Mixed Feelings of Spyderco Salsa

fulloflead

fulloflead

Joined
May 3, 2002
Messages
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I read a lot of reviews of the Spyderco Salsa before I bought one. The reviews were so good that I got totally excited and went looking for one on Ebay. $60 or more was more than I wanted to pay for something of this size that I was just curious about so I started looking at other things.

The MeerKat struck my interest and I bought one for around $30 shipped and totally fell in love with it for a couple of weeks. I never imagined such a small knife could be so great!

Finally, clint97 made me a fantastic deal on a Salsa that I couldn't pass up and he had it to me in a couple days flat. Thanks, man!

I've been a bit disappointed with it. Maybe if I didn't get the MeerKat first I'd have liked it more.

Sure, it has it's fine points. Perfect fit and finish. Incredibly sharp. Scores a 10 on the coolness factor.

I just think it's an inefficient design. The thing is nearly as wide as it is long. I have 4" folders that don't take up this much room in my pocket. It's 1.75" across but it's only 3.5" long closed. The blade-to-handle ratio is bad. The blade seems so short compared to the handle that it folds into. I would buy a small knife so it would take up less room in my pocket or not scare sheeple or just for little jobs. This just seems like a lot of metal for such a small cutting surface. If they could have made it .375 thinner and the same shorter in the handle I wouldn've been happier.

I'm on the fence about the Cobra Hood. It works but adds thickness and probably isn't needed. Sure, you can take it off but it leaves a nasty step and a hole where the screw goes. I guess I just don't think the Spyderco Hole needs improvement of any kind.

I also don't like the Compression Lock. It's hard to close one-handed, a little uncomfortable on the spine where comfort should rule and I just don't see the advantage over a linerlock.

Nothing against Spydeco. Honestly, they're quickly becoming my favorite knife company. In fact I may buy another MeerKat along with the other 10 or so Spydercos on my buy list.

The Salsa is a novelty item. It's fun but it has it's problems in my opinion.
 
Could you describe how the compression lock on the spine feels?

The design looks to be impressively reliable, but I'll take comfort over brute strength.
 
Originally posted by sph3ric pyramid
Could you describe how the compression lock on the spine feels?

The design looks to be impressively reliable, but I'll take comfort over brute strength.
Click to expand...

You weren't very specific but I'll try:
Normally the back of a knife is rather flat or even smooth and uniform. The Compression lock breaks that up and has a serrated surface and gives the handle an irregular shape in that area. In most grips it barely touches your hand so you don't feel it. But if you back up on the knife and not use the first finger notch the pressure point is right on that funny area. It doesn't HURT but it's not the same as having a uniform surface there to press against.

Don't decide against this knife because I mentioned this. It's actually a very trivial thing. If you like everything else about the knife this minor point would hardly bother you. I was just nit picking on this point.
 
AFAIK, the Cobra Hood's main purpose is to provide a comfortable thumb rest in saber grip.

I don't own a Salsa, but I handled one and I have to say that it's ergonomics are decent, but it's an incredibly ugly knife IMO.
 
hmmm, I agree that the top of the back can be uncomfortable and can pinch. The Ti Salsa's are better in this regard. I like the lock in terms of design though, because in a liner lock the pressure goes along the length of the liner, on a compression lock it goes across the width. I think this allows the lock to be stiffer.

I think the Cobra hood is a subjective thing, I happen to like it.

About the blade to handle ratio, to me that doesn't matter. It's because it has a larger size/width handle that makes it so comfotable to hold. (Same for the lil' temperance) I'll trade of that size to get the comfortable.
 
The only problem I had with the Salsa was that the locks tended to pinch the "meat" of my index finger when I one-handed them. With my hand shape my fat fingers just get in the way.
 
Thanks guys.., I've looked at them a few times trying to get used to the esthetics (not easy for me....lol). I do think it's an ugly little guy.., but the other information was helpful.
 
Got my aluminum salsas back in december, after handling a passaround.

yes, it's ugly, as are 95% of spyerco's lineup. It takes up a lot of pocket space if it's in a pocket you use a lot(I carry it in my right/rear pocket)

The bonus is the good stuff... or shouild be. It has a wide belly. I love that on a knife, easy to cook with. It's got the hood, which gives a spot for leverage on cuts. It's got a comfy handle, ever try cutting cardboard for 45min with an exacto? The lock is easy to get used to. I even had to search for the pinch.
 
I have a Blue Aluminum Salsa part serrated that I has been my EDC since the end of January 2002. I am very happy with it.
 
Here are some photos of Ti-Salsa to make discussion somewhat more pictorial.
salsa_01.jpg

salsa_02.jpg

salsa_03.jpg

salsa_04.jpg

salsa_05.jpg

salsa_06.jpg

I put mine into front pocket only to illustrate how it could come out partially opened at draw. Probably some guys could like it considering as “cool look factor”, however this is the thing what I don’t like about Cobra Hood the most.
Really I carry mine in rear pocket with nothing more there, so the handle size is not any problem. Just inversely, bigger handle provides safer and surer grip and better leverage when working. There are a lot of knife blade length limitations in different jurisdictions, sometimes they are justified and sometimes – quite silly, but they are the law. However I have never even heard about any knife handle limitations anywhere. But the user really needs the handle’s suitable dimensions as well as blade ones, sometimes handle dimensions are even more important to work efficiently and – first of all – safely.

