Spyderco/Terzoula "Starmate" opinion

[calyth]

Just got mine in my hands.
It's definately a keeper, cuts like laser and the handle is great. No blade play so far.
I might get another one from glasshartt if I got more cash.

 

[fishbulb]

I like the design of the Starmate very much. I only wish they would have put 2 liners in the thing.

I really don't understand why Spyderco won't put full steel liners on both sides of their knives. G10 is fairly strong stuff but can't hold a candle to steel.

While the ultimate breaking strength of a single liner folder may not be half than that of a fullly lined design, it feels significantly cheaper. If I am using a knife for something I do not want to feel the handle flex and quiver while doing so.

I would also dispute that single liner construction is a "hell of a lot lighter". A 4 inch by 1 inch piece of liner gauge steel weighs essentially nothing, certainly less than an ounce.

 

[calyth]

Originally posted by fishbulb
I would also dispute that single liner construction is a "hell of a lot lighter". A 4 inch by 1 inch piece of liner gauge steel weighs essentially nothing, certainly less than an ounce.

Have you ever carried the Chinook? It's a dual liner lockback. Yes it's strong like a bank vault, but it also weigh as much. I love it very much but I pretty much given up in trying to carry it using the clip, and asked Normark to fit a belt sheath for it.
Taking out one liner may not make it feel "hell a lot lighter", but when comparing my Spyderco Renegade, which is a single liner lockback to the CRKT C/K 3" folder, the CRKT weighs 4oz, while the Renegade weighs 3.75oz. OAL is 3" for the C/K and 4" for the Renegade, yet Renegade can still beat the C/K in weight.
If you wish to cry foul that Renegade isn't a good comparison to the C/K, let's change from G-10 to Zytel. The Vesuvius uses dual nested liners, and in comparison to the C/K, it has 1/8" longer blade, and 0.6oz lighter. Suppose Spyderco manages to make the Vesuvius one liner less, I would think the weight would come very close to 3oz.
I'm not concerned whether the single nested liner is going to cause much flexing when used in conjunction with G-10. I already have a folder that's constructed that way (namely the Renegade, only the liner isn't nested) and it's working beautifully, with no flex whatsoever.

 

[Sergiusz Mitin]

Here is mine

I think at least some reasons caused that Starmate didn’t conquer general market – the more than probable reason why SPYDERCO have dropped its production. With great respect and admiring for Bob T. work I must consider that some design faults were done. The most important for me is the forefinger placement area. In my opinion the choil should be deeper on the clip-side scale to expose more opening hole looking from clip side and less liner looking from the front side. This would make the grip much more comfortable, currently too much protruding liner and right (rear) scale can pinch forefinger on tight grip.

This matter was discussed here some years ago when the Starmate was issued. Certain Forumite (I don’t remember the name, sorry) have posted pictures of customized knife and this is the way this knife should be designed. Probably someone could perform the archive search and try to find that thread...

Maybe this could turn general market away from Starmate, maybe something else – it is difficult to say with clear cut now.
However at least two things are proved beyond all doubts:

• People begin to appreciate something just when they lose it;
• Sal stated numerous times that Forum evaluation quite frequently doesn’t match general market one, something very similar occurred with Calypso Jr. Ltw. versus Delica...

Edited: I have found that thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...121204&highlight=Starmate+modification+needed

One interesting thread more I have found in Forum archives: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=183514&highlight=Starmate+modification

 

[ExamonLyf]

Yeah I do like the knife.., but I'd like to see CPM S30V also...


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"

 

[Kallisti]

Well it comes as standard in S60V (old name CPM 440v) which is plenty good enough for me.

Nice picture Sergiusz! And congrats Calyth on a great choice I may have to get another too. It's that or the Shabaria...

Kallisti.

 

[fishbulb]

Originally posted by calyth
If you wish to cry foul that Renegade isn't a good comparison to the C/K, let's change from G-10 to Zytel. The Vesuvius uses dual nested liners, and in comparison to the C/K, it has 1/8" longer blade, and 0.6oz lighter. Suppose Spyderco manages to make the Vesuvius one liner less, I would think the weight would come very close to 3oz.

