The Monk and The Cricket (or why Manix is being bugged)

[Wowbagger]

OK first, these are working knives and will pretty much always have box tape glue smears so what you see is what you get. (I lied; I will be wiping off the Balance and putting it away with care).

WHY DIDN’T I NOTICE THIS CRICKET BEFORE NOW ?

There was a thread a while back asking something like : “What medium and small folder should I buy to carry as a pair?”. Or “What Two Spydercos should I carry ?”
Something like that.
I recommended a Manix and a Dragonfly. (I didn’t even own a Manix back then . . . but I do now).

I would like to amend that recommendation to a Manix and a Cricket.
I think the OP said the Manix was TOO wide in the pocket and the Dragonfly was too short in use.
OK . . . that’s cool.
I am finding the Manix is NOT too wide FOR ME. It (The Light Weight) disappears in my pocket; I don’t have a problem with the size / width. I wear loose fitting trousers. YMMV.
and
the Cricket ? . . . heck . . . I don’t know . . . I just got it today . . . The Chef was so nice; she dropped the package by to me at work during my lunch break and I busssed it out and deployed it on the spot. Used it several times during the rest of the work day.

Seems good (heck seems GREAT).
One thing that I was planning on that surprised me : I carried the Balance the last several days as “training” for carrying the Cricket when it arrived, clipped in my shirt pocket and a couple other places that didn’t work as well. When I put the Cricket in my shirt pocket it was too heavy and my shirt pocket looked bad and puckered from the weight (the Balance rode well in my shirt pocket).
Hmmm
going to have to rethink that one . . .

The reason I like the Cricket over the Dragonfly for two knife carry ?
I think . . .
The hook on the tip of the Cricket. I wanted a knife that was a taped-box-opener; cut the tape not the cardboard . . . and other similar stuff.

Too early to tell so I will update.

The “Tattoo” grass and cricket design on the one scale of the knife:
?
Is really STELLAR !

I am soooooooh happy with it. (wellllll . . . actually . . . see "UPDATE" bellow) It wasn’t super clear from reading posts here and watching YouTubes whether the design was really engraved or chemically etched or just painted on the surface.

When I first got the knife the design felt kind of raised like it was epoxy paint silk screened on a smooth stainless scale and I was a little let down. Now that I have looked at it here at home with some magnification I see that the pattern is BEAUTIFULLY machined into the stainless scale ! There is an intricate and varied facetting / texture to the lines and cricket image.

This is SO FREAKING WELL DONE !
I bought the Tattoo model more for the grip providing texture than the decoration even though I like the decorative aspect. Like I said this is to be a working knife. Tre-EDC.

I am TOTALLY glad I spent the extra bucks and ordered the Tattoo now that I know (I think) that the pattern won’t just wear off from daily use.

What have you all found ? Does the paint have staying power ? Shall I give it a wipe of shellac from time to time to protect the color ?

Anyway
so far
THIS PAIR
is the end-all, be-all, of two-folding-knife-combos.
This is it.
The bench mark.
Nut’in better.

‘course there is that long thin SAK Bantam (or a SAK Secretary) not far away at all times but we won’t say more about that . . .

 

[Tyronethepro]

I carry a Manix 2 lightweight almost everyday. It's an amazing knife even though I usually carry a 6-8 oz folder with it. But I find the Manix gets 90 percent of the use everyday, there's something about it that makes it a stellar blade.

 

[Wowbagger]

One other thing that occurred to me today that I wanted to add to this thread is :
If you are curious about the Cricket be sure to check out Spidiechick on YouTube. She does an awesome review and I don't use that word hardly ever. First off she is working the Cricket frame lock left handed like a pocket knife Samurai and I can't even do that right handed yet AND she knows her stuff. Good review. Includes one that is brand new and one that is over a year old and second hand at that.

Also

I have to say . . . if you want to open a bag of M&Ms with the most precision and style possible there is only ONE KNIFE that is up to it . . . the Spyderco Cricket Tattoo. . . . OH YAH. :thumbup:.

I discovered that today quite by chance but figured I better pass along the info as soon as possible.

 

[Comeuppance]

I've been kicking myself for passing up the Nishijin Cricket when it was on closeout for 29.99 on BladeHQ a couple years ago.

Really, though, what I want is one of those Santa Fe Stoneworks Yin Yang numbers:

 

[Wowbagger]

Yin / Yang

OH, that's what they were talking about. I read about something to do with the Cricket and Yin / Yang but I just couldn't see it in the stock one.

Yah that's cool !
I would have tried the Nishijin but I wanted some texture and I figured, perhaps wrongly in hind sight, that I could texture up the stainless better than wreck the polished Nishijin trying to jig texture that.

What did that Sante Fe sell for ? I'm guessing $380.

 

[Wowbagger]

UPDATE :
Hmmmmmm

The imagination is quicker than the eye.
I put some jeweler visor magnification on the Cricket Tattoo and what had originally appeared to me as minute machine marks or laser etching (what have you) turned out to be . . .
are you ready
wrinkle finish paint silk screened on top of the stainless steel side of the knife.
All but very, very, very nicely done. Looks great.
Usually I am a sucker for wrinkle finish paint; I think most of us old dudes are. Does the younger generations go for wrinkle finish paint ? Like on instruments ?

Anyway that was WHY my original impression, by touch, was that the cricket and grass image was painted on.
Oh well . . .
I still love the knife.
I got what I paid for.
Made in Seki-City Japan; top notch in my book
The edge bevel is nice and shallow (acute) like I like. Trims my finger nails like hardly any of my other knives (so effortlessly) (with the untouched factory edge) and that is a super good sign.

It is just that the nice art work will likely wear off.