Spyderco in use, review/feedback thread

[attila]

Excellent write-up! Makes me glad I have the Rex 45 Manix and excited for the 4V PM2 that’s dripping today.

I was wondering, though, are these factory edges, first sharpenings, or have your subjects had multiple sharpenings?

Also, if they are your sharpening jobs, what’s your method and grit progression?

Thanks!!

[TkoK83Spy]

Excellent write-up! Makes me glad I have the Rex 45 Manix and excited for the 4V PM2 that’s dripping today.

I was wondering, though, are these factory edges, first sharpenings, or have your subjects had multiple sharpenings?

Also, if they are your sharpening jobs, what’s your method and grit progression?

Thanks!!

Thus far I'm only using knives that still have the factory edge or have never been touched up or sharpened at any coarser grit than the brown rods. I figure that's more of a fair and level playing field vs the others that I've reprofiled.

Eventually (if I stop buying new knives haha!) I'll get to the reprofiled knives and will share those details as well.

[Doc Dan]

I used my Blue Roadie to open to very large oven boxes double wrapped in mailer stretchy plastic. It cut plastic, tape, and thick cardboard without issue.

[PStone]

Used s45vn to cut some big zip ties, 25 or so, off of my chain link fence. A little overzealous and hit the fence and poles quite a few times. Very happy to report s45vn rolling and not chipping out. At first I thought I chipped it up a lot, but I can see and feel the rolls on both sides. Best pics I can get through a loupe:



I can report back how easily it sharpens tomorrow.

[TkoK83Spy]

Oooofff! Not terrible damage, but still a bit annoying on a brand new knife! Props for putting her to some hard use already, those plastic zip ties aren't the nicest to edges. Interested to see how S45VN sharpens these out. Do you have experience with S30V and/or S35VN as well? I'm sure many would be interested in the sharpening difference if you can distinguish one.

[autoxer]

Used s45vn to cut some big zip ties, 25 or so, off of my chain link fence. A little overzealous and hit the fence and poles quite a few times. Very happy to report s45vn rolling and not chipping out. At first I thought I chipped it up a lot, but I can see and feel the rolls on both sides. Best pics I can get through a loupe:
...
I can report back how easily it sharpens tomorrow.

Nice job putting that knife to use already! I am quite interested to hear more about your sharpening experience since I am also lucky enough to have one of these on the way, and will also be carrying and using mine.

[PStone]

Ok. So I’m not an expert. I still consider myself a learning sharpener. And I had nothing else to do for a bit. Touching up the damaged edge with my doublestuff took about 10 mins. This was a steeper angle than the factory. Fresh microbevel basically. Back to shaving sharp from just the med side. Very similar to my experience with s30v. But I want to see if fresh steel will handle any different. So I reprofiled. Using Norton coarse and med crystalon(SiC) oilstones. Then a few strops on leather with bark river black compound.


Took just over an hour, but I was purposely going slow. Plus I had to carry in groceries, free a trapped bee from the porch, open the cat food bag, take the trash out, etc

I would say if definitely deburrs easier than s30v. The factory grind lines were a bit deeper than I’m used to. So that’s really why it took so long. I reprofiled the s30v dragonfly a few weeks ago, and I was chasing a burr for a while, and went to the med stone to help break it off. This S45vn shook it cleanly from the coarse, and was shaving hairs. That’s probably the only difference I would/will be able to tell from sharpening with my somewhat limited experience.

[AHarbuck]

Ok. So I’m not an expert. I still consider myself a learning sharpener. And I had nothing else to do for a bit. Touching up the damaged edge with my doublestuff took about 10 mins. This was a steeper angle than the factory. Fresh microbevel basically. Back to shaving sharp from just the med side. Very similar to my experience with s30v. But I want to see if fresh steel will handle any different. So I reprofiled. Using Norton coarse and med crystalon(SiC) oilstones. Then a few strops on leather with bark river black compound.


Took just over an hour, but I was purposely going slow. Plus I had to carry in groceries, free a trapped bee from the porch, open the cat food bag, take the trash out, etc

I would say if definitely deburrs easier than s30v. The factory grind lines were a bit deeper than I’m used to. So that’s really why it took so long. I reprofiled the s30v dragonfly a few weeks ago, and I was chasing a burr for a while, and went to the med stone to help break it off. This S45vn shook it cleanly from the coarse, and was shaving hairs. That’s probably the only difference I would/will be able to tell from sharpening with my somewhat limited experience.

Thx for sharing!

[PStone]

Thx for sharing!

NP! Happy to contribute what I can! Should get some more yard duty this weekend too. So maybe I can comment on any more toughness I experience. Again, I was very happy to see some rolling and deforming rather than little chips. :spyder:

[TkoK83Spy]

Thx for sharing!

NP! Happy to contribute what I can! Should get some more yard duty this weekend too. So maybe I can comment on any more toughness I experience. Again, I was very happy to see some rolling and deforming rather than little chips. :spyder:

Well done! Looks great, now with some fresh steel too. Keep reporting back if you can, especially since this is a new steel to everyone.

