Why, Sal? Why?

I understand that there needs to be a somewhat grippy edge to the holes. But I don't think the edges should be so sharp they slice up your thumb. There is plenty of middle ground between "sharp as the blade" and "too slippery".

The Benchmade Pika is an excellent example of a knife with too slippery a thumbhole. It's very difficult to open because of excessive chamfering. I'm not advocating this, as I have a Pika and hate it for this exact reason. But earlier model Spydies had better attention paid to the thumbholes. My old Rescues, my old Enduras, my old Delicas, my Walker, my Police, my Meerkat, my Salsa etc. etc. all have perfectly fine thumbholes. This was not a problem in the past. The edges were all beveled just enough right out of the box. Hell, the thumbholes of my Byrds are all better attended to.

I think there was a conscious decision to forego a step in the finishing process at some point.

I find it unreasonable to have to take a file and sandpaper to a brand new knife just to keep it from cutting me. Not once but on four separate knives. I really think this should be taken care of before the knives leave the factory. This is just my opinion.
 
Hi Moonwilson,

Sorry 'bout your discomfort.

We've done holes many ways; chamfers in the "early days (early 80's)". We learned that the chamfers, while looking good, made the knife more difficult to open, especially with gloves one.

After much experimentation, we've learned that a "certain amount" of buffing with a "certain abrasive belt" gives us what we feel is the best performing opening hole. Unfortunately, not everyone's skin has the same degree of callous.

We found it quite imposible to please all on this issue. We design and build for performace, rather than collectability (sorry :o ). Getting just the "right amount" of bite is difficult and takes a skilled knifemaker to be able to get it "just right". It would probably be less expensive to chamfer than do it our way, but we believe we get a better results.

Our offering to our customer of "reliable high performce" is taken quite seriously, especially since the majority of our customers buy them as users. Sure is a drag to have your finger slip out of the hole in an emergency situation, (wet, cold, sweaty, etc.)

I think that you might take a piece fine sandpaper or one of our ceramic stones and "deburr" or "soften" the sharp edge to your preference.

I hope this helps you to undertand "why".

sal
 
I can honestly say that I by no means have rough, tough hands, and this has only happened to me on an absurdly stiff model. To have it happen as many as four different times on regular models suggests an issue with having the skin of a fresh baby, rather than a problem with the actual knives.
 
Yeah, it's never happened to me either, and I hate the thumbstubs on my CRKT S-2 because it chews up my thumb like nothing else. I have soft baby hands too :) Maybe you are pushing too hard on the hole?:confused: Though the apple test is a little worrisome.
 
Thanks, Sal. How awesome is it that you can get the president of a company to respond to your comments about their products? Try that in any other industry. As for the thumbholes, I have been beveling the edges myself. I just like to bitch about it, that's all. Damn these artist's hands, they really are too soft.

I respect the fact that Spyderco makes knives for using, that's why I use and collect them. I find knives made specifically for collecting to be beyond boring. Gil Hibben makes knives for "collecting" and how bad do they suck?

I collect knives because I respect and appreciate functional aesthetics. I'm drawn to Spyderco because they excel in this regard. I design things for a living and I really appreciate the thought that goes into all of the Spyderco products. I'm actually suprised I haven't seen a Worker in the design collection at the Met in New York. In terms of paradigm shifting designs, you don't get much better than that.
 
Hi Moonwilson,

Thanx for the kind words.

Actually, Spyderco is a relatively small company, and I do most of the design work and set QC standards, so often, I'm the only one that can answer design questions.

I also have great respect for the inventors and designers of the world.

EVERYTHING that you see that isn't natural, was invented and designed by someone.

Take care of those hands, we need our designers.

sal
 
Okay, now I know I'm not just being a wus. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I just bought a brand new Delica 4, and the thumb hole is perfect right out of the box. It has been ever so slightly smoothed so it's not like a frigging razor. That's all I want. This makes me think that the other knives I bought DID have a problem, and this is not my imagination.

I examined all of the other Spydercos in the store and all of their blade holes were perfect as well. (I finally found a place in town that carries decent knives after months of searching, so the bug has bitten me hard this week) So I think I've come across 4 separate QC anomalies, all bought in different stores in different parts of the country. It's not that my hands are too soft, some knives are getting through with razor sharp edges. I think I just have bad luck and should pay closer attention at the store. I wish now I hadn't polished the edges down myself, or I'd send them in for Sal to look at.
 
Moonwilson, it is always nice to meet another guy who buys all the knives with a specific defect :D I'm the guy who buys all the Spydies with wire edges. I know I am, because every time I mention one of my Spydies having one, everyone else chimes in that they have never had that happen to them :rolleyes: So thank you for buying all the too sharp holes, since I find enough ways to hurt myself without adding that one to the list :D
 
Hey guys, you should be aware that at the QC tables, we have boxes that we put specific knives into.

All knives that have a sharp opening hole go into the "Moonwilson" box and all knives with a wire edge go into the "Yablonowitz" box. It is very difficult to make sure that you guys get each one, but we work very hard at it. ;)

Sorry.

Hey Moonwilson, Maybe your luck is changing?

BTW, that "ever so slightly smoothed" is what we strive for.

sal
 
Thanks, Sal. That should save me the trouble of searching everywhere for them!

Seriously, I think you do a great job on quality control, and since I usually sharpen my new knives before I use them (unless I am testing a new brand or steel) a wire edge is nothing to worry about. At least it happens far less often than with a certain other company that has been turning out wire edges consistantly for about a hundred years :rolleyes:
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hey guys, you should be aware that at the QC tables, we have boxes that we put specific knives into.

All knives that have a sharp opening hole go into the "Moonwilson" box and all knives with a wire edge go into the "Yablonowitz" box. It is very difficult to make sure that you guys get each one, but we work very hard at it. ;)

Sorry.

Hey Moonwilson, Maybe your luck is changing?

BTW, that "ever so slightly smoothed" is what we strive for.

sal
Click to expand...

That's awesome! I feel so special now. :D

I think I've learned my lesson. It's a simple enough matter to check the hole before I buy a knife. But that might cause a problem at the QC tables. ;) I would be a shame for all that hard work to go to waste.

I'm done with my little visit to crybaby town. No more bitching about the blade holes, honest. Unless of course it happens again, but then it will be firmly in the "my fault because I am stupid" category.
 
This reminds me of the old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me five or more times, well then....I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer." ;)
 
yablanowitz said:
Thanks, Sal. That should save me the trouble of searching everywhere for them!

Seriously, I think you do a great job on quality control, and since I usually sharpen my new knives before I use them (unless I am testing a new brand or steel) a wire edge is nothing to worry about. At least it happens far less often than with a certain other company that has been turning out wire edges consistantly for about a hundred years :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yablanowitz, if it makes you feel any better, I have definitely gotten Spydies with a wire edge; one came back from W&R that way too!

You're not alone ;) :p

(sorry moonwilson :D )
 
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