New/Old Cricket Question

R

RacerX

Joined
Jun 21, 2000
Messages
36
I just received my new "old" Cricket. Although it's brand new, it's the old Cricket prototype design with alum. handles. (Thanks to whomever posted the link to the Canadian dealer where they often have rare, hard-to-find models.)

I really like the knife, and am wondering why Spyderco doesn't use more alum. handle designs. It's certainly very light, and would make a nice alternative to the stainless. For those who aren't wild about Zytel, alum. offers the weight savings, while still having an attractive looking handle.

The alum. on the Cricket has what appears to be an annodized finish. I wanted to also ask if that finish is likely to scratch? Since this is a discontinued knife (and therefore more collectable), I'd like to carry it, but keep it in good shape. If it's a finish that's likely to scratch, I'll make an effort to keep it away from pockets with coins, etc.

One other question: I notice that, unlike any other Spyderco knife I've ever seen (or heard), this alum. cricket makes a double-clicking sound as you open it. Dumb question perhaps, but did that unique sound have something to do with the Cricket name (i.e., that it might have a sound sort of like an insect's clicking)? Just wondering.

Thanks for another great knife. Consider this an unsolicited vote for more alum. handles (assuming that it's a good, all-around handle material). I love the weight as opposed to stainless.
 
I love my aluminum cricket. I once handled one of the lightweight crickets and it just didn't have the right feel to it.

now if only i could find a carbon fiber one.
 
TomMarker,

I am pretty sure that there are carbon fiber crickets available through knifecenter.com.

RacerX,

I've handled a couple of the aluminum crickets that my buddy has. They both make the "double click" noise. I think that it is normal for that model.

------------------
Steve
 
The first part of the sound it the detent ball snapping past the end of the blade, the second sound is the liner snapping past.

I think,
DaveH
 
Anyone know why more of the Spyderco knives aren't made with alum. handles? The weight seems ideal, and it must be a whole lot less expensive than carbon fiber.

TomMarker – have you had your Cricket long? If so, has the annodized alum. finish gotten scratched? It looks like a finish that would scratch. Since this is actually the prototype version, I think of it as being a little more of a collector's item. As a result, I'd like to keep it in decent shape by keeping it in a pocket without keys, change, etc.
 
Dave is correct on the double click.

We have made aluminum handles many times in the past (Worker, Police, Walker, CoPilot, Earlyh Blackhawk to name a few.

The new Bob Lum Chinese Folder is aluminum.

I'm sure there will be more.

sal
 
I can comment on the durability of the finish. I carried mine for approximately 9 months to the office. The finish on the aluminum is still 95% or better. The coating on the pocket clip shows the most wear, which makes sense as it is the part on the "outside". It's probably 75%.

DaveH
 
Does anyone know where I might pick up an aluminum handle Cricket? I would love to have another one. They are great little knives. If you know where, please let me know. Thanks!
michael
 
NCBlades,

Good luck. I found mine at www.milarm.com. They're in Canada. A couple of us bought them. I don't remember if they had any left. They're the only ones who had any. As I recall, they had both plain and serrated edge; but, again, I don't know if they had any left after we were done.

 
Hi,

I've been looking for an aluminum plain cricket for some time now, and surprisingly I found one in an outdoorshop yesterday.
I payed approx. $30, so I guess the shop was mistaking the price for a zytel one.

I've got just two question, first, on one side of the blade it says 'Seki City Japan', is this normal?

Second, is it called a cricket because of the cricket sound? (this question was asked earlier but I couldn't find a confirmation).

I also inquired www.milarm.com and just received an e-mail that he has 3 in stock for $86 (probably canadian dollars).

Thanks,
Ted
 
Ted,

When I first saw your post, I thought you must have got an amazing price; however, was that $30US? If so, be thankful. I just paid more than double that for an aluminum Cricket (at Milarm.com). And yes, the price at the Milarm site is in Canadian $; however, what really adds to the cost is the shipping. Total cost US$ was $67 or so. Still, just to find that knife was challenge enough.

Although it's quite small, I find that the Cricket is very handy. It's light, small, and sharp. You really can't ask for much more. (That said, the stainless Dragonfly is still my favorite small Spyderco folder.)

The Seki City stamp is the location where the knife was actually manufactured, I believe (someone will correct me if I'm wrong). It's normal for the Japanease made knives to be stamped with the Seki City notation on the blades.

I was the one you saw who asked about the Cricket being possibly named after the sound, but never saw anyone post an answer (other than the very helpful answers describing why that knife makes the double-click sound).

Maybe Sal (if he sees this thread) will answer this question. I've wondered how some of the knives got their names, but with the Cricket, I feel like I've actually got a clue, based on the sound.
 
RacerX,
The price is in US dollars!, actually it was 74 dutch guilders, but that is approx. $30. When I saw it in the store I said to myself to spent no more then $80 on it, but there was no price tag on the knife. So I asked a salesguy what that small knife would cost (playing innocent). He couldn't find the price at first and went to the back to search for it, when he came back he said 74 guilders. Well I said, that's a lot of money for a such a small knife but I might just do that this time. :-)
 
Ted - Welcome to the Spyderco forum. We have a few visitors from Netherlands. FYI, Spyderco used to have a warehouse in Best, just outside of Eindhoven, for distribution in Europe.

Racer - no reason for the "Cricket" name other than we were looking for a "cute bug" name.

sal
 
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