Sal, How about a CF Calypso Jr - VG-10

Originally posted by dialex
CF or G-10, that's fine with me. But please, make it linerless!
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If it is CF it will be thin even with the liner like the Delica is. I am not sure any thinner is desirable..
 
Also, from what I hear, unlined G10 does not hold screws well. Not sure about CF in this regard although I suspect this might be the case with it as well. My only CF Spydie is a Dragonfly, and that has a single liner on the clip side, the CF is so thin it would be difficult to mount a clip on it securely without the liner.
 
VG-10, plain edge, gray, FRN Calypso jr out next month. Just a limited run (unless there is a great demand).

sal
 
Finally! That's great news, Sal. I guess the demand will be great.

Shiden-Kaj
 
Not yet, I just have the handle. Medium gray. Beadblasted clip to match the gray. black bug.

CF is not likely in the near future, nor is G-10. The Calypso jr is one of those designs that is a bit "mature" in design for most newer knife aficianados. The market is small. If the gray version meets with success, We'll take a closer look at the design.

Exotic materials cost more in general and most of our exotic material is custom made for us (eg; more layers of glass inour G-10 to compensate for the nested liners), so it is even more expensive. These costs create an expensive piece for a small market. Tough to do without a loss.

The "Kopa" is along the same design concept as the Calypso jr, but smaller That's all I can say at this time.

Marketing 301: "Let's watch the test market reaction to the FRN, VG-10 version", which is a lot of mature design, sophisticated strong material and quality for the buck.

sal
 
Originally posted by Sal Glesser
If the gray version meets with success, We'll take a closer look at the design.

sal
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Is there really a doubt ?
I'm planning on buying two, wondering who I can get more for as presents, and plan on brow beatting others who can afford their own :D

As for a Calypso Jnr with a different handle, well the up coming Para-Military looks pretty close to me ;)
 
My feeling is that this knife would do better upscale. Charge what it takes to make a profit. The design is a classic. Let it sell slower at a higher profit. Just use the original design, micarta handles, with VG-10 blade instead of the Aus-8.

I will get a grey one but I already have the black FRN and the original Micarta. But I don't think it is fair test of the demand.
 
Hi Roger. Interesting point. What about even further upscale?

bolsters? Bosters with Carbon Fiber slabs? Jigged bone or stag?

G-10?

The Kopa is upscale.

sal
 
Originally posted by Sal Glesser
Hi Roger. Interesting point. What about even further upscale?

bolsters? Bosters with Carbon Fiber slabs? Jigged bone or stag?

G-10?

The Kopa is upscale.

sal
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Hi Sal - my .02 on the matter. I am one of those Spyderco devotees that has moved onto custom knives because I can't always get what I want in your designs. You have been pushing the "eye" thing lately.

I happen to be one of those that has plenty of knives, all of which can do more than what I ask of them - so the "eye" test is pretty important to me, along with unique folder lock design.

So anything that improves the "eye candy" or "pocket jewel" aspect of the basic design is going to get you into the eye of a different type of knife buyer. William Henry has certain focused on this market, and they have the backlog to prove their success.

Bolsters, nice blade finishes and nice handle materials is their formula ( supported by outstanding manufacturing quality ).

So, a Calypso with satin or blast-finish bolsters will excite the "tactical" crowd. Variant handle materials could be G-10 (Spyderco's carbon fiber finish leaves a lot to be desired if I may be so blunt) which Spyderco does as well as anyone, and then a natural material, like wood or jig bone. As a matter of fact, the dyed bone used on the Anniversay Delica is one of the nicest handle materials I have ever had my hands on.

I don't always like the newer Benchmade designs like the Inova, but I have to hand it to them, they are really trying to find transitional designs that crossover the traditional/art and tactical knifeknut camps. It makes a true knifeknut (like me) try blade/handle designs that never would have been tried in the first place.

Although I haven't seen the Kopa, I am really looking forward to seeing it make the market. Best regards.
 
Sal - I agree with Roger that it might be a better idea to go more upscale. For me form (aesthetics) follows function always applies. I prefer G-10 to FRN under any circumstance that I can think of, but I am not sure that is the "upscale" idea I have in mind for the Calypso Jr.

