Which Spyderco knife?

[singularity35]

how about a Tenacious? g10 handle and if you're not to picky about steels it comes at an affordable price.

 

[gapster46]

That dragonfly seems to small for the price too. Might as well get a kershaw 1740 or scallion for much less and wait for the delica in FFG.

I am leaning towards the native though. Kind of wish nutnfancy did a review on that one.

I paid $37.78 for the Dragonfly. About half of what I paid for my Spyderco Stretch, which is a very nice knife.

I’ve not looked at the Native yet. I’ve just started with knives, and went with the Stretch as the first one. Great choice, but maybe more money than you want to spend. A search on Nutnfancy’s site and I found a review on the Spyderco Native4 Carbon Fiber.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4cLRwGUnNg

I didn’t watch the whole video, but it might be worth watching, since it is a Native, even tho it is the Carbon Fiber model.

EDIT: Here is another review on the Native. Watch both videos. I just did. You will get something out of both videos. Looks like a nice knife

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAyfATr5ZI&feature=related

 

[ZDHart]

That dragonfly seems to small for the price too.

Yes, the G10 Dragonfly is expensive for it's size. But it's also a LOT of knife in spite of it's size. It's a little lion (like the Pekingese dog is thought to be.)
The features, materials, fit and finish on the G10 Dragonfly are top notch.

Some of the things that account for more costly knives vs. lower cost to look for...

1) Handle material: G10 or carbon fiber vs. zytel for the handle;

2) Quality of blade steel used;

3) Quality of fitting and finishing;

4) assembled with rivets or removeable screws (rivets are less costly and can work fine, but there is no pivot tension adjustability nor can you open the knife, if you wish to).

With the Dragonfly, the cost of various models is accounted for by the clip material (molded-in vs. stainless steel wire), handle material (zytel vs. SS or G10), jimping on the choil & spine (none on the FRN version, both jimped on the G10 version). These features do make a difference in the final quality of the finished knife, but for that, there is a price.

Lower cost knives can be great utility and high value for the money. Higher cost knives may offer less "value", but nicer quality, fit, finish, and materials.

In the end, there's no free lunch. With the low cost knives you must give something up in materials, fit, finish, assembly, etc. and with the high quality knives, you must give up more cash.

 

[UpChUcK]

...My hesitation on this model is this: I think in such a size knife I may prefer a model which can easily be flicked open. Does the back lock pretty much prevent easy ability to flick open the Endura?

I assume that all back lock knives really need to be swung open rather than flicked, right?

I can flick my G10 Dragonfly open if I really put my mind to it, but obviously, it doesn't seem designed for that type of opening.

Therefore, liner, frame, ball, or axis locks seem to be the best designs to flick open a knife.

I tell ya ZD, when I first got it, I was disappointed with the Endura 4 G-10. I would try to flick it open and it would just stop half way. No matter how hard I tried, it would not open all the way if I just used my thumb to flick it open. If I added a generous wrist flip it would open most of the time. I inspected the knife and the pivot and noticed that the loerances at the pivot were really tight. The whole knife was so perfectly aligned and no gaps anywhere. I thought the tight tolerances were to blame. It looked like there are no PB washers it the pivot at all. I still have not taken the knife apart to find out so I don't honestly know for sure yet. So I basically was resigned to the swing it open slowly. But then I added a couple drops of RemOil and the more I opened it, the more it broke in and then it worked itself out and now it flicks open with NO wrist flip added. Just all thumb. Lockup is still solid too. It took a week or 2 though but it opens almost like a good flipper now. :thumbup:

 

[letsgo]

I paid $37.78 for the Dragonfly. About half of what I paid for my Spyderco Stretch, which is a very nice knife.

I’ve not looked at the Native yet. I’ve just started with knives, and went with the Stretch as the first one. Great choice, but maybe more money than you want to spend. A search on Nutnfancy’s site and I found a review on the Spyderco Native4 Carbon Fiber.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4cLRwGUnNg

I didn’t watch the whole video, but it might be worth watching, since it is a Native, even tho it is the Carbon Fiber model.

EDIT: Here is another review on the Native. Watch both videos. I just did. You will get something out of both videos. Looks like a nice knife

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAyfATr5ZI&feature=related

Awesome. Thanks! The native looks like a really cool unique knife. Nutnfancy really doesnt like the native...darn. But it has pin construction...sigh.
Where did you get your dragonfly for so cheap?

