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Is the Domino a working knife?

RayseM

RayseM

Platinum Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Messages
8,263
Serious question as I am looking for my next EDC for my furniture/cabinet building and remodeling work.

I've been carry an Endura with a VG10 blade for many years and it has been a great knife - except always a bit too big. I have medium size hands and some of the work I want from my EDC is close up detail paring. Been thinking to scale down the length of the blade and overall size - even 1/2" would be good. Don't really want to go below 3".

During the course of any given day I will: slice up cardboard, trim a joint in some mahogany (all kinds of woods), trace a pattern, slice up some tenderloin for lunch, scrape some glue off a joint, etc. etc. - a working knife. Three or 4 times each year I take the time to seriously sharpen the Endura but otherwise as it needs attention I keep it tuned very sharp (otherwise why carry a knife) on a Smith's diamond hone. I would like my next knife edge to be as easily maintained.

The CTS-XHP blade of the Domino should hold an edge longer but maybe need more effort to sharpen. Is that right?

Also looking at the Caly 3. I'd like the blue steel blade (don't mind needing to keep it clean) but I don't think that's currently available so that leaves the 420J2/ZDP-189 stainless. Any comments on that knife?

I like, and am accustomed to a lock back and wonder about the redundancy of the flipper and the hole, BUT, having said that I'm not adverse to change and I think I will prefer the Domino. Is it worth the extra $60.00?

Will either of these be a good scale down from the Endura?

And, back to the opening question - is the Domino a working knife?

Thanks for any and all feedback.
 
I can't speak to the domino but it sounds like you might want to try the delica, basically the same as the endura just a bit smaller. And it could be had in zdp if you wanted it.
 
Domino would do fine as a working knife IMO. I love mine and the CTS-XHP is a great combo of toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. Great knife and mine has held up fine through daily tasks.
 
The domino will suite you perfectly, it's more than work capable and the XHP is awesome stuff. The handle is a little on the large side for a 3.1" blade, especially with the choil, but it's extremely ergonomic and fit&finish is fantastic and the choil let's you choke up on the blade for precise controlled detail work.
 
The problem you have right now is that you're spoiled to VG-10. It takes a killer edge, has decent edge retention a easy to maintain. ZDP and CTS-XHP will take more effort to sharpen and maintain. Both the steels will hold an edge longer no doubt. If you decide to change from VG-10, you are either going to have to learn the steel you choose or you will not like it at all. I love my Caly3.5 and I've got a Domino on the way. The Delica that I have with ZDP takes more time to sharpen than my Delica with VG-10. I think you can find the Delica in the super blue now.I always go with what I know and has proven itself.
Gook luck
 
The Delica is a nice knife but really just toooo much like a small Endura. I'm sure I'd like it but I want a "different" Spyderco.

The Stretch is more blade than I want - thus the name. I looked at the small Persian but the blade shape - though pretty - doesn't seem like a working knife.

The Caly 3 will be it if I can find one with a blue steel blade.

2 good and enthusiastic votes for the Domino "the choil let's you choke up on the blade for precise controlled detail work." That's what is missing with the Endura. jstn's comment "I love mine and the CTS-XHP is a great combo of toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. Great knife and mine has held up fine through daily tasks." is what I was asking about.

Any comments to this point - "and wonder about the redundancy of the flipper and the hole". Does the flipper bulk up the knife needlessly? Is it as easy to use as the hole? How is the action on the Domino?

I agree with Ajack60 that the VG10 is an easy blade edge to maintain. Keeping an edge on all manner of tools and steel though is something I do every day. I prefer carbon steel to stainless types and the VG10 has been a good compromise but I'm not adverse to learning a new steel.

I hope more Domino or Caly 3 owners will give a vote. I have no way of knowing otherwise as there are no locals places to try, handle or purchase Spydercos. Buying off the internets is such a crap shoot. These are expensive to take a chance on but I have and I guess I will again.

Thanks for the feedback folks.
 
If you want a good working blade in XHP take a look at The Knife Center Native. You can buy two and still have change for lunch at mickey d's for what the Domino will run you.
 
I would say get the domino since it sounds like you really dig it. The blade steel is made for hard work, won't chip easily and holds a very good edge (i've found just slightly better than VG-10). Also, the domino makes a great suit knife
 
Barman1 said:
If you want a good working blade in XHP take a look at The Knife Center Native. You can buy two and still have change for lunch at mickey d's for what the Domino will run you.
Click to expand...

Going to have to agree. I have both. I'd put the Native in the working knife category and the Domino in the dedicated slicer category. I'm sure the Domino is plenty strong for how thin it is. But it is extremely thin towards the tip.
 
I find my Domino naturally falls into the choked-up finger-in-the-choil grip, as mentioned above. Just naturally goes into my hand that way as if that was exactly what it was designed for. Absolutely a detail work folder IMO.

The build quality, easy one handed open/close, smoothness of the IKBS pivot and faultless lock up make the Domino very much a working knife IMO.

