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Spyderco Bushcraft Update
- Thread starter tazkristi
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PorcupineMtns66, bear in mind that the stated reason that Spyderco didn't put new handles on the blades is that the slabs are epoxied on and it proved very difficult to remove them.
I feel very fortunate that the 3-4 cracks on mine are surface level cracks that don't appear to go through to the tang.
I feel very fortunate that the 3-4 cracks on mine are surface level cracks that don't appear to go through to the tang.
LMT66
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They'll come off. Would be difficult for Spyderco to remove the slabs on hundreds, perhaps thousands of knives but easy for one guy with one knife.
I mainly bought it for the blank. Fully finished 01 scandi blank with a nice shape and a sheath for $90 shipped is a good deal. :thumbup:
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- Mar 5, 2007
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Yup your scales are about as bad as I've seen. If mine had come that cracked up I'd have new ones going on as well. Please post pics of it when you are finished with it. Good Luck.:thumbup:
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I think when they are cracked that bad - you paid 90 dollars for a blade. That is an expensive blank IMHO.
TF
TF
LMT66
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If you compare it to a recent Bushcraft run by a forum maker, it's about the same.
75+5 s/h blank- no sheath vs $90 shipped with sheath.....about the same and better overall shape IMO..
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- Feb 25, 2008
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- 519
Just got mine today, two cracks but not severe. The slabs have shrunk a bit and I can just barely feel the tang sticking past the slabs. I'm in florida, so i'm thinking the humidity might puff the handle slabs up again... If not, no biggie. I wont be "fixing" this until it gets worse, if it does so at all. Handle is EXTREMELY comfortable. I havent put it to hard use yet, but I certainly do not expect any hot spots whatsoever. Best handle on a production knife I have held... and better than many customs!
Alright, mine arrived a couple of hours ago and I just got a chance to open the box. I was pleased to see it didn't come in the baggie of linseed oil, so I didn't have to spend an hour cleaning it up. Honestly, I was a little nervous as my luck has been going south lately, so I was afraid that my handles would be practically falling off. I have one decent sized crack on one slab. It runs through the pin and is wider than I hoped, but not too bad. Worse than that though, the handles shrunk more than I thought they would have. I can feel the sharp edges of the tang, to the point that it's slicing into the top layer of my skin. I'll have to figure out how to sand it down before I put it to hard use.
I have to say that this is one pretty knife. I'm not a huge wood fan, and G10 is my preferred knife handle material because it's impervious to just about everything and grippy when wet or gorey, but these handles are gorgeous! Even my wife, who doesn't get knives, thinks it's beautiful and spent some time playing with it and admiring it. One of my daughters decided she wants to keep it.
The sheath is well made and very functional (although I'll eventually get a kydex dangler made for it). The grinds are perfect. It wipes hair away, and is the sharpest knife I've ever received from the factory. The handle is hands down the most comfortable I've ever owned. I was afraid it would be too big, from some of the descriptions and pictures I've seen, but I'm in love. I even like the pinky drop, which I thought I wouldn't.
The only thing I want different would be more pronounced thumb scallops on the side of the handle near the blade, similar to what Brian Andrews does, and I would have preferred jimping for my thumb. I guess I need to break out some sandpaper and a file!
Great job on this one, Sal!
I have to say that this is one pretty knife. I'm not a huge wood fan, and G10 is my preferred knife handle material because it's impervious to just about everything and grippy when wet or gorey, but these handles are gorgeous! Even my wife, who doesn't get knives, thinks it's beautiful and spent some time playing with it and admiring it. One of my daughters decided she wants to keep it.
The sheath is well made and very functional (although I'll eventually get a kydex dangler made for it). The grinds are perfect. It wipes hair away, and is the sharpest knife I've ever received from the factory. The handle is hands down the most comfortable I've ever owned. I was afraid it would be too big, from some of the descriptions and pictures I've seen, but I'm in love. I even like the pinky drop, which I thought I wouldn't.
The only thing I want different would be more pronounced thumb scallops on the side of the handle near the blade, similar to what Brian Andrews does, and I would have preferred jimping for my thumb. I guess I need to break out some sandpaper and a file!
Great job on this one, Sal!
It's a good thing these handles are cracked. This is so beautiful I don't want to use it. Fortunately I don't believe in safe queens, so this will be dirtied up soon enough.
Okay, I live in Northern California where it's more humid than Colorado. We're getting a ton of moisture lately and this morning there's heavy fog and temps in the 30's. The cracks have shrunk a bit and the handles seem to have expanded a bit too, but that could be my imagination. I've decided to wait a week or so before I glue up the handles.
Does anyone have an idea of how long it will take these handles to stabilize? If I move back to the intermountain West this year or next will I be getting cracked handles all over again? Is there anything I can be doing to prevent this?
Okay, I live in Northern California where it's more humid than Colorado. We're getting a ton of moisture lately and this morning there's heavy fog and temps in the 30's. The cracks have shrunk a bit and the handles seem to have expanded a bit too, but that could be my imagination. I've decided to wait a week or so before I glue up the handles.
Does anyone have an idea of how long it will take these handles to stabilize? If I move back to the intermountain West this year or next will I be getting cracked handles all over again? Is there anything I can be doing to prevent this?
