Is the Centofante III underrated?

I made a short video a couple of weeks ago -
[youtube]BxiboNSpmcE[/youtube]
To summarize, no handle texturing and non-adjustable pivot make the Delica 4 a better choice, IMO. Also no holes drilled for lefty carry. The knife feels outdated.
 
I like the Memory better. I feel that it is truer in spirit to Centofante's own creations.
 
I do believe it is.. One rides on the console of my truck.. Great ergos and slim in the pocket!! And VG-10 steel is super!! John
 
I've owned one for a couple of years. I primarily bought it because I liked its looks -- and I like have an addition to Spyderco products. I do prefer the Delica 4 to this model. For me, the upsides are that it is slim and light. The downsides are that it feels kind of cheap in hand, probably due to the smooth FRN. I also am not a fan of the pinned construction. For me, it seems like a knife that should cost $30 rather than $50+ or whatever they are going for these days, but I realize that is a subjective thing.
 
Armadew said:
One of my favourites.
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Same here. Feels great in the hand, and disappears in the pocket. I appreciate the lack of texturing on the scales, which help it slide into and out of the pocket easily. The blade shape is just about perfect. And the pinned construction has held up wonderfully over the years.
 
I think the Centofante III is really under rated. I have two as well as a IV that gets used infrequently. I took to my user III with a dremel and rounded the sharp point above the spyderhole and smoothed out the jimping a bit - big improvement. It's a "go to" beater if I think someone may want to use my knife (like a BBQ).

2mm hollow ground blade, no unsharpened bits on the blade, VG10 and that price ... you cannot go wrong.

For sentimental reasons the Delica is my favorite of the two but if I looked at the Delica and the Centofante III unemotionally, I'd have to go with the Centofante.
 
I prefer the Cento 4 but finding them in good shape at a reasonable price is getting difficult and I'm down to my last one. :eek:
 
I love my Cento 3 as well. Lightweight with a slim, hollow ground blade. The pinned construction seems durable enough for what this type of knife would be used for. My delica gets a little more usage, but only because it is a bit smaller (shorter blade).
 
Yes, it is underrated. These days people overlook the simplicity of the pinned-together design and fail to grasp the concept of the thin blade's superior slicing abilities. I've owned and used several pinned-together Spyderco knives for many years and I've yet to have one become loose. I have had to retighten loose screws in more recent Spyderco designs and the screws in other brands of knives. I don't consider the screwed-together design to be any real improvement strength-wise. Furthermore, the FRN may lack texturing but it is not slippery by any stretch of the imagination. The knife carries easily due to the light weight, thin cross-section and narrow profile. The handle is about as ergonomic as any of the Spyderdo's with the 50/50 choil. It's a nice-looking knife too. I like the swedging, saber grind and the blade and handle shape from a purely aesthetic perspective. I like the Centofante so much, I own more than one sample. In that regard it joins the Delica, Dragonfly and Gayle Bradley as my most favored models. It's really a highly functional, visually appealing design.
 
It is very underrated, especially for the price. I have a 3 and a 4 and love them both. What isn't to love about 2mm vg10 and a great blade to handle ratio?
 
It's not my cup of tea, but that's just my opinion. I've tried it out. I bought this model twice and ended up selling it both times.
 
I even was able to convert some non-knife folks to liking the Centofante III. I've probably bought around six or seven of them for gifts. I've even given two of them away and had to buy myself replacements.

Of all the Cento IIIs to pass through my hands, only one has had any QC issues. It's the one in my pocket now.
 
For me, like most knives, the Centofante 3 has its good points and bad points. I'd give it points for having a midlock and being the least expensive way to get a 3" Spyderco folder with a nice thin (2mm) blade. I'd take points away for the lack of LH carry options, the pointy hump over the Spyderhole, and the lack of any choil or guard between ones fingers and the blade. Of course, I'd bet that some folks would consider that last one a plus, since it's the price of an "all edge" blade. I'm also sure there are those who see the lack of LH carry options as "less unnecessary holes cluttering up the handle, the 2mm blade as "too thin for serious hard use", the midlock as inferior to some other lock, or equate inexpensive with "cheap looking".

Funny thing is, that while the negatives of the Cento 3 keep me from carrying it, I will occasionally carry a Centofante Memory which, shares all but the sharp hump in the "minus column" and adds a wrong handed lock, a Spyderhole location that could be described as "lefty hostile", and a "silver twill" handle overlay that reminds me of the metallic, reflective stickers kids were putting on their lunchboxes twenty years ago. So, go figure.
 
I have a 3 and a 4. I like them both. I think that they are fantastic knives. More of an office type environment carry maybe, but if you realize that these are not meant to be hardcore beaters, then you should be fine.

So yeah... I too feel that they are under rated and a bit unappreciated.

But hey... to each their own!
 
I really like mine as well. Looks great, cuts great, rides great, doesn't cost a lot. It's underrated in the sense that it doesn't get much attention. But when I *do* hear about it, it's generally positive. That's why I have one :D
 
I may have to give one of these a shot sometime... never held one, but seems I could get to like one! :)
 
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