I thought spydercos were stupid,

ERdept

ERdept

Banned
Joined
May 17, 2005
Messages
757
Now I caught the bug. I've owned Striders, Darrel Ralph's, Chris Reeves and Busse and thought that I'd never buy a Spyderco.

I did originally compare the Manix to the Strider, but it didn't compare. The Strider was much stronger.

I soon realized that where I work and for the things that I do, my current knives wouldn't "cut it". Pardon this pun.

I needed something smaller, more practical, and that could cut boxes and IV tubing quickly. I quickly realized from one of out EMT's that the Spyderco was the way to go.

I just bought a Calypso ZDP. I hope they make more of these in serrated as well. Hope the blade material lasts longer than my S30V on cardboard boxes.

Anyway, I'm glad to be here and join all of you and look forward to posting performance reviews.

Question while I'm typing. How is the VG 10 compared to the S30V in terms of sharpness retention?

cliff
 
I also thought that Spyderdcos were too wierd looking for me though a couple of knifeknuts who work for me always carry them. Even when I gave them all BM Grips in D2, they still seemed to carry the Spydies. Said the BM's were being saved for "Sundays" and dressier occassions.

When the hoopla on the Caly in ZDP hit the forum, I had to get one. I was so blown away by its sharpness that I bought 4 more. I just purchased a Viele 2 with Micarta. I think I'm being converted.

I'm still not a big serration fan, except in the kitchen knife block where I have a serrated Spydie kitchen knife, and both of the above are plain edged knives.

I'll definitely, God willing, be in line when the Delica in ZDP comes out early next year.
 
Hi ERdept. You are an EMT and do not have a Spyderco Assist or Rescue yet?
 
The Calypso in ZDP should impress you with it's edge holding. Most folks find VG 10 and S30V to be about the same in edge holding, I find VG 10 holds an edge longer. Maybe it's my sharpening or other variables, but VG 10 is great in my book!
 
I'm not an EMT. I'm and RN in the ER, they frown upon nurses having knives, but it's OK for an EMT to have one? We all use trauma shears, but the knives we all use to cut boxes and lines and seatbelts if we are working on a rig.

cliff
 
S30V looks better on paper only when compared to VG10. In my experience VG10 is better. For one and to be truthful, S30V is a great steel and holds its edge longer than just about anything else out there except the ZDP189, but VG10 does a very good job at edge retention also. It is behind the S30V but in my opinion it makes up for that lacking in the time it takes to get the edge back when sharpening or touching it up is necessary.

VG10 is so easy to sharpen compared to other steels that even a no nothing novice gets good results when sharpening it. It just takes a very satisfying biting edge and seems to do so quickly. It must be the Vanadium in the steel because I get that same satisfying edge from BG42 also. The Vanidium carbides are the hardest carbides and make a difference in the way the knife cuts and have to do with edge retention also. I personally like VG10 and BG42 better than all other stainless steels, S30V included. Generally you would think sharpening one vs the other is no different and in theory I guess that is true. But for me VG10 just makes life that much easier. It is far better than ATS34 or 154CM and certainly more satisfying to sharpen than either of those two nightmare steels.
 
ERdept said:
Question while I'm typing. How is the VG 10 compared to the S30V in terms of sharpness retention?
Click to expand...
They're both good steels. The S30V seems to take a finer polished edge than the VG10. IMO they match up like D2 to M2. If a knife were offered in all 4 steels at the same price, I'd pick S30V and M2 every time. But if you're talkin a much higher price for the so called premium steel than VG10 and D2 are just fine by me.
 
ERdept said:
I'm not an EMT. I'm and RN in the ER, they frown upon nurses having knives, but it's OK for an EMT to have one? We all use trauma shears, but the knives we all use to cut boxes and lines and seatbelts if we are working on a rig.

cliff
Click to expand...

Oops, sorry for my misread/misunderstanding. Congrats on the ZDP Caly, hope is serves you well.
 
S30V stays sharper, from what I've seen, longer than VG-10. Still, it's a snap to get VG-10 back to hair poppin', or even better than original, sharpness with a Sharpmaker and/or strop in about 15 minutes. It's a nice trade off compared to S30V that, to me, can take longer to achieve the same results.
 
I'm a Radiologic Technologist (aka "X-ray Tech" or just "Rad Tech") and I have found that my Spyderco Meerkat is the perfect hospital knife.

