Li'l Temperance Tantrum

T

thombrogan

Joined
Nov 16, 2002
Messages
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Handled a Li'l Temperance trailing point at the local soon-to-be-closed brick and mortar today.

Thoroughly impressed and simultaneously saddened.

The action is a little too silky for a compression lock folder lacking an integral choil (not even tightening would assuage my paranoia on this point) and I really wish the scale on the left side would be ground and drilled for tip-up/tip-down left-hand carry.

<snip Id="price_gripe"/>

Any chance of future Li'l Temperances coming out with ambidextrous clips and integral choices (similar to the Dodo, Salsa, or the Native)?

[size=-1]Edited to remove complaint about pricing[/size]
 
Thom,
2 things, I just received my Lil' Temp yesterday and it one very solid folder. I don't think it will be my office EDC, but quite a knife. I thought I read that the manufacturing on this knife was quite extensive. That's why I waited over a year to get one.
As for the B+M store I think you're in my neck of the woods and the B&M I use is Tarrants. Are they closing? I did notice that everything was M.S.R.P. I first handled the Lil' Temp there. Too bad if they are closing.
Chris
 
Yep, Tarrants is going out of business and Martial Arts Outfitters is now on 28 instead of behind that Italian store on 102. This means you'd have to make two stops if you wanted to oggle a Spyderco and get some cannolis for the family.

What is this world coming to?
 
Hi Guys-

Where are these B&M's you're talking about? I'm just over the line in Mass. What have I been missing all these years?? lol!

Ben
 
In Manchester, NH, take exit one off of I-293. Follow the signs to Toys R Us, and Tarrants is on the right, right before Toys R Us. Not the largest selection of Spydercos, but they are going out of business and they have a trailing point Li'l Temperance.
 
Originally posted by thombrogan
The action is a little too silky for a compression lock folder lacking an integral choil (not even tightening would assuage my paranoia on this point)
Click to expand...

I don't understand what you mean by this. Could you elucidate? What are you worried about happening?

--Bob Q
 
Fozzy,
It's a little place under a ski/snowboard store. I found them from the dealer listing from the Spyderco website. Once I found they were selling at M.S.R.P. I probably only visited them 2 or 3 more times. Once specifically to see the Lil' Temp. Then I tried 2 more times to handle the dodo, but they never had it in stock :(
Any good B&M stores down your way? I work in Salem so I'm real close to the border.
As for the silkyness I find this knife to be the quietest when the lock engages. I checked a couple of times to make sure it was locked (and it was). I have been unable to one hand close it yet. But the blade opens very smoothly and quietly. I thought that this may be for MBC reasons.
I figured that the lack of choil was due to the handle construction. It has that protrusion to prevent my hand from slipping onto the blade. As for closing one handed (like my native) the lower choil will rest on my finger when the blade swings down. So far with the Lil' Temp I've been closing 2 handed and making sure my fingers are not in the way. This flat ground S30V would certainly make short work of my digits :)

Chris
 
Originally posted by boxer93
As for closing one handed (like my native) the lower choil will rest on my finger when the blade swings down. So far with the Lil' Temp I've been closing 2 handed and making sure my fingers are not in the way.
Click to expand...

It is good to be careful. :)

A long time back I got some advice from folks around here on how to one-hand close a native without putting any fingers in the way of the blade. I have found that the same technique works very nicely with compression locks too, since the lock is in a similar location. It is how I close my Lil Temperance.

Basically, I shift my grip so that no fingers are between the blade and the handle, then use my thumb to release the lock while using my index finger in the Spydie hole to close the blade. The hande position takes some getting used to, but once you do the technique works very nicely. And it gives you a controlled close that is not dependent on how loose or tight the pivot happens to be.