If I dont find a good spyderco, maybe I will get a cheap rat1 for like camping and a dragonfly or a scallion or 1740 nrg for edc. then when a delica comes out with FFG I could get that. But I am really drawn to the native even though it got a negative review (or more so) on nutnfancy.

 

[ZDHart]

I tell ya ZD, when I first got it, I was disappointed with the Endura 4 G-10. I would try to flick it open and it would just stop half way. No matter how hard I tried, it would not open all the way if I just used my thumb to flick it open. If I added a generous wrist flip it would open most of the time. I inspected the knife and the pivot and noticed that the loerances at the pivot were really tight. The whole knife was so perfectly aligned and no gaps anywhere. I thought the tight tolerances were to blame. It looked like there are no PB washers it the pivot at all. I still have not taken the knife apart to find out so I don't honestly know for sure yet. So I basically was resigned to the swing it open slowly. But then I added a couple drops of RemOil and the more I opened it, the more it broke in and then it worked itself out and now it flicks open with NO wrist flip added. Just all thumb. Lockup is still solid too. It took a week or 2 though but it opens almost like a good flipper now. :thumbup:

Hey... that is so cool to hear. My experience with quality back locks is so limited that I assumed knives with that type of lock design just aren't intended to be able to flick open. The G10 Endura sure looks like an awesome knife. I'm just starting to consider all the knife possibilities in the 3.5 to 3.9" blade category. And the G10 Endura is right in there! Thanks.

 

[redisburning]

Nutnfancy really doesnt like the native...darn.

Might I suggest that you not base your decision SOLELY on the basis of a review done by a man who does not know the difference between a buck strider and an SnG?

I mean, Im not going to suggest that people have an obligation to know everything, but if you put yourself out there as a gear reviewer you should know some basic stuff. Nor am I suggesting that he has nothing positive to add. But seriously.

 

[letsgo]

Might I suggest that you not base your decision SOLELY on the basis of a review done by a man who does not know the difference between a buck strider and an SnG?

I mean, Im not going to suggest that people have an obligation to know everything, but if you put yourself out there as a gear reviewer you should know some basic stuff. Nor am I suggesting that he has nothing positive to add. But seriously.

SO you think the native is a great knife despite what he says? Should I just listen and watch his reviews with a grain of salt? How about cutlerylover and cajunblaze?

 

[gapster46]

Awesome. Thanks! The native looks like a really cool unique knife. Nutnfancy really doesnt like the native...darn. But it has pin construction...sigh.
Where did you get your dragonfly for so cheap?

If I dont find a good spyderco, maybe I will get a cheap rat1 for like camping and a dragonfly or a scallion or 1740 nrg for edc. then when a delica comes out with FFG I could get that. But I am really drawn to the native even though it got a negative review (or more so) on nutnfancy.

I got the Dragonfly at yourcornerstore.com. One of Nutnfancy’s favorite places.

I respect Nutnfancy’s opinions and views, and he has cost me some money, tho I’m not sure I’d base your decision on the Native just on his review. cutlerylover, the other reviewer in my second link, really likes the knife, and I know there are many happy Native owners out there. I’m not sure Spyderco makes a bad knife, and they will never please everyone with every knife they make. It’s not easy trying to pick out a knife you can’t actually look at and touch, so I tend to listen a to a lot of different sources, and make as best of an educated choice as I can.

 

[redisburning]

SO you think the native is a great knife despite what he says?

great? that's a pretty strong word. the best out of the things you listed, worth the price, will do everything you need it to?

yes on all accounts.

I could recommend you some knives I consider to be "great" but youre going to spend over 100 dollars if it's from spyderco. But that's like, my opinion man.

Should I just listen and watch his reviews with a grain of salt?

I think that what he says is worth considering. If someone owns a product I dont, their thoughts are worth listening too. But ultimately I would decide for myself unless I was friends with and/or really trusted the opinions of that person. Im afraid nutnfancy has done a lot to convince me his opinion is not worth parting money for by itself.

How about cutlerylover and cajunblaze?

Both are fine sources of information. Personally I like the review done by bladeforums member archieblue, viewable here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m3YRacdLSA

 

[letsgo]

Oh cool! He is a forum member? NICE!!!

And yah, i didnt mean to say that the native may be a great knife, but just one that meets my needs at a great price (~$50).

Man someone just told me about the kershaw RAM if I want to wait for a FFG of the delica and endura. Looks like a great nice to cure my urge until then.