Help me choose a knife

Yeah - maybe not .. LOL. I thought the Chap was CTS XHP tho

The chap has better handle ergonomics, but the Wasp is less delicate I think, being 2.5mm thick, vs 2mm of the chap.

The Wasp feels really solid. Like a hard-use slipjoint, yet because of the FFG on the taller blade face (and 15° per side S90V) make it very slicey. Laser-like.

I find Spyderco ergonomics are great... In 1 hold / position.

The Wasp, while less sculpted, is a bit more versatile and allows for a variety of grips

The Wasp seems like it would have a stronger tip than the chap.

G10 also feels more solid than FRN, if considering that version.

I think it depends on how hard you will use it and if a lock, or 1-hand opening is mission critical.
 
Deep clip is nice but not important to me. The Chap is XHP, but the UKPK is 110v. I’m going to have to feel out that FrN for myself, never handled it before. And yeah, the Wasp looks like a really solid suggestion.
 
araziza said:
5) What's the small spyderco flipper right under the Chap in the last picture?
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That's the Spyderco Positron. I've had a long term love/hate relationship with the Positron. I'll never get rid of it, and actually carry it often. But it's one of those models that just could have been Soooo Much More.

It has real carbon fiber, not the G10 cake stuff. Very useable size and blade shape for an EDC. Fairly deep sitting wire clip. But not too deep, still allowing decent grip for draw. Blade is S30V which works just fine for me. But some have mentioned that for the price these were listed at, there should have been something a little more exotic for the blade.

The number one complaint is the action. For a blade on bearings, performance is very lackluster. You have to get to know the knife well, be VERY deliberate in building pressure on the tab, followed by a hard push-button style flip. And even then, you may only get the blade open 50% unless followed by a quick wrist flick.

The lockbar does not have great access, and was quite difficult for my aging hands to manipulate. So I performed a "lock access mod" on it. Opening up the front scale now allows for a more traditional thumb sweep to unlock. Though you still have to be very deliberate to unlock also. Even with the access opened up, there is no way that thing will ever accidentally close no matter the grip possition. There were also a couple of grip hot spots that I filed down.

Though, despite its many flaws, I still like it. It's a great "gentleman's EDC" size. I've learned some gimmicks to assist opening. And my modifications have made it no longer painful to hold, use, and unlock. So yeah, it's now a keeper. :D

Found an old pic with Positron, Gent, and Chaparral.
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If you end upeaning towards the Chap, I think both the CF/G10, and the Raffir Noble are both in your budget boundary.

https://www.bladehq.com/cat--Spyderco-Chapparal--1120

Spyderco-Chaparral-Raffir-Noble-Brass-Acrylic-C152RNP-BHQ-50826-jr-large.jpg
 
By the way, I'm not a damascus guy, simply because damascus isn't really a type of steel per se, but does anyone know how the damascus functions on the civivi knives, specifically the rustic gent (toughness, edge retention, ease of sharpening, corrision resistance)? is there a good (specific) steel to compare it to?

EDIT: nevermind, found a whole bunch. doesn't look like it's for me.
 
Another one maybe worth considering;

The Giant Mouse Ace Iona; very similar size, and wire clip, (and the slightly more expensive aluminum handled version has a somewhat similar simplistic aesthetic as the Ferrum Forge Gent) ..

m390 isn't as forgiving as cts-xhp, but does hold a better edge. Not sure your hand size and/preferences, but it does offer about 0.5" more handle, and the blade is a tad a bit beefier & with about 0.5" more cutting edge, and about 0.5 oz heavier...

Compared to your drifter, the chaparrel will be very similar in overall & handle size, a bit thinner, lighter, but you'll also lose some cutting edge to the finger choil, whereas the Ace Iona would be similar in weight and overall blade size (without the recurve), but is a tad bit thicker and longer in the handle.
 
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Oh the Raffir Noble was going to be one of my first Spydercos for such a long time. I don't know what I bought instead but I never got round to buying one. I think it was mention of the metallic wire inside the acrylic poking out on some examples that put me off. So... I have nearly 10 Spydies I think and still no Chaparral. The Kapara is my favourite so far. I'm not enjoying the Para 3 or the Manix at all and will be selling them.
 
Well, there’s been development. I went to the store near me to try a bunch of these. I learned a bunch about my preferences.
1) I really like the grip on the Spyderco knives, MUCH more than the ones on the mini grip, mini bugout, or even my drifter.
2) I’m sensitive to size. The Para3 and Native 5 just felt far too big for me. The chap, UKPk, mini grip and mini bugout were just right. The dragonfly was just barely too small. I LOVE the thinness on the chap.
3) I really, really wanted to likethe rex45 native for the steel. Apparently the ‘sprint run’ marketing concept works on me.
4) I’m not comfortable with a slipjoint. I need the security of a lock.
5) apparently I’m into the tool feel. I didn’t like the carbon fibre or raffir noble as much as the regular FRN.

In the end it was close between the UKPK, which was the perfect shape and blade size and just MELTED into my hand, and the FRN Chapparal, which had the best dimensions of the bunch and fit everywhere properly when closed. I ended up buying the chaparral.
 
araziza said:
Well, there’s been development. I went to the store near me to try a bunch of these. I learned a bunch about my preferences.
1) I really like the grip on the Spyderco knives, MUCH more than the ones on the mini grip, mini bugout, or even my drifter.
2) I’m sensitive to size. The Para3 and Native 5 just felt far too big for me. The chap, UKPk, mini grip and mini bugout were just right. The dragonfly was just barely too small. I LOVE the thinness on the chap.
3) I really, really wanted to likethe rex45 native for the steel. Apparently the ‘sprint run’ marketing concept works on me.
4) I’m not comfortable with a slipjoint. I need the security of a lock.
5) apparently I’m into the tool feel. I didn’t like the carbon fibre or raffir noble as much as the regular FRN.

In the end it was close between the UKPK, which was the perfect shape and blade size and just MELTED into my hand, and the FRN Chapparal, which had the best dimensions of the bunch and fit everywhere properly when closed. I ended up buying the chaparral.
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Nice!!!!! Return with pics. :thumbsup:
 
Nicely done!
I really can appreciate the thought you put into this purchase.
It was because of all the research I put in when buying my "one and only" knife that sent me tumbling down the rabbit hole of this hobby.
 
Heh, yeah. I was like that with watches. I could definitely see getting another knife some day though. I’d love a chaparral or similar with a compression lock and super steel. Maybe slightly thicker stock, Rosewood scales...

Anyhow, for anyone interested in doing this all over again, check out my ‘Help me choose a sharpener’ thread in the maintenance forum!
 
araziza said:
Heh, yeah. I was like that with watches. I could definitely see getting another knife some day though. I’d love a chaparral or similar with a compression lock and super steel. Maybe slightly thicker stock, Rosewood scales...

Anyhow, for anyone interested in doing this all over again, check out my ‘Help me choose a sharpener’ thread in the maintenance forum!
Click to expand...

I'm right there with you on the watches thing. I've essentially stopped buying knives so I can save up for one of my grail watches.
 
Wow. That’s definitely a grail piece. Saw the finissimo in the metal a few times. It’s pretty impressive. That’s a lot of knives...
 
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