Stretch or Ritter when the SHTF?

chuck buck said:
edit to add:
however if i had the chance to see how the tangs were shaped and how far back the blade goes into the handle may sway my decision.
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Virtually no difference.

Stretch_Ritter_a11.jpg
 
I like the blade of the stretch......Id go with it. I like spydies, and have never had one let me down.
 
I have both (black handled Ritter). For edc I prefer the Stretch due to the thinner handle and jimped choil. But for your scenario I feel the Ritter is better. This is due to the thicker handle and the slightly thicker tip (the Stretch tapers more). Both features I prefer for heavier cutting. Not worried about the axis lock failing b/c don't both springs have to break for it to totally fail? Also I find the Ritter is easier to open with gloves on. Not sure how cold it gets up there in early fall.
 
I have am both - I would pick the Ritter.
Love the lockup, love the tad thicker handle.
 
SAKsRCool said:
I have both (black handled Ritter). For edc I prefer the Stretch due to the thinner handle and jimped choil. But for your scenario I feel the Ritter is better. This is due to the thicker handle and the slightly thicker tip (the Stretch tapers more). Both features I prefer for heavier cutting.
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Another good point. The Stretch's blade is 0.08mm thicker than the Ritter's near the handle, but it tapers much more abruptly.

The knives aren't perfectly aligned in this picture. The Stretch's blade is actually slightly longer than the Ritter's.

Stretch_Ritter_a12.jpg


One other thing I didn't mention before is the angle of the blade relative to the handle. The tip of the Ritter's blade is almost on the center line of the handle while the tip of the Stretch's blade is significantly below center line.

The Stretch ergonomics are superior imo, and it feels like it is more an extension of my hand compared to the Ritter. But that is only true for push cuts. In a reverse grip like one would do for pull cuts the Stretch feels awkward. So while the Ritter may not feel as good in the hand for normal use it may be more versatile.

Sorry for the poor picture quality.
Stretch_Ritter_a13.jpg


SAKsRCool said:
Not worried about the axis lock failing b/c don't both springs have to break for it to totally fail? Also I find the Ritter is easier to open with gloves on. Not sure how cold it gets up there in early fall.
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The only experience I have with a broken Omega spring was on my mini Griptilian. It would still work with only one spring, but I had to use my fingers sometimes to make sure it was fully locked. I don't know this for sure, but I suspect that the individual springs on the full size Griptilian are significantly stronger than those on the mini and may perform fine without any assistance. As others have said, one could use a small stick to keep the lock engaged.
 
Skimo said:
Good well thought out topic CGMblade!
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Thanks.:)

I obviously have both knives and had become intrigued by the similarities between them.

And I don't think the scenario is that far fetched. We try to prepare for the unexpected and equip ourselves w/ all kinds of gear, but if we're successful in anticipating a survival situation normally we can avoid it.

Doug Ritter made the point on his site that often in a emergency/survival situation you are going to have to rely on the knife you have on you and for most people I think that's much more likely to be a folder than a fixed blade.

Having a small PSK and a decent knife on you could make all the difference when the SHTF.

I appreciate everyone's comments/opinions.
 
Stretch for me, because of the simpler (= less prone to fail) locking mechanism.

And now a dumb question: if the Omega spring breaks, what happens? The blade won't lock open :rolleyes:?
 
LUW said:
Stretch for me, because of the simpler (= less prone to fail) locking mechanism.

And now a dumb question: if the Omega spring breaks, what happens? The blade won't lock open :rolleyes:?
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There are two Omega springs. One on each side. They provide the resistance to the thumb studs/lock bar thingy. If both of them broke then there would be nothing holding the lockbar in place over the tang when the knife is open, but like others said you cold wedge a small stick in there to keep it open. You can look at the picture above where I showed the blade thickness and see the sliding thumb bolt lock thing on the Ritter.

BTW, I think they're called omega springs because they kinda look like the Greek letter Omega.

If only one broke it will still work but it has only half the tension.
 
I have spydies and grips, I like both of these steels, part of me thinks the spydie hole might offer some advantage in certain situations, but only a slight one. I like both lock methods, and both can fail. I disagree with S30V being so difficult to sharpen, but in this scenario we would only have rocks to touch up our blade so either knife would be handicapped. Bottom line for me is that either one of these knives would be acceptable, but given the choice I think the grip handle would work better for me.
 
Stretch. Probably the blue-handled ZDP-189 version, though. VG-10 is probably a better steel for that kind of scenario, but of the two FRN handled Stretch models, I'm more likely to buy and thus carry the ZDP one.
 
Either steel would be a PITA to sharpen in the field without a good stone.

So that is sorta irrelevant with that in mind.

I love my Mini and enjoy the one Spyderco I have left... Axis or lockback in the extreme enviroment ?

I'll take lockback any day , there are too many conceivable things to go wrong with an Axis lock with no way to fix it , in the field.

That said I'd take the Stretch in this scenario.---- My two cents.

However , all of that said , I would rather own a Ritter with those lovely orange scales :D


Tostig
 
I prefer axis or arc locks just because then my fingers are out of the way. liner locks and back locks both put fingers in the blade path. not a big thing, but with cold hands it could matter.
plus the orange scales on the ritter give it another point. really I think that with either in your pocket you'd be better than without.
stud v. hole, I think that it is a matter of preference as far as I can see
 
cgmblade said:
There are two Omega springs. One on each side. They provide the resistance to the thumb studs/lock bar thingy. If both of them broke then there would be nothing holding the lockbar in place over the tang when the knife is open, but like others said you cold wedge a small stick in there to keep it open. You can look at the picture above where I showed the blade thickness and see the sliding thumb bolt lock thing on the Ritter.
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Thanks on the clarification! :thumbup:
Good to know it's "field repairable" in an emergency.
 
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