- Joined
- Feb 24, 2001
- Messages
- 1,308
I was just looking at someone's website that lists photos of ALL Spyderco models. I'm a big fan of Spyderco knives -- though I am sure not the hugest collector. See, I'm partial to certain designs, and um, anti-partial to certain others.
I write this in the hopes that Sal Glesser sees this and gains confidence that there are enough others out there like me that it would be to his advantage to have Spyderco do certain things differently -- or to do do more things in a certain way.
- More integral compression locks.
I have come to avoid liner locks and frame locks because of the ball-bearing detent design for keeping the blade closed. The compression locks use that milled section of tang to accomplish the task, and the fact that there's no "extra part" in the liner makes the essential difference for me.
- More "ball bearing locks" like on the Dodo -- but on knives like the Military, if possible.
- STOP with the recurved blades! I don't buy them. If I did, they'd never be users, because I sharpen on a Spyderco Ceramic Benchstone, which really can't do recurve at all. I like an uncomplicated blade to sharpen. The Dodo would be an excellent knife with a slightly longer, non-recurved blade, like that of the Hunter perhaps. The S.P.O.T. also would be in my collection if not for the recurved blade. (Try a pattern like the Benchmade TK-1.)
- Make screw-together versions of as many riveted knives as possible. I'd buy half a dozen knives on the spot if they were only built with the ability for users to disassemble. I simply don't like the inability to tighten-up a knife if it needs it. With a riveted knife, like a Delica, or a pinned knife, like a s.s. Copilot, what are my options, besides sending the knife in for service? I simply don't know if it is practical or feasible to make a lockback that can be taken apart with torx screws. Seems to me that it should be. Is there some secret I don't know that prevents this?
Also, if lockbacks like the Delica could be made with torx screws, I would love to see a lot of other models that are currently made with liner locks offered as screw-together lockbacks.
- Make the A.T.R. without the holes in the handle. The extra weight would be negligible. The holes, to me, seem like they are waiting for the tip of a finger to manage to work its way in while the knife is closing, and the blade would act like a guillotine. Maybe it's a long shot, but when I look at that handle, that's what I see. Plus, objects in a pocket with the knife could contact the edge while jostling around, and nick up a nice sharpening job.
- Same thing with the SpyderFly! I just saw a picture of it, with that NON-sheathed tip when the knife is closed! What is up with that?! The curves of the handles allow an almond-shaped aperture to leave the blade tip exposed when closed. This seems almost silly to me. The blade tip will be out to show off when the knife is open: it need not be visible when the knife is closed. I think that this, again, invites pocket contents to contact the blade's edge and nick it up.
So, with all that said, I apologize if I come off sounding like I know how the knife world should be designing things. After all, I've never designed or made a knife in my life. But after a decade-plus of acquiring knives for personal use, I have come to be able to discern pretty well what I like and don't like. I'm a reasonably educated knife consumer. My desires in a knife are practical, and what I enjoy most is functional simplicity. So Sal, if you're reading, I really hope you take my comments to heart, because I think the ideas I've listed would be tremendous improvements in Spyderco's line. I hope others feel the same way.
-Jeffrey
I write this in the hopes that Sal Glesser sees this and gains confidence that there are enough others out there like me that it would be to his advantage to have Spyderco do certain things differently -- or to do do more things in a certain way.
- More integral compression locks.
I have come to avoid liner locks and frame locks because of the ball-bearing detent design for keeping the blade closed. The compression locks use that milled section of tang to accomplish the task, and the fact that there's no "extra part" in the liner makes the essential difference for me.
- More "ball bearing locks" like on the Dodo -- but on knives like the Military, if possible.
- STOP with the recurved blades! I don't buy them. If I did, they'd never be users, because I sharpen on a Spyderco Ceramic Benchstone, which really can't do recurve at all. I like an uncomplicated blade to sharpen. The Dodo would be an excellent knife with a slightly longer, non-recurved blade, like that of the Hunter perhaps. The S.P.O.T. also would be in my collection if not for the recurved blade. (Try a pattern like the Benchmade TK-1.)
- Make screw-together versions of as many riveted knives as possible. I'd buy half a dozen knives on the spot if they were only built with the ability for users to disassemble. I simply don't like the inability to tighten-up a knife if it needs it. With a riveted knife, like a Delica, or a pinned knife, like a s.s. Copilot, what are my options, besides sending the knife in for service? I simply don't know if it is practical or feasible to make a lockback that can be taken apart with torx screws. Seems to me that it should be. Is there some secret I don't know that prevents this?
Also, if lockbacks like the Delica could be made with torx screws, I would love to see a lot of other models that are currently made with liner locks offered as screw-together lockbacks.
- Make the A.T.R. without the holes in the handle. The extra weight would be negligible. The holes, to me, seem like they are waiting for the tip of a finger to manage to work its way in while the knife is closing, and the blade would act like a guillotine. Maybe it's a long shot, but when I look at that handle, that's what I see. Plus, objects in a pocket with the knife could contact the edge while jostling around, and nick up a nice sharpening job.
- Same thing with the SpyderFly! I just saw a picture of it, with that NON-sheathed tip when the knife is closed! What is up with that?! The curves of the handles allow an almond-shaped aperture to leave the blade tip exposed when closed. This seems almost silly to me. The blade tip will be out to show off when the knife is open: it need not be visible when the knife is closed. I think that this, again, invites pocket contents to contact the blade's edge and nick it up.
So, with all that said, I apologize if I come off sounding like I know how the knife world should be designing things. After all, I've never designed or made a knife in my life. But after a decade-plus of acquiring knives for personal use, I have come to be able to discern pretty well what I like and don't like. I'm a reasonably educated knife consumer. My desires in a knife are practical, and what I enjoy most is functional simplicity. So Sal, if you're reading, I really hope you take my comments to heart, because I think the ideas I've listed would be tremendous improvements in Spyderco's line. I hope others feel the same way.
-Jeffrey
