ideas for a next generation Kopa

[smersh]

I've got a couple of Kopas, and really love them -- great feel, excellent FFG leaf-shaped blade, and their compact size fits well in a pocket. My one complaint is that they're heavy for their size. It's not a big deal with jeans, but it sometimes tugs too hard on a pocket with lighter weight pants. I would love to have one that is optimized for low weight.

Two things come to mind:

A Kopa that is comparable to the all-stainless Kiwi (another of my favorites) -- this would be slimmer, lighter, and carry better, with still-excellent aesthetics.

An un-bolstered Kopa with carbon fiber scales and skeletonized liners, like the Caly 3 (yet another fav). It would be nice to keep the rounded, contoured edges of the Kopa, rather than the flat scales of the Caly 3.

Either of these would be a great addition -- wouldn't replace my existing ones, but it would give a sub-2oz. option for the office crowd and other times when wearing lightweight clothing.

Whaddayasay, Sal?

;- )

 

[Amaranth]

Smersh, since I am eyeing my first Kopa, I was wondering if you knew if they are actually limited to a run of 600 each, for each handle material type? That seems like a small number.

I had a chance to buy a CF Kopa for $77 and thought that was a good price. They were gone about a couple weeks later from this particular website.

 

[smersh]

That was a terrific price -- far below the typical range. They're all gone, though the prices on ebay are still fairly low right now, perhaps as a result.

600 of each it is. Leftovers of some versions have lingered with dealers for a while and are still readily available, while others were cleaned out and are now only available for premium prices.

 

[bh49]

My one complaint is that they're heavy for their size. I would love to have one that is optimized for low weight.

Two things come to mind:

An un-bolstered Kopa with carbon fiber scales and skeletonized liners, like the Caly 3 (yet another fav). Whaddayasay, Sal?

;- )

I am not Sal, but if you do not mind:

1. un-bolstered Kopa is not a Kopa
2. Probably CF Dragonfly will fit your needs. It is light. No bolsters, no liners. Also available in SE.

 

[smersh]

The Dragonfly is indeed tempting -- and I'll probably end up with one sooner or later. The new G10 with Caly-style clip is the most appealing, though it's a bit heavier than FRN (or the CF).

Is an un-bolstered Kiwi not a Kiwi? I sure like mine.

 

[The Deacon]

Keep the bolsters, omit the clip. For pity's sake, lose the damn Boye dent, these are gent's knives not fighting knives. Tortoiseshell celluloid would be great scale material.

Paul

My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam

 

[smersh]

Removing the clip makes the knife feel much heavier, since it then just sits loose at the bottom of a pocket.

Again, I really like the current Kopa, but I think a lighter version could better compete against some of the nicer gent's folders -- the Mnandi, William Henry, etc. Benchmade had a good entry with the 770 (now discontinued), but it lacked the refined lines of the Kopa or the others I've mentioned.

The Dragonfly gets closer in weight, but it's nowhere near as elegant. It's also, like most Spydercos, larger in profile (ie, height, when folded). That's a consequence of the broad blades commonly used by Spyderco, which is mostly ok -- but the Kopa is much more streamlined, and better suited to a suit pocket, except for the weight.

Not really a big deal, but I'm surprised no one else thinks Spyderco should compete in that range. The quality is certainly there.

 

[hiredgun]

Keep the bolsters, omit the clip. For pity's sake, lose the damn Boye dent, these are gent's knives not fighting knives.

Agreed and one more request from me--no lanyard hole either.

 

[_habit_]

Keep the bolsters, omit the clip. For pity's sake, lose the damn Boye dent, these are gent's knives not fighting knives. Tortoiseshell celluloid would be great scale material.

Tortoiseshell celluloid? Does that mean real tortoiseshell (the celluloid bit - does that mean it's fake or real )? To my knowledge tortoiseshell is illegal to import into the USA (and that is why I don't get to have a real tortoiseshell pick, or pickguard for my guitars).

 

[smersh]

Tortoiseshell celluloid? Does that mean real tortoiseshell (the celluloid bit - does that mean it's fake or real )? To my knowledge tortoiseshell is illegal to import into the USA (and that is why I don't get to have a real tortoiseshell pick, or pickguard for my guitars).

That means fake.

;- )

habit, have you ever useda Red Bear Tortis pick? They're cooked up from some sort of animal gelatin, and are as close as you can get to the real thing. They're pretty good. I think someone makes pickguards out of it, too -- maybe Greven.

I digress. Y'all can go back to dismissing my desire for a lighter Kopa now.

 

[bh49]

Keep the bolsters,

+1 :thumbup:

omit the clip.

+1 :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

For pity's sake, lose the damn Boye dent, these are gent's knives not fighting knives.

+1 :thumbup:

Tortoiseshell celluloid would be great scale material.
Paul

+1
Paul,
Count me in.
We already have 16 variants out 17 originally planned (but who knows now, too many things happened), it would be great to get clipless, dentless Kopa.
If Tortoiseshell celluloid looks like on your picture, than will be nice scales.
Roman

 

[_habit_]

That means fake.

