Spyderco Bushcrafter Initial Impressions / Review

[Outdoors Fanatic]

This one and the Temperance 2 are must have blades.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[LMT66]

Hi Talfuchre,

Thanx much for the great review.

Chris Claycomb get's the credit fothe design. I'll take the heat for the cracks.

Spalted maple was the most attractive wood I could find and the company that stabilizes the wood assured us that it was in fact stabilized.

We are notiicing that there have been complaints of some cracks in very dry climates, but it still should not happen. (where are you?) It seems to be isolated.

Sorry for the issues with the handles. I'm sure we'll take care of you.

sal

Any plans on a micarta run?
Dry air quality can be anywhere year round regardless of season. Micarta would solve that issue.

 

[Razor]

I think I will have to try one. I am a sucker for nice wood. It doesn't get much better than splated maple. Thanks, Sal for bring it out.

 

[DPris]

My Bushcraft says "Taiwan".
My brain says "Couldn't care less, it's very nicely done.":thumbup:
Denis

 

[hollowdweller]

I got mine today.

Here's my impressions so far.

Beautiful wood although not as awesome as the one Tal posted, but no cracks.

Well finished blade. I don't know what grit the scandi edge was ground with but as most know I have a number of scandi ground knives and this one appears to have the bevel done with the finest grit of any I own. It would not take a lot to polish it out.

The bevels are not perfectly evenly ground like the two kosters I own or the 3 Charlie May's I have owned or the Skookum, but they are as good or better than my other custom scandis.

The handle has an excellent fit and finish. No gaps between it and the tang like on so many even micarta knives.

Also the handle has a better contour on it than any I have except the ones I did myself.

Knife feels great in the hand. Too dark to do any cutting yet but it is totally sharp along the entire length of the cutting surface. The shaving edge does not peter out near the ricasso or tip.

Now my criticisims.

This knife is a bit bigger than my ideal knife. Not that it's super long but the handle is really fat, and the blade edge to spine is fairly deep. This doesn't make it bad and a lot of bigger handed folks would love it. The Brian Andrews Bushcraft handle to me has always felt like this. Feels great but due to the length, width and bulkiness suffers a little in the kitchen dept by losing a little nimbleness. But the feel of this knife reminds me a lot of Brian Andrews Bushcraft knife but Brians is 1/8" which to me is a better thickness.

Don't like the sheath. Too big and bulky. Would prefer something unobtrusive.

In conclusion. Beautiful knife. Very ergonomic. The fit and finish are better than most of my customs.

A little more burley thicker than I like. I still prefer the size of the Koster or the Skookum especially the thickness but I can't imagine anyone being upset with this knife even if they had to pay say 250 for it. The fit and finish and ergonomics of the handle are that good.:thumbup:

 

[tonym]

Thanks TF and HD! I put my order in this morning for mine. The only issue I foresee is the wood handle in my very dry home. However it is something I am used to by now....

 

[Iboschi]

Doesn't really matter where products are made. We live in a global economy. Looks like quality to me. Thanks for the review. I may have to pick one up!

 

[desmobob]

Doesn't really matter where products are made. We live in a global economy.

Then we won't feel sorry for you if your job gets moved overseas or your company goes under from getting undersold by cheap asian imports....

It DOES matter where things are made. I'll buy Spydercos made by CO workers, but not the ones they import.

No offense intended to anyone, by the way.


Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[DPris]

Agree on the sheath, there's more of it than I'd need.
But- the fat grip is perfect for my medium-sized hand, and kitchen nimbleosity is not an issue for me since I have no plans to use it on kitchen chores.

Denis

 

[hollowdweller]

Then we won't feel sorry for you if your job gets moved overseas or your company goes under from getting undersold by cheap asian imports....

It DOES matter where things are made. I'll buy Spydercos made by CO workers, but not the ones they import.

No offense intended to anyone, by the way.


Stay sharp,
desmobob

I hear you.

I have a lot of UK and US bushcraft knives so I didn't feel TOO bad about buying it.

But still not sure why a US or even a UK production facility couldn't have been found.

But I do share your concern about the erosion of the US manufacturing base, which along with debt due to our huge defense budget and financial bailouts, and imperialistic foreign policy are a real threat to our long term survival as a country.:thumbup:

I see the Taiwan and I wince. Where for instance when I buy a Barkie it usually leaves me feeling like I'm helping to employ somebody in the heartland.

