Spyderco/FArid K2 - Full Review and testing.

As usual Jim, thanks for taking the time (which I assume must have taken a hell of a long time with that kind of edge retention) to do this as always. I actually got on Farid's books for a custom K2 before this knife was announced, and am now reconsidering that choice because the price difference is pretty big.

How would you characterize the performance in comparison to D3? If you're not personally familiar with using D3, could you provide some theoretical input?

Thanks Jim!
 
Misanthropia said:
As usual Jim, thanks for taking the time (which I assume must have taken a hell of a long time with that kind of edge retention) to do this as always. I actually got on Farid's books for a custom K2 before this knife was announced, and am now reconsidering that choice because the price difference is pretty big.

How would you characterize the performance in comparison to D3? If you're not personally familiar with using D3, could you provide some theoretical input?

Thanks Jim!
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They won't be on the same planet performance wise, D3 compared to CPM 10V. :)
 
Insipid Moniker said:
I want one, but the 1 position pocket clip might kill it for me.
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It's milled into the scale. :)

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Thank you Jim for the test,

Just a little more info on the K2, how it came about.
Many years ago I was drawing different blade shapes just experimenting with different bowie shapes, I wanted to design a folder which could do most jobs very well, out of many I chose one and kept the drawing. I didn't take it any further and never designed the handle part at that time, just threw the drawing in the pile of designs which I had at that time, it was a couple of years later I all of a sudden remembered that blade which I had drawn and went through all the old designs and found it, only at that time I started to develop the knife which we now know as the Farid K2.
I started drawing handle shapes which matched the styling of the blade shape and also comfortable to hold, I must have gone through many generations of the K2 handle, constantly changing and improving it by a little each time until it was perfect, after that I added my unique signature wavy cut out spring. The unique design of the 10v K2 is such that if you were a left handed user you are still going to be able to open the knife which is a great feature.

I like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support, my deepest gratitude goes to Sal and Eric and everyone at Spyderco and also to Jim for all his hard work in testing this knife.

I am still recovering but I have already started the development on the small K2 to be released in 2015.

Thank you all.
Farid
 
farid. said:
Thank you Jim for the test,

Just a little more info on the K2, how it came about.
Many years ago I was drawing different blade shapes just experimenting with different bowie shapes, I wanted to design a folder which could do most jobs very well, out of many I chose one and kept the drawing. I didn't take it any further and never designed the handle part at that time, just threw the drawing in the pile of designs which I had at that time, it was a couple of years later I all of a sudden remembered that blade which I had drawn and went through all the old designs and found it, only at that time I started to develop the knife which we now know as the Farid K2.
I started drawing handle shapes which matched the styling of the blade shape and also comfortable to hold, I must have gone through many generations of the K2 handle, constantly changing and improving it by a little each time until it was perfect, after that I added my unique signature wavy cut out spring. The unique design of the 10v K2 is such that if you were a left handed user you are still going to be able to open the knife which is a great feature.

I like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support, my deepest gratitude goes to Sal and Eric and everyone at Spyderco and also to Jim for all his hard work in testing this knife.

I am still recovering but I have already started the development on the small K2 to be released in 2015.

Thank you all.
Farid
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Farid,

Thanks to you and Spyderco for making it happen. :thumbup:

I have never had a folder wear me out so bad in testing and that's saying a lot. :D

Crazy knife.... :eek:

Jim
 
Congrats and thanks to Farid and Jim for the great knife and test. Got one pre-ordered yesterday.
 
Hey Jim, I have one of the REX121 K2's that's had the edge convexed, and although I havent even come remotely close to cutting as much stuff as you have, it's held up very well and has just needed a quick strop from time to time. That said though, it's very thick behind the edge and I was wondering if it would be advisable to get it re-ground thinner (I don't know anyone crazy enough to do that though)?
 
gooeytek said:
Hey Jim, I have one of the REX121 K2's that's had the edge convexed, and although I havent even come remotely close to cutting as much stuff as you have, it's held up very well and has just needed a quick strop from time to time. That said though, it's very thick behind the edge and I was wondering if it would be advisable to get it re-ground thinner (I don't know anyone crazy enough to do that though)?
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I think I would leave it...

You could contact Chris Berry of Big Chris Custom knives and see if he would thin it out some...
 
Cool, thanks for the advice, I'll ask him. He does good work, I've had a couple of knives reground by him.
 
How was sharpening it? I'd imagine the thin stock made it a bit easier?
 
calc said:
How was sharpening it? I'd imagine the thin stock made it a bit easier?
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Not much of an issue really as the factory edge was in the 15 DPS range so not all that big of a deal to set the bevel.

Sharpening was easy using SIC to a hair whittling edge.

CPM 10V is fine grained so it will take a screaming sharp edge.
 
calc said:
How was sharpening it? I'd imagine the thin stock made it a bit easier?
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When 10V is run thin and hard, it is one of the easiest steels to sharpen. It doesn't have a tendency to burr much, and it sharpens up fast and clean. I have a Phil Wilson in 10V, and can easily go from full dull (draw it across your skin without fear) to full sharp in 2 or 3 minutes, easily.
 
Good grief, Jim, thanks for your labor on this one. That is one heck of a lot of cutting. I saw this knife coming up, but haven't jumped on it yet. It's hard to believe how good this steel is.
Thanks again, pard.
 
Sonnydaze said:
Good grief, Jim, thanks for your labor on this one. That is one heck of a lot of cutting. I saw this knife coming up, but haven't jumped on it yet. It's hard to believe how good this steel is.
Thanks again, pard.
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CPM 10V is no joke, with 10% Vanadium it can hold an edge for an extremely long time, this is at 63 HRC and .020" behind the edge. :)

And at 15 DPS and the high compression strength of CPM 10V it's very stable, combine that with the extreme wear resistance and you have max performance.
 
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This was great! This is what I would call a (hard use test) and it has given me the info I needed to go and grab 1! Thanks for the very well done review!
 
Ankerson - thanks for taking the time for doing stuff like this. You have way more patience and access to rope and cardboard than I ever will :)

Thankfully this knife is tip down carry, so I don't want it... you saved me there!
 
Daniel L said:
Ankerson - thanks for taking the time for doing stuff like this. You have way more patience and access to rope and cardboard than I ever will :)

Thankfully this knife is tip down carry, so I don't want it... you saved me there!
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Thanks. :)

Been carrying it and it works very well tip down, pretty much carries just like a Military in pocket as they are for the most part the same OAL, thickness etc.

Carries very flat.... :thumbup:
 
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