Handled the Slysz Bowie last week..

Surfingringo

Surfingringo

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May 25, 2013
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Well, I was up in the States last week and finally had a chance to visit the SFO. (Highly recommended if you ever get the chance.) Anyway, I spent a few hours there ogling all the different models and thought this one was worth mentioning. The Slysz Bowie is a knife that didn't really speak to me...until I got to pick it up and handle it. This thing is a really really fine knife. Great craftsmanship, great ergos, great action and f&f! I walked out of there without one but it was tough and it is still haunting my dreams a bit. ;) Anybody on the fence on this one should just pull the trigger. It's a pretty awesome knife!

One other design that I really liked in hand was the Tuff! I think that one would make an outstanding user and really felt like a beast of a knife!
 
I was on a trip for work from Vancouver bc to indianapolis. On the return flight I forced a layover in Colorado, rented a car and stayed in a hotel overnight so I could drive to the SFO. It was such a memorable experience, i sure hope I get to go back some day.

You're right about the bowie, it is so well built and such a nice design I'll have to get one eventually.

I have to ask, did you talk to Sal while you were there? I'm sure you guys would have had a lot to talk about!
 
I was on the fence about the Slysz bowie for while and finally snagged one off the forums..lets just say its AMAZING! I love everything about it especially all the attention to detail as the Taichung spydies never miss on.. I also have the Tuff and it's one great knife...also perhaps think about a Schempp bowie...those are out of this world!
 
Maaannnnn.... I've been on the fence about a Slysz Bowie for so long now but never pulled the trigger! And just when I thought the desire was fading a bit, you go and write this! :p

I've never held one yet but gotta ask; the deep lock-up didn't create a narrow sharp point under your fingers? I remember Friar commenting on that being a reason he sold his.
I'm not typically a metal handle fan, but I do love my Techno... and this Bowie looks like it would just slide in and out of pocket so smoothly... :)
 
SpeedHoles said:
Maaannnnn.... I've been on the fence about a Slysz Bowie for so long now but never pulled the trigger! And just when I thought the desire was fading a bit, you go and write this! :p

I've never held one yet but gotta ask; the deep lock-up didn't create a narrow sharp point under your fingers? I remember Friar commenting on that being a reason he sold his.
I'm not typically a metal handle fan, but I do love my Techno... and this Bowie looks like it would just slide in and out of pocket so smoothly... :)
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Definitely no sharp points of any kind. As far as the Techno, thats a knife that I always wanted to like but the ergonomics just didn't work for me. The Bowie absolutely blows the techno away in that regard (for me). The Bowie is kind of like a higher end Techno with none of the things I didn't like about that model. Its probably the highest quality Spyderco I have held...and I've held most of them. Just this guys 2 cents.
 
Yeah, it may have just been my hands. I don't have necessarily extra large hands, but the Bowie just never sat right in my grip. The deep lockup created a hot spot under my first finger that I couldn't avoid.

I'm glad that others don't seem to have the same issues. The Bowie is a great knife, and it sure does glide in and out of the pocket. That wire clip. :D
 
The amazing thing is that the contouring of the handle makes all the difference. I have been eyeballing it myself but haven't pulled the trigger due to it's price.

If you have ever held the ti military and the fluted ti military you can see right away what a difference some handle contouring can do and the Slysz has excellent contouring IMO. I also dig the blade shape.

hmmm... must resist...
 
This knife is on my 'must buy' list right after I get the K2.

I've only read positive things about this knife, and the design is very clean with top-notch materials. It might be a little pricey, but the fit-and-finish seems to be world-class for a production knife (at least in the reviews I've watched and read).

The wire clips looks good, but I've had issues where it moves slightly if you rest your fingers on it when opening the knife (this happens on my Superleaf and it's really annoying, almost to the point where I want to dremel reliefs in the G-10 so the clip stays put when opening the knife).

