Parata arrived! First impressions...

T

tulsamal

Joined
May 14, 1999
Messages
509
The mail lady brought my new red box today from GP Knives. I've been waiting on this one since Eric showed it in Jan/Feb. I know some people seem to think it is "weird" or at least "very different" but personally I like knives that are different. How many drop points or flat ground leaf shapes can you get excited about...? On the other hand, I don't really like "funky looking knives" that seem to be all about looks and no real utility. I want a knife I can carry and use but which is different that what most people are carrying.

I opened the Spyderco box, took the knife out of the plastic, opened it up, lubed the pivot point and wiped a bit of Rem oil on the blade. Then I opened and closed it 20-30 times. The very first impression I had of it was that it was lighter than I expected considering the blade length and OAL. And I suppose I was expecting that deep blade to really add weight. But there are no liners and the G-10 is slim... the knife is quite light. So light I had to pull out my scale. I'm a big Manix guy and I have a lot of them... I used to mostly carry the Lightweight until I got the Red Manix... which I love... but it has some weight to it. And the knife I own that seems the most "like" the Parata is the Kizer Sheepdog with titanium and S35VN steel. So those are the knives to which I compared the Parata.

The beast of the four... no surprise... was the Kizer Sheepdog. I love that cleaver blade and the solid way it flips open and locks... but it is heavy.

Kizer Sheepdog 6.1 ounces.
Red Manix 4.2 ounces.
Ltw Manix 2.9 ounces.
Parata 2.9 ounces.

Told you it felt light!

The action of the Parata is ... different. Curved blade, curved G-10. The blade pivot point is higher above my hand than normal and also curves inward. So the leverage is nowhere near as good as something like the Manix. Opening it with the hole is no problem although it does take more effort to fully open and lock. I was able to middle finger Spydie flick it a few times... but this just isn't that kind of knife. Open it with the hole. If you can work out how to hold the lock up with your thumb and middle finger while pushing above the lock with your index finger, you can release the lock enough to swing the blade up and closed. But the lock has a lot of tension on it and I just don't think most people are going to get a reliable open that way. This knife wants you to use the hole.

Now closing with one hand is possible. I was watching TV and opening and closing over and over. I was holding it upright, blade tip straight up. Pulling the lock upward with my thumb and middle finger while pushing above that with my index finger. Blade disengages and falls closed, fingers well out of the way. It works... but honestly I bet in daily use I close it with two hands. Otherwise you have to take the time to get your one hand fingers "just so" in order to make it all work. We'll see, maybe it will become automatic.

I was concerned that I was getting some back and forth movement on the clip. I tightened both sides and it had no effect. I compared it to the Lightweight Manix which has the same style clip and I think I understand what is happening now. The Ltw Manix has a smooth area where the clip bends down to touch the scales. You can push the clip left and right but it is just a normal bending metal feeling. But on the Parata, the G-10 scales are all textured there. The same normal bending clip motion makes a tick-tick-tick feeling as it moves. Which makes it feel like the clip is loose. But it's not. I'll have to get used to it. I could bend it just a bit so that it isn't so tight down on the G-10. I'll wait a bit and see how it goes.

Blade length. This is interesting. That curved blade doesn't look all that long. If we are talking actual sharp edges, the Kizer Sheepdog has more sharp edge than the Manix. But if you put sharp edge to sharp edge and rotate the knives around... the Parata has a significantly longer sharp edge than the Sheepdog!

Feel in the hand... very good. Normal full four fingered grip feels solid. And then you can choke up and put your index finger in that big choil, and it feels totally solid and usable like that. The very very point of the finger choil isn't sharpened. I just pushed my finger against it hard and it didn't draw blood.

This observation is also big... I think it is super pocket friendly. Kind of like a larger version of my beloved G-10 Harpy. Thin G-10 that curves to the outside of the pocket. I love all my different versions of the Manix but they are tall knives and take up a lot of pocket room. You clip a Manix to your pocket and then use that pocket for you keys, your hand has to push a lot on the side of the Manix. But not the Parata. It feels like a much smaller knife when you are fishing in that pocket for something else. Combined with the light weight... this is an EDC knife for sure.

I took some photos... I'll send this up and then add them in the next post.
 
OK, here is the right side of the knife. You can really see that swedge at the top. Very nice. Like that look a lot.

hEAcUEj.jpg


Here is the left side.