I find the flipper to be redundant myself, even though it works well and is fun to use, I just instinctively use the hole. But I don't mind the flipper being there, I have never found it to be intrusive in any way.

The XHP may take a few more strokes to maintain the edge, but I wouldn't say it will be anymore difficult to maintain than VG10. Same with sharpening.

I would warn you that in my limited experience ZDP-189 is a bear to sharpen once it gets blunt.

If you haven't seen the quality of a Taichung made Spyderco before, you will be impressed.
 
I would go with the suggestions of a Stretch or Native. Both are significantly less expensive than the Domino and both should get you through many years of work. I have zero doubts that a Domino would do well as a working knife, but you're paying for carbon fiber, titanium and the bearing pivot. Those things can be awesome embellishments for us knife nuts, but I don't see any of those things as a real advantage on a dedicated work knife.
 
Stretch, Native, Caly, whatever--IMO, go with anything but the Domino. It's oddly shaped, and not in a good way, and it takes up a ton of space in your pocket as well.

That said, if you need a spatula or spackle knife on occasion, the small-edged but enormously wide blade of the Domino would be superior to one of their more normally shaped knives.
 
I would recommend the Domino. It is a great working knife with some refinement and class. The FRN Spydies are great, but they are more just working knives. If you haven't had CF before you may be surprised how durable it is. As a woodworker, I am sure you have some really nice tools. Some that you could buy an inexpensive version of what you have, but you appreciate the finer quality that you get from some of the high end tools. Maybe its your hand plane, or some nice chisels, but you can feel the quality differences and it gives you a certain pride to have a quality tool. I believe the Domino will do that for you. If none of this applies to you then sorry I wasted your time:D XHP touches up nicely in my experience. Hardly nothing compares to how easy VG-10 touches up, and VG-10 is surprisingly tough in my experiences as well, so staying with that steel is not a bad choice, but XHP would probably be step up in most people's eyes. You mentioned scraping some glue off, and imo the Domino would excel at that. It is a broader leaf shaped blade, thin, and has a delicate tip to get under the glue. Also, the Domino rides on bearings, and would resist side to side blade play that could develop in bronze or Teflon washer equipped knives over time.
 
nccole said:
I would recommend the Domino. It is a great working knife with some refinement and class. The FRN Spydies are great, but they are more just working knives. If you haven't had CF before you may be surprised how durable it is. As a woodworker, I am sure you have some really nice tools. Some that you could buy an inexpensive version of what you have, but you appreciate the finer quality that you get from some of the high end tools. Maybe its your hand plane, or some nice chisels, but you can feel the quality differences and it gives you a certain pride to have a quality tool. I believe the Domino will do that for you. If none of this applies to you then sorry I wasted your time:D XHP touches up nicely in my experience. Hardly nothing compares to how easy VG-10 touches up, and VG-10 is surprisingly tough in my experiences as well, so staying with that steel is not a bad choice, but XHP would probably be step up in most people's eyes. You mentioned scraping some glue off, and imo the Domino would excel at that. It is a broader leaf shaped blade, thin, and has a delicate tip to get under the glue. Also, the Domino rides on bearings, and would resist side to side blade play that could develop in bronze or Teflon washer equipped knives over time.
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I think I'll be investing in the Domino. I do take care of my tools though I use them hard and nccole - your comment highlighted above is exactly right. :) Kind of amazing to me when I think about it how much I have invested in edge tools, water stones, and hand saws as well as in just some very good battery and electric tools. My Tasai chisels, Lie-Nielsen planes and some custom hand saws make me smile every time I use them.

My hesitation about the Domino is that it appears to be a little fatty. As evilgreg writes "It's oddly shaped, and not in a good way, and it takes up a ton of space in your pocket as well." causes me to pause. I don't think it will feel heavier in my pocket than the Endura but I've wondered if I might just end up grinding off the flipper :eek:. Well, probably not :D.

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the feedback. Domino guys seem pretty happy so I'm not so scared now...
 
evilgreg said:
Stretch, Native, Caly, whatever--IMO, go with anything but the Domino. It's oddly shaped, and not in a good way, and it takes up a ton of space in your pocket as well.

That said, if you need a spatula or spackle knife on occasion, the small-edged but enormously wide blade of the Domino would be superior to one of their more normally shaped knives.
Click to expand...

Lol well I think it's fair to say this guy hates the domino.

Get the domino, though. It's a sweet blade.
 
So I jumped. Ordered this beauty. The last one on the lot.

View attachment 424088

The description says that the scale are "Blue Lighting Strike Carbon Fiber & G10 laminate and gray titanium.
I really love the subtle blue/gray of this one.

All in all I think this knife will be a good one and I am inspired by those of you who expressed your enthusiasm. Thanks.
 
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I was going to add that the SB caly 3 is still available at BBS...if you can stomach it.

Cheers,
Adam
 
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