But country of origin aside it's an amazingly well made knife.:thumbup:

 

[hollowdweller]

Agree on the sheath, there's more of it than I'd need.
But- the fat grip is perfect for my medium-sized hand, and kitchen nimbleosity is not an issue for me since I have no plans to use it on kitchen chores.

Denis

I think it's where the thing has rivets on both sides. Where if they'd have folded it over you would have a thinner sheath.

 

[Iboschi]

Then we won't feel sorry for you if your job gets moved overseas or your company goes under from getting undersold by cheap asian imports....

It DOES matter where things are made. I'll buy Spydercos made by CO workers, but not the ones they import.

No offense intended to anyone, by the way.


Stay sharp,
desmobob

Actually, that is in fact offensive. I stated an opinion, and didn't attack anyone else's. I'm not going to go into any kind of real depth here so I don't derail this thread, but I thought my opinion pertinent and expressed it without being argumentative and negative. I think other members here strive for the same kind of positive and creative exchange as myself. If you would like to open another topic on the same subject and address it at length, I'll weigh in. However, the issue is much more complex than your 3 sentence lamentation and requires a different venue than this thread.

To leave things on a positive note, please, keep us posted on the replacement and whether you see the same kind of issue with the new one. I would be curious to see if anyone else has this issue before I order one. Thanks again to Talfuchre for the review.

 

[DPris]

Holl,
Agreed again, and that's what I emailed its designer.
He had a certain set of criteria in mind to meet needs that he projected, and I think he accomplished what he set out to do.

Those criteria just don't apply to me.
I'll eventually get a wraparound JRE sheath done for this one, something that takes up less space on a belt.

Denis

 

[mtnfolk mike]

great stuff TF.. thanks for the review..:thumbup: i like the looks of that knife, especially the handle shape.. it looks very comfortable..

 

[SouthernCross]

G'day Desmobob

Then we won't feel sorry for you if your job gets moved overseas or your company goes under from getting undersold by cheap asian imports....

It DOES matter where things are made. I'll buy Spydercos made by CO workers, but not the ones they import.

No offense intended to anyone, by the way.


Stay sharp,
desmobob

No offense taken.

I know exactly what you mean.

We used to have a domestic cutlery industry once.

Couldn't compete against less expensive, mass produced knives from US companies with bigger marketing budgets.

No suprise that once the domestic competition went the way of the dodo, prices went up :thumbdn:

I guess it didn't matter that Aussies lost their jobs because it meant more jobs for Americans.. right?




Regards
Mick

 

[hollowdweller]

We used to have a domestic cutlery industry once.

Couldn't compete against less expensive, mass produced knives from US companies with bigger marketing budgets.

No suprise that once the domestic competition went the way of the dodo, prices went up :thumbdn:

I guess it didn't matter that Aussies lost their jobs because it meant more jobs for Americans.. right?




Regards
Mick

Good point Mick. Near me we had the True Temper axe plant at one time.

Weird though that GB Hatchets are competitive. I would think being in Sweden they would be paid decently.

 

[kahuana]

Thanks TF and HD! I put my order in this morning for mine. The only issue I foresee is the wood handle in my very dry home. However it is something I am used to by now....

TonyM,
You're behind, mine will be here tomorrow. Are we in an undeclared scandi competition? Look forward to seeing you at the next gathering to check out your new additions. Any chance of you going on Marty's winter trip MLK weekend in January? Take care,
Lt. Mike

 

[tonym]

TonyM,
You're behind, mine will be here tomorrow. Are we in an undeclared scandi competition? Look forward to seeing you at the next gathering to check out your new additions. Any chance of you going on Marty's winter trip MLK weekend in January? Take care,
Lt. Mike

Hey Mike, you're getting yours tomorrow?? I thought you would have snagged 1 off the line in Taiwan.

I am not gonna make the winter trip at Marty's but I'll be there in the spring.
I have a few new scandi's and more in the works, I may be able to give you some competition this coming year

 

[saxon]

I think the large handles will give guys a chance to custom shape them. This is better to me than too small.

 

[hollowdweller]

I think the large handles will give guys a chance to custom shape them. This is better to me than too small.

True. I'd rather have enough to slim it down if I want and on edges I'd rather make a too thin edge thicker than a thick edge thinner.