Review: Spyderco Superleaf

[philwar]

Made some more comparison photo's with other knives that waste space on a massive choil.

Even an SMF really has a short cutting edge.

Strider thicker still... and still cuts very well.

Spineshot Superleaf + Manix 2

 

[Sal Glesser]

Hi Phil,

I'm a little surprized that you would call finger choils "wasted" space. Finger choils are part of the design of a knife. Some people like them, some do not. When a designer builds a finger choil into the design of a knife, they are designing for those customers that like the finger choil offerings. For those that do not, the designer designs models with no finger choil and a high blade/handle aspect. (like the persistence). Because that's what those customers like. (Sports cars and pick-ups). When you say it's "wasted" space, perhaps you are injecting your personal preference?

sal

 

[philwar]

Hi Phil,

I'm a little surprized that you would call finger choils "wasted" space.
...
When you say it's "wasted" space, perhaps you are injecting your personal preference?

sal

Totally and without reservation. I never meant to imply anything else. I think I even said it somewhere, I never use the choil, I work strictly from the handle and never saw the need for a choil, except a tiny one to facilitate sharpening.
I wouldn't presume to speak for anyone else. I'll note however that there were quite a few posters chiming in with me.
Regardless, I dislike it on the Strider SMF even more. Massive blade, 'wasting' one and a quarter inch on what could otherwise be more cutting edge. But again, I admit, it's just a personal preference.

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

Totally and without reservation. I never meant to imply anything else. I think I even said it somewhere, I never use the choil, I work strictly from the handle and never saw the need for a choil, except a tiny one to facilitate sharpening.
I wouldn't presume to speak for anyone else. I'll note however that there were quite a few posters chiming in with me.
Regardless, I dislike it on the Strider SMF even more. Massive blade, 'wasting' one and a quarter inch on what could otherwise be more cutting edge. But again, I admit, it's just a personal preference.

I'm one who chimed in expressing my dislike for choils. I do consider them wasted space. If the handle is correctly shaped, then there is no need for a choil, and in fact it detracts from a user's ability to bring pressure to bear efficiently on the edge on a knife which is designed for hard use. If the knife is large, the choil reduces its usability, IMO. And a choil also makes it difficult to make some cuts such as with a reverse grip. The choil moves up into the material instead of the edge. Very irritating. I don't mind them so much on smaller knives; but larger knives meant to be used hard, they just get in the way.

Andy

 

[Harry Callahan]

Thanks to this thread, I just aquired a Superleaf. Thanks much for the great reviews and pics. I'm sure I'll be happy with the purchase.

 

[Sal Glesser]

For the record, as a knife designer of many years, I can create knives with or without finger choils and I like both for different applications.

For the purpose of discussion, I would like to play devil's advocate and offer another point of view; Two blades. Both with 3.0 inches of edge. Blade "A" is made from a steel with .5% carbon. Bladse "B" is mader from steel with 1.5% carbon. Testing has shown that blade "B" will get sharper and stay sharper at least twice as long as Blade "A". That means twice as much "cut" for the same edge length. Are we "wasting" our edge on .5% carbon steel?

sal

 

[philwar]

For the record, as a knife designer of many years, I can create knives with or without finger choils and I like both for different applications.

For the purpose of discussion, I would like to play devil's advocate and offer another point of view; Two blades. Both with 3.0 inches of edge. Blade "A" is made from a steel with .5% carbon. Bladse "B" is mader from steel with 1.5% carbon. Testing has shown that blade "B" will get sharper and stay sharper at least twice as long as Blade "A". That means twice as much "cut" for the same edge length. Are we "wasting" our edge on .5% carbon steel?

sal

I don't really feel qualified to enter into a debate with you on this, although I appreciate the time you're taking. As for your example, doesn't price (both of steel and of cost to manufacture) come into this? If it doesn't, I'd expect Spyderco to deliver the biggest bang for the buck. But I feel I am missing the relevance of this example. A choil is designed into the blade, or not. (I assume it would actually be cheaper to produce a blade without it, hence the Tenacious?) But steel is a factor in the price of the knife so that using the lower carbon steel would mean a less expensive knife, and you'd end up with the same amount of "cut" per dollar. And nothing would be wasted.
Or something like that.

