Spyderco Starmate

M

MaxPower

Joined
Jun 24, 1999
Messages
124
Does anyone here own a Spyderco Starmate?
I've been looking hard and long at this knife and it looks really good. I'm looking for a medium sized folder to replace my 9.5" CQC7 as my everyday carry. The CQC7 is a great knife but I've found that it is a little large for me to carry comfortably with my usual t-shirt/jeans dress style. I've narrowed the choices to the Starmate or the MOD Trident(if anyone owns the Trident i'd love to hear an opinion). If anyone can help me make a choice it would be greatly appreciated.
 
I own #538 (plain-edges started at #500). I felt I needed to cut a finger groove in the back scale to match the front one in order to get the hole clear on both sides, but if you open by thumbing the hole this isn't a problem. Otherwise, it's a superb knife, feels very nice to my hand even though I'm more accustomed to a "pistol-grip" style like the AFCK and Military. It's pretty light for its size and the lockup is very secure. A salesperson I know mentioned many Tridents failing the spine-whack and showing a poor lockup, so the starmate definitely has the edge there. The deeply hollow-ground blade is a pretty decent cutter (scary sharp, of course), though the false edge is very shallow and only there for aesthetics. I will warn that it's not a small knife, even compared to a BM 975. Blade's a tad over 3.5" and the overall impression is one of bulk and srength.

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-Drew Gleason
Little Bear Knives
 
OK hearing that makes me like the Starmate a lot more. But how do you feel it holds up against the EDI Genesis, I've never held one but like everyone else it seems i've heard nothing but good news about EDI.
 
Max, I have a Genesis and Starmate. I had some problems with the lock failing on my Genesis. EDI was great about repairing it, but I feel uneasy with that knife. My Starmate (and Military) are the strongest linerlocks I know if and I trust my fingers to them. I also own the Sebenzas and feel that the Military/Starmate are just as safe or safer. As far as the steel, the CPM-440V is hot! I know the Talonite Genesis are coming, but I do like the CPM-440V.
 
Hi Max -

As Corduroy said, with the Starmate, you're not going to buy back a lot of size from the 975. The OAL is only about 1/2" less. I would, however, place the Starmate head and shoulders beyond the 975 in pretty much every regard. I like the SS lockup much better, I like the blade design MUCH better, CPM440V is, in fact, all that, and amongst many subtle differences in the handles, the thumb pad on the Starmate is GREAT!

[This message has been edited by Brian_Turner (edited 23 July 1999).]
 
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