how strong is the Kopa?

C

cognitivefun

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Oct 24, 2004
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The Kopa is a great looking gent's type knife. How strong is it compared to comparable more "tactical" Spydies? How much of a user can it really be?
 
I haven't done anything more strenuous with mine than cutting up cardboard boxes, but it feels very sturdy. Afterall, it is a gents knife, so I wouldn't plan on using it to baton through tree stumps.
 
Kopa blade is 3mm thick VG-10, same as a goodly number of Spydero folders folks consider to be "tactical". It has dual stainless liners of about the same thickness as those on the Persian and Manix and reasonably thick stainless front bolsters to give even more support to the pivot. The lockbar pivot seems to be of a fairly healthy diameter. Upon lock release, lockbar rise at the blade end is comparble with the R2, Stretch, and Persian. That suggests an equal depth of lock engagment, which, in theory would give a roughly equal fail point. The short blade should, in fact make it harder to damage than larger knives where more leverage can be exerted. I would suggest avoiding the Tiger Coral if you're going to put the knife to serious use, but other than that, no obvious weak points.
 
Thanks! The Deacon, what's the reason for your suggestion re Tiger Coral? That's one of the more attractive Kopas, judging from pix.
 
cognitivefun said:
Thanks! The Deacon, what's the reason for your suggestion re Tiger Coral? That's one of the more attractive Kopas, judging from pix.
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It certainly is, in fact, it's probably the most attractive material used on them to date. However, you were questioning the practicality of a Kopa for serious use, and "fossil rock", although hard, tends to be more easily damaged, and more easily damaged seriously, than micarta or wood. A blow that would create a dent in Cocobolo which could later be steamed out, or leave a scuff mark on micarta, might very well crack or chip Tiger Coral. I'm a nut on Kiwis myself, have them with a bunch of different scales. I find I treat the stone & fossil ones quite a bit more delicately than my stag, stabilized maple, and jigged bone ones.
 
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