Sal's Casual Bombshell Thread

[Tucson Tom]

Weird for the sake of weird is pointless. But sometimes something looks weird, but it is because you don't understand. Then when you start using the thing you understand that it is the way it is because that is the best way for it do do its job. I know there are examples outside of the knife world, but can't think of any right now. They are all around us, but we are used to them. Sometimes we go to a different culture and see a different way of solving a problem and it looks odd because we don't understand it yet.

[ugaarguy]

All of my designs are to hold and use. I'v added some novelty in some of my designs, like the "Q". Sometimes I'll try to add an attractive handle like on the Chaparral. But in general, I'm all about high performance, Ergos, safety. That's why I've been accused of "deigning in the dark". That's why we have outside collaborations. Also Eric is better than I am about designing attractive models. He's just a better artist than I am.

sal

Sal, the Para 2 feels weird in my hands, but the Shaman feels like it was made for me. I hope you keep designing folders for many more years. I also think the Shaman is much better looking than the Para 2.

[embry386]

Thanx Marius, Spencer,

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then. In fact the word that forumites have coined to describe the way Spyderco knives look is "fugly".

sal

Well, I tend to think most fancy knives are ugly. Not naming specific brands, but lots of the really expensive ones that people get all excited over on BladeForums about, I don't like at all. Which is fine; it's nice to have a large variety of knives available, and everyone can admire and buy the ones that they like the best, I'm not dissing anyone who likes those knives But Spyderco knives are the ones that call to me the most. I like the sleek designs that don't have all kinds of extra fancy decoration all over; the FRN is lightweight and often comes in many bright colors which make me happy to look at; the lines of the knives are beautiful and elegant. They remind me of those cool SR-71 Blackbird airplanes, the ones designed by the military for spy missions, which avoid missiles shot at them by increasing their speed to outfly the missile, and which fly so fast that the tips and edges glow red-hot from friction with the air rushing by so quickly:



I think this plane is super beautiful. It looks a bit strange, but elegant and sleek, and minimalistic, with all the effort put into making it function as perfectly as possible, and no extra unnecessary stuff thrown on for decoration. Heck, if you put decoration on it, it'd actually take away from the beauty, because it'd distract from the clean graceful lines.

My Endura 3 is, in my opinion, the most beautiful of the knives I own, and it doesn't need fancy materials to make it attractive. Its elegant design is all the decoration it needs. Sure, the blue jugged bone Endura is outstandingly gorgeous, but my plain black FRN one has a certain je ne sais quoi about it that even that fancy Endura doesn't. It looks like an SR-71 Blackbird, and that's pretty cool.

[sal]

"No more than necessary . no less than perfect" is what's inscribed on our Military Challenge Coins.

sal

[vivi]

Catbyrd is getting revived as a Spyderco model.

//forum.spyderco.com/viewto ... 3#p1283623

[ABX2011]

Catbyrd is getting revived as a Spyderco model.

viewtopic.php?p=1283623#p1283623

From Sal:

"Actually, we modified the pattern a little with minor tweaks ( no recurve, etc.) and picked up the pattern as s Spyderco design with a round hole. So, yes, the pattern will survive, but changed.

We did learn quite a bit in the process."

**************

I would be interested in a new iteration in large part for nostalgia. I was somewhat taken by the Catbyrd despite some flaws. By today's standards the Catbyrd would not be competitive. But I'm sure a new version would be much nicer. The old version had a lock bar that was painful to disengage. That's what I remember the most.

[vivi]

Here's a few photos of my old Catbyrd for those not familiar with the model:

[cabfrank]

I hadn't heard of that model. It looks great.

[ThePeacent]

" I was working on a smaller version of the Pattada, circa 3"-3-1/2" blade. Might be a good one for a new steel.

sal"

[Larry_Mott]

Love the idea of a CatByrd 2 and Li'l Pattada!

[jpm2]

" I was working on a smaller version of the Pattada, circa 3"-3-1/2" blade. Might be a good one for a new steel.

sal"

3" Pattada would be great.
Assuming the small version is also made in Italy, I vote K390 as the "new steel".

[elena86]

Small Pattada in SRS15 ....dream knife

[Smaug]

" I was working on a smaller version of the Pattada, circa 3"-3-1/2" blade. Might be a good one for a new steel.

sal"

As someone who has just bought the Pattada, but prefers a 2.5 - 3" blade, I agree wholeheartedly!

[Spydergirl88]

From Sal on Bladeforums.
"The Mules were a fun project. I've come up with an number of unusual projects over the years, but most will have a life. Sprints are still going, but they are a bit different in that they are all disco'd models. The Sage project is still going and we have 2 different locks and a lite weight version in-the-works. The Chaparral project will run for a while as there are more options. The buffalo horn was nixed due to the inconsistency of the material, but there are also a number of Chaparrals in process. We're also trying to work with woods for the Chaps.

sal"

[fixall]

From Sal on Bladeforums.
"The Mules were a fun project. I've come up with an number of unusual projects over the years, but most will have a life. Sprints are still going, but they are a bit different in that they are all disco'd models. The Sage project is still going and we have 2 different locks and a lite weight version in-the-works. The Chaparral project will run for a while as there are more options. The buffalo horn was nixed due to the inconsistency of the material, but there are also a number of Chaparrals in process. We're also trying to work with woods for the Chaps.

sal"

Am I reading this correctly? Does this mean we shouldn't expect to see anymore sprint runs of Spyderco's that are currently in production? I hope that's not the case... The Delica HAP40 Wharncliffe and Rex45 Para3 are two of my all time favorite knives that Spyderco has ever produced. I know we'd still have distributor exclusives, but it would be a shame to see another option for trying out exotic steels and fun color combinations on knives we currently love and are familiar with.

[Sharp Guy]

From Sal on Bladeforums.
"The Mules were a fun project. I've come up with an number of unusual projects over the years, but most will have a life. Sprints are still going, but they are a bit different in that they are all disco'd models. The Sage project is still going and we have 2 different locks and a lite weight version in-the-works. The Chaparral project will run for a while as there are more options. The buffalo horn was nixed due to the inconsistency of the material, but there are also a number of Chaparrals in process. We're also trying to work with woods for the Chaps.

sal"

Am I reading this correctly? Does this mean we shouldn't expect to see anymore sprint runs of Spyderco's that are currently in production? I hope that's not the case... The Delica HAP40 Wharncliffe and Rex45 Para3 are two of my all time favorite knives that Spyderco has ever produced. I know we'd still have distributor exclusives, but it would be a shame to see another option for trying out exotic steels and fun color combinations on knives we currently love and are familiar with.

Further clarification from Sal on Blade Forums...

"Sorry,

I am wrong, my bad. We do make sprints of current models with variations in materials.

sal"

[PStone]

This may be old news, but from Sal on BladeForums yesterday:

Hi Gary,

I'm carrying a brown canvas Micarta handled Shaman with a serrated edge. It's a prototype to test the Micarta.

sal

[swigert]

This may be old news, but from Sal on BladeForums yesterday:

Hi Gary,

I'm carrying a brown canvas Micarta handled Shaman with a serrated edge. It's a prototype to test the Micarta.

sal

Huge news.

[crazywednesday]

This may be old news, but from Sal on BladeForums yesterday:

Hi Gary,

I'm carrying a brown canvas Micarta handled Shaman with a serrated edge. It's a prototype to test the Micarta.

sal

Huge news.

serrated cruwear or s30v?

[PStone]

He didn’t specify. Fingers crossed for a serrated cruwear though