The spyderco-derived Mouse 2 is great!

[SYK]

OK, I know the Mouse 2 is no longer made by Spydie, so I was anxious when I picked up some of them. They have a cheapo version called Mouse-lite, made in Seki which is a third the price of the expensive ones.

They call it lite, but it is very solidly built, the FRN slabs(with the same pattern as the G-10) are thick and the steel spacer down its back makes it feel very solid. The lockwork is strong and it just seems like good value for money.

It has a flat ground 440c blade with the triangular hole that is a pain compared to the round spydie hole. If you put the tip of your thumb in it, it gets squeezed up into the narrow part of the triangular hole when you thumb the blade open. So I use the pad of the thumb and it is OK with that.

Great knife for $30, good back-up piece.

Compared to the dragonfly(I have the CF and FRN) it is OK, but a different idea. The mouse is concieved as a skinner, the draggie is a general purpose knife. Both have diff blades, so it's hard to compare them.

In terms of strength and solidity, the FRN mouse beats the FRN draggie for sure. But that extra strength and weight need not be important, depending on what you want it for. Also spydie designs their stuff to be light.

The Mouse 2 is a worthwhile addition to the back-up category of spydie small knives.

 

[North61]

I have both knives you mention and really like both of them. The dragonfly FRN is much thinner in both blade and handle and the handle is pretty bendy with any sort of lateral force. It is a great slicer and mine sits in my first aid/survival pouch as it is a good wood curler for fuzz sticks and would make a good scalpal. Aus 8 is good for utility and keeps a fair edge.

The Mouse-Lite is a great value. The FRN handles are thick enough to be strong...very strong for the uses to which a small knife would be put. Same comments for the blade. In fact the blade could be thinner for better slicing ability but that might lose this little knife some of it's bull dog charm. The 440 C seems to keep an edge and I love the combined sweep and point of the Wegners. I am tempted to use mine to process a caribou this year and will report back after my yearly February hunt.

My Mouse -Lite sits in my pocket every day and too bad for Spyderco that they let the rights go back to Mr. Wegner. I think they lost a mighty-mite classic design. Good news about the Trakker and I look forward to seeing one.