I Cut Myself Today (Spyderco) ... EDC Question.

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Steria1

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Jan 12, 2013
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I have owned a Sanrenmu SRM 707 (CRKT Drifter) for a decent time now, and I enjoy that knife quite a bit. It deploys fast, has a good belly, is an ok size, is quite slim and has a good lock-up. It cannot be configured for tip-up carry. However, today I decided to get myself a Spyderco Tenacious after hearing many good reviews about this knife. When I first opened it, I couldn't do it very elegantly due to the larger size than I am used to, as well as a different opening mechanism (hole vs. stud). The blade is screwed down harder than my Drifter as well, so I am having a hard time flicking it open. After a while I noticed a cut on my thumb; NOT due to the blade edge, but on the contrary due to the Spyder hole. Also, I couldn't change the pocket clip to tip-up carry due to the different screw holes (torx?), which I do not have a tool for. Is the hole supposed to be kind of sharp inside like that? The pocket clip is also very stiff.

Also, what do you guys think about the size of the Tenacious (width and length) as an EDC knife? Are there other knifes you would recommend over the Tenacious for EDC, for a decent price? Please explain. I am relative new to knives, and it would be nice to hear some of your experiences and suggestions.

Thank you,
- Steria1
 
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about the size, it all depends on you. some people carry knives three times as heavy as the tenacious, and much bulkier. others carry knives half the size. for me it falls squarely in the medium size range. it's certainly not small, and it has a good heft for its size, but its not big. give it a week or two of solid carry and see how the size feels then, I bet you'll get to like it. you can find torx multi tools for about five bucks at any hardware store to change the clip.

a far as the hole being sharp, you could soften that edge with some sand paper wrapped around a dowel in a few minutes. none of mine have needed this.
 
The Tenacious is a budget knife, at that price point it's not uncommon to find some minor flaws like the sharp edges on the opening hole. It can be fixed easily, as Goodeyesniper already pointed out. However, don't over do it with the sanding and polishing, you want a slightly sharp edge on your opening hole for positive opening.

The pivot tension can be easily adjusted, too. And if you're getting into knives, a set of torx drivers is a good idea, since those are the fasteners most manufacturers seem to be using lately.

Knife size is a very personal thing, just take a look at the EDC picture thread and you'll see folks carrying all sorts of different sized knives. Personally, I consider the Tenacious a medium sized knife, pretty appropiate for most tasks. I tend to carry folders with 3.5" or 4" blades, although on occation I might go bigger or smaller.

Here are a couple of affordable EDC folders you might want to check out:

-Ontario RAT 1 (or the smaller RAT 2, pretty much the same). It's a tough knife, nice flat ground blade (AUS8 steel). Look up some reviews, most are very positive.

-Cold Steel Voyager (I like the clip point, several sizes to choose from). Super strong lock (Tri Ad), relatively lightweight for their size, useful blade (AUS8, like the RAT1).

-Cold Steel American Lawman. Great versatile knife, linerless G-10 handle, handy AUS8 drop point blade, Tri Ad lock.

-Buck Vantage. There are a couple of variants (in two sized), the Select is the cheapest at around $25 (420hc steel and nylon handle), the Avid is a step up in price at $36 with nicer materials (13C26 steel and Dymonwood handle) and finally the Pro is the priciest at around $60 but you get premium blade steel (S30V) and G-10 handle.
 
I received a multi-tool set of torx bits today, and changed the pocket clip to tip-up carry, and adjusted the blade tension. It is not 100% centered now however, but not far from it. I might try to center it a bit more if I get around to it. I've heard that the screws on this knife are bad, so I took extra care while screwing them out and in. I've seen many people on different forums say that their tenacious has hex screws, and other people say theirs have torx screws. Mine were definitely torx ; T6 for the clip screws and T8 for the rest.

The Tenacious definitely improved when changing the clip position. It does not stick very much out at all now IWB carry. I did not sand down the thumb hole either, just improved my handling with it. So far, I like it. It is a fatter knife than my Sanrenmu 707, especially when closed, but I think that's something you will get used to. I still like my 707, which I believe to be a great knife. The Tenacious is no exception either.

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