Yes, compression lock is placed at the handle’s most loaded area on hard cutting and this make handle somewhat less comfortable in comparison with smooth and continuos surface there. Something always costs something. As well liner lock can pinch forefinger in certain grip positions. Even fixed blade handles with no lock and no gap to accommodate blade sometimes use to be far less than 100% comfortable.

So particular knife liking or disliking to a large extent is a matter of the particular person’s taste. What surely no way could mean that doubts and justified negative suggestions shouldn’t be expressed in public. We are meeting here to discuss knife subject in all aspects, not to praise only, isn’t it?
 
Great pictures Serg!

I do not like the aluminum Salsa line up. I like the compression lock on the Gunting and 'Lil Temperance but on the Salsa it doesn't feel as solid. I think its mainly because the knife is so light. Doesn't seem to 'click' into place as firmly.

The Ti Salsa on the other hand has a totally different feel to it. The integral compression lock makes all the difference in the world to me on this model.
 
Thanks for the review, I didn't realize the Ti and Al Salsas have different locks. I handled an Al Salsa once and the lock was very loose, I wasn't impressed at all. Probably a bad sample, but it was a very bad sample and made me decide to never order one of these online. I'm leaning more and more toward retail so I can look for flaws before I buy, mail in returns are a major PITA.
 
Is the compression lock ambidextrous? Hard question to answer with clear cut. If we consider the ambidexterity as exactly the same operating way with both hands – no, it isn’t. However if we would extend the term of ambidexterity up to reasonably easy possibility to operate with both hands – yes, it is ambidextrous.
Example – the Gunting has compression lock directed inversely in relation to Salsa, Lil’ Temperance and Vesuvius. I can’t say with clear cut what knife is easier to operate for me...

Both Ti-Salsa and Lil’ Temperance have pocket clips what provide only right hand carry position. Probably Al-Salsa has reversible clip, playing with them at knife shows I saw the cutouts at the opposite scale what should accommodate the clip in left hand carry position but I have no personal experience with this matter.
However both Salsa and Lil’ Temperance provide equally easy opening with both hands, their handle scales are totally symmetric and opening holes are available from both sides equally.
Please look here for some Lil’ Temperance pictures.
 
Does the salsa have an open back that would allow change to slip in and hit the edge? I don't need a fancy compression lock on a small folder, thank you. Give me a lockback. The Spyderco Mouse is also wide but it's lightweight, and the handle gives surprisingly good grip for one so short. I took off the pocket clip on my Mouse. I also like the Buck Knight for a pocketknife. I think of folders that are 3'' closed or less as pocketknives. If I'm going to clip a knife to my waistband, I'd like it to have some blade length. Benchmades have the best blade to handle ratio that I've seen. The Benchmade 710 has a 3.9'' blade in a 4.9'' handle. Wow. Spydercos generally seem to have poor blade to handle ratios.
 
The compression lock on the Alum salsa is easy for me to do with either hand.

The clip on my tan CE can be changed to left, though the clip on my #135v green CE is right only. The first set(#ed ones) were right only, and were changed to ambi for the next runs.

Yes, the back is open, and change could hit the edge. I usually carry it in my right/rear pocket, but put it on my right/front today, and a wallet in the pocket today, just to help this discussion. I had no problem with space in my pocket, though carrying a military in f/r could have an effect as to width. I just carried the change in my left pocket with the frn endura, and it was all loonies and twonies, though I've heard of ppl getting dimes stuck in the scales.
 
AF,
It is not any good idea to carry a change in the same pocket with unclipped knife. Hitting the edge is not all, the small coins can go into the gap between blade and scale and clog your knife causing opening failure when you would need it the most. I’m not too familiar with American change, however in European countries there are plenty of such malicious stuff.

So, in my honest opinion, it is equally bad idea trying to make a knife to mach improper carry methods.

Some years ago I have done the comparison review on blade to handle ratio with about two dozens or more different brand knives. Believe me, in general the things do not stand with SPYDERCO knives as tragically as it could appear at first glance. Just try to measure all blades and handles according the same method and you will convince yourself :)
 
I would say the Ti-Salsa is head and sholders above the normal Salsa, both in all around materials and lock. I find the Ti-Salsa very easy to close (but only when I want it to ;) ), either handed.

Part of the reason for the handle to blade ratio is to fit in with Spyderco's philosophy of "Little Big" knives, this is meant to be small knives that can tackle larger tasks than their size would suggest, and in this I would say the Ti-Salsa works rather well.
With a decient sized handle (for a knife this small) and the Cobra Hood (something I was very much in two minds about it until I tried it), I can bring a surprising amount of force to bear on the cutting edge. Ive used this knife on tasks that I wouldn't dream of doing with larger thinner blades.

This isn't a pretty dainty flashy gentleman's pocket knife, this is an up close with lots of force cutting tool.

Is it ugly ? - Well put it this way, it won't be winning any beauty contest. But then again that's not Spyderco's way, if it is a choice between looks and function, funtion wins every time.
 
Spyderco is known for FUGLY high-proformance tools.

The few exceptions are the leaf-bladed & finger choil models(calypso jr & sr, dragonfly), where the lines flow open and closed. Takes the fugly out, though most ppl still don't like the heavily triangle shaped blade.
 
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