 

[philwar]

Thanks to this thread, I just aquired a Superleaf. Thanks much for the great reviews and pics. I'm sure I'll be happy with the purchase.

I'm sure as well. :thumbup:

 

[Sal Glesser]

Hi Phil,

For one that doesn't feel qualified to debate, you do just fine. :thumbup: "Cut" per dollar is a good point. I guess I was referring to "Cut" per inch or per ounce. I was also thinking of the steel selection as part of the design.

you are correct in that finger choils are more expensive to produce, especially when adding jimping.

sal

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

Hi Phil,

For one that doesn't feel qualified to debate, you do just fine. :thumbup: "Cut" per dollar is a good point. I guess I was referring to "Cut" per inch or per ounce. I was also thinking of the steel selection as part of the design.

you are correct in that finger choils are more expensive to produce, especially when adding jimping.

sal

If I may add my two pennies....

Comparing two knives of similar size, such as the Superleaf and the Tenacious, I will consider two things, generally, one being materials, the other being overall design (meaning profile). I chose the Superleaf over the Tenacious because IMO the Superleaf offered superior materials in its construction. But if the Tenacious were offered in materials identical to the Superleaf, I would have chosen the Tenacious hands down because it offers more blade and cutting edge. The choil, IMO, adds length to the knife without adding to cutting edge.

If the handle is designed so as to allow the user's hand to be close to the blade, then IMO no choil is necessary.

Andy

 

[AF]

I just ordered a Superleaf and I'm looking forward to it. I bought it despite the choil which I don't like. I wish more Spyderco knives were designed without a choil.

 

[crom]

wow, look at the stop pin on the Superleaf!!! I love this knife, wish the edge was longer indeed. Also dig how the hole is mostly in the chunkier part of the blade, just more reassuring. thanks for the review and great pics.

 

[philwar]

wow, look at the stop pin on the Superleaf!!!

Yep, MASSIVE. I don't think I've seen one like it before. Once you feel the heft of the blade when it flicks open, you'll understand why.

I love this knife, wish the edge was longer indeed

That's right guys, tell Mr Glesser that some knives are better without a choil!

 

[Mountain Mike]

Made some more comparison photo's with other knives that waste space on a massive choil.

Even an SMF really has a short cutting edge.

Strider thicker still... and still cuts very well.

Spineshot Superleaf + Manix 2

Of the three knives shown only the Strider has a true choil, the spyderco's have finger cut-outs or grooves in the blade tang (as does the strider's blade tang). There is no cut-out between the sharpened bevel and tang on either spyderco, hence no choil. Sorry for being such a semanticist!

 

[shunsui]

You know, that laminated VG-10 steel they used on the mule team knife would be a natural on this one with some carbon fiber. They could handle that at Seki-City, couldn't they ?

 

[Mossyhorn]

Excellent review. The photos are awesome, the comparisons and attention to detail are enough to make me want to buy one.

 

[jhyde7585]

Great review, thanks for the great pics too. Yet another reason to grab one to match my superhawk.

 

[Vorpal Blade]

Congrats on the aquisition of your new Superleaf. Spyderco makes great quality knives.

the Superleaf sacrifices almost a half inch to the choil. As a consequence it has a much shorter cutting edge than the Tenacious, while they have exactly the same blade length

I have a Tenacious and several other Spydercos. But I would never consider the Superleaf because of its lengthly choil. For me a long choil is a dealbreaker. I keep my hand on the grips and want the edge to come as close to the handle as is practical.

 

[Deviltooth]

I'm definitely siding with the 'no choil' camp. I've never felt a need for one in a knife with a well designed handle. From an aesthetic viewpoint it's also less attractive. My Spyderco collection reflects this preference.

 

[ohmyheckinslc]

I don't mind the choil at all... What I mind is going through life without a having Tuff clipped to my pocket... Maybe I should snag a Superleaf to tide me over....
Great review dude!