I used to hang out a lot at BF's. Mainly in the Spyderco and HI forums. Still have all my Spydies but I did sell some of the HI's I wasn't using. Just got more interested in spending money on guns. I still drop by every now and then just to see if anything new has come along that looks interesting.
So I logged in last week and there were threads everywhere about the Caly 3. I didn't know _anything_ about this knife so I used the search feature and checked it out. It was amazing how little negative was said about it. I couldn't handle the pressure so I went to the NG site and they were in stock. I ordered a PE. I also ordered one of the old style Spyderco kitchen knives with the synthetic handle and 4.5" blade. We've been using the same one in our kitchen for 2-3 years now and I've about worn the serrations off it on the sharpmaker. Then I noticed there was a new Spyderco kitchen knife with the same spyder edge but in 6" and with a "natural" handle. Lots more expensive ($43 at NG) but it looked nice. So I ordered that one as well.
They came yesterday. The old style kitchen knife was just what I expected and a great deal for around $16. The new one is very attractive. That handle is nice. The balance is nice. I'll have to use it around the kitchen for a month or two before I decide what I really think. And then there was the Caly 3.
My normal "jeans EDC" knives are a G-10 Harpy in the left front pocket and a Calypso Jr. Lwt PE in the right front. The Caly 3 seems like a very nice replacement for my Jr. Lwt. Blade just a touch longer and an even nicer shape. I love the serrations on the top and bottom for a choked up grip. G-10 can never be wrong and the panels on this knife are very "grippy" for sure. VERY sharp. Little scapel. Nice big hole.
I'm still not 100% sold on the idea of a tip up knife for EDC. Nearly every Spydie I carry is tip down so my brain has to switch gears when I draw it. And that wire clip really does make it "low profile" but it also makes it trickier to grab. That sucker is WAY down in the pocket. I'm used to just grabbing the spydie hole between my thumb and index finger to draw. I really have to make an effort to get this one. And the clip was super tight on the pants I was wearing yesterday. The fabric on those pants is quite thick though. I stretched the wire clip up a bit to give me a little less tension. And the thinner fabric of today's pants has also helped today and made drawing the knife more sure.
Mine was a little rough/dry when I got it out of the box. Especially right as the lock engaged and disengaged. So I used a long tube on a CLP bottle on the hinge area and both sides of the lock. Then I opened and closed it several hundred times. Now it feels very nice and very smooth. No complaints at all in that area.
By the way, what does the little icon on the side opposite the Spyder mean? People are going to ask me when I show them the knife!
I personally would rather the blade profile was like the Jr. Lwt. I mean the tapered edge on the back of the blade. That made that blade seem very classy. I'm sure the square profile of the Caly 3 is less expensive to make and maybe even stronger but the other style was more aesthetically pleasing. That and the whole tip up carry thing are probably my two dislikes. But the size and "leaf shape" of the blade is outstanding. The G-10 is sweet. The wire clip seems like a good idea. And I LOVE VG-10 steel so I'm happy with that. I always really liked my Jr. Lwt but the Caly 3 has made the design more durable and just generally more desirable. I never really like FRN handles. Practical and less expensive but not my favorite. My expectation is that I will be using this Caly 3 for my EDC knife for quite some time.
Excellent job Spyderco. Well worth the money for the quality IMO.
Gregg
So I logged in last week and there were threads everywhere about the Caly 3. I didn't know _anything_ about this knife so I used the search feature and checked it out. It was amazing how little negative was said about it. I couldn't handle the pressure so I went to the NG site and they were in stock. I ordered a PE. I also ordered one of the old style Spyderco kitchen knives with the synthetic handle and 4.5" blade. We've been using the same one in our kitchen for 2-3 years now and I've about worn the serrations off it on the sharpmaker. Then I noticed there was a new Spyderco kitchen knife with the same spyder edge but in 6" and with a "natural" handle. Lots more expensive ($43 at NG) but it looked nice. So I ordered that one as well.
They came yesterday. The old style kitchen knife was just what I expected and a great deal for around $16. The new one is very attractive. That handle is nice. The balance is nice. I'll have to use it around the kitchen for a month or two before I decide what I really think. And then there was the Caly 3.
My normal "jeans EDC" knives are a G-10 Harpy in the left front pocket and a Calypso Jr. Lwt PE in the right front. The Caly 3 seems like a very nice replacement for my Jr. Lwt. Blade just a touch longer and an even nicer shape. I love the serrations on the top and bottom for a choked up grip. G-10 can never be wrong and the panels on this knife are very "grippy" for sure. VERY sharp. Little scapel. Nice big hole.
I'm still not 100% sold on the idea of a tip up knife for EDC. Nearly every Spydie I carry is tip down so my brain has to switch gears when I draw it. And that wire clip really does make it "low profile" but it also makes it trickier to grab. That sucker is WAY down in the pocket. I'm used to just grabbing the spydie hole between my thumb and index finger to draw. I really have to make an effort to get this one. And the clip was super tight on the pants I was wearing yesterday. The fabric on those pants is quite thick though. I stretched the wire clip up a bit to give me a little less tension. And the thinner fabric of today's pants has also helped today and made drawing the knife more sure.
Mine was a little rough/dry when I got it out of the box. Especially right as the lock engaged and disengaged. So I used a long tube on a CLP bottle on the hinge area and both sides of the lock. Then I opened and closed it several hundred times. Now it feels very nice and very smooth. No complaints at all in that area.
By the way, what does the little icon on the side opposite the Spyder mean? People are going to ask me when I show them the knife!
I personally would rather the blade profile was like the Jr. Lwt. I mean the tapered edge on the back of the blade. That made that blade seem very classy. I'm sure the square profile of the Caly 3 is less expensive to make and maybe even stronger but the other style was more aesthetically pleasing. That and the whole tip up carry thing are probably my two dislikes. But the size and "leaf shape" of the blade is outstanding. The G-10 is sweet. The wire clip seems like a good idea. And I LOVE VG-10 steel so I'm happy with that. I always really liked my Jr. Lwt but the Caly 3 has made the design more durable and just generally more desirable. I never really like FRN handles. Practical and less expensive but not my favorite. My expectation is that I will be using this Caly 3 for my EDC knife for quite some time.
Excellent job Spyderco. Well worth the money for the quality IMO.
Gregg
