Pingo Impressions

[Cheddarnut]

So yesterday i find a package in my mailbox. What could it be but the newly released pingo (or pingu as i like to call it, as it has a beak like blade)

What an iron gem. What a little slicer. What a perfect fit in my hand. Its so comfortable, and choking up onto the jimping slightly is not an uncomfortable or relatively dangerous thing to do.
Heres a beautiful, comfortable, affordable lil blade that makes you want to cut. I have some knives that are totally rad, but dont make my hand crave slicing effortlessly through a task the way this knife does. The pingos blade without the usual hump is ideal for my needs, as i like ultimate control over reach. My thumb lies on the spine of the blade like a tourist in a hammock, resting in absolute comfort.
I dont have a yo2 but id imagine theres a parallel between their intended grip, thumb on spine.

Percieved drawbacks: there appears to be false washers molded out of the handle, which i am very much against as they create a fulcrum from which the blade can bend laterally when open. I have the same issue with real washers if they are too small to give a proper surface to secure the blade from twisting in this lateral fashion. I feel the washers on my Manix 2 suffer from this. But its more of an issue on frn blades, creating a stiff opening because of the compensatory tightening down of the pivot.
Anyways, in real world use i dont imagine this to be a huge issue, i might try sanding down the raised areas on each scale if it becomes unbearable.

I generally love the FnF on the maniago italy knives, and the jimping is much nicer than my gfs squeak. Im a sucker for a nicely finished spine. There is a strange contrast between the mirror finish of the lockbar and the grind of the spine which im still deciding how i feel about...

All in all an excellent wee-ish knife, now i just wish it came in ukpk grey.

[monsterdog]

Very nice writeup, and I agree with you.

I find that I wish for a little more open detent when using it since it is missing the choil area of the UKPK.

[Cheddarnut]

Very nice writeup, and I agree with you.

I find that I wish for a little more open detent when using it since it is missing the choil area of the UKPK.

What do u mean by detent, i think detent generally refers to the recessed nodule inside a frame lock where the ball used to hold the blade closed would sit...

[.357 mag]

Pictures or it didn't happen..

[Blerv]

What do u mean by detent, i think detent generally refers to the recessed nodule inside a frame lock where the ball used to hold the blade closed would sit...

I think he meant "detent pressure". There isn't a bb in a lockback but they do have a certain degree of that pressure by other methods.

In this specific case probably more along the lines of "spring tension" as he mentioned the point where it would overcome the first closing notch.

[Cheddarnut]

I think he meant "detent pressure". There isn't a bb in a lockback but they do have a certain degree of that pressure by other methods.

In this specific case probably more along the lines of "spring tension" as he mentioned the point where it would overcome the first closing notch.

Gotcha.

Hmm, im not for want of greater tension, though with the shape of the sheepsfoot tip wanting to press down and close the knife if stabbing something may warrant this...

Also, the back of the blade that connects with the lock bar has been ground so that only the topmost area is touching the lockbar. This is the first time i've seen this... I wonder to what purpose it serves...

[Edro]

Cheddarnut, nice write up. I'm waiting for it to get back in stock at Howes.
How does it rest in the pocket? (i.e. does it pretty well disappear and take up little real estate?)
Would you mind measuring the diameter of the miniature spyder hole please (in millimeters if possible); and the distance from the spine to the edge of the spyder hole.
Thanks in advance.

[Jazz]

I'd love to see a pic of this beside the Squeak, if anyone could be so kind.

- best wishes, Jazz.

[Cheddarnut]

Cheddarnut, nice write up. I'm waiting for it to get back in stock at Howes.
How does it rest in the pocket? (i.e. does it pretty well disappear and take up little real estate?)
Would you mind measuring the diameter of the miniature spyder hole please (in millimeters if possible); and the distance from the spine to the edge of the spyder hole.
Thanks in advance.

Edro,
Thanks for the kind words. Pingo is all but completely submerged in the pocket, only a wee bit pokes out. And with the wireclip it almost looks like i have a beefy paperclip on my pocket and not a knife.
The hole diameter appears to be 6mm, and the distance from the spine to the top of the hole is pretty nearly 2 mm. Photobuckets giving me grief or id have already slathered pics over this thread. Will continue trying to reason with technology...

[Blerv]

Great write up by the way! I've had Pingo on the brain all day thanks to this thread and a few YouTube vids. :)

[Cheddarnut]

Great write up by the way! I've had Pingo on the brain all day thanks to this thread and a few YouTube vids. :)

Thanks man, its easy to write a good review when the review is on a great knife :)

[xceptnl]

Very nice writeup, and I agree with you.

I find