Pass Around Salsa Idea

'Tis a great thing you're doing here, Dave. At first, it seemed to be susceptible to problems, dishonesty, etc. However, I think now that the true colors of the forum will shine through.

Thanks for your trust in us.

Would you mind if I copycat your idea?

Dan
 
pendentive,

Feel free. I'd like to see a few more people pick it up. I have mostly spydies, I wouldn't mind trying a benchmade, for example.

If the concept takes off maybe we could get our
own forum! :cool:
 
Originally posted by DaveH
If the concept takes off maybe we could get our
own forum! :cool:
Click to expand...

Dave,

That would be excellent!

I'm going to start a new thread concerning an Opinel. It is similar, yet different...:rolleyes:

:D:D

Dan
 
Hey all -

Just received the knife from Mitch in Seattle. Literally, I just opened it up. I had a good first impression, I like the look and feel. My son was here too, and he loved it. He said "it's supposed to look like a chili pepper, huh?" smart kid..

Im finding it a bit clumsy, and then noticed it's configured for left hand carry, and then realized Mitch did that. Gonna switch it back. I do like it tho. Nice and sharp too. More soon.
 
A few hours later -

Am loving and hating this knife at the same time. I wouldn't buy one, but am having fun with it.

The compression lock is clumsier than hell for me..Im thinking because Im trying to "right hand" use it and it's clip configured for a lefty. I am not brave enough to change it.

It shakes down ok, which makes one handed closing possible, but doing it time after time for several minutes made my thumb sore.

I love the weight and the scales, tho. I wondered how scratched up it would get over time. I don't think the scales are gonna wear well. There are already two tiny dots on one side. Looks like it got mashed up against something?

The "Salsa" symbol on the side is a bit cheesy for me.

Do you want pictures?
 
I see now that the two little dots are lined up both with where the lock "ends" inside, and where the clip would rest if it were configured right handed. Either way, it's scratched much to easily already for me.
 
I wondered how well the Green coating would do as it got passed around. Of course since I was the first one i never got to see it scratched.

Danielle are you sure that the green coating has scratched off or is there a possibility that the silver is metal rubbed off of the clip and sticking to the green coating. if you could go over it carefully with a wet green scotchbrite pad or scrape it with your fingernail you might find that the silver is actually rubbed off of the clip and comes right off of the green coating.

I carried it every day that I had it in place of my Dalton Scalper(which was my EDC at the time) sometimes I carried it with change and keys and it never had any scratches on it. Also as a right hander it was super simple to close one handed as all I did was squeeze the compression lock and let the blade fall closed. I can see how your thumb might get sore though if you were doing it left handed.

Brandon
 
Yea, it's definately scratched. I tried rubbing it by various methods.

I had my son handle it for a while his comments were:

Seems like the blade should be longer.

This chili pepper on the side is stupid.

Out of the mouths of babes. Well, teenagers.
 
I could have put the scratches there by flipping the pocket clip with my thumb. :rolleyes:

I'll suggest an experiment if you're willing, take an old screwdriver, or similar, one dull and one sharp. Rub a side a little and see just how the coating holds up.
 
I get a kick out of Dave. He's like "hey do this to see if you can mar, maime, ar mutilate my pretty little knife."
 
The operative words where "a little". :p

I think it's a good test really, not as abuse, but to get a feel for how it scratches.
 
Just got to work...brought it with me to put it through the rigors of an administrative professionals world. Dunno about deliberately marring, maiming or scratching it. Maybe. It goes against everything I believe in, man!
 
Looking at sending the Salsa to the next person probably tomorrow. Not sure who it is, I think it's Kansas...so whoever that is.

I've had a fun time playing with it this week, but have decided all in all that I wouldn't purchase this knife. Seemed to have the only thing going for it was it's sharpness, and I can get that with nearly any Spydie. And at a retail price of $90, I know I wouldn't own it.

The lock is secure, but it hurts my thumb after a time. The coating is sub-standard. The salsa logo is dumb, and makes it look really chintzy. The clip is w-a-y too tight. It's a two handed operation just to get it on my pants.

It cut like a dream of course, but that's to be expected from Spyderco.

I'm glad I got to be part of the pass around, DaveH. Thanks so much for giving us this opportunity.
 