CysENKZ.jpg


This gives you a close look at the stop lock.

Y0xb3Ar.jpg


This one lets you see where the clip is resting on the textured G-10 so you can understand what I meant about "tick-tick-tick" when you push it sideways.

Rlw35u5.jpg


Here is a size comparison with the Red Manix.

4NFXmUR.jpg
 
Thank you. I was hoping somebody would find it useful and interesting.

The "lightness" and carry-ability was reinforced for me by the end of the day. When I'm wearing cargo shorts or "real pants," I always carry two knives. One right, one left. Usually a Manix in the right and my G-10 Harpy in the left. That's the way I "leave the house." But when I'm walking around the house and doing DIY around here, I normally just wear athletic shorts. Shorts with an elastic band at the top and pockets. Very lightweight, no belt. I have carried various light knives with the pocket clip in those over the years but it never seems to work out. A year or two ago I discovered those little Gerber EAB pocket knives. Replaceable utility blade knife that is small and light and can be opened with one hand. That's what I usually clip onto my athletic shorts.

But yesterday I put the Parata in the right pocket. Not really intending to use it but wanting to be able to open and close it all day. That should never work, that blade is over 3 inches long. But I wore it all day and it never bothered me. I have it clipped to my pocket right now. Slim and light. It gets five stars for pocket carry. Now I just have to figure out what the blade shape is actually good for!

Oh, wanted to say one thing I forgot to mention before. That blade shape is complex. Very complex. You run your fingers over the surface and you can feel all the changes. And then the edge has that long continuous curve. I have no insider knowledge but surely that complex blade grind is what delayed production so long. It's almost organic in shape. Some guy in his basement with a grinder and belt sander isn't making this one. I have multiple different tools and "systems" to sharpen blades but even I'm a little intimidated considering how to evenly sharpen that long curve. I do like VG-10 a lot though and it has always taken a super edge for me.
 
Thanks for the review! I’ve been waiting to see more about this knife. I think I remember the designer commenting on the blade shape’s utility, and how it excels cutting materials on a flat surface..? I don’t pretend to know much about this, as I mostly open mail and boxes with my knives, but leather work comes to mind.

Love the look, and the perceived good ergonomics, but will wait to see some video of the action.
 
I can see it cutting materials on a flat hard surface. Pulling it toward you and slowly rotating it around the curved sharp edge. It doesn't have much of a point for generic knife tasks. I'm so used to the sharp point on a Manix, I fumbled around yesterday cutting open an Amazon box with the Parata.

I started out collecting Spydercos many years ago. Back in the 90's. And two of the first ones I bought were the Khalsa and the Shabaria. The Khalsa even looks a bit like the Parata... at least the prominent finger choil. I only carried the Khalsa a few times. It was thick and even I thought it ultimately was a bit of an oddity. And it was very, very tall in the pocket. The Parata has it beaten big time in that area. I did love the Shabaria and carried it for a long time. The hourglass shaped handle looked odd but it worked. And the blade was a great draw cutter. It got discontinued and suddenly people were selling them for big money... so I put it away. I should buy one of the new ones just for nostalgia. (Anyway, I just brought all that up because I can see how I'm a sucker for the "different" type designs.)
 
This will be another one of those designs that it is worth a lot of money down the road. It does not appeal to everyone and it will not last long as a stock item.

I like the design and want one. But, I have always preferred the "out of the mainstream" designs. But, I will not pay the current price of ownership. For me, it is way overpriced.
 
Daniel said:
This will be another one of those designs that it is worth a lot of money down the road. It does not appeal to everyone and it will not last long as a stock item.
Click to expand...

Doubt it. The very similar and more conventional Ouroboros has been out for a long time and can still be found anywhere/everywhere, including Spyderco's site and that doesn't happen w/Spydercos that are really popular.


Daniel said:
I like the design and want one. But, I have always preferred the "out of the mainstream" designs. But, I will not pay the current price of ownership. For me, it is way overpriced.
Click to expand...

I like "out of the mainstream" designs too but I just don't like this one. I think it would make a GREAT game skinner but I don't need to skin any game and don't see any practical use for the blade design otherwise.

The price would not bother me if I wanted it but I don't. FWIW, the MSRP/MAP price of the Parata ($275/$179) is actually lower than the Ouroboros ($290/$189) but that is not due to any price appreciation on the part of the Ourobours; probably just a cheaper cost of production for the Parata.