Very light weight.
Has a discrete wire pocket-clip.
Not too small or too big.
440C is good steel.

And the Phantom-lock is fun too!
I can flick it open and closed in an instant, even while wearing gloves.
Not to mention that it's funny to see my coworkers try to figure it out when they borrow my knife.

BTW, I use my knife in the ER to cut tape more than anything else.
Why?
Because EMTs love tape! :p
I swear that I could stand a patient who is taped to a backboard up against the wall and they would'nt move an inch.
They do their job right!

Good luck,
Allen.
 
Isin't it funny that when you shoot a portable in the ER and yell, "X-Ray", all the locals run off because of fear of exposure.

The patients in the beds beside the ones getting x rayed wonder why everyone is moving out of the way and why they are still there. They look absolutely bewildered.


cliff
 
That is funny!

Some of our staff just say "go ahead and shoot, I'm done having kids".

I usually reply "are you done with your thyroid too"?

Allen.
 
I did originally compare the Manix to the Strider, but it didn't compare. The Strider was much stronger.
Click to expand...

Much stronger in what way? What kind of testing did you do exactly?
 
allenC said:
That is funny!

I usually reply "are you done with your thyroid too"?

Allen.
Click to expand...

The only lead vests I've seen used in my hospital by x-ray techs don't have any neck protection. Only the Cath lab gouns have thyroid protection.

Mike
 
ERdept said:
we all use to cut boxes and lines and seatbelts if we are working on a rig.

cliff
Click to expand...

Why do you need to cut IV lines? If you aren't an EMT, when do you work on a rig and need to cut seatbelts? I don't see anybody making a big scene out of a nurse carrying a knife, as long as it isn't the size of a Skirmish or something...

Mike
 
I cut IV lines to drain IV bags per hospital policy that bags of any solution cannot be thrown away unless drained. Most folks take the spike out and let the bag drain, which takes 199 years. I cut the bottom of the bag and all solution is gone. I cut lines because the lines are tangled in the bed railing, around the other lines, etc. Most nurses will detangle lines and feed them through each other, I just cut and and remove. All done quickly and we move on to the next task.

I also have a knife in case we show up to the scene of an accident or are involved in an accident while transporting ACLS. (BTW, I also work on the side for an ambulance service as ACLS transport). I carry a knife, you know, just in case. That's why many of us carry knives. Just in case. I also open boxes of supplies to restock both at the hospital and at the ambulance company. I'm the rare nurse that actually helps the EMT's restock when I have idle time instead of gathering in a huge group and talking about the firemen, like the ladies do. Most of the EMT's here are guys and they appreciate that I'm not just telling them to go put dressing on folks, or asking them to amublate folks. I can do it too.

As far as testing for stregth of the knife as asked above, I use three comparitors. Blade thickness, pivot diameter, and lock thickness to compare the two knives. The strider had a blade that is 3/16 inch thick of S30V. The pivot is 1/2 inch in diameter, the frame lock is almost 1/4 inch thick on my SMF and the liner lock is 1/8 inch thick on my AR. No other folder has these dimensions. Is it easier to break something smaller or larger I ask myself. In side to side comparisons, the Spydie had blade play, had a smll pivot screw about 1/8 in in diameter. The Strider none. I also told Strider via email that I was going to do distructive testing of their knife and basically destroy it. They said they would replace or repair it anyway, knowing ahead of time that I was going to purposly destroy their blade. Anyway, I'm just answering your question and not starting anything here.

But, the Strider is much much more heavy and bulky to carry and scares too many people off. That's what turned me on to Spyderco. Much more practical and lighter and allows and encourages me to carry daily.

I'm a Spyderco convert having ordered two already, the Calypso ZDP and a unused Chinook from Ebay. I also went to the mall and bought a Delica in VG 10. Cool beans man, slim, light and practical.

cliff
 
ERdept said:
Isin't it funny that when you shoot a portable in the ER and yell, "X-Ray", all the locals run off because of fear of exposure. cliff
Click to expand...

I've seen that before. A lot of people do it automtically when they hear a yell of 'X-ray.'

Years ago, I was outside a patient's room and there was a crowd of staff yammering while I was trying to talk to a patient. The noise got so loud, I couldn't even hear the guy. I yelled 'X-ray' and everybody, except the patient, moved away and quieted down, no x-ray machine was in sight.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top