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- Oct 14, 2000
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Mine arrived yesterday with some significant cracks. ( I took pic's but no time to host and post right now) I went to store and got super glue to give a try. I did one of the smaller ones and was thinking the entire time. If the cracks were caused by drying out, why not rehydrate a little? So I got a skillet out and filled with water. I heated to just shy of boiling and dropped the knife in. I left it for a few minutes, turning frequently and the cracks all but disappeared. Then I dried it and added linseed oil and put it in the oven for a few minutes at 250. I later wiped it down and let it dry then added a very small amount of the super glue to seal the small (almost not visable) cracks and it came out very nice. I'm very pleased. Mine had a lot of shrinkage around the tang and most of it is gone as well today. I'll coat it with linseed every once in a while and see how it goes. I think it'll be fine though. I started to sharpen it on water stones last evening and it is taking a lot to get it even. The scandi bevel wasn't too good nor was mine very sharp. The wood on mine is gorgeous though and all in all I'm very pleased. :thumbup:
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I'm suprised with that much heat you didn't cause the epoxy to loosen.
RE the Scandi Bevel: Mine was VERY sharp but the bevel has a slight CONVEX to it.
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- Nov 17, 1999
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I got my 2 and like others I felt that a little acclimitiazion might help the cracks. Left them in the house for a few days and one of the Cracks has all but dissappeared, the others have shrank so now on to the Super Glue for them.
Since one of these is already planned as a gift I may have to get one to Donate as a Raffle item for our local Competitive Shooting club.
These are a great value!! The leather sheath is a nice dark, thick leather. Almost like Bridle leather. I suspect that they will all be gone very shortly.
Since one of these is already planned as a gift I may have to get one to Donate as a Raffle item for our local Competitive Shooting club.
These are a great value!! The leather sheath is a nice dark, thick leather. Almost like Bridle leather. I suspect that they will all be gone very shortly.
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- Oct 14, 2000
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I did think about that but it didn't seem to bother it. Hope the scales don't fall off.
Actually I think it's fine. It really never got super hot. The water was tolerable to reach in and turn the knife over...very quickly. I took it to a near boil and turned the heat down slightly. It was not boiling at all and like I said, I turned it very frequently. 
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Before I went the super glue route I would :
1) Lightly steam the wood over the spout of a tea kettle for 3-5 minutes turning the handle frequently ( ....carefull not to scald your hand ! ). You want to allow the steam to penetrate the cracks but NOT saturate the wood until it's dripping wet.
2) Next allow the handle to sit in a warm spot for 2-3 days...like on top of the fridge .
3) Finally...briskly rub the handle down 3 times with a light coat of warm linseed oil using a piece of cheesecloth or other lint-free cloth allowing 24 hours between coats.....each time lightly "scuffing" the wood with a VERY fine steel wool before applying the oil. BE CERTAIN to wipe the handle off first with a "tack cloth" before you apply the oil so as to remove any steel wool particles from the wood. ( Warm your oil in a small glass jar on the stove in a pan filled with water and SLOWLY bring the temperature of the water to just below the boiling point......careful NOT to overheat the glass jar ! Remember you don't want to get the linseed so warm as to burn your skin. ).
4) 2-3 after the final coat of linseed apply a good carnuba/floor/wood wax to the handle. Allow it to dry...and then buff to a sheen.
5) Most if not all cracks will have vanished. At this point any cracks that remain should then be filled with a thin CA.
All but the most arid climates shouldn't have an issue with the cracks reappearing. Especially of you wipe the handle down with lemon oil from time-to-time.
- regards
1) Lightly steam the wood over the spout of a tea kettle for 3-5 minutes turning the handle frequently ( ....carefull not to scald your hand ! ). You want to allow the steam to penetrate the cracks but NOT saturate the wood until it's dripping wet.
2) Next allow the handle to sit in a warm spot for 2-3 days...like on top of the fridge .
3) Finally...briskly rub the handle down 3 times with a light coat of warm linseed oil using a piece of cheesecloth or other lint-free cloth allowing 24 hours between coats.....each time lightly "scuffing" the wood with a VERY fine steel wool before applying the oil. BE CERTAIN to wipe the handle off first with a "tack cloth" before you apply the oil so as to remove any steel wool particles from the wood. ( Warm your oil in a small glass jar on the stove in a pan filled with water and SLOWLY bring the temperature of the water to just below the boiling point......careful NOT to overheat the glass jar ! Remember you don't want to get the linseed so warm as to burn your skin. ).
4) 2-3 after the final coat of linseed apply a good carnuba/floor/wood wax to the handle. Allow it to dry...and then buff to a sheen.
5) Most if not all cracks will have vanished. At this point any cracks that remain should then be filled with a thin CA.
All but the most arid climates shouldn't have an issue with the cracks reappearing. Especially of you wipe the handle down with lemon oil from time-to-time.
- regards
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I'm in a dry area so I assume the cracks will stay. I filled mine with super glue and then sanded the handles while the glue was wet to get some of the dust in there. The cracks are fairly visible, but they also sort of blend in with the lines in the scales.
I'm sure the knife was 100% usable leaving the cracks, and the scales probably would have outlived me. I just didn't want to get any sweat or crud in there.
I'm sure the knife was 100% usable leaving the cracks, and the scales probably would have outlived me. I just didn't want to get any sweat or crud in there.
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- Dec 13, 2005
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I've got mine as well. Haven't decided how I want to fill the cracks. It's also had some shrinkage such that the tang is a bit raised, which is irritating, so I may try keeping it soaked in warm linseed oil for a good while. Has anyone tried warming up a two-part epoxy to fill the gaps with?
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I've been contemplating getting some thin-set 2 part epoxy for mine, as generally its more impact resistant than CA glues.
One trick that stock makers use to fix wood stocks is to heat the stock with a hair dryer or heat gun, applying the epoxy to the crack, then wrapping the stock in saran wrap. As the wood cools the epoxy is sucked in. Another way to get the glue/epoxy down into the crack is to use compressed air to gently force it down.
I am also trying to decide on whether to use CA or epoxy to finish the scales.
For now, my Bushcraft scales to "settle".
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