spyderco slysz bowie queston

blanex1

blanex1

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Feb 11, 2015
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over the years I have been temped to pick one of these up but never did, my main question is this knife any good! because I have a chance to pick one of the newer knife-joy model up at this time, I own other high end production knifes like CRK's sebenza 21 and inokoisi and I was just wondering how other people felt about this knife, is the sucker worth owning or not ! I no its made over there and not a big fan of the color blue, but as I understand things its basically the same as the older model, thanks guys any input would be helpful .
 
If you like the aesthetics and have the scratch, it's not going to be a bad purchase
 
Personally, I feel that the prices on the secondary market are crazy. Ultimately, it's entirely up to you if it's worth it or not.
 
If you own some higher end blades your your trading that last ten percent of things that bug you to another set of things that bug you. Is the Slysz Bowie worth it, again totally up to you but I’d stay with what you know.
 
I've handled one. I don't get the hype but then again I don't get a lot of the knife hype. Example, I don't get the Ti handle craze. I find the handles slick.

Like TJH said, the secondary prices are crazy too. In the end, it is up to you.
 
blanex1 said:
. . . my main question is this knife any good! because I have a chance to pick one of the newer knife-joy model up at this time,
Click to expand...

I've never owned, carried or used the CTS-XHP (original) or the M390 (new) variation but I own many other Spydercos and all of them are "very good."

Using BHQ's blade steel comparison charts, CTS-XHP and M390 should be about the same in edge retention (9/9). toughness /6/6) and corrosion resistance (6/7) but CTS-XHP is considered easier to sharpen (5) than M390 (2). See: Best Knife Steel Comparison.

If you believe these charts, there really is very little difference between the 2. However if, you're a M390 "fan" (like I am) you'd lean towards the the newer variation but, if ease of sharpening is more imporant, then you'd probably lean towards the original.

On the other hand, if you don't like "colored" Ti scales (at all or all that much) and don't like the way the color of the anno on the newer variation is said to "change" w/time and handling, then you'd probably want to go w/the original.

The size/contour of the blades/handles & wt of the knives is the same, so that's a push.

Based on my take on these factors, I prefer the original and would love to add one to my collection but I think that the original Slyze Bowie is grossly overpriced in the 2ndary market, which has nothing to do with whether I think the knife is "any good" or not.

I also think the newer variation is overpriced; just not as much as the original byou you're extremely unlikely to get if for anywhere near the release price of $400 but, if you can, GRAB IT QUICK!!!

If you have pay around $600 for a LNIB M390 variation (which is what they seem to be going for), are NOT a collector and actually plan to USE & CARRY the knife regularly, I think you'd do MUCH BETTER buying a Slysz Spydie Chef which can be had for about 3-5x's LESS than the cost of either the original or newer variation of the Slysz Bowie in the 2ndary market.

I am a "collector" and don't use any of the knives in my collection but I do own a SpydieChef and have no concerns about the possibility of NEVER owning a Slysz Bowie (based on current pricing). If/when the "market" in them "collapses," I'll be happy to buy one but, until then, I really don't care because it wouldn't even come lost to being the "best" folder in my collection if I was able to buy it for an acceptable price.
 
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Part of what made the OG SB so exceptional was the blade geometry (after reprofiling the secondary's on mine to 15dps the pre-belly (flat) section of the edge is between 0.0125" - 0.0155" BTE).
The ergonomics of the handle are pretty nice too ;-)

So funny it was disco'd before the masses caught on :-o (like so many other greats).
 
I own an original Slysz Bowie that I bought at standard MSRP discount when they were discontinued. It’s a great knife and I’d never give it up, but make no mistake: it’s a $300-$400 knife. I think, personally, it’s one of the best things to come out of Taichung, but that’s as much about Marcin Slysz than about Spyderco: it’s a really we’ll designed knife.

…well, maybe a bit more than $400 with the recent inflation for everything, but the $500, $600 prices that folks are getting on the secondary market are whack. That’s all driven by slavering, internet reviewers.

As far as I understand, the Knifejoy LE is identical in all ways to the original, excepting M390 and handle anodizing. The $399 price is OK for this knife, if that’s what you can get it for.
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I've had two originals; I still have one...the finest folder that I've owned.
I never carry it, however, as my uses are very casual...
 
It is a really fine knife. An elegant, attractive design with great action, great size and ergonomics. I wish they weren't so rare - I had a blue KnifeJoy exclusive, but couldn't bring myself to use it because it wasn't possible to get another without paying a 50%+ markup. If it was a bit more common, even at the $400 price point, I'd happily carry one all the time.
 
It's ground very nice and has a near mirror polish. We spent a summer of love as my main EDC and it still looks pretty much new. After it was disco'd I didn't carry it as much for fear of losing it.

I've since become a real Sebenza fan boy and still think it holds its own, especially at the $206 dollars I paid.

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