patent in the first place, a trademark lasts a hell of a lot longer. Oh yeah, it is a functional item, which means it gets a patent, not a trademark. Like orthogonol1 said, I hope it gets completely cleared up eventually so the crosses may be doused.
 
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