Folding bushcrafter?

Shotgun

Shotgun

Joined
Feb 3, 2006
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I was wondering if there was any interest from anyone else for spyderco to put out a dedicated bushcraft folder. It wouldn't have to be much different then what is already being made bladewise. Basically something with the blade and innards of the military only with thicker and better countoured scales. Also, a good bit of thickness where the webbing of your hand sits would be nice when doing power cuts. I like the military but the handles are skinny and there are a lot of sharp edges on the G10 that make it uncomfortable for carving. Anyone else like to see something like that?
 
Sure, why not, although I think the Gayle Bradley is a superb Bushcraft folder.

Thick handles, comfortable in many classic bushcraft grips, excellent hard use steel, and and overall rugged and comfortable knife.
 
Really the main issue I have with modern folders is that the scales aren't contoured enough. Most manufactureres seem to just put a slight bevel on otherwise flat scales. I'm talking full contour with everything nicely rounded. If it were made of wood that would be nice too.
 
Can only agree Shotgun - if you followed my posts, I have been "complaining" about too thin and often too contoured handles all along. I don't understand why we don't see many more nicely rounded, oval or barrel shaped handles. The spyderco bushcraft UK knife handle is almost perfect (although I don't like the curve near the butt) but for some reason knifemakers don't see that...
 
XiaolongJackson said:
Wish they'd make a left handed Nilakka already.

Like an Opinel?
Click to expand...

Ja, just like that, although the handles on the smaller Opinel are also not beefy enough for a "Bushcraft" knife IMO, but they are nicely rounded/oval. I am not certain where the idea of a contoured handle actually comes from. It gives you more support in stabbing/pulling motion I assume but that is not what you need/want on a "bushcraft" knife.

This is an example of a carving/whittling tool - hmmm, look at that handle!!

BasicWhittlingKB3.jpg
 
XiaolongJackson said:
Wish they'd make a left handed Nilakka already.

Like an Opinel?
Click to expand...

Kinda. Really anything that had nice contouring. awestib mentioned the barrel folder which would be nice too. Something with an oval cross section or close to it. I was thinking the miltary to use as a platform so you can use it with gloves in the winter.
 
Not wanting to hijack anything, but this is a subject that has been on my mind for about four years! What would be really nice is if it bore a familiar resemblance to the bushcraft fixed blade.

I discussed it with Eric at Blade in 2010. Just what you are saying, something with a sturdy enough lock and blade with a well contoured handle. Cutting edge to start near the handle, without the finger choil present on many Spyderco folders. Stainless steel and a flat or sabre grind. I see it as more of a companion to a fixed blade, that would allow a slightly larger knife to be carried without sacrificing the ability on a trip to do fine work.

For a year now I have had a prototype blade with a hole waiting for me to finish it and fit it to a prototype handle/lock assembly, to see how the shape works for a bushcraft folder. What has held me back is thinking about what lock would be best. My prototype is built on a Benchmade Axis mechanism...which I have had as my expedition folder for some years and have found to be wholly satisfactory.

So, from the Spyderco stable, what kind of lock would people choose?

Titanium Frame Lock:
  • Pros - Strong, reliable, lends itself to a very easy to clean knife.
  • Cons - Not ambidextrous, expensive material, expensive to machine, very expensive to contour, cold in the hand in winter, fairly heavy.

Aluminium Frame Lock:
  • Pros - Strong, reliable, lends itself to a very easy to clean knife.
  • Cons - Not ambidextrous, complex hard locking face needed, cold in the hand in winter, fairly heavy.

Liner Lock:
  • Pros - Easier to make, cheaper than frame lock, still reasonably strong, great freedom in handle contour, can be light weight.
  • Cons - Not ambidextrous, perception is that it is not as strong as some other options, may be susceptible to dirt build up in really cruddy environments (although I haven't seen this myself).

Back Lock:
  • Pros - Cheaper materials, cheaper to make, so knife can be sold as a tool rather than a collectable. Good flexibility on handle shape. Still strong enough.
  • Cons - Collector types won't want it because it lacks $£x appeal. Hard to clean.

Ball bearing lock:
  • Pros - Strong, ambidextrous, self adjusting, Cheap?
  • Cons - crud catcher? fiddly with wet or cold hands? Difficult to adapt geometry ?(okay, this last one, I didn't try THAT hard!)

Compression lock:
  • No pros can outweigh it biting the web of your hand on hard cutting tasks when using a hammer style grip.
 
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Some people seem to take great joy in breaking knives and then bragging about it. Making a folding bushcrafter would seem to be an invitation to abuse.
That said, I think that the LionSpy would be a good starting point for one due to the rotolock. A good alternative would seem to be a Tuff with a more contoured handle.
Those are both titanium frame locks. I don't see why a beefy liner lock couldn't be just as solid as a frame lock given that we want a larger handle on a bushcraft folder anyway so there ought to be room to contour the scales appropriately.
 