I would love to see a textured "graphite" type CF handle on the Calypso Jr. Although the CF handled Spydies I have are beautiful, I agree with Architect that the execution could be better - for two reasons - 1) I like textured CF much better, and 2) I am somewhat afraid to carry my CF Spydies because I am afraid they will not wear well - in other words the surface will become scratched.

Some type of natural material would be great too. I am not sure about bosters. I generally prefer no bolsters and when I do like them the bolster is subordinate to, (or balanced with), the rest of the scale material.

Chuck
 
Well, I can guarantee that I'm buying at least four right off the bat. One to carry, so I can retire my old PE FRN version, one for a back-up in case I lose the first one, and the other two for either the collection or to give as gifts.

I have loved this knife since the day I bought it. It went missing for about two years and I was heartbroken when I found it was discontinued and I couldn't buy a replacement,(and I was elated when it turned up again). I will make sure that I'll always have one to clip to my waistband "until the sun shines no more".

Mark
 
Originally posted by Sal Glesser
Hi Roger. Interesting point. What about even further upscale?

bolsters? Bosters with Carbon Fiber slabs? Jigged bone or stag?

G-10?

The Kopa is upscale.

sal
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Further upscale sounds great to me Sal. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy that the grey FRN one is coming out and will definitely buy a couple of them. From a practical standpoint, considering the size of the Calypso and the uses I'd ever put one to, anything stronger than FRN is really just overkill. On the other hand, many of my purchase decisions are based to a large extent on eye appeal, simply because my knives do not get hard use. For this reason, materials like G10 and CF hold less appeal than bolsters and natural material scales.

Where I look for practiality is in the blade, and there, for my uses, the Calypso shines. The relatively thin, flat ground blade makes it work extremely well for food prepartion, pencil sharpening, and as a letter opener. Enlarging the hole slightly, and grooving the thumb ramp, both of which I would think would be relatively low cost design changes to make, would bring that already great blade to a state of perfection.

When it comes to the handle, I enjoy being able to indulge myself with things like jigged bone, exoctic hardwoods, stag, ivory, and stone. Combine these with brass, nickel silver, or stainless bolsters in a polished, bead blast or hammered finish, or polished damascus, and I'd buy at least one of each. Part of the reason I love them is that these materials seem to have a calming effect on even the most "knife-shy" people where I work.

You call the Calypso a "mature" design, I think it has the potential to be a future classic. An upscale version would just make it more appealing to the section of the knife market that appreciates such things.
 
My dream knife, Calypso Jr. with bolsters and ivory micarta handles. Polished clip with AUS-8 or VG-10 steels. I am excited to hear of the Kopa, sounds great and keep looking at the Persion and will probably grab one of those. I also think the Calypso Jr. would be an awesome design to adapt to a Neck Knife (hole and all). I tried to have a custom maker do me a small batch of 3 but had no takers at that time. I would have had the black micarta on the handle scales to appear exactly like the original Calypso Jr. when opened...Ed.
 
Ivory micarta would work for me too Ed, I also saw some micarta on fixed blade years ago that I'd describe as buckskin that I think would really look super.
 
My dream edc- a micarta Calypso Jr just like the old ones, only with a VG-10 or S30V blade
 
Hi,
I agree with the thought of the Calypso being a refined design. It's a very understated knife, and the FRN or micarta handle lends to it being that way. Most people pass over it when they see the Calypso, but once they cut with it they look at it in a new light of someone who has just used a very well thought out knife the cuts better than most knives they had ever used.

The idea of a upscale verion would be great. Damascus bolsters with somekind of wood/stag/bone (CF is ok but I'd rather something special)scales would be great. I had already been thinking about taking one of mine apart and making nice scales and bolsters for it. Once I get some confidence making knives I'll do it. I've also put some opals in the thong holes of one as for a gift.

I'm looking forwad to the gray handle and will probaly get two. This is the only knife I have more than one of becoue it is such a nice knife. A upscale verion would be only fitting for such a nice knife. I understand that it was discontinued becouse of it's low price and demand. But a upscale piece will meet the lower demand that the more mature knife crowd is and make the knife more cost effective.

Sal, What is the history of the Calypso and who designed it? I'd like to shake their hand.

Thanks fo listening,
Brian
 
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