Speed-Safe vs Spydiehole

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
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vampyrewolf
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Speed-Safe vs Spydiehole

#1

Post by vampyrewolf »

I got a Kershaw/KenOnion Boa this weekend, and am comparing it the the Wegner Jr...



Boa:

*Pro:

--Longer blade

--Some recurve

--about a 70/30-80/20 for the blade

*Con:

--Sharp peices on the linerlock, designed to make it not slip?

--Hard to open both direction to push, and pressure on THUMBSTUD





Wegner Jr:

*Pro:

--Well oiled, opens FASTER THAN A SPEED-SAFE

--Sheeple friendly sub-3" blade

--Very easy to disengage linerlonck to close

--Great balance and wieght distibution

--40/60 edge

*Con:

--Easy to disengage linerlock, may be able to place too much pressure on during use and close it



Conclusions:

Speed-safe is pointless, just oil your spydies well. I just bought some Weapons Lube from CanadianTire, about $3/bottle.



My Wegner is the fastest opening and fastest draw that I own. It's loose enough to open **** fast, but not loose enough that it wil open before I try to open it.



We all start with 10 fingers. Those with Spydies have 9 to spare, Still need a thumb. Good thing I still have 8 to spare...
The Stare
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#2

Post by The Stare »

Feel kinda like the choir singing back to the preacher here. I have 2 Speed Safe knives by Kershaw. Had the Whirlwind for about 9 mos. Haven't been overly impressed with it, except for the edge. Came really sharp OOB.

Just traded for Avalanche. It is a different story. Whole thing feels more like a class act. As did the one Boa I've handled. And, the Boa presumably has the better steel, which wasn't mentioned that I recall. Have read a lot of positive reviews/comments on the Boa.

I think the Speed Safe knives may come off worse compared to Spydies than thumb stud knives. I doubt there are as many fumbled openings with the holes as compared to studs. The Speed Safes pretty well eliminate fumbles. If you get your thumb on the stud enough to move it a 1/4" or so, it is going to open quickly. Also, the Speed Safe could be a real boon to someone with arthritis in the hands/fingers.

One thing I'll give the Avalanche -- the best G-10 handle, in terms of grippiness, that I've found on a knife. I would love to have the same textured handle on my Wegner, would probably buy most Spydercos with that handle texture.

I'm curious, VampyreWolf, does the Wegner Jr have the same long, flat ricasso that the large Wegner has? To me that would be a tremendous advantage over the Boa.

Stare

Edited by - The Stare on 8/7/2001 8:24:13 PM
sam the man..
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#3

Post by sam the man.. »

Hmmm.. De Ja Vu...

I had a speed drawing showdown with a dude on his blackout and my millie.
Round one -- Spyderco 1, Kershaw 0.
After 20 rounds at an aggregate of 18-2, my buddy is convinced and had put down an order for a millie! <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle> *muhahahahaaa!* <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>
The large roundhole on my millie draws like lightning... Much faster than the torsion assisted blackout... <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>

Sam

have spydies will travel
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vampyrewolf
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#4

Post by vampyrewolf »

Stare> The kick is just over 1/2" long if that's what you're asking about. I love this.

As soon as 3/4 of the knife is out of the pocket, I move my thumb ove the hole, and by the time it's out, it's open...

We all start with 10 fingers. Those with Spydies have 9 to spare, Still need a thumb. Good thing I still have 8 to spare...
Tightwad
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#5

Post by Tightwad »

Hi folk's. Lets not forget the obvious advantage that any spyderco has over any speed safe
(spring aided) knife. The spring. Advantage to spyderco ...zero to break. The simpler the
mechanism the more reliable it will be....always. There really is no contest here.
cutler34
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#6

Post by cutler34 »

I've owned the Kershaw random task and the blackout and sold them both just as fast.I didn't like the fact I almost got bitten several times in daily use.The opening system was too unpredictable for my liking.

Regards
Ricki
info@outdooredge.com.au
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Knife Knut
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#7

Post by Knife Knut »

I didn't like them when I tried them at the Blade Show, because you still have to find that tiny little stud with your thumb.

Knife Knut on a shoestring budget.
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Zabrewolf
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#8

Post by Zabrewolf »

Put me down as NOT a big fan of the Speed Safe design.

I do like the blades, nice knives, good size (for their target market), well made. It is the Speed Safe thing I don't like. To me it is a novelty, my <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> opens just as fast (if not faster) but I open it. With the Speed Safe I feel like it opens it self too much. Shaved my thumb a few times before I adjusted to opening it like an auto.
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#9

Post by spidernoiree »

I had one of those "Safe-Speed" knives. After about 10 openings the blade tension would loosen miserably and need to be tightened. I gave it to a friend who liked it. I've also seen in SMKW's catalog in the kershaw section that safe-speed knives cannot be shipped to michigan. Hmmm...

Jeff <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
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#10

Post by Kaizer »

Guys, Guys, Guys!!!
How can we compare something which has springs to something which has no springs? That's as good as saying a turbo charged 'vette takes off faster than a normal 'vette. Heck obviously it does! It's got a "spring" darn it!
Kaizer.
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#11

Post by Jeff/1911 »

Hey! What's going on with this thread?

The first few posts are from August of 2001 and the last few from August 2002. I noticed because I happen to remember that VampyreWolf traded away his Wegner Jr. awhile back.

Jeff/1911.
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dialex
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#12

Post by dialex »

I'd really love a knife similar to the Chive made by Spyderco! No spring, but the old reliable Roundhole™.
Spin
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#13

Post by Spin »

vampyrewolf,

totally agreed with you. i got my windwhirl a couple of years ago and it was just ok. i think i can open a my spydies more quickly than the onion. also, the cam is already becoming loose after two years of opening and closing...

since we're on the speed subject, i am inclined to say that the emerson mini-commander i just bought is the quickest openning knife i have ever owned...for those of you who have used the "wave" feature you'll know by pulling it out from the pocket the knife is already opened. cool.
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#14

Post by James Y »

I own 3 Speedsafes; a Chive, a Blackout, and the one like the Chive but bigger (man, the name escapes me at the moment). I still prefer the Spydie hole by a giant margin. The Speedsafe is a cool feature, but over time not as reliable as the Spydie hole. A Spydie hole will never wear out or break. I've never had a problem accessing it.

I like thumbstud knives, too, but the Spydie hole will not wear on pockets when clipped in. There is nothing added to the blade, but rather, there is removal. And if you want pure speed, many or most Spydercos can be accessed and opened in a quicker, more fluid motion than a Speedsafe, IMO.
Jim
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#15

Post by jjcoolay »

The kershaw Leek?
Is that the knife that looks like a chive an acts like a chive? Or are you thinking of the scallion?
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Knife Knut
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#16

Post by Knife Knut »

Dialex, you mean with the recurved blade?

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dialex
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#17

Post by dialex »

I don't know exactly. It's more how you feel when you look at it. Something small, slim and with personality. As odd it may seem, I think there are things that have their own strong personality, eg. the Mercedes Gullwing, the Cadillac (older models) or the <img src="http://www.spyderco.com/forum/uploaded_ ... gspidy.gif"> Police. <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>
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