Which Dragonfly ?

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fluffyblade

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Jul 1, 2017
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In a moment of weakness i gifted my beloved DF frn.Its now time for a new one,and i want to ask you guys if it is worth to try another flavor.I dont have the posibility to handle a G10 or a SS version,so my question is:is the G10 worth the double price compared to the frn?Is the SS to slipery and hard to open?Thanks in advance!
 
fluffyblade said:
In a moment of weakness i gifted my beloved DF frn.Its now time for a new one,and i want to ask you guys if it is worth to try another flavor.I dont have the posibility to handle a G10 or a SS version,so my question is:is the G10 worth the double price compared to the frn?Is the SS to slipery and hard to open?Thanks in advance!
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Nah guy,

Get the ZDP Dragonfly! Either that or the Hap40 one. Then when you have the ultimate d.fly blade you can get the g10 one and do a blade swap.

That would definitely impress the ladies.
 
I have the Salt Dragonfly 2 and after a couple years of being around plenty of fresh and salt water it shows little wear. I'm not a big fan of the yellow handles but other than that it's a great little knife.
 
My own opinion is yes it’s worth it. My reasoning did come from finding the blade play on the FRN versions I handeled was noticeable, but not when they were g10. If you can buy the FRN in person and find one without bladeplay, that’s another story. YMMV.
 
If you are already questioning it then most likely you need to go G10. My wife has the SS Dragonfly Tattoo, opens with ease, handles well, and has the solid pocket clip.
 
If the steel is the most important thing to you, find a Hap40 or even Super Blue. They will cut like there is no tomorrow and have very manageable sharpening. If comfort is more important get the G10. VG-10 is great blade steel on a small knife and the G10 handle with a small lanyard is very comfortable to use. If you want to drop it into your pocket without a clip, get the stainless or nishijin.
 
Little knives like DF should be light too. My choice would be ZDP-189 with FRN scales.
 
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I have a zdp, want a serrated h1 and also maxamet ::cheeky::, I like the frn I kind of feel the g10 is a bit stiff and lunky on other models I've tried (Native 5, Manix 2) so prefer the frn personally but if you want that sturdier feel and will be hard using it maybe the g10's the way to go
 
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I've owned most variants of this knife, other than the sprint runs. I like the frn zdp-189 version best. The G10 does feel like a more premium model... until you go to open it. I've had 2 and the action wasn't as nice on either of them as it is on the frn model. So no, I don't think it's worth the uptick in price. I do think the zdp blade is worth the extra though. Spyderco's ZDP is still a contender for the best blade steel available. Love it.

The SS version is a different beast entirely. It's more of a churchgoer sort of thing. It's pinned so you can't adjust blade tension, unless you just squeeze it in a vice, and it will develop play over time. I wouldn't say it's so slippery that it's hard to open, but it certainly doesn't have much traction.

For my money, it's the FRN Zdp-189 model all day long.
 
I definitely think a lightweight model like the d fly benefits greatly from lightweight frn scales and supersteels are perfect for a small blade.
 
I think the DF2 is best presented with FRN scales and VG-10 steel. Some people have a hard time getting a nice edge on ZDP-189, myself included. In my opinion, the G10 scales or SS scales are a downgrade from the stock bi-directional FRN.

The DF2 excels as an inexpensive, easy to maintain, lightweight knife that can do almost as much as knives twice as big. Harder to maintain steel and unnecessary weight diminish the sweet spot.

If you want a "different" DF2, try some of the new Zome patterns!

Edit: I just checked and the ZDP-189 model is only about $20 more than the VG-10. I thought it sold at a greater premium. If you're better at sharpening than I am, the ZDP-189 could be a solid option.
 
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I agree with what some others have said. The DF2 is supposed to be small and lite. Adding G10 and full non-nested steel liners gets away from what it should be at its core: lite.

Where I would look to try a different DF2 is in steel choice. For me I love serrated H1 so I have a DF2 Salt. Like others have recomended, an excellent option is the ZDP version.

fishiker said:
I have the Salt Dragonfly 2 and after a couple years of being around plenty of fresh and salt water it shows little wear. I'm not a big fan of the yellow handles but other than that it's a great little knife.
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Rit Dye is your friend!

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My vote is for the ZDP-189 variant. One of the better steels for the DF and just an awesome green IMO. I've never had a G10 so I can't comment on that.
 
if you want edge retention zdp189.. if you need corrosion resistance h1.. if you want the middle ground vg10
 
The zdp touches up like a dream on the sharpmarker, I assumed it would be more difficult but it's been pretty easy on the medium corners just so long as they're free from swarf
 
ZDP-189 FRN. I like the light weight of the DF2 so this is my pick. Have a Tattoo in the collection for fun, but the steel is much heavier and takes away from the knife.
 
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