Spyderco Military weight - dumb question...

Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
783
Okay, so they keep talking about ultra light titanium and yet it weighs more than the G10?
http://www.knifeworks.com/spydercopocketknives.aspx?page=4
Yeah, this titanium one has the RIL, but the titanium ones that don't still weigh more.
What am I missing here?
Why keep saying 'ultra light titanium' when it's heavier than the other available options?
If this really is that stupid of a question, please be nice.
I personally believe in asking questions even if I look stupid. It helps me learn stuff faster.
:)
 
Ti is light but because of its thickness its going to be heavier, G-10 though is very light. I don't think any metal is as light as G-10.
 
I don't think that means lighter than any other handle material. Just lighter than stainless steel in general. If a light metal handle material is what you're looking for, then aluminum is probably your best choice.
 
So what's the benefit of titanium?
It'll last longer than aluminum? More durable, too?
It just seems weird to me how they always say 'ultra light' for a knife that's heavier than it's brothers.
Titanium vs. G10 vs. carbon fiber?
What is better and why?
 
I hate to think how heavy that thing would be with stainless steel slabs that thick. Compared to that, the Ti is light, but it is far and away the heaviest Military. I don't know who has been calling it "lightweight Titanium", but they are misleading you.
 
It's going to come down to personal preference. G10 and CF are plenty strong and durable for a handle material.

The choice is yours, light (G10 and CF) or (Ti) heavy.
 
It is all comparative but Titanium is still metal and therefore heavier than materials like G-10 and carbon fiber. But out of metals that are strong enough to be used in knifemaking I believe only aluminium is lighter than Ti.

This is why a combination of Ti and G-10 is viewed by many (myself included) as the ultimate solution if you are into framelocks. G-10 is also grippier and 'warmer' than Ti.

From Wikipedia: The two most useful properties of the metal form are corrosion resistance and the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal.[5] In its unalloyed condition, titanium is as strong as some steels, but 45% lighter.[6]

Due to their high tensile strength to density ratio,[7] high corrosion resistance,[3] fatigue resistance, high crack resistance,[51] and ability to withstand moderately high temperatures without creeping, titanium alloys are used in aircraft, armor plating, naval ships, spacecraft, and missiles.[3][4] For these applications titanium alloyed with aluminium, vanadium, and other elements is used for a variety of components including critical structural parts, fire walls, landing gear, exhaust ducts (helicopters), and hydraulic systems. In fact, about two thirds of all titanium metal produced is used in aircraft engines and frames.[52] The SR-71 "Blackbird" was one of the first aircraft to make extensive use of titanium within its structure, paving the way for its use in modern military and commercial aircraft. An estimated 59 metric tons (130,000 pounds) are used in the Boeing 777, 45 in the Boeing 747, 18 in the Boeing 737, 32 in the Airbus A340, 18 in the Airbus A330, and 12 in the Airbus A320. The Airbus A380 may use 146 metric tons, including about 26 tons in the engines.[53] In engine applications, titanium is used for rotors, compressor blades, hydraulic system components, and nacelles. The titanium 6AL-4V alloy accounts for almost 50% of all alloys used in aircraft applications.[54]

Due to its high corrosion resistance to sea water, titanium is used to make propeller shafts and rigging and in the heat exchangers of desalination plants;[3] in heater-chillers for salt water aquariums, fishing line and leader, and for divers' knives. Titanium is used to manufacture the housings and other components of ocean-deployed surveillance and monitoring devices for scientific and military use. The former Soviet Union developed techniques for making submarines largely out of titanium, which became both the fastest and deepest diving submarines of their time.[55]
 
Last edited:
i hate to think how heavy that thing would be with stainless steel slabs that thick. Compared to that, the ti is light, but it is far and away the heaviest military. I don't know who has been calling it "lightweight titanium", but they are misleading you.

misleading yep,g-10 is so hard to beat,though i like ti on my sebbs..........
 
I hate to think how heavy that thing would be with stainless steel slabs that thick. Compared to that, the Ti is light, but it is far and away the heaviest Military. I don't know who has been calling it "lightweight Titanium", but they are misleading you.
Steel has a density of about 7.9 g/(cm)^3, Ti of 4.5 g/(cm)^3 and Al of 2.7 g/(cm)^3.
I guess a military w/ stainless steel handles would weigh about.. 7.4 oz (210 g) - which would be 76% more than a G10 military but ''just'' 25 % more than the Ti-millie - so i dont think you save THAT much by choosing Ti over steel.
 
Maybe not, but my TiRIL Military weighs one and a half times as much as the CF Millie I carry and 25% more than the G-10 version. It is much lighter than my boat anchor, though.
 
My Ti Millie weighs 162gm. My CF Millie weighs 118gm. According to my calculator, A weighs 1.37X as much as B. The Ti/CF hybrid weighs 140gm. So you could say that A weighs 1.16X as much as C.
 
Back
Top