Spyderco Slice-Off

M

Morgoth412

Joined
Oct 4, 2002
Messages
1,297
For those of you who own the Military, ParaMilitary, Calypso Jr., and Lil' Temperance: Which is the best slicer? Could you possibly rank them in terms of slicing ability for me?

I'm assuming the Calypso Jr. with it's thin blade stock, but I am not sure.
-Kevin
 
The answer will likely depend on what you're slicing.
 
The Military,Para and Lil Temp would all be about the same.They would also be a little better than the Jr because the S30V has a little more toothy edge.
 
u812 said:
The Military,Para and Lil Temp would all be about the same.They would also be a little better than the Jr because the S30V has a little more toothy edge.
Click to expand...

Really? I would have thought VG-10 to have a toothier edge then S30V, but I will take your word for it.
-Kevin
 
I have the Military and the Jr,have had the other two.IMO S30V is the best cutting steel going.
 
u812 said:
I have the Military and the Jr,have had the other two.IMO S30V is the best cutting steel going.
Click to expand...

In terms of slicing though, steel doesn't play too much of a role except edge retention. It is pretty much down to blade geometry. (Ex. A $13 SAK Soldier will outslice a $300 Sebenza due to better blade geometry...but will dull much quicker.) So does the Military slice easier then the Calypso Jr. or does the edge just last longer?
-Kevin
 
IMO it slices better through the type thing you listed and about the same in things like paper and holds an edge better.
The VG 10 may do just a hair better in paper but it may be because it is new with factory edge and the Military has been sharpen several times.I am not the best when it comes to getting the perfect angle on the edge.
 
u812 said:
IMO it slices better through the type thing you listed and about the same in things like paper and holds an edge better.
The VG 10 may do just a hair better in paper but it may be because it is new with factory edge and the Military has been sharpen several times.I am not the best when it comes to getting the perfect angle on the edge.
Click to expand...

Thanks u812. :) I'm thinking a Military or Para is in my future soon... That or a Fallkniven U2 or a more traditional knife. Decisions decisions!! :eek: :(
-Kevin
 
Agree -- the steel doesn't matter except for edge retention. For pure slicing performance, especially in highly-binding materials, blade geometry is key, and there the Calypso Jr. will shine. I think it's highly unlikely you'll see any other knife outperform it. You can control edge coarseness simply by wisely choosing the finishing grit when you sharpen.





Joe
 
Thanks Joe.

Ok, so we have 1 vote for a Military/Para and 1 for a Jr. Anyone else feel like breaking a tie. ;)
-Kevin
 
It would depend entirely on how they were sharpened I would think. Putting a toothy edge on any blade isn't that hard. I can't see one steel being much toothier than the other :p
 
When I worked in a warehouse, I used my Military and Calypso every once in a while (used my Delica most often, as it'd be easier to replace if damaged), and used my Paramilitary every day after I got it. In my experience, nothing outcut the Calypso Jr on cardboard, in general use. _However_, if I made an effort to cut with the Military near its point, it was the best of the three (the distal taper and longer blade makes it very thin for a good portion of its length). But the Calypso is the thinnest at the base of the blade, which is where I got the best leverage. So for cardboard, anyway, the CJ's my winner.

(Actually, a box cutter's my pick for cardboard {gasp!}, but Istill often used my Spydies for the convenience and fun of it. A good knife feels much better in my hand than a Stanley cutter.)
 
1. Calypso Jr.
2. Paramilitary
Calyspo Jr. has a thinner blade and edge. Paramilitary is stouter, being about 25% thicker throughout measuring the blades at the same distances from the edge with calipers.
I don't own the other two knives.
 
Where does the Native sit in the rankings? It seems to be a good compromise in just about every area. How does it compare with the calypso?
 
Totally different. The Native has a hollow grind, while the Calypso jr. is full flat ground. Therefore, speaking of slicing, Calypso jr. wins by far. It also fits my hand better than the Native, but that's just a personal prefference.
 
Don't know about the Militaries, but between the Lil' T and Calypso Jr. the latter takes first place, no question, both factory edge. If you change the edge finish, the comparison becomes obviously difficult.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top