BTW, as an example, I have a Tighe Stick which is a really "out of the mainstream" design but I bought it strictly as a "collector" item and for a very low price compared to what some people are asking for it. Don't think the Parata will ever come close to any Tighe knife design in terms of collectibliity but I'll still have no regrets in not buying a Parata if I later learn that I was wrong.
 
Last edited:
To the OP, can you tell if it has bronze washers, or the Teflon ones? I have no direct experience with Teflon, but I know I like my bronze washer-pivot knives quite a lot..I love my Sliverax as well, on bearings...I suppose I heard enough from a reviewer or two on the Ouroboros and it’s teflon washers, that I was hoping Spyderco would’ve gone w/another option on the Parata. Especially with that blade steel, at that price.
 
I don’t remember the Ouroboros being that successful, but I am not privy to the numbers. That is a great example of a knife that I personally loved the design, but the price was way too high for what you get in my personal opinion.

Again, I stated “for me” it is too high of a price. I don’t see the value. Each knife buyer has to decide this for themselves.

I really like the Parata. I might get one after they are discontinued!
 
Picked mine up today and am (so far) very impressed. Even with having it in hand, it doesn't seem possible that a blade that broad fits into the handle. Looking at it closed it seems almost slim and then that big, sweeping blade comes out. Very cool knife that only Spyderco would do.
 
Tell me about the lock. Does it have a bias to close like a back lock or cbbl?


tulsamal said:
The mail lady brought my new red box today from GP Knives. I've been waiting on this one since Eric showed it in Jan/Feb. I know some people seem to think it is "weird" or at least "very different" but personally I like knives that are different. How many drop points or flat ground leaf shapes can you get excited about...? On the other hand, I don't really like "funky looking knives" that seem to be all about looks and no real utility. I want a knife I can carry and use but which is different that what most people are carrying.

I opened the Spyderco box, took the knife out of the plastic, opened it up, lubed the pivot point and wiped a bit of Rem oil on the blade. Then I opened and closed it 20-30 times. The very first impression I had of it was that it was lighter than I expected considering the blade length and OAL. And I suppose I was expecting that deep blade to really add weight. But there are no liners and the G-10 is slim... the knife is quite light. So light I had to pull out my scale. I'm a big Manix guy and I have a lot of them... I used to mostly carry the Lightweight until I got the Red Manix... which I love... but it has some weight to it. And the knife I own that seems the most "like" the Parata is the Kizer Sheepdog with titanium and S35VN steel. So those are the knives to which I compared the Parata.

The beast of the four... no surprise... was the Kizer Sheepdog. I love that cleaver blade and the solid way it flips open and locks... but it is heavy.

Kizer Sheepdog 6.1 ounces.
Red Manix 4.2 ounces.
Ltw Manix 2.9 ounces.
Parata 2.9 ounces.

Told you it felt light!

The action of the Parata is ... different. Curved blade, curved G-10. The blade pivot point is higher above my hand than normal and also curves inward. So the leverage is nowhere near as good as something like the Manix. Opening it with the hole is no problem although it does take more effort to fully open and lock. I was able to middle finger Spydie flick it a few times... but this just isn't that kind of knife. Open it with the hole. If you can work out how to hold the lock up with your thumb and middle finger while pushing above the lock with your index finger, you can release the lock enough to swing the blade up and closed. But the lock has a lot of tension on it and I just don't think most people are going to get a reliable open that way. This knife wants you to use the hole.

Now closing with one hand is possible. I was watching TV and opening and closing over and over. I was holding it upright, blade tip straight up. Pulling the lock upward with my thumb and middle finger while pushing above that with my index finger. Blade disengages and falls closed, fingers well out of the way. It works... but honestly I bet in daily use I close it with two hands. Otherwise you have to take the time to get your one hand fingers "just so" in order to make it all work. We'll see, maybe it will become automatic.

I was concerned that I was getting some back and forth movement on the clip. I tightened both sides and it had no effect. I compared it to the Lightweight Manix which has the same style clip and I think I understand what is happening now. The Ltw Manix has a smooth area where the clip bends down to touch the scales. You can push the clip left and right but it is just a normal bending metal feeling. But on the Parata, the G-10 scales are all textured there. The same normal bending clip motion makes a tick-tick-tick feeling as it moves. Which makes it feel like the clip is loose. But it's not. I'll have to get used to it. I could bend it just a bit so that it isn't so tight down on the G-10. I'll wait a bit and see how it goes.

