new spyderco matriarch

Just ordered a SE from Knifecenter... says its a delayed product. Anyone know how long they are taking from KC?
 
sal actually posted once a long time ago about how the harpy and salt hawkbills arent suitable for self defense. i forgot the exact reason he stated, maybe someone else knows? i do have the harpy though, and i do feel confident carrying it for self defense.

I didn't see when Sal posted, but in the Spyderco book, Sal mentions that when he developed the Harpy, it was not intended as a weapon, and that if someone were to use one as such, there is a possibility that it could snag while pulling it, and because of the handle design, that could cause it to be pulled from the user's grasp. He said that was okay with him, since he didn't want the Harpy used as a weapon, anyway.
Jim
 
I seriously considered buying one, but a liner-less design is a bit scary for my tastes.

I seem to also remember you saying you would not trust a Spyderco Street Beat, because of the choil. You must be incredibly strong. That, or you have zero experience with the designs you are talking about. One of the two.
 
I didn't see when Sal posted, but in the Spyderco book, Sal mentions that when he developed the Harpy, it was not intended as a weapon, and that if someone were to use one as such, there is a possibility that it could snag while pulling it, and because of the handle design, that could cause it to be pulled from the user's grasp. He said that was okay with him, since he didn't want the Harpy used as a weapon, anyway.
Jim

I'm not following the logic here. If the knife is designed for pull cuts through rope and such, how will it handle that without coming out of your hand yet cutting through flesh if going to catch more and make you lose your grip? I can see maybe he didn't intend the hawkbills as weapons but I think they would do quite well for one. Look how many dedicated weapons use that blade shape.
 
I think what Sal meant is that he designed the Harpy for slow, deliberate pulling cuts. Whereas in a fight, your movements would most likely be anything but slow and deliberate. But maybe Sal himself will chime in here, as I'm only paraphrasing from what I remember reading some time ago.

Not saying I feel one way or another personally, although I do feel that a hawkbill, including the Harpy and Tasman Salt, would make fearsome weapons if it ever became necessary. Even a butterknife could be dangerous, and those are anything but "tactically-designed."

BTW, if I ever did buy a Matriarch, I would go SE.
Jim
 
I'm with j-curd... Liners please!
 
I'm with j-curd... Liners please!

Liners please!

There's 0 chance of this happening, though, because it's using the linerless Endura 3 FRN mold.

But at least we get screw construction (or at least it looks like it from the pictures.)
 
I'd definitely go with the Serrated Edge.

The knife's only purpose is self defense and why would you want to give your enemy a clean cut he can easily clean up? Serrations cause far more serious wounds and will make it near impossible to cleanly stitch.

Okay I would never [at least hope] to use such a knife and cause such damage, but if it is the sole intent, SD, then I'd still go serrated.
 
i was able to get one of these finally. beautiful knife, but they messed up big time by not giving this knife any jimping on the back of the blade for your thumb. it really feels awful in my hand because of how smooth the back is. for a knife made for self defense, i cant imagine why they would leave it out and compromise your grip.
 
In a "tactical" situation I think a "linerless Matriarch" will do just fine unless I have to fight a 500 pound Gorilla. I just love it.
 
I can never understand why anyone would go with a matriarch when you can either man up and buy a civilian or go the cheap but effective route with a byrd crossbill. I have both and the G10 crossbill is the only way to go. How long is the new matriarch? The crossbill and civilian are damn near the same lenght, I have a picture on this website some place when i reviewed the crossbill.
 
I can never understand why anyone would go with a matriarch when you can either man up and buy a civilian or go the cheap but effective route with a byrd crossbill. I have both and the G10 crossbill is the only way to go. How long is the new matriarch? The crossbill and civilian are damn near the same lenght, I have a picture on this website some place when i reviewed the crossbill.

I got boath the Matriarch and the Crossbill (Byo7gs) and the blade is about one centimeter longer on the Matriarch...In my view there are many ways to go.
Matriarch - Crossbill - Civilian...etc
 
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I'd get plain-edge, but then again I'd also choose a Superhawk over the Matriarch any day.
 
I can never understand why anyone would go with a matriarch when you can either man up and buy a civilian or go the cheap but effective route with a byrd crossbill. I have both and the G10 crossbill is the only way to go. How long is the new matriarch? The crossbill and civilian are damn near the same lenght, I have a picture on this website some place when i reviewed the crossbill.

the hawkbill blade on the crossbill is very different than the S-shaped curve on the civilian and matriarch. they may look similar at first glance, but the difference in blade shape is huge if you ask me.
 
There's a video with Michael Janich taking about the Tasman for SD. Ive used mine for some tough cutting, coax for example, and it has never slipped out of my hand. But the Harpy has SS handles so I can see where it could be prone to slipping out of the users hand if it were to get stuck in a fast pull cut.
 
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I ended up getting 1 of each (SE/PE). I think the knife will be absolultely fine with no liners. They really aren't needed as you cannot buy a replacment blade anyways (after using that knife for SD, I doubt the blade tip would be intact anyway). Also, being that this is a sprint and nothing has really been said about other colors, this could very well just be a one shot deal. I missed the other Matriarch run, not this one though... :D
 
I've read a post from sal saying liners and liner-less is only about 30lbs per-inch of the blade difference in lock strength.100 lbs-and 130lbs.IMO Side to side not much difference, thin steel flexes with the frn.The new mariarch is screw together construction and with a larger screw pivot then a pin would be.With the knife being used in it's purpose, and it's thin tip it would hold up just fine.IMO......thx.:thumbup:
 
I seem to also remember you saying you would not trust a Spyderco Street Beat, because of the choil. You must be incredibly strong. That, or you have zero experience with the designs you are talking about. One of the two.

If this is true, it is most likely his assumption of the designs.

I own both the Street Beat and the Matriarch and I can attest to the solidness of both designs.

You'd have to be a 500 pound silverback gorilla to even possibly break the choil on the Street Beat.

As for the concern about the Matriarch with out liners. Have you ever felt the Endura 3 wasn't up to pretty much any cutting task short of prying or battoning?.
 
Arrived today, neat looking, but yeah, kind of a thin blade. Only practicle use I see for it is cleaning fish :) That tip will be the bomb for gutting a trout.
 
I should get mine this week. Mainly curious to see what the new version is like, already have one of the originals in black.
 
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