Spyderco Vesuvius

M

m@thew

Joined
Jun 20, 2001
Messages
205
I got one of these in the mail this morning and i'm very impressed.
The Vesuvius is an attractive and functional piece, i've been carrying it today and it's been doing very well, the handle is comfortable and attractive (the FRN doesn't look cheap on this one IMO), the action is smooth, solid lock-up, three-screw clip, ATS 34 blade with a unique (and useable) blade profile, sharp out of the box, big enough to handle pretty much anything a folder should be expected to, and no blade play in any direction. The Vesuvius represents great value for money and i may have to get another one.

For a more in-depth report of my initial impressions see my post in the Spyderco forum.

Have a good day :D
 
I'm glad you like yours. I actually had two from the first run. One PE and one part serrated. The knives where nice though one had a compression lock sticking problem when trying to disengage. I did have one other issue when trying to rotate the clip. The screws were too long and they actually bit into the blade when I reversed the clip.

Anybody else have any issues with this knife??
 
The lock stuck a few times and the fit and finish is a bit rough, it's the only Spyderco i've owned with even a single QC issue, i think they must have found it hard to get this one right. It's a good knife, but i'm used to better fit and finish from Spyderco.
 
The lock was also sticky on mine out of the box. However, I just played with it for awhile and it worked in nicely.

Overall, I really like the knife. It handles very well, is well made with double liners and it also is one of those knives that seems to hit the ideal size--not too big, not too small. Some preliminary cardboard cutting also showed that it cuts like crazy. I think the overall thiness of the blade stock is helpful in that regard.

IMHO, Spyderco has a winner with this one.:)
 
The Vesuvius was my first Spyderco with the compression lock. It will also probably be my last. I don't care how strong the thing is, I just find it a pain in the butt to work compared to a regular liner-lock or Axis.

I do love the blade shape and the blade in general leaves nothing to be desired in this size folder and application. The handles are also very nice for anything made of FRN. The bug inlay is also pretty cool.

I just can't help but wonder what this knife would be like if it was designed as a liner-lock with G-10 scales? IMO, it would rock the house and possibly be one of Spyderco's better designs. Yeah, it would cost a little more than what it does now, but at least it would have been a keeper :(
 
Hmmm, I think the compression-lock is easier to manipulate than a liner-lock. I simply press the release with my thumb and the blade swings down (the unsharpened tang will hit your index finger), then I simply move my fingers aside while closing the blade completely using my thumb in one smooth motion.
Another advantage of the compression-lock is that you can see that the lock is fully engaged without turning the knife over.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
I much prefer the compression lock to the liner, it just feels more secure to me, i'm sure it's safer by design. I like the axis lock better than both of them.
 
I've also found slight tolerance problems in the lock/pivot area of the Vesuvius. The probs are minor, and ,IMHO, acceptable for a knife in the $65 price range.

If I was spending $350 or more for the knife, I would be a whole bunch more fussy about tolerances. This is just my philosophy and others may differ.

Overall, for the money, I find it to be a very attractive package and a good choice for someone looking for a good, light, "do-anything" type of folder.
 
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