;- )

habit, have you ever useda Red Bear Tortis pick? They're cooked up from some sort of animal gelatin, and are as close as you can get to the real thing. They're pretty good. I think someone makes pickguards out of it, too -- maybe Greven.

I digress. Y'all can go back to dismissing my desire for a lighter Kopa now.

Ah, alright lol. I've never heard of those picks but I'll look them up. I like black Tortex Jazz III's personally. I like Ultex material even more, but the Jazz III's in it don't stay in my hands well enough.


On topic: I would myself be interested in a Caly 3-like Kopa. full shiny CF and such... and a Spyder on the blade! I think that completes the look of a knife, having the emblem, otherwise they look odd and naked.

 

[The Deacon]

Removing the clip makes the knife feel much heavier, since it then just sits loose at the bottom of a pocket.

Interesting logic. Since removing the clip is bound to make any given knife lighter by at least a few milligrams, it shows that perceptions of weight, like many other things, are quite subjective. To me anything dangling from the edge of my pocket is going to feel heavier than the same thing riding at the bottom of it.

Tortoiseshell celluloid? Does that mean real tortoiseshell (the celluloid bit - does that mean it's fake or real )? To my knowledge tortoiseshell is illegal to import into the USA (and that is why I don't get to have a real tortoiseshell pick, or pickguard for my guitars).

As has been noted, celluloid is a cellulose (plant fiber) based "plastic". Comes in many colors, including imitation tortoise shell. There are other types of imitation tortoise shell, but the celluloid is probably the closest in terms of looks, and definitely the most traditional. Its only disadvantage is a limited lifespan, it starts to break down after 70 years or so. From what I understand, the animal collagen based tortex used for guitar pick does a better job of imitating the sound produced by a genuine tortoise shell pick, but does not really look as much like it.

If Tortoiseshell celluloid looks like on your picture, than will be nice scales.
Roman

It's lke any other somewhat randomly multi colored material, natural or man-made. Some pieces will always look better than others to "your" eye, and different pieces may look better to "mine". Think I grabbed the photo that I used to make that picture from a Boker. But, it's one of those materials that's been used on slipjoints for 100+ years, ever since it was considered a "high tech" material.

Paul

My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam

 

[smersh]

Subjective, indeed.

For me, a knife loose in the pocket of lightweight pants is uncomfortable -- it turns sideways and bangs around. I hate the "full pockets" feeling. With jeans, it's a non-issue.

The Tortis picks actually look great -- their biggest disadvantage is that they cost ten times what a nylon or celluloid pick costs. Still cheaper than the real thing, though -- and far more readily available.

 

[arty]

I prefer knives in my pocket, unless they are fixed blades. With a small knife like the Kopa (I have 2) - I'd like to see it without the clip. This would allow a thinner bolster where the clip is attached. An alternative would be to make it with an easily removable clip.
The clip adds bulk and defeats the purpose of a gent's knife - a small blade that disappears in your pocket.
I am tempted to take a belt sander to my new carbon fiber model after removing the clip.

 

[The Deacon]

I prefer knives in my pocket, unless they are fixed blades. With a small knife like the Kopa (I have 2) - I'd like to see it without the clip. This would allow a thinner bolster where the clip is attached. An alternative would be to make it with an easily removable clip.
The clip adds bulk and defeats the purpose of a gent's knife - a small blade that disappears in your pocket.
I am tempted to take a belt sander to my new carbon fiber model after removing the clip.

From what STR has told me, it takes a fair bit of work. After the Cocobolo one, he said "never again". Had to twist his arm really hard to get him to do the jigged bone one...

It does leave a "wallow" in the bolster, but to my eyes at least, it looks a heck of a lot better than the clip.

Paul

My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam

 

[arty]

It really makes for a nicer knife - but I would bet that I'd be standing for a long time at the belt sander trying to clear the excess stainless.
I'll bet that you would go through a few belts getting the steel off and getting a nice finish.
That was a good job on the Kopas.

 

[Amaranth]

Finally pulled the trigger on a Carbon Fiber Kopa. It was selling for $79--I figured that's a good price for a Sprint run. I needed a "gentleman's knife" anyway.

Ok, so now I own 10 knives of various makes including 3 Spydies. That's it! I'm going to nip this collecting binge in the bud!

 

[smersh]

Ok, so now I own 10 knives of various makes including 3 Spydies. That's it! I'm going to nip this collecting binge in the bud!

Good luck with that!

I'm sure you'll enjoy the kopa -- it's a wonderful little knife, and you got a great deal.

 

[smersh]

Wow -- surprised to hear that the Kopa series will be discontinued after the CF. That's quite a surprise.

I do hope they develop something new in this range -- it's nice to have small and elegant choices.