I just bought my first Dragonfly.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Dflies are awesome blades for their size. I need to add a serrated H1 version to my collection this year. The top one is the 3rd Spyderco I owned, a gift from my brother in law back in the 90s. It's a 1st gen with the integrated FRN pocket clip and AUS8 steel. It doesn't get any pocket time anymore as the G10/FRN version is my main user of the 3.


 
In it's native environment:
1.jpg

and in my running/jogging/ fast wobble rig:
joggingrig.jpg

JP
 
Going out on a limb here, an expensive letter opener is the DF-2. I bought and returned it not only because the pivot wouldn't unscrew and that Spyderco was unhelpful other than to ask to send it in, but mainly because the scales and the jimping are overkill for a knife of this diminutive size and strength. If you need those enhancements to dig in and keep hold of that blade with a large choil and thumramp, you are using the wrong knife for the task at hand. Don't get me wrong, the FRN handles with the stadium seating are fantastic - far more grippy than any g-10. And the jimping is very well done. It just doesn't make any sense on a knife like this for the kinds of uses that are appropriate given the lack of liners and the fact that the FRN holds that pivot in place. Many people have had trouble with the pivot and I wouldn't trust it except to open envelopes. The Cat is another animal with a little more than an ounce extra, but it is far more elegant and stronger with liners and g-10 and only a little larger. Leave the jimping for heavy duty knives. The cat is smooth. The dragonfly stings.
 
They are a great little knife. This was my ski buddy last season, loved it in H1 didn't have to worry about it getting wet and despite it being a polished edge it stayed super sharp all season (and still is!).

 
I have an orange Dragonfly. I'm not a fan of racing green or grey plastic. Toxic green, purple, royal blue or GITD scales would be nice.
 
Donzo, have you held the all SS original version, that's what I carry and its the biggest little knife I have. The stainless model is perfection.
 
donozo said:
Going out on a limb here, an expensive letter opener is the DF-2. I bought and returned it not only because the pivot wouldn't unscrew and that Spyderco was unhelpful other than to ask to send it in, but mainly because the scales and the jimping are overkill for a knife of this diminutive size and strength. If you need those enhancements to dig in and keep hold of that blade with a large choil and thumramp, you are using the wrong knife for the task at hand. Don't get me wrong, the FRN handles with the stadium seating are fantastic - far more grippy than any g-10. And the jimping is very well done. It just doesn't make any sense on a knife like this for the kinds of uses that are appropriate given the lack of liners and the fact that the FRN holds that pivot in place. Many people have had trouble with the pivot and I wouldn't trust it except to open envelopes. The Cat is another animal with a little more than an ounce extra, but it is far more elegant and stronger with liners and g-10 and only a little larger. Leave the jimping for heavy duty knives. The cat is smooth. The dragonfly stings.
Click to expand...
Glad you feel this way. Why don't you start your own post about the Cat?
 
donozo said:
Going out on a limb here, an expensive letter opener is the DF-2. I bought and returned it not only because the pivot wouldn't unscrew and that Spyderco was unhelpful other than to ask to send it in, but mainly because the scales and the jimping are overkill for a knife of this diminutive size and strength. If you need those enhancements to dig in and keep hold of that blade with a large choil and thumramp, you are using the wrong knife for the task at hand. Don't get me wrong, the FRN handles with the stadium seating are fantastic - far more grippy than any g-10. And the jimping is very well done. It just doesn't make any sense on a knife like this for the kinds of uses that are appropriate given the lack of liners and the fact that the FRN holds that pivot in place. Many people have had trouble with the pivot and I wouldn't trust it except to open envelopes. The Cat is another animal with a little more than an ounce extra, but it is far more elegant and stronger with liners and g-10 and only a little larger. Leave the jimping for heavy duty knives. The cat is smooth. The dragonfly stings.
Click to expand...

That's the great thing about knives (and all things for that matter). Different strokes for different folks. I think the Spyderco sales of the dragonfly tells them that they have a winner. I for one, work in some of the harshest country in the US under some of the worst conditions. I carry LOADS of equipment on my duty belt which has been shown over the years to cause serious back issues so EVERY SINGLE OUNCE of weight saved for me and many in similar situations, is a huge plus. The "grippiness" is a huge plus as well. You are right however, it's a heck of an envelope opener too; fortunately for me and MANY others, it does much, much more...YMMV
 
Great pictures guys I got my Dragonfly a couple days ago and it's truly fantastic to carry and use.
 