--Bob Q
 
Thanks Bob Q,
I've tried a couple of methods similar to what you describe. I can do it one handed but I use my index finger to push up the spine. I just can't seem to get a finger in the hole to close it smoothly YET.
Chris
 
Bob,

My concern is that a knife that open quickly can close quicker. Perhaps not rational when the knife has a nested compression lock, but a concern nonetheless.
 
Originally posted by thombrogan
My concern is that a knife that open quickly can close quicker.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification.

I can see why you'd feel that way, especially on a visceral level. That trailing point blade looks too much like the business end of a meat slicer. :eek:

Still, I'm not sure how much difference closing resistance is going to make, at least within normal boundaries, if the blade tries to close on your hand. I think the real issues are:
1) Does the lock engage 100% of the time when the knife is opened?
2) Could the lock fail?

I really don't worry about #1 with a compression lock. I have seen liner locks and frame locks "catch" without fully engaging. I have never heard of that happening with a compression lock.

#2 is a concern with any lock, although with some more than others. Spyderco has done extensive tests on the Lil Temperance's lock strength and has certified it for MBC. Human strength can't exert nearly enough force to break that lock. My suspicion is that if you applied enough leverage the pivot would let go before the lock, which would still keep the blade from closing on your fingers.

Bottom line, I think the Lil Temperance is at least as safe as any locking folder on the market.

--Bob Q
 
I bet you're right.

Back to part two of my original tantrum: Please make the Li'l Temperance more lefty-friendly.

Whaa! :grumpy:
 
Lefty friendly is in the future plan, albeit a year plus away. Also more 3D.

The Compression lock is evolving. We re-engineered the lock, made a few refinements, it's getting better all of the time. Failures are amost no existent. Strength, we find is as much as we'd like (The last Gunting test went 1000+ inch/lbs).

I must agree with Bob (thanx for the support). The Compression is about as reliable, strong and safe as is available today.

I close it by squeezing the lock and the liner between my index finger and my thumb. A little downward jerk and the blade closes. No fingers in front of the blade.

Sooo...besides lefty friendly and 3D, I would like less weight. What else comes to your mind to make this the best, toughest, most reliable, most ergonimc 3" folder available?

sal
 
Lefty-friendly and 3D sound great to me. I wouldn't worry much about reducing weight if you have to sacrifice strength at all. About the only ways to reduce weight would be to change the profiles of the liners and reduce the thickness of the G-10, both of which contribute a certain amount to the solid feeling of the knife.

Keep the full flat grind and basic handle shape, as they are what really endear the knife to me. I know I might be in the minority, but keep the current clip as well. I love it.
 
Sal,

Your entire post is great news. That you don't have giant ads boasting the lock strength of your knives in every publication read by knifeknuts says a lot about you, too. What, I don't know, but it's a lot.

So, pretending that unexpected circumstances won't occur, I'll be able to enjoy the dilemma of whether to carry both the trailing and leaf-point Li'l Temperances or just one in early 2005?

I wish there was a Bladeforums emoticon for the Tigger dance. :)

Oh, and I agree with Leroy_45 about all the great Li'l Temperance stuff (the flat grinds, clip, basic handle shape).
 
Originally posted by Sal Glesser
Sooo...besides lefty friendly and 3D, I would like less weight. What else comes to your mind to make this the best, toughest, most reliable, most ergonimc 3" folder available?
Click to expand...

I think you're already there, but that doesn't mean there is no room for improvement. :)

The current design is still basically 2D in multiple layers for depth. I think more of a fully 3D approach, like the Native III, could improve the grip even further.

I would like to see guards incorporated into the design. They wouldn't need to be large if they were carefully designed and placed. A bit of forward curve makes a world of difference in keeping an edge from sliding past.

My most serious concern is that I want a more definite hand-stop. The current grip is good, but it would still be possible to slip onto the blade with a hard thrust. My idea of a safe hand-stop requires that there be a surface perpendicular to the blade that extends past the midle of the index finger. I would like to see a lower guard designed to also meet this need.

As always, thanks for asking us! :cool:

--Bob Q
 
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