Why, Sal? Why?

moonwilson

moonwilson

Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
7,250
Why Sal? Why is this? I just bought a new 79mm Rescue (bright orange) and the damned thumbhole bit me. Again! This is the fourth Spyderco that has done this to me right out of the box. Others this has happened with: Endura 4, Endura 3 stainless, Delica 3 stainless. Why so sharp? Why do the thumbholes hate me so?

I used to think this was a manufacturing defect but now I think this is the way the holes are supposed to be now. No chamfering or beveling at all, the edges are just as sharp as all hell. Is this happening to anyone else? Is my skin that much thinner than the average dude?
 
My holes come with square edges, but I've never drawn blood on one. I like the square-edged hole, because I think it gives a better grip than the beveled edge (a la Benchmade AFCK). I wouldn't mind if the inside were polished up a bit, though. Ridges in the hole seem to collect rust.
 
I can always bevel the edges a little myself (that's what I've done before), but its' just annoying to cut my thumb right out of the gate, using the thumbhole exactly as it is designed to be used. My real gripe is that it makes my thumb sore so it's not as much fun to play with my new knife.

Will this keep me from buying more Spydercos? Hell no! I'm a spyder-junkie, gotta have that fix.
 
Hey Moon...

That's happened to me once or twice beofre as well..
I simply break the edge with a little sand paper...

I like good grip as well,,but don't like the holes sharp...

Chit happens...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Get a shovel and start digging. Before you know it, you'll have callouses that would make a chronic onanist proud, and this won't be a problem. :D
 
Guyon said:
Get a shovel and start digging. Before you know it, you'll have callouses that would make a chronic onanist proud, and this won't be a problem. :D
Click to expand...

I knew that was coming. Damn my soft lifestyle. It's true that I click a mouse all day instead of doing real work. I live in a condo in the middle of the city so there's not much dirt to dig around here, which actually kind of sucks. I spent all of my summers on a farm growing up, so I know what real work is. To be honest though, clicking a mouse in air-conditioned splendor beats the hell out of busting my ass outside in the heat all day. That's why I went to school for all those years, to avoid having to do that my whole life. If having soft little pansy hands is the price I have to pay for that trade, so be it.
 
I just take some 400 grit sandpaper, roll it into a small tube and spin it through the hole a few times.

My new D4 was the same way. This type of knife for $40, a little bit of polishing is nothing I'm comlaining about.
 
None of my spyderholes bother me...but then, my thumb is extremely callused, so that might be part of it. Might try a mini skirmish style spyder hole.
 
How do you guys cut yourselves on the Spyderhole???:confused:

Hell I spin my knives by their hole, and I have yet to be cut. The hole is sharp, but nowhere near that sharp.:confused:
 
I've seen Sal, cut paper with the spine of one of his knives, but I've never heard of anyone cutting themselves with a Spydie hole. Not once, but with three other knives. :eek:
I think after the second time it happened I would be more cautious.
Maybe you should get a pair of those Kevlar gloves before you attempt the next opening.
Ya can't be too carefull. ;)
 
PhilL said:
I think after the second time it happened I would be more cautious.
;)
Click to expand...

You would think that wouldn't you. :D It doesn't happen with all of my Spydercos, just the more recent ones I've bought. I may just have some rotten luck. Upon closer inspection it looks like the hole of my new 79mm Rescue WAS chamfered a little bit on the lower half, they just missed the top part of the hole where the meat of your thumb hits it first. As an experiment I tried cutting an apple with the hole and sure enough, it cut little plugs out, easy as pie.

No worries, though, I hit it up with a little round diamond file and some fine grit sandpaper and it's all better now.
 
Tohatchi NM said:
I like the square-edged hole, because I think it gives a better grip than the beveled edge (a la Benchmade AFCK).
Click to expand...

That it does. The opening on my 804 and 814 is inconsistant due to the beveled hole. The folks who suggested sandpaper have a good idea.
 
I cut my thumb and forefinger on my Spydersaw 2 weeks ago when I grabbed the hole to open it. first time and was surprise about it as it felt like a papercut.

S/F,
CEYA!
 
I've done this one time. It was on a Renegade, and I contribute it to the very small opening hole and super stiff out of box action on it. Never even come close with any of my numerous other Spydercos.
 
I have plenty of Spyders and I know what you are talking about. It's like the Military phenomonon where the tang will cut you initially. The more you play with a knife, the faster you develop a callas.

I have the tip of my thumb callased from my OTF DA Microtechs and Spydercos.

If it bothers you a lot, make a groove in your thumbnail and use this groove to catch the angle on the hole and throw the blade up. It helps thumb strength and is very easy to do.
 
I don't like the newer sharper thumbhole edges either, but learned to hit a new spydie with sandpaper.

If it makes you feel better I had to do the same with a Tom Mayo custom tnt.
 
IIRC, Sal has been referenced in saying that the reason for the newer, non-chamfered holes is because the result is a more positive deployment.

I have an older Merlin with the chamfered hole, and prefer the newer non-chamfered holes. I did develope a sore thumb once when breaking in my first Meadowlark. However, after using the non-chamfered hole the chamfered hole just doesn't feel secure enough.
 
IIRC, Sal has been referenced in saying that the reason for the newer, non-chamfered holes is because the result is a more positive deployment.
Click to expand...

IIRC it has more to do with cost-effectiveness as mentioned before.

Blessings,

Keno
 
Well, Sal mentioned that they played with champhered holes for a while and made even a few production pieces with, but Sal, didn't like the deployment, the "slippery" feel, if you will.
 
This has never happened to me but a few did feel like they sliced me. I had to check for blood because it kind of felt like a razor cut, you know the kind that you are not even sure you were cut until you see blood?

Anyway, never actually drew blood on a thumbhole but on the ones that were a little too sharp, I just took some fine sandpaper and lightly sanded the hole. I like the sharp hole as it does help with grip. I had a old Rescue that either had the hole chamfered or came form the factory that way and it was a pain to get it opened. I almost cut myself several times with that one. Those cuts would have been bad too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top