You're welcome Danelle, sorry that you didn't
like it. I think real world price is approximately $50.
 
It's not so much that I didnt <i> like</i> it. I just wouldnt pay a lot for it. The experience of getting to use and fondle a knife I've never had for a week is wonderful. I think the mfr's should institue a program like this, so they can get real feedback.

Thanks Dave.
 
I've got the Salsa now -- Thanks Danelle!

Here's the first entry from the Salsa Journal, others to be added as I get the use the knife a little more.

5/2/02
Salsa arrived today - Friday the 2nd. It's a fat little booger. I was really surprised at its width. The stubby little blade is going to take some getting used to. Interestingly, when the people at work who saw it commented on what a big knife it was, lending credence to the theory that blade width plays a large role in perceived size. The thing is shorter than my SAK, for God's sake!

The closing detente is very stiff. At first I thought there was something wrong when I tried to close the blade. I pushed -- and held -- the compression bar out of the way and the blade swings freely & smoothly.

There's a slight burr on the left side of the blade and the grind lines thin out toward the tip, so I suspect someone has already sharpened it (good news for me! If I screw it up, I can just blame someone else ;)). I'll give it a good smoothing out onee I've had a chance to play with it for a while. I've got a bunch of moving boxes to cut down this weekend. We'll see how it does.

Later: Hmm, the handle feels very odd when you grip the knife. I like the width (though it takes up a lot more room in my pocket than the Lum Chinese or small Sebenza I usually carry -- I can't even get my keys past it!), but the blade angle and finger grooves conspire to cock your wrist slightly upward. Makes it difficult to put downward pressure parallel to the ground.
 
To follow: report on the Cobra Hood, compression lock, blade in use, ergonomics, etc.

Chad
 
There was a little knick I tried to smooth out before I sent it. It might have been me on the sharpening, I suck at it. :(
 
Okay, here goes Report #2 on the Salsa. I've been traveling the last couple of days, so the Salsa stayed home. No sense screwing up the pass-along project by having the Salsa confiscated by airport security :rolleyes:.

I should be able to give the Salsa a good workout this weekend. We're ripping up the nasty carpet in our kitchen and putting down tile. We'll see how the AUS8 holds up to linoleum cutting (I'll also try my Sebenza just for yucks).

More ergonomic observations:
The Cobra Hood is kind of cool, but really detracts from the usually sleek Spyderco lines. It works pretty well, though. I suspect that it would work just as well at half its current width. I've never really had a problem getting the standard Spyderhole to work, so the ridge around the outside is just gravy. It wouldn't take much to get the same effect as the wide hood. And, frankly Cobra Hood is kind of overwrought for my taste. How 'bout Prepuce(tm) instead?

The Salsa sticks quite far out of the pocket when its clipped in -- looks like a little over an inch above the pocket seam of jeans. Very conspicuous, especially in dress slacks. The Salsa is nowhere near as discreet as the Lum Chinese or small Sebenza that are my usual EDCs.

I dressed the blade with the fine stones of the Sharpmaker the other day. The AUS8 steel takes a very nice edge very quickly. It took about 40 strokes per side on the corners and another 20 per side on the flats to get rid of the burr/ding on the belly of the blade and put a nicely sharp, grabby edge on it. This is just about perfect for a knife that'll be used for a wide variety of every day cutting chores along with a limited amount of heavy duty cutting.

I'm still having a hard time getting used to the width of this sucker. With the Salsa clipped to my right jeans pocket I can't even get my keys past it and into my pocket -- it's just too wide.

Compression Lock: I like it. I haven't had any problems opening or closing the knife one-handing or experienced any pinching or soreness as others have reporter. It does look a tad flimsy, though. I know it works. I know it's strong. But the little tang (prong? piece?) of metal extending from the compression insert (the lock bar thingie) just looks too small. I know it's extremely unlikely that piece of metal will ever fail, and the Salsa's done great in the spine-whack test, but I'd make it bigger (taller) for the visual effect alone. Dunno, maybe it's just resistance to a new idea.

That's all for now. I'll let y'all know how this weekend's flooring project goes. That'll be the hard-use test. Then I'll clean it up and pass it along to the next person.

Chad
 
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