Impala VG10

Joined
Jan 4, 2003
Messages
195
After my 1 hour of use and hadnling here are my initial review of the knife. I will take pictures later today. Does anyone have the option to post picks on their account? if do please e-mail me.

The knife is very well designed. The blade shape (kind of like sheepsfoot) is excellent. Resembles my Griptilian. The Guthook works fine.

I would like to make the spyderhole a little larger and more forward. It is harder to open compared to my other spydercos.

The knife is not as smooth as my native or any of my axis lock knives.
Opening right handed is fine. Opening left handed the blade is rubbing against the g10. Not good.

The g10 scales are really strong, they are very thick. I dont think dual steel liners are needed.

The lock is crap. It does not compare to any other knife i have. The lock opened twice with holding on with left hand. Moving my fingers very slightly disengaged the damn lock. I did not mean to open the lock. Please be careful !!! Scared me to hell. The metal lock is very thin, half the size of my Carbon Fibre Buck. I really hope this is not the same lock as in the Military. If it is i will never buy a Military. I will buy a lock back Police instead. It definatly needs major improvements. I only trust lock backs and axis locks now. !!

The fit and finish is not as nice as my other Spydercos. The top and bottom of the g10 scales are ground uneavenly. I am not sure if it is the design though. The g10 around the lanyard hole is not very nice. The right side of the hole looks uneven.

The clip is the strongest i have seen. The bad thing is that it cannot be moved. It is fixed.

The knife is sharp out of box. Not as sharp as my Delica from factory but sharp enough.

I would rate this knife 5/10. I would not recommend the knife as it is right now. It needs some major improvements. Esp. since it cost 100+.
 
I replied in the main forum too, if you think the lock is unsafe you should discontinue use.

The other question I have that relates to this, is it a problem for right hand knives to stay secure when locked when gripped in the left hand?

I'm just wondering , I'll go find a right handed liner lock and try it left handed.

edit: I tried a right handed cricket left handed and indeed, in certain grips my hand applies pressure to unlock the blade.
 
It is weird. The knife is solid when i use the right hand. When i use the left hand i can open lock by moving my finger. Maybe i am just not used to using my left hand. Or i might be gripping it wrong.
 
Originally posted by musky hunter

The lock is crap.

I think you're overstating your case a bit. The knife is optimized for right-hand carry and use. Note how the opening hole is partially blocked on the clip side? Again, it is optimized for righties.

If it were designed for lefties you would likely find the opposite problem: it would be rock solid when using your left hand and disengage when gripped with your right. When designing a linerlock, where and how much of the lock is exposed is always a compromise.

Note that Spyderco doesn't make any ambidextrous linerlocks. All of its ambi knives are lockbacks. This is probably part of the reason why Spyderco is shifting away from linerlocks to other lock designs.
 
I wouldn't suggest a spine whack. Besides being the possibility of breaking the lock or further weakening it, you bear the risk of getting cut.
Matt
 
After I did a spine wack test I had to go to the chiropractor.:D

The liner lock sticks up to far for ease of opening. On my CRKT M16, which the liner lock does not protrude as drastric as the Impala, I took it a part and drimmeled it down. Now to release it I got to stick my finger down inside a little. So, matter how hard I grip it, the meat of my hand does not touch/move the line lock and it is alway rock solid.

If you do some drimmeling, do a little at a time, put it back together, and see how it feels. If you take to much off you can't put it back on. Also if the finish bothers your, you can go around the whole outside edge just a touch to make the finish of the liner lock look the same on the edge.

Before you modify a knife alway think about it long and hard, it may be something you don't want to do. (loss of function, fit, finish, money, fingers?)
 
PointyReckoning

SOME Spydies are riveted. Others are put together with screws. Generally, the less expensive FRN models are riveted while the higher end G-10, aluminum, titanium, etc handled versions use screws. The Impala, being discussed here, is assembled using screws.

Carlos (or anyone else) - does the Impala have an eccentric pivot which allows adjustment of the lock?
 
well, the knife passed all the lock test suggested with the right hand. I am sorry i called the lock crap. I just wont trust it if i were a leftie. I will do some more reviews and take a few more pics.
 
Musky Hunter, DaveH, when the passaround Impala gets to me I will share my thoughts on it and how it works for a lefty. Being a Southpaw selecting a knife that is easy to open, close and that is safe to use can be a challange some times and thats why I like that Spyderco and DaveH give us the opportunity to do these passarounds.


Shane
 
Originally posted by 4 s ter
Carlos (or anyone else) - does the Impala have an eccentric pivot which allows adjustment of the lock?

I believe so. The eccentric pivot is more-or-less standard on Spyderco's remaining linerlocks.
 
The Military better not disappear without notice. If somebody even thinks about discontinuing the Military, I want to buy about ten of them. It is easily the best Spyderco utility folder I’ve ever had my grubby little hands on.
 
after an exhaustive series of testing, the impala ROCKS! I don't have anything bad to say about this Spydie.. :D

Sam
 
According to Sal, the Military's going to be changing to a compression lock sometime this year.

'Course, we all know what happens with projected deadlines ;)
 
Right now I’m playing with mine pretty extensively, however no decisive opinion is created so far, I need to collect somewhat more experience.
After reading your review I have made some comparisons with unquestioned (for me at least) SPYDERCO flagship Military. Construction is very close as far as it is visible. Since from engineering standpoint the knife is not too accomplished thing (not the same matter as easy to make!) I think their internal construction is similar, including eccentric pivot. However let’s wait what Sal will say.
Next, I have measured liner thickness with 0,1-mm accurate caliper, in both cases it is the same – 1 mm.
Yes, the liner lock is definitely not the most ambidextrous lock format, this is truth. Cutting something tough with left-hand grip and twisting the handle counterclockwise it is pretty easy to disengage practically each of them. Somewhat more resistant against this failure are liner locks where locking liner is not protruding over opposite scale at all, for ex. like BENCHMADE classic AFCK 800 or CRKT Apache. This is the main reason why I would like SPYDERCO liner lock knives (Military, Starmate, Impala) to have less protruding locking liner (or bigger cutout in the opposite scale).
However I couldn’t consider that Impala lock could be unintentionally disengaged any easier than Military one. I think no one knife is ideal, simply we should know what to expect form one or another piece and use them suitably.
 
I'm a lefty. I had a Military. It went bye-bye quickly, and turned itself into a Police model, as I just couldn't trust it (the liner-lock) not to close on my precious fingers. It's a shame, 'cause I really like the Military...I just wish it was a (lefty-friendly) lock-back (back lock?).
 
Dear MH,

I'm sorry to hear you are unhappy with your Impala. Please feel free to contact Mike Hayes in our Warranty and Repair department and he'd be happy to help. Please let him know your lock is failing. Mike is here at Spyderco Monday- Friday 8-5MST. You can reach him directly at

800-525-7770 X255
-or-
303-279-8383 X255
-or-
mhayes@spyderco.com

If it is more convenient, send me your contact information and I will have Mike contact you.... jlaituri@spyderco.com

Joyce @ Spyderco
 
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