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We're working on a design for a customer that they did the initial design and they will distribute themselves. It's still in the design stage and the proto we're making now is a compression lock. There were problems with the linerlock version that we made first. But it is still a flat scale version that will complement a fixed blade.

Chris has mentioned the folding version and we're still waiting for a sample ;)

The Axis is a good lock, but not available to us.

Chris, you might consider:
A compresson lock that uses a button on the side instead of the lever on the lock might work.
A stop-lock might work. It uses buttons like the Axis.
A large ball with no cage like the D'Allara has passed the "bury it in the dirt" test.
The new Roto-Wedge lock is still in development but it has some advantages.
A modified "Bolt Action" lock can be made to clean easily.

Is the knife design complete except for the lock?

sal
 
C_Claycomb said:
Not wanting to hijack anything, but this is a subject that has been on my mind for about four years! What would be really nice is if it bore a familiar resemblance to the bushcraft fixed blade.

I discussed it with Eric at Blade in 2010. Just what you are saying, something with a sturdy enough lock and blade with a well contoured handle. Cutting edge to start near the handle, without the finger choil present on many Spyderco folders. Stainless steel and a flat or sabre grind. I see it as more of a companion to a fixed blade, that would allow a slightly larger knife to be carried without sacrificing the ability on a trip to do fine work.

For a year now I have had a prototype blade with a hole waiting for me to finish it and fit it to a prototype handle/lock assembly, to see how the shape works for a bushcraft folder. What has held me back is thinking about what lock would be best. My prototype is built on a Benchmade Axis mechanism...which I have had as my expedition folder for some years and have found to be wholly satisfactory.

So, from the Spyderco stable, what kind of lock would people choose?
Click to expand...

Titanium framelock with a deep cutout like the Military: strength, easy unlock with numb hands, easily cleaned, highly reliable.
 
I think it would become rather expensive to make a folder with a big enough and comfortable handle out of titanium.

If it's supposed to be a folding bushcrafter I think it should have thick and round handles that fills the hand.
 
D'Allara with a bit different blade shape? I'll still carry my Military when not carrying a fixed blade outdoors :D
 
Sal Glesser said:
We're working on a design for a customer that they did the initial design and they will distribute themselves. It's still in the design stage and the proto we're making now is a compression lock. There were problems with the linerlock version that we made first. But it is still a flat scale version that will complement a fixed blade.

Chris has mentioned the folding version and we're still waiting for a sample ;)

The Axis is a good lock, but not available to us.

Chris, you might consider:
A compresson lock that uses a button on the side instead of the lever on the lock might work.
A stop-lock might work. It uses buttons like the Axis.
A large ball with no cage like the D'Allara has passed the "bury it in the dirt" test.
The new Roto-Wedge lock is still in development but it has some advantages.
A modified "Bolt Action" lock can be made to clean easily.

Is the knife design complete except for the lock?

sal
Click to expand...

It seems like that new Powerlock would be way better suited for something like that. Might be a different direction than you want to go in, but I'd like to see something like a folding mora, nice and rounded molded plastic handle (maybe with santoprene or some kind of rubber inserts) and a very sturdy lock, with a scandi blade. I can't see a compression or ti frame lock holding up to batoning like you would use a bushcraft knife for.
 
So many people are mentioning the Military...why not have thick, ovalish, rounded scales made for it? New design is fine, but if that's what you like, it'd be easy and cheap enough.
 
fzla226 said:
It seems like that new Powerlock would be way better suited for something like that. Might be a different direction than you want to go in, but I'd like to see something like a folding mora, nice and rounded molded plastic handle (maybe with santoprene or some kind of rubber inserts) and a very sturdy lock, with a scandi blade. I can't see a compression or ti frame lock holding up to batoning like you would use a bushcraft knife for.
Click to expand...

If you want to baton with a folding knife, unlock it. Get a bite, unlock it and then beat on it if you must. Any lock will not appreciate that shock, some might fail, some might not but they will all get worn and damaged eventually. If I were to choose a knife to baton with in the locked position to hold up longest, it would probably be the compression lock, but I wouldn't baton with a folder, and if I had to would unlock it.
 
blade man said:
So many people are mentioning the Military...why not have thick, ovalish, rounded scales made for it? New design is fine, but if that's what you like, it'd be easy and cheap enough.
Click to expand...

I had a thicker G11 non locking scale on my M4 Military. Makes a difference when using it a long time or during hard cutting. Traded if for a carbon fiber Military since I prefer the lighter ones.
 
blade man said:
So many people are mentioning the Military...why not have thick, ovalish, rounded scales made for it? New design is fine, but if that's what you like, it'd be easy and cheap enough.
Click to expand...

I would say the same applies for the Gayle Bradley. Add some rounded scales to the GB and you'd have a good candidate.
 
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