Size & Weight Ratios for Selected LW Knives

[Bolster]

Time to update the ratios spreadsheet for summer backpacking activities! I’ve published similar before, but this year have made two changes:

(1) Ratios are now “value free.” In the past I have discussed ratios in a way that reflected my “backpacker bias” for lightweight, large-blade-for-handle types of knives. I recognize that some in our Spyderco family like heavy and/or large-handled knives, so have tried to provide a more “value free” presentation this time. I realize from past posts that some folks don’t care about ratios, and that’s OK. Enough folks find the ratios interesting, that it’s worth the update, IMO.

(2) Color determines the ratio. If you are looking for efficiency in size or weight, go with the light colored or white backgrounds. If you are looking for a larger handled knife for its blade size, consider the darker blue and purple colors. If you like a heavy feeling knife for its size, go for the darker orange or red colors.

Please call out errors when you see them, thanks.

Note that a few cells have green triangles…those ratios are entered manually, because if those are entered into the auto-calculated color formatting, they represent such unusual ratios that they throw off the coloring scheme for the rest of the knives!

[Bolster]

Still working on the fixies. Need to add a column showing combined knife + sheath weight. Need help with weights of sheaths...can supply?

[vivi]

I can weigh the perrin sheaths later tonight for ya.

[riclaw]

Great work, Bolster. Cool to see the Goddard model listed given the upcoming exclusive.

[Bolster]

I can weigh the perrin sheaths later tonight for ya.

Nifty, thanks!

Great work, Bolster. Cool to see the Goddard model listed given the upcoming exclusive.

Thanks -- have been eye-balling the Goddard as a backpacking knife for some time; just have never owned a copy. Looks to be a very safe design, fingers well protected from the blade, which is a plus in the back-country.

[Wartstein]

Hey Bolster, great work!
I am one of those who definitely considers weight to blade, even more so weight to edge ratio especially in hiking/mountaineering folders.

One thing though "bothers" me, and perhaps you could do some addition here:

- In case of the absolute "stars" when it comes to blade/edge to weight ratio in hiking knives - the Pacific Salt and the Salt 2- you went with the relatively "heavier" H1 instead of the even lighter (ffg) LC200 N versions

- The Pac Salt in H1 weighs in at 2.8 oz (79 grams), in LC though at just 2.6 oz (72 grams)
- The Salt 2 in H1 at 2.1 (60 grams), in LC at just 1.9 (54 grams)

Not a whole lot of difference, but in THIS particular context it matters imo, is percentage - wise actually a real difference, and makes the Salt 2 a "SUB 2 oz knife", which matters "psychologically/marketingwise" and makes it a real competitor to the BM Bugout (to me even the clearly better Bugout, see also here for a more detailled comparison of their specs viewtopic.php?t=88925#p1496689)

[vivi]

The LC200N FFG versions of the Salt knives are noticeably lighter. Might seem like splitting hairs to some, but you hold both versions side by side and the difference is obvious. Good observation.

[kennethsime]

Very cool, great work Bolster.

[Bolster]

- The Pac Salt in H1 weighs in at 2.8 oz (79 grams), in LC though at just 2.6 oz (72 grams)
- The Salt 2 in H1 at 2.1 (60 grams), in LC at just 1.9 (54 grams)

Thank you! Was unaware of the LC200N weight drop (amazing!), updating the list in the first post.

[vivi]

73.1 grams for street bowie sheath

53.1 grams for original run streat beat sheath
(not sure where my lw is)

both with g clips attached

[Manixguy@1994]

Great job Bolster , nice info in one lace . MG2

[spydergoat]

I figured that the "LC200N Delica" in the chart was the green Salt 2, so labelled to differentiate it from the Salt in H1. While the edge to weight is not quite as good as a bugout, it beats the benchmade in every other category like Wartstein showed.

[Bolster]

73.1 grams for street bowie sheath

53.1 grams for original run streat beat sheath
(not sure where my lw is)

both with g clips attached

Thanks Vivi! Sheath weights added and updated list published.

[Cl1ff]

This is really cool!
Makes me want to buy a scale to weigh my sheaths for you.
I should have one anyway…

I have the Swick, Bow River, Moran, and Mule leather sheath, so you can expect those weights sometime if I’m not beaten to the punch.

[Mushroom]

Moran Drop Point sheath with G-Clip - 2.24 oz

Bow River Leather sheath - 1.76 oz

[spydergoat]

Waterway Sheath with G Clip 2.01oz
Subway Bowie sheath w/ chain 0.78 oz; without chain 0.53oz

[sal]

Nicely done Bolster. Thanx much for the effort.

sal

[horzuff]

I was just comparing my big blades from Spyderco and I noticed that my Resilience has the most edge out of them (Military 2 and Police 4 LW were the other two).
The Resilience LW S35VN has following specs:
Weight 4.5oz (128g)
Blade Length 4.25" (108mm)
Edge Length4.25" (108mm)
Closed Length5.23" (133mm)

So the ratios would be:
B/C = 0,81
E/C = 0,81
B/W = 0,94
E/W = 0,94

Absolute king in length ratios, on par with the new Military 2 in length to weight

[vivi]

Having no choil and edge right up to the handle lets the Resilience pack a lot of cutting edge into a pretty small package. That characteristic puts its a head of Spydercos nicer large folders for me in many respects.

[ladybug93]

lots to love about the resilience. i've always thought it was the best of that series. i never got the s35vn version because of local laws, but it would be a great knife for sure.