Blade length. This is interesting. That curved blade doesn't look all that long. If we are talking actual sharp edges, the Kizer Sheepdog has more sharp edge than the Manix. But if you put sharp edge to sharp edge and rotate the knives around... the Parata has a significantly longer sharp edge than the Sheepdog!

Feel in the hand... very good. Normal full four fingered grip feels solid. And then you can choke up and put your index finger in that big choil, and it feels totally solid and usable like that. The very very point of the finger choil isn't sharpened. I just pushed my finger against it hard and it didn't draw blood.

This observation is also big... I think it is super pocket friendly. Kind of like a larger version of my beloved G-10 Harpy. Thin G-10 that curves to the outside of the pocket. I love all my different versions of the Manix but they are tall knives and take up a lot of pocket room. You clip a Manix to your pocket and then use that pocket for you keys, your hand has to push a lot on the side of the Manix. But not the Parata. It feels like a much smaller knife when you are fishing in that pocket for something else. Combined with the light weight... this is an EDC knife for sure.

I took some photos... I'll send this up and then add them in the next post.
Click to expand...
ll
 
Still wondering what kind of washers this thing is wearing. Has anyone checked theirs now that you’ve had em for a bit?
 
Here's an update with some info. I believe it is running on very small phosphor bronze. I have not disassembled it to confirm, but I see the glint of them in there. The lock is a brilliant innovation. It takes up VERY little space which is necessary on this design. I saw a video of it that compared it to a cross between a back lock and a compression lock. That seems like a good description to me. There is a similar recess in the tang to what you would see on a compression lock and the toggle is sprung to act like a back lock. You can kinda see what I'm talking about here...
0hDN0FK.jpg


I broke down a bunch of cardboard with it. It was the heavier, corrugated type since it came from a box that held a steel mattress frame. Not the perfect blade shape for this task, but it handled it better than I had anticipated. There was no movement in the lock or the blade whatsoever. It doesn't wiggle in any direction and feels solid as hell.
NsqvnUp.jpg

risGPfI.jpg

I3zTJaQ.jpg


Cleaned it up and hit it with the Sharpmaker. Came back screaming sharp. Some people will not be able to get over the VG-10. I've always liked VG-10. It sharpens beautifully and given that heavy duty cardboard cutting is about as "hard-use" as I subject most of my folding knives to, it seems just fine. Would I prefer S35VN at this price point? Yes. Do I really care? No.
zvsIfrm.jpg


With a little practice, the lock is easily opened and closed one handed. It is similar to how I operate my Buck Marksman. Granted, I have XL sized hands which may make this easier for me than for some, but the fidget factor is there. All in all, I'm impressed. I'm a sucker for new locks and mechanisms and this is such a quintessentially Spyderco knife.
 
Last edited:
Before I say this and people picture some type of crazy person who ends up being the subject of a police call... I live on a long dirt and gravel road with very widely spaced out rural properties. Five neighbors on this .7 mile dead end. When I got my Parata, it was pretty stiff to open and close with one hand. So one day I took it on my road walk. I walked and listened to my audio book on my earbuds, and opened and closed the Parata continuously with my right hand. Blade opening downwards. By the time I got home, the muscle memory was locked in. No problem at all to open with the thumb hole. Then my middle finger and thumb lift the lock, my pointy finger pushes up most of the way, my thumb gives it the final nudge home. If you close it with the open blade facing up, the gravity helps you out. Then the pointy finger push closes it all the way.

The blade is free to move if you hold the lock open. So it is possible to just open the lock and wrist flick the blade open or closed. Like a lot of people do with the Manix. I’ve just never really liked doing it that way. Sometimes I get a blade bounce going one way or the other... you have to engage brain.. and I’m usually thinking about what I want to cut and where. I like a little more hands on control. But it does work just like the Manix.

I agree that the lock makes this knife possible. There isn’t much room in that slim neck of the knife for a lock. Another lock type would need that area enlarged and then it would lose some of the magic. BB is right, it almost seems impossible to compare the size of the knife closed with the size of that deployed blade. Closed it is such a narrow, compact, super lightweight design. Great pocket carry knife that leaves lots of room for your hand. But then this really big and unusual looking blade pops out. I still love mine!

Gregg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top