Quick Reviews - Caly III | Tasman Salt | Endura 4

Fred Sanford · #1

Today when I got home there was a lovely box from Knifeworks greeting me. Inside was a Caly III SE, a Tasman Salt PE (black), and an Endura PE (black).

I love them all.

Caly III SE: This knife is perfect. I don't think I have ever gotten a knife out of the box and said to myself "nothing needs changed, this knife is perfect". That's how I feel about the Caly III. It's a really beautiful knife and I cannot find anything that I do not like about it. This went right in the pocket and will be my primary carry knife for the office.

Tasman Salt PE: Wow, my first hawkbill!!! Also the first knife I've had in a long time that has the good old D3 handles. :) Good stuff. I forgot how much I still like pinned knives. I don't have to do jack with them, just use 'em. The blade is freakin' sweet. I can see how folks like these bad boys now. They open stuff easily just by putting the tip in and pulling. Impressive to say the least. This will be my work around the yard knife because I sweat when I work around the yard, plus I think it's a good pruning blade. This knife is also perfect. I love it. Excellent right out of the box.

Endura 4 PE: Sweet knife. Just like my beloved Delica 4 but bigger. It's just about the perfect size for me for "after work" carry. I love my Military but I like how this is a thinner lighter (only by a little) knife. It also has a slightly shorter blade and a shorter handle than the Military. I didn't realize that the blade was as thick as it is. It's a touch thicker than I would have thought the E4 blades would be. I like it like this though. This knife is also perfect right out of the box.

Three perfect Spydies! All three knives had perfectly centered blades and had no play at all.

Being a tad OCD, I usually take off the clips and also remove the pivot screw and put Loc-Tite on them. I decided to resist my OCD and just leave all three of these knives just like the factory sent them. I'll see how they do. I have a feeling I will not have to touch them.

On a side note... I did find out from Spyderco that the knives built in Golden, Colorado already have Loc-Tite on the screws before they are sent out. This explained why I stripped a couple screws on a Para-Military that I had to send in. I had to send it in because I couldn't get the screws out. That being said, I'm going to ease off on some of my OCD tendancies a bit.

Added pictures below. I threw in 2 of my Delica's for comparison.

Below is the only thing that annoys me. After only a day there is noticable wear under the wire clip on the G10. The clip really moves from side to side and is hard for me to get out of my pocket. :)

Thanks for reading.

:spyder:

markg · #2

Dave,

I told you some time ago, you would like the Caly III. It is very much in the vein of the Delica/Caly Jr. but a serious upgrade in materials. Enjoy.

Fred Sanford · #3

Mark,

Yes you did. I find out many times that you are right about a lot of things. You have a lot of good experience and suggestions. Thanks for all your help and suggestions. You're a good dude.

I've been playing with the Caly III on the couch tonight as my wife and I watch "Grounded for Life". What a great knife. I can see how this knife would be a perfect candidate for different scales. It would be great with bolsters and black linen micarta (polished), like the persian. In fact, now I want a Mini-Persian. :D

spyderdog · #4

David -

you'll have to let all of us know how much you end up and carry the caly III. I've got this one too, but in PE. I really like everything about it, but I find I don't carry it real often...it almost seems too "nice" to carry. I love the blade on it, and with the clip it carries nice and low in the pocket...lower than anything else I have. I don't have any flat ground SE blade...I'm curious about those as well.

I got my first endura this year at the Sypderco outlet while I was there. I had never handled one before....it surprised me as well with the blade thickness. It's narrow width makes it nice and easy to carry, and I'm glad I gave it a try.

I bought a yellow tasman SE too.......it's so light!

bh49 · #5

Congratulations David,
Caly3 is perfect EDC, I carry mine for almost a year every day.
Enjoy,
Roman

spydutch · #6

Congrats David :cool:

Now you should try a serrated Tasman. Now that will be a real eye opener for you :D

markg · #7

David Lowry wrote:Mark,

Yes you did. I find out many times that you are right about a lot of things.

Can I forward that to my wife? :D

I always knew you like the Delica so much, you had to love this one.

Fred Sanford · #8

markg wrote:Can I forward that to my wife? :D

I always knew you like the Delica so much, you had to love this one.

LOL. :D Of course. Come on.......you mean your wife doesn't know you're right all the time? I think we share the same issue with wives. I'm always wrong too. :D

Fred Sanford · #9

Added pictures. :)

markg · #10

"Low ride clips" are a mixed blessing. The do make for more discrete carry, however they make it harder to get the knife out of the pocket. The wire clip adds to the "non-knife" looking profile, but again, everything is a trade off.

Fred Sanford · #11

Yep, I agree. Descreet clips for office carry are not going to be easy to quickly remove if needed in a self defense scenario.