Try this one.

Benchmade mini-Griptilian with 2 full liners and 3 inch blade: 2.56 oz.

Spyderco Delica with 0 full liners and 3 inch blade: 1.9 oz.

Total difference = .66 oz.

Considering that a US penny weighs approximately .088 ounces the weight difference could easily be eclipsed by a bit of pocket change or an average key chain. That is certainly not what I would call "a hell of a lot".

 

[Double Edge Dave]

Shootist16 nailed it on the head! The Starmate and the large Wegner are the only two Spydies that stay in the regular EDC rotation for me.
Dave

 

[calyth]

Originally posted by fishbulb
Considering that a US penny weighs approximately .088 ounces the weight difference could easily be eclipsed by a bit of pocket change or an average key chain. That is certainly not what I would call "a hell of a lot".

You must be more fortunate than I am because I haven't have pocket change for a while.
All joking aside, I still find that the Starmate lighter when compared to linerlock using 2 liners, G10 scales, similar length and price. If you lug more things in your pocket, and don't consider the Starmate is that much lighter than others similar blades, then you're entitled to say that. I still haven't encounter any cutting tasks that would actually stress the Starmate or any of the one liner or linerless Spydercos enough that I'd see it in a negative light. Maybe I'm just not using it hard enough

 

[fishbulb]

Originally posted by calyth
You must be more fortunate than I am because I haven't have pocket change for a while.
All joking aside, I still find that the Starmate lighter when compared to linerlock using 2 liners, G10 scales, similar length and price.B]

You seem to have found a knife that you like a lot, which is great.

To each his own and so on.

I guess that's why they make all these different models and stuff.

 

[Kallisti]

Looking at the rather old Bladeforums FAQs, I noticed an historically interesting review by Dexter Ewing on Bob Terzoula's Starfighter, the custom forerunner to the Starmate. Looks rather fine.

Kallisti

 

[FullerH]

The StarMate is my favorite folder. Yes, the CPM440V requires a bit extra in sharpening, but it holds an edge SO much better than anything else that I have tried that it is well worth the extra effort. I find mine to be as close to perfect as I have found in a pocket knife, its only problem being that it is illegal where I work, being longer in the blade than the 3" limit in D.C. And, as I have frequently posted, I find that, when comparing it to a couple of Sebenza's that I have seen, the only advantage that they have over the StarMate is the detail finish on them, and I am not so fond of the older BG-42 steel blades, although I note that they now use S30V, a vast improvement. I paid about $110 for my StarMate when they were brand new on the market and the Sebbie runs for about $325. I cannot see it as being worth 3 times what a StarMate is worth. Not now, not ever.

 

[brownshoe]

Having an extra liner adds some weight. It may not be much, but for me it's often enought to make a knife either uncomfortable or have shorts or sweats hang to one side. A "tell" that you have a concealed weapon (that's the law for knives under t-shirts or in pockets in some places.)

Dual liners, why have them if they are not needed.

Personally, I think the liner cut-out is fine on the Starmate and doesn't need improvement. I believe that cut-out is not more severe or on both sides as a "safety" feature in a "white knuckled" grip. When I first got the knife, the grip wasn't a hot item for me. But I found that my hand began to "fit" the knife and now finds a naturally perfect grip. Its also a knife that is easy to "choke-up" on the blade, using the spyer hole to help.

I agree, the Starmate doesn't have the same level of smoothness to handle edges as a sebenza or as fine a finish, but I also think that's part of its appeal. Now at $85, it sure beats out the sebenza on a quality/price ratio.

 

[calyth]

Originally posted by brownshoe
I agree, the Starmate doesn't have the same level of smoothness to handle edges as a sebenza or as fine a finish, but I also think that's part of its appeal. Now at $85, it sure beats out the sebenza on a quality/price ratio.

Well I don't know how smooth a Sebbie is supposed to be, but I know that my starmate, when the pivot is loose enough, will flick open very easily, so I have to keep the pivot tighten a bit.
I love this knife!