My Next Carbon Fiber Spydie?

EZ Bake

EZ Bake

Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
1,752
So I've got a Sage 1, and I generally don't carry knives with a blade-bigger than 3-3.5". I love the leaf-shape, and I've come to not only love the choil on my Spydies, but to rely on them when using like it's 2nd nature.

I've owned and sold a Caly 3CF. It was disappointing to me for a few reasons, but I've recently started admiring it again. If I bought another one, I'd probably have a customizer add some wafer-thin phosphorus-bronze washers to it (I hated the scratched up tang as a result of having no bushings/washers) and I would have to get used to the handle-shape and shallow-choil.

My Carbon-fiber native 4 just arrived, and holy crap this is the knife I've always wanted. It is nearly perfect in every way. However, in a fit of weakness, I bought that customized carbon-fiber native 5 from the exchange this weekend, and it should be here in the next few days.

Since I've been on my carbon-fiber craze, I've noticed another knife that I'm really starting to dig - the carbon-fiber Stretch (and I do like ZDP-189 steel). I really like the baby-blue Stretch as well, but the carbon-fiber one just looks so nice. I've not owned a Stretch yet, and I originally discounted it as a knife that I wouldn't like. I had a Gayle Bradley and it was just too big and I'm not a fan of the Spyder-hole on a drop-point blade, but for some reason - the Stretch just keeps calling my name :) (to be fair, I've missed my Gayle Bradley on a few occasions).

And the obvious next choice for me is the Chaparral. Not much to say about that one - has the basket-weave CF (which I love), Boyle-dentless Lock-back, and slightly smaller than the Sage 1.

If Spyderco made a plain-edge Dragonfly 2 in carbon fiber, I'd already own it :) I suppose I could take my G10 D-fly and have some scales made for it (it's crossed my mind).

So I guess it comes down to:

Does anyone have a CF Stretch and is it worth secondary-market prices?
Did I just not give the Caly 3 enough of a chance?
Is the Chaparral the better knife to own for someone like me?
Should I just get some fancy CF scales made for the ole G10 Dragonfly?
 
Also, I just had to post this - as it's just a really cool pic I found (on these forums) of Cerulean's Gayle Bradley/CF Stretch:


IMG_0545.jpg



And this (The Deacon's Pics of the Native 4CF / Sage 1 / Caly 3 CF):

C3-N4-S1-closed.JPG


C3-N4-S1-open.JPG
 
I'll second your motion about a carbon fiber Dragonfly, EZB. That would be incredible.

As far as the CF Stretch goes - you should get one. It is the classiest and most solid Spyderco in my collection. Absolute perfection plus ZDP-189 - what's not to like?

TedP

P.S. - go look up Derrick at Knives Ship Free. He has a lot of them for sale.
 
phillipsted said:
I'll second your motion about a carbon fiber Dragonfly, EZB. That would be incredible.

As far as the CF Stretch goes - you should get one. It is the classiest and most solid Spyderco in my collection. Absolute perfection plus ZDP-189 - what's not to like?

TedP

P.S. - go look up Derrick at Knives Ship Free. He has a lot of them for sale.
Click to expand...

My wallet hates you for posting that man - beautiful knife though. Now to attempt to resist for the obligatory few hours before...
 
I don't know what your next carbon fiber purchase will be, but I can tell you what will be the next one at your door.:D

Looks like Wednesday I just PM'd you the tracking.



To back on track the carbon fiber Stretch is a fantastic knife.
 
Don't forget about this guy, EZ. Just got a Bob T today and it's fantastic! The pocket clip is a little tight, but otherwise the Terzuola Slipit is pure win, imo... :thumbup:

bobt02.jpg
 
CF Stretch is my cheapest Spyderco by far as it stopped me buying other knives for quite some time.
The CF is however rather dull compared to the shiny CF on other models which makes this model more like a great user than a collection piece IMO.
 
atony said:
I don't know what your next carbon fiber purchase will be, but I can tell you what will be the next one at your door.:D

Looks like Wednesday I just PM'd you the tracking.



To back on track the carbon fiber Stretch is a fantastic knife.
Click to expand...

Man - after buying this Native 4 CF, it made no sense at all to buy yours, but man those pics you posted looked so nice - and I can't resist seeing the difference the jimping, bushing, ergo-changes, and S35VN makes, so I fell into a weak spot.

Timberweasel - that Bob T is nice, but I've just never been a fan. Got to handle a friends and it just didn't speak to me like some of the other models do. I dunno - maybe I'll change my mind like I've already done on about half a dozen other models out there :)

I know that the peel-ply carbon fiber on the Stretch is like that of the Manix and Para2 (two other CF knives that I'd love to own, but sadly won't due to their price and my already too large collection of both models in other steels/scales), but I still want to give it a whirl - I might even polish the scales, who knows.

I just spotted one in the exchange... off to attempt a trade and possibly save myself some explaining to do with the wife.
 
Well if you have the carbon fiber M390 Military on preorder than its only a couple more months until there released.
I'm eagerly anticipating that knife as I missed out on the S90v variant.
 
I'll second the Terzuola.
P3251266.jpg


And the GB
Bradley004.jpg


Or the Caly
1-18-08002.jpg


And don't forget the UKPK
PB251540.jpg


Or the Military
PB251532.jpg
 
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Well, it cost me a ZT0350 ZDP, but I've got a CF Stretch in the works for next week.

I've got to stay away from this board or I'm going to go completely broke.
 
EZ Bake said:
As do I. Did you take it all the way down to a slick surface, or did you leave a little bit of texture?
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I took all of the texture off, I did not like how it looked half way smoothed out. Its real slick now but the shape of the Stretch locks the knife in your hand. I was really happy with how it turned out.

-Bobby
 
Nakahoshi said:
I took all of the texture off, I did not like how it looked half way smoothed out. Its real slick now but the shape of the Stretch locks the knife in your hand. I was really happy with how it turned out.

-Bobby
Click to expand...

You got anymore comparison pics? Is the Stretch on the right (in the above pic) still at the factory peel-ply finish?
 
EZ Bake said:
You got anymore comparison pics? Is the Stretch on the right (in the above pic) still at the factory peel-ply finish?
Click to expand...

I might be able to take a few pictures later, but yes the Stretch on the right is factory. It feels like G10 but you can see the checkered pattern in the surface.

-Bobby
 
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