After many years of working with many mediocre pocket folders I recently bought a simple Ambitious to check out what all the fuss was about BM and Spyderco (plus a few other 'hot' brands) I already have a highly develope notion of bl;ade tools from 30yrs in my woodshop but never thought to spend more on an EDC then the $35 bucks I may have paid 10yrs ago for a Leek (which is probably my 'best' edc along with some vintage Case,Opinel, CRKT, etc.)
So-after a less-then-stellar unboxing period where I had to work on adj of the blade and clean up a burr on one washer (I opted to risk my warranty and explore myself. I still have 7days left initial retailer) I was set to send it back but in the morning I had a 'different' knife. Not sure if it was the Felco bearing lube or the 100+flicke the night before-whatever-It was no flicking out with some authority and speed. And its been getting faster and more firm as the days have past. The kind of blade speed I was looking for was based on an unfair comparison to a sweet-looking but very inexpensive Kershaw Crown I had received the day before, It is pretty with a so-so blade but its LIGHTNING fast. So it took me a little while to get used to the Sydie Ambitious having a bit of stiffness right out of the liner but with the correct thumb pressure on the (great!) Hole and the blade shoots out like a greased party pig. So-I learned that blades can be fast in different ways:
Spyderco has a firm and tight finish and needs a few flicks before its ready to be 'shot' out as fast as many of us expect. I also learned there is a technique to the hole and when you have that down-well-you can fast flick til your fingers fall off. The other knife I had been groovin on was really very fast but I now see the Crown as almost 'loosey-goosey' compared to the sypdie. So my biggest expectation of my first Spyderco lived up to the expectation I had that it would be a 'solid build', solid feel' with a substantial weight to mass to size ratio which I really like as well.
So-after all of 7 days I am ready to explore yet again. I WAS sure that the only spyderco I would look at would be the SuperLeaf, the Chicago, or the blue Persistence (which I understrand is a slightly bigger ambitious) I like the design, the weight, the feel sooooo.
So then I see the Yojimbo2 and I felt like I fell for the funny girl in grade school. I ignored it in the catalog at least 2-3 times before stopping on the 4th. It was an odd duck in my opinion but the closer I looked the more it started to grow on me. Odd shaped blade? I could really use a guy like that in my work. Is it a great blade style? Hollow ground to the point? zhmmm? Not really sure on that.mLong cutting edge that looks like power is easily transfered from the grip through to the tip of the blade for good solid control.
My questions: Have I used this type YO2 knife before in a less fancy version of my Gerber ergo utility blade? Is it MUCH more useful then a plane box-cutter blade. Whats the feel and finish of the yo2? Does it compare equally to the Superleaf. See-I am about to spend on my first $100 -$120 knife and Im pretty sure its going to be a Spydie. I guess I just want to be really blown away by whatever I choose-be it the superleaf, yojimb2 or even something like a Chicago I saw
Also-is there any reason I should hold off on getting the larger Persistence in blue if I am going for the 'leaf' shaped blade (superleaf, chicago, etc.)or is that redundant? (yeah-I know there are guys here with LOTS of the same knife but me? hell-I just getting to the party now. A first +$120 knife is enough to almost give me a heart attack. I hope it waits til after I get to flick the dang thing a couple of times
thnks for any opinions or help
p.s.-I just came across the kershaw 'needs work' [made in us, sandvik steel, same blade shape, butt-ugly-imo but $30] Not to dis spyderco in any way since I just realized how much a like their blades and intend ti buy more-I still was wondering if it might make some sense to get an oddball style knife in this lower price point option. The blue hande of the 'needs work' is odd but the blade is the same shape as the YO2 but its blasted finished and made with sandvk steel. The $27-$30 price is inticing for a cheapskate but I want this knife to be quality from the start. (not that a lower priced US made knife couldnt but if it doesnt even come CLOSE to the YO2 I would want to know thanks
So-after a less-then-stellar unboxing period where I had to work on adj of the blade and clean up a burr on one washer (I opted to risk my warranty and explore myself. I still have 7days left initial retailer) I was set to send it back but in the morning I had a 'different' knife. Not sure if it was the Felco bearing lube or the 100+flicke the night before-whatever-It was no flicking out with some authority and speed. And its been getting faster and more firm as the days have past. The kind of blade speed I was looking for was based on an unfair comparison to a sweet-looking but very inexpensive Kershaw Crown I had received the day before, It is pretty with a so-so blade but its LIGHTNING fast. So it took me a little while to get used to the Sydie Ambitious having a bit of stiffness right out of the liner but with the correct thumb pressure on the (great!) Hole and the blade shoots out like a greased party pig. So-I learned that blades can be fast in different ways:
Spyderco has a firm and tight finish and needs a few flicks before its ready to be 'shot' out as fast as many of us expect. I also learned there is a technique to the hole and when you have that down-well-you can fast flick til your fingers fall off. The other knife I had been groovin on was really very fast but I now see the Crown as almost 'loosey-goosey' compared to the sypdie. So my biggest expectation of my first Spyderco lived up to the expectation I had that it would be a 'solid build', solid feel' with a substantial weight to mass to size ratio which I really like as well.
So-after all of 7 days I am ready to explore yet again. I WAS sure that the only spyderco I would look at would be the SuperLeaf, the Chicago, or the blue Persistence (which I understrand is a slightly bigger ambitious) I like the design, the weight, the feel sooooo.
So then I see the Yojimbo2 and I felt like I fell for the funny girl in grade school. I ignored it in the catalog at least 2-3 times before stopping on the 4th. It was an odd duck in my opinion but the closer I looked the more it started to grow on me. Odd shaped blade? I could really use a guy like that in my work. Is it a great blade style? Hollow ground to the point? zhmmm? Not really sure on that.mLong cutting edge that looks like power is easily transfered from the grip through to the tip of the blade for good solid control.
My questions: Have I used this type YO2 knife before in a less fancy version of my Gerber ergo utility blade? Is it MUCH more useful then a plane box-cutter blade. Whats the feel and finish of the yo2? Does it compare equally to the Superleaf. See-I am about to spend on my first $100 -$120 knife and Im pretty sure its going to be a Spydie. I guess I just want to be really blown away by whatever I choose-be it the superleaf, yojimb2 or even something like a Chicago I saw
Also-is there any reason I should hold off on getting the larger Persistence in blue if I am going for the 'leaf' shaped blade (superleaf, chicago, etc.)or is that redundant? (yeah-I know there are guys here with LOTS of the same knife but me? hell-I just getting to the party now. A first +$120 knife is enough to almost give me a heart attack. I hope it waits til after I get to flick the dang thing a couple of times
thnks for any opinions or help
p.s.-I just came across the kershaw 'needs work' [made in us, sandvik steel, same blade shape, butt-ugly-imo but $30] Not to dis spyderco in any way since I just realized how much a like their blades and intend ti buy more-I still was wondering if it might make some sense to get an oddball style knife in this lower price point option. The blue hande of the 'needs work' is odd but the blade is the same shape as the YO2 but its blasted finished and made with sandvk steel. The $27-$30 price is inticing for a cheapskate but I want this knife to be quality from the start. (not that a lower priced US made knife couldnt but if it doesnt even come CLOSE to the YO2 I would want to know thanks