[pantagana23]

Wondering if someone has a review of BBS M390 Delica after some longer use, if there are such.

[TkoK83Spy]

This week was the newly released KnifeWorks Para 3 Exclusive in CTS-204P. Nothing out of the ordinary throughout the week, just consistent use. Going into today, it was roughly scrape shaving arm hair and still cleanly cutting paper. Pretty consistent with a few others I've done these tests with.

I ended up cutting 255ft of cardboard here. Surprisingly, after around 150ft there were times it would snag and bind up a bit, pushing the cardboard instead of cutting through it. I tried going heel to tip and tip to heel in downward cuts, neither way would consistently slice through with ease at this point. Still got the job done through. I then moved onto the hydraulic hose, thinking at that point that it's going to struggle a bit...and it did at times. Normally the hose isn't much of an issue.

Remember this is the factory edge, just touched up on the fine rods, UF, and my strop prior to using it this week. So now, I'm feeling a bit disappointed. Is 204P really not as good as it's been said to be?? I could see A LOT of shine on the apex. I was pretty happy with the 20CV Manix at the beginning of all of this. I'm a bit puzzled. So next up is the rope test and I'm not expecting great results here.

Well...it cuts through the rope with relative ease! I cut 50 pieces and the blade only slipped on 3 of the cuts. Onto the paper test...cut paper pretty nice and clean. So I finish up and look at the edge, it's not in the greatest shape but no major damage. I've had edges in better shape that don't cut paper as cleanly :confused: It struggles through cardboard and rubber hose, yet cleanly slices paper?? :confused: This was by far the most confusing test I've done and it's taking some serious thought on where to put it on the list.

It also developed a lot of side to side blade play after was said and done. First time that's happened with all these knives.

My rundown through 10 weeks...
1a - Manix 2 / Rex45
1b - Manix 2 / 4V
2 - Shaman / 4V
3 - Para3 / M4
4 - Manix 2 / 20CV
5 - Shaman / Cruwear
6 - Para 3 / 204P
7 - Smock / S30V (granted only used for 3 days, so maybe I should give it another try)
8 - Manix 2 / 52100
9 - Caly Jr / Super Blue (garbage)

[SG89]

Looking forward to reading about your findings, Rick

[AwayFromMySpydieHole]

Oooofff! Not terrible damage, but still a bit annoying on a brand new knife! Props for putting her to some hard use already, those plastic zip ties aren't the nicest to edges. Interested to see how S45VN sharpens these out. Do you have experience with S30V and/or S35VN as well? I'm sure many would be interested in the sharpening difference if you can distinguish one.

S45vn is really almost identical to s35vn in regards to composition. I’d really doubt you’re going to notice much of any difference in sharpening or edge retention with S45vn, compared to s35.

[TkoK83Spy]

Oooofff! Not terrible damage, but still a bit annoying on a brand new knife! Props for putting her to some hard use already, those plastic zip ties aren't the nicest to edges. Interested to see how S45VN sharpens these out. Do you have experience with S30V and/or S35VN as well? I'm sure many would be interested in the sharpening difference if you can distinguish one.

S45vn is really almost identical to s35vn in regards to composition. I’d really doubt you’re going to notice much of any difference in sharpening or edge retention with S45vn, compared to s35.

I'd love to see a controlled test of S30V, S35VN and S45VN, and the sharpening process afterwards. That would be an interesting read.

[TkoK83Spy]

Looking forward to reading about your findings, Rick

Thanks for your interest SG. I've updated.

[JuPaul]

Rick, I'm curious to see you go through a week again after a full sharpening. That's a head-scratcher, for sure.

[SG89]

Very interesting. Staying tuned for next week's episode after you sharpen it and have fresh steel

[Cycletroll]

Oooofff! Not terrible damage, but still a bit annoying on a brand new knife! Props for putting her to some hard use already, those plastic zip ties aren't the nicest to edges. Interested to see how S45VN sharpens these out. Do you have experience with S30V and/or S35VN as well? I'm sure many would be interested in the sharpening difference if you can distinguish one.

S45vn is really almost identical to s35vn in regards to composition. I’d really doubt you’re going to notice much of any difference in sharpening or edge retention with S45vn, compared to s35.

I'd love to see a controlled test of S30V, S35VN and S45VN, and the sharpening process afterwards. That would be an interesting read.

I have a PM2 in s35vn, an incoming s45vn PM2 and a Mille in s30v. I'll try to work up a comparison.

[PStone]

Carried S45vn all week this week. Lots of cardboard and some gallon plastic jugs mainly. Some yard duty at home, as well as work too. Edge holding has been right on par with s30v/35vn in my experiences. The “hair popping” sharpness leaves pretty quickly, but it still remains shaving sharp and working. Probably all week long, but I touched up the edge on the fine side of my doublestuff and a black strop a couple times. Just to bring back that hair popping sharp. It remains surprisingly toothy from the fine stone/strop. I was able to cleanly slice a hanging paper towel like copy paper. Something I have not always been able to do. Maybe I’m just progressing my skill level though. Either way I am really having a great time with it.