Blade profile, steel, opening system, and ergonomics look better than a Sebenza, but I wouldn't dare say that on other parts of the forum. :D
 
symphonyincminor said:
The wire clips looks good, but I've had issues where it moves slightly if you rest your fingers on it when opening the knife.
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Same issue I had on all wire clips. If you bend with pliers so it is tighter will improve.

symphonyincminor said:
Blade profile, steel, opening system, and ergonomics look better than a Sebenza, but I wouldn't dare say that on other parts of the forum. :D
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Why not? It's true, Sebenzas are flawed somewhat (subjective) in opening system and ergonomics, and the blade profile is a bit of a compromise but still cuts decently. The only real reason Sebenzas are touted so highly is the amazingly close tolerances and suoerb fit and finish, not their utility as folding knives.
 
I , too , have been eye-balling the Slysz Bowie. I really like the lean profile and blade steel. And the partial back spacer looks great. It's on my list.

What kind of finish is on the titanium ? Looks like a stone wash of sorts.
 
I owned the Slysz Bowie for a couple of months before finally pulling the trigger on the Techno. I wear an XXL size glove, and that little Techno fits my hand as well as the Bowie!

Fit and finish and SMOOTHNESS of opening are simply world-class.....I cannot imagine any knives being better. I no longer feel the need to seek out custom knives.

I carry each regularly, only using them for small simple tasks, as I have my users (Camo Millie, black PM2, Stretch SB, SE Manix, DF Salt, GB) in the lineup for daily use and abuse cutting food, cardboard, wood, etc. I carry one or two "nice" knives daily along with a "user". Works for me.
 
Even though there are a couple things about it that don't totally appeal to me, it's still safe to say it's very likely the next Spydie I'll get.
 
I've been on the fence about the Bowie for far too long. It's time to pull the trigger.
 
I don't carry my Slysz Bowie that often, but the fit and finish are every bit as good as my Chris Reeve Sebenza and Umnumzaan. I think it's quite a deal. The contouring done on the titanium slabs fits very well in the hand.
 
The Slysz Bowie is superlative example of a titanium framelock edc. I've owned mine for approximately eight months and carry it w/ as much pride as my two CRK's. Imho if your looking for a ti FLock but don't want to spend $400.00 plus then this knife is a very solid alternative.
 
The Slysz Bowie continues to be my favorite folder. The fit and finish are amazing.
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Man that thing is nice. The only thing about the knife that wasn't perfect for me was that it had a bit too much belly up near the tip. I use the tip on my knives a lot and all that curve up there makes it a bit tougher to use the tip than it is on something like the military. This is 100% subjective and others will love the way that blade profile performs but for me its hard to beat the blade shape of the military.

Edit: I do very much like the spine on the Bowie though. It allows you to use the knife "edge side up" while keeping the handle (and hand) off the cutting surface.
 
I was really looking forward to the Slysz Bowie and was 100% sure I wanted one, but I held one in my local store a few weeks ago and now I'm on the fence. It is a truly beautiful and exceptionally well crafted knife...truly a gem, but the handle felt cramped to my hands and I found that my pinky was uncomfortable to the point where I question whether I'd carry it regularly. My local store also has it priced way too high, and I may still pick one up eventually anyways, but I found it a little cramped feeling...I'll need to handle it again at least once more to be sure. I so wanted to be 100% sold on it too.
 
The upswept Bowie tip makes it basically a non-user for me, which I'm fine with.....initially thought all my Spydercos would be used on a regular basis, but my Camo Millie, SB Stretch, GB, etc. all work much better, for ME, for daily cutting chores.

That said, I still love having it, and I carry it regularly as one of my "pretty" knives, along with one of the scratched up users. I don't wear jewelry, so I have particular knives that fill that role.

When I recently received the Cruwear Millie and Manix, they were heading for the "pretty" pile, but each are quickly becoming users, I can always clean 'em up, right!?


Surfingringo said:
Man that thing is nice. The only thing about the knife that wasn't perfect for me was that it had a bit too much belly up near the tip. I use the tip on my knives a lot and all that curve up there makes it a bit tougher to use the tip than it is on something like the military. This is 100% subjective and others will love the way that blade profile performs but for me its hard to beat the blade shape of the military.

Edit: I do very much like the spine on the Bowie though. It allows you to use the knife "edge side up" while keeping the handle (and hand) off the cutting surface.
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