Like other knife nuts, I was bitten by the dragonfly bug from the arachnid company until I opened that box and she flew out and stung me with that aggressive jimping and flypaper scales. You have a massive choil and thumbramp. Is that not enough? Why not just glue the knife to your palm? This little teaser should come with a tube of vaseline ointment with all her abrasive qualities. If you've got a purchase problem ( I don't mean all those EXTRA knives you've got) you probably ought to use a bigger knife for the job at hand. Is knocking a few grams of weight off so important to you that you'd want to carry what is basically a plastic knife? If so, I'd get rid of those extra keys or clean out your wallet (I'll be happy to do that for you) and instead add a few grams of integrity and get a real knife. That said, I'm a fan of small, FRN scaled, light-weight knives, especially with Syderco's stadium seating for every pore of my palm and fingers, but I simply cannot trust this little bitch of a knife. And though her adherents will hoo and haa over her amazing utility-to-size, I'm going to hem and haw over the lack of strength and grippy overkill. I really do appreciate the diminutively-sized EDC and, no, I don't carry several at the same time to make up for size. It's one knife at a time except on days I perform my act at the circus. But give me something more than half a pair of scissors for 50 bucks.

All in all, unless you're an astronaut or doing a marathon, I wouldn't obsess over a few grams. Get yourself something that isn't a toy.
 
I almost always have a dragonfly on me. It may not be my primary knife, but it's there. It's a well made knife that is more than advertised.
 
Maybe it's just me, maybe it's just late, maybe I didn't properly read what you were saying, maybe it's a bit of everything, but I don't understand what point you were trying to make here donozo. I can't tell if you're arguing for or against this thing!
 
NaturalMystic said:
Maybe it's just me, maybe it's just late, maybe I didn't properly read what you were saying, maybe it's a bit of everything, but I don't understand what point you were trying to make here donozo. I can't tell if you're arguing for or against this thing!
Click to expand...

Don't feed the trolls. He has 4 posts, and as far as I can tell is mainly just here to bash the Dragonfly...ignore it. If he doesn't like it that's his perogative...there's lots of people who both like and use their Dragonfly. Most people who disagree don't bother trying to convert others into haters, but acknowledge (Silently by not hating on those that like the knife) that everyone has different tastes and different sized hands and different tasks etc. There's no "One size fits all" knife that fits the hand of every person on the planet and is good at every knife based task that people use a knife for.

I've used my SE Dragonfly Salt as an impromptu drywall knife and cut through a robust leather hiking shoe, just to name a few of the uses I've found for it...plastic sole plate and all. I certainly wouldn't consider it a "Toy" like he refers it as...maybe the wooden version you can buy, but the Dragonfly can definitely hold its own. I prefer the ergonomics of the Chaparral personally (And slightly larger knives recently), but the Dragonfly is definitely a decent knife and I still use both of mine for tasks where a knife of that size is more convenient than my Military for example.
 
Yeah I know. It's funny, his first post up above starts with "Going out on a limb here..." I think he might of fallen out of the tree. Thanks for your pics of the boot cutting. It reminded me that I need a full SE H1 Dfly and SE Pacific Salt.
 
It's done more than that...those were the hardest use I've put it to though, and I'd only had it for a few weeks at that point. H1 sharpens fairly easily (As I found out after using it as a drywall knife dulled it significantly), and is definitely not a chippy steel. I think the edge would roll before chipping, though it didn't even do that and sharpened to push cutting paper again after about 5 minutes on the SharpMaker. I had a ZDP-189 Nishijin handled Dragonfly, but I didn't carry it often enough because I preferred the ergonomics of the Chaparral better and sold it, but as I got more used to and started preferring large Spydercos (Like my PM2), I ended up trading the Chaparral for a BNIB orange handled Dragonfly. I use it and my Dragonfly Salt around the house, and have no qualms about giving them to my mother or younger sisters to use for the day. Our house is plumbed with grey Poly-B pipes, which didn't live up to the original expectations and as a result, lots of people that have Poly-B lines have been having problems and have had to go to alternatives. We've had 3 pipe breaks in the last 3 months (The house is about 22 years old), and as a result my dad and myself have had to completely re-plumb the house. I've given my dad 2 Delicas (ZDP-189 and SuperBlue), but the serrated Dragonfly was definitely nicer to use to trim the new hose to mate it to the fittings before crimping to the fittings due to the finger choil and smaller size. If I was chopping up cardboard boxes I'd want a larger knife, but there's definitely a place for a smaller blade. Having lots of options to choose from is always a good thing.
 
I think it is a handy little knife. Like I said earlier about my H1 it was my ski buddy last season and it is in my hydration pack for mountain biking this summer. I particularly like it for these types of activities and travel. It's light, capable for a variety of tasks, super ergonomic and in H1, it won't rust. I don't think I will ever own more than 1 but definitely a great little knife.
 
Last edited:
I agree with the above poster. The Dragonfly is great. I've really been putting the SE H1 version through it's paces and it just keeps asking for more. Rock solid, tough steel, cuts like crazy, and small enough for my watch pocket. No liners is a non issue. Non of the Salt series
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top