It is a great office knife. I wore it today and a buddy of mine that knows I carry knives said "dude that looks like a pen". I said, "yep, I know". Of course, then he wanted to see it so I handed it over to him. He's a good guy and a friend and has been into Aikido for many years now. He likes to see my blades when he notices I have a different one clipped. :)

jaislandboy · #12

great pix and reviews David...
I agree about the wire clip on the Caly3.....my only gripe about this great knife.... :)

Fred Sanford · #13

Well, I just cannot deal with this wire clip. After only two days I just cannot get it out of my pocket without mashing the clip into my pants more, or having to try grabbing it 2 or 3 times. In my opinion this is a deal breaker for me. I just cannot stand the clip. Sorry folks, but I'm honest. This will keep me from carrying the knife.

markg · #14

David Lowry wrote:Well, I just cannot deal with this wire clip. After only two days I just cannot get it out of my pocket without mashing the clip into my pants more, or having to try grabbing it 2 or 3 times. In my opinion this is a deal breaker for me. I just cannot stand the clip. Sorry folks, but I'm honest. This will keep me from carrying the knife.

I have carried "low profile" knives for years (Benchmade 420 in particular) and it is a matter of technique. Slide your thumb behind the knife as you normally do, deeper the better. However, let your index finger go in the "dimple" of the clip. Also pressure should be applied with the thumb. Don't apply the pressure with the fingers on the outside of the pocket. More than likely, you are putting your finger on the top part of the clip or applying pressure from the outside, which does not matter on other knives, it will here. If you want to try something even more different, then let you index finger go all the way down, and pull up on the end of the clip. Both will work, and both are not too much of a bother to learn.

Also, this where the CF version would have benefited you. It is less "grippy" than the G-10 version.

Low ride clips do have an advantage in discrete carry, and are therefore worth figuring out. There are times and places, where a high ride Para Military is clearly not in order. I think it is worth investing sometime, making this carry option work for you. In the end, you may not prefer it, but there a few days a month, it is well worth figuring out.

APS · #15

I bought a Caly3 last weekend at the Richmond gun show. Overall I liked it, but had trouble like David, getting it out of my pocket. I ended up loosening the clip just a little. Also, when I draw it I grip it like I normally would but use my middle finger pushing up on the clip. It pops right out of my pocket.

Now, I just have to get over the higher price over my D4 which makes me not want to use it.
Adam

Fred Sanford · #16

Mark and APS,

You're both right. Unfortunately I still need to learn that I need to give a knife more than 2 days. After wearing it another whole day and doing exactly what you guys both said, it works. It's still not as easy as my Para to get out but then again it's not meant to be.

I do have to say that the smoothness of the Caly III is unreal. I do not think I have had a knife this smooth ever. The spring must be a tad on the light side or maybe the blade tang is more rounded or something. I don't know, I can however inertia flick it open. I cannot do this to any of the Spydie lock backs that I own. Sure I can Spyder-drop them but not hold the handle and "fling" 'em open. I can with the Caly III. This, of course, is not how I will be opening the knife I'm just amazed by the smoothness.

I got some looks last night at a restaurant too. I took it out of my pocket to show to my brother in law and a few of the bystanders looked over like "holy crap.....a knife. Eeeek, run run". Must be due to the full serrations. We were standing outside of Olive Garden waiting to get in and were just sorta shooting the breeze. He had his Mcusta on him, which is a very nice knife.

JaM · #17

My EDC is a UKPK, (same clip, almost same handle) so I too would advise you to give the knife a few more days. The method Markg described is the one I use too, but my indexfinger goes to the end of the clip.
You could always add something else in your backpocket or IWB if you still want to carry "more knife" :) .

Best regards,

JaM

JT · #18

I've got mine today, from customs. After I payed some taxes, got it home. Mine is SE too, like David's.

I've been playing with this thing all day long, and let me tell You my humble opinion, this is going to be a :spyder: classic.
Just the perfect size for EDC, good grip G10, good steel VG10 and I think wire clip is the right choice for this one, gives a nice low carry for it. This is going to sell like crazy I think.

bigbre04 · #19

I too just recieved a new Caly 3 PE in the mail 2 days ago and i was very pleasantly surprised by it, my only worry is how fine the tip of it is. I have a D4 PE that i love and i have carried for almost 2 years now. my D4 is kept razor sharp and honed every other week or when needed, but it has recieved alot of abuse, things ranging from cutting plastic, beer cans(im still in college), cardboard, ect. i promise you that i will not do any can cutting with my new toy, but will the tip hold up to everyday use?

my only complaint is that the spyder hole on the caly is smaller then the D4s and my stubby fingers find it harder to open one handed, but that may be a practice thing due to the slightly smaller handle.

quattrokid73 · #20

I just ordered a PE VG10 Caly 3. I'm very excited. I feel like this is a truly great design and will be very appropriate for PE. I just wish I chose to get my D4 in full SE instead of CE now....

That can be easily remidied though :D