Spyderco Calypso Jr. Review (Grey FRN)

Fisher of Men · Mar 14, 2005

Ascoe said:
I'm pretty sure I drunkendly ordered one of these this weekend thanks to this thread.

I hope you guys are right. It was only 40 bucks anyway.

I'm a benchmade whore so it will be my first Spyderco, first FRN, first Lockback, and first VG-10.

Enjoy!

Ascoe · Mar 15, 2005

Fisher of Men said:
Enjoy!

It'll be here tomorrow, I found out! ;p

Spectre · Mar 16, 2005

Damn it! Was waiting for the funds to hit my Paypal account. Just missed it.

John

Hydraulicman · Mar 16, 2005

I have cut some though stuff with it to.. very little handle flex.

Only complaint.. thought not a serious one. the clip will pivot from side to side slightly.

always sharp.. and cuts well when it is a but dull

but it was 35 bucks

hydraulicman

Saberman · Mar 16, 2005

I've got a few of when they got discontinued, and one of the gray models just for fun...

If you want to have fun with your Calypso try giving it a convex edge. Good stuff.

Ascoe · Mar 16, 2005

This is a great knife, highly recommended. It's small and light, but solid enough I feel like I could take on an army of 2x4s with this thing.

I'm not quite a spyderco convert.. but I am impressed.

Lemme add a bit more.

-The spyder drop and lockback closing are easy and fast.
-Out of the box it was ready to shave hair.
-The FRN doesn't feel cheap.
-This knife has a lot more handle than you think it does. It has over four inches of effective grip space, choil to butt. for comparison my BM 722 only has 3.75 in. Choil to butt my AFCK only has 1/4 inch more space to grip.
-It has no frills, but it's not missing anything either. This is just one well thought out knife.
-Flat ground blades are sweet.

My ONLY complain is that the blade is too light for various flick opening to work. But that's not how the knife was designed.

I really have to hand it to Sal and or Eric on this one. I'll be taking a more serious look at Spyderco products from now on. (It came with a catalog too!)

Now uh, when does the Szabofly hit stores?

Simple Man · Mar 17, 2005

I had one of the disco'd ones, I loved it all except for the way the point on top of the hole was a "hot spot" when I would reach I my pocket for other things. I tried flipping the clip, but it just did not do it for me.

Patapsco Mike · Mar 17, 2005

I went to the site today with the intention of getting a couple more on top of the three I already bought- and they are gone from the discount site. Oh well, glad I was smart enough to pick up three of them.

Ascoe · Mar 17, 2005

ROM831 said:
I had one of the disco'd ones, I loved it all except for the way the point on top of the hole was a "hot spot" when I would reach I my pocket for other things. I tried flipping the clip, but it just did not do it for me.

Are these jeans? Try using your change pocket.

Simple Man · Mar 18, 2005

Work issued slacks mainly, but jeans also.

dig-it · Mar 20, 2005

I just got my Jr. yesterday and was surprised by how light it was. I`m sure it will edc quite nicely. Haven`t had a chance to try out the blade yet, but will do so at work starting tomorrow.

Gryffin · Mar 21, 2005

Ascoe said:
-The spyder drop and lockback closing are easy and fast.

Agreed, but that's typical of Spyderco's lockbacks. No one else does "tactical" lockbacks as well as Spyderco!

Ascoe said:
-Out of the box it was ready to shave hair.

HELL yeah! Mine too was about the sharpest out-of-the-box blade ever.

Ascoe said:
-The FRN doesn't feel cheap.

Ya know. I hear that a lot. Those FRN handles *seem* flimsy, if you're used to aluminum or steel or wood or G10 or micarta; but you soon realize that they're tough as woodpecker lips.

Ascoe said:
-This knife has a lot more handle than you think it does. It has over four inches of effective grip space, choil to butt. for comparison my BM 722 only has 3.75 in. Choil to butt my AFCK only has 1/4 inch more space to grip.

Very true. The choil placement is one of the design details that makes the Calypso Jr. work like a much bigger knife. And you can three-finger it it you need more reach, that works just as well. Spyderco's designs maybe be unorthodox, but their ergonomic design is the best out there.

Ascoe said:
-It has no frills, but it's not missing anything either. This is just one well thought out knife.

Nothing to argue with there!

Ascoe said:
-Flat ground blades are sweet.

Yeah, I was hugely impressed, too. Never realized what a difference it makes!

Ascoe said:
My ONLY complain is that the blade is too light for various flick opening to work. But that's not how the knife was designed.

Actually, I flick mine open with no problem. But probably not the way you do...

I like to flick open knives with my index finger, not my thumb. It gives me better control (my finger's longer and more dextrous than my thumb), and the knife ends up in my hand edge down, where it belongs. I open all my folders that way, unless they don't have LH thumb studs or holes!