The Ion

mrdeus said:
I was just looking at the photos of the Ion and, open, it makes me think of a jackdaw (had to look up the English name). We have many of them here. The blade is kind of like a bird'a head. /random
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not actually that random, the avian design theme is at least somewhat intentional - Spyderco's budget line of knives is called Byrd Knives, and most have bird names (like Cara Cara, Hawkbill, Crossbill, etc.). someone at Spyderco clearly realized that the Spyderhole looks somewhat like a bird's eye and the blade looks like a beak. by contrast, I haven't found anything particularly arachnian in any of my Spydies
 
An update on the Ion, now renamed Positron.

The Ion is being renamed the Positron because that name was already in use by another company in the cutlery industry. It will be included in the 2015 Mid-Year Product Guide that will be unveiled next week at the Blade Show. That means it's on track for release during the latter half of this year. I handled the pre-production sample when I was doing tech specs and writing copy for the Mid-Year Guide, and it's a sweet knife...

The steel will be CPM S30V.

Stay safe,

Mike Janich
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Not crazy about that name...not that it matters....but, sounds like a transformer or something. "Hurry Positron, Optimus Prime needs your help!"

Love the knife though...I'll call it "my new little Southard" when I buy it!
 
I'm sure I'm in the minority on that one. :) Doesn't actually matter to me. They could call it Dog Sh$& and I would still buy it. It's a cool piece. Can't wait!
 
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Still think it looks good in general. Still don't understand the slanting plunge-line - it would be nice to be able to sharpen the whole length of the edge.
 
This one has my attention, but one thing I've noticed from the specs is that is rather small. It has the same handle length as the Native 5, but the Native has a 50/50 choil instead of the flipper. If I choke up on the Native I can just get a full grip. With this one I cannot see how that will be possible since you have to grip behind the flipper.

Will have to wait and see...
 
Brock O Lee said:
This one has my attention, but one thing I've noticed from the specs is that is rather small. It has the same handle length as the Native 5, but the Native has a 50/50 choil instead of the flipper. If I choke up on the Native I can just get a full grip. With this one I cannot see how that will be possible since you have to grip behind the flipper.

Will have to wait and see...
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I see your point. Guys with big meaty hands are at something of a disadvantage. I have relatively slim fingers (engineer, not carpenter) and I can get a full four fingers on a Cat.
 
I don't buy many knives these days. This one I'm getting. I just have to remember to keep a look out for it. This checks off a lot of boxes for me. :D
 
A certain center for knives has a page up for it. Their price for it is $180 which seems like a hell of a deal!
 
It looks like the MSRP is $279.95 so a street price of around $155-180!
 
This interesting to see a Spyderco without a functional hole in leiu of a flipper. It was mentioned this is a wharncliffe; it is not. The telltale hump is missing, and there is a slight curvature to the belly, neither of which are present on a true wharncliffe. It is an interesting design.
 
Form the September 2015 SpyderByte

C195CFP Positron™


MSRP: $279.95
OVERALL: 7.02in 178mm
BLADE: 3.05in 77mm
EDGE: 2.95in 75mm
WEIGHT: 2.6oz 74g
GRIND: Full-Flat
ORIGIN: Taiwan


Brad Southard’s Southard Folder™ holds the distinction of being Spyderco’s first flipper-opening folding knife. In addition to paving the way for subsequent flipper designs like the Domino™, Dice™, and Rubicon™, it also whet our customers’ appetite for more of Southard’s highly refined, exceedingly practical folder designs. In response to that interest, Spyderco is proud to introduce our second Southard collaboration, the Positron™.

Like the Southard Folder, the Positron features a flipper opener. Pioneered by custom knifemaker Kit Carson, a flipper is a small integral tab that extends from the tang of the blade on the cutting edge side. When the blade is closed, the flipper protrudes from the back of the knife’s handle to offer a small lever. Pulling on this lever with your index finger creates a tension against the ball-bearing detent mechanism that holds the blade closed. When the detent is overcome, the blade pivots to snap authoritatively into the open, locked position.

Based on Southard’s popular “Ion” custom folder, the Positron distills all the best features of a full-sized flipper folder into a compact, pocket-friendly package. The heart of the design is a full-flat-ground PlainEdge™ blade machined from premium CPM® S30V® particle-metallurgy stainless steel. Although the drop-point blade proudly includes a small Trademark Round Hole™ as a symbol of the Spyderco brand, it is purpose designed to open only as a flipper—another first in Spyderco’s product line. The Positron’s minimalist flipper provides swift, reliable one-handed opening and in the open position serves as an understated but highly effective guard.

Crafted from solid carbon fiber, the Positron’s twin handle scales are meticulously machined, radiused, and polished to provide an amazingly comfortable grip and a stunning appearance. They also house the nested, skeletonized stainless steel liners that form the foundation of the knife’s sturdy LinerLock mechanism. The butt end of the handle features a reversible deep-pocket wire clip that provides left or right-side tip-up carry and offers both subtle discretion and immediate access.

Rather than conventional flat washers, the Positron’s blade pivots between special washers that contain nested ball bearings. This advanced construction greatly reduces friction on the blade, maximizes the efficiency the flipper mechanism, and ensures a long service life.

The Spyderco Positron faithfully translates Brad Southard’s distinctive style and superior craftsmanship to a highly refined flipper-style folder that is easy to carry and ideal for everyday use. It will begin shipping in early October and we’re confident that you’ll like it just as much as we do.
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The Ion/Positron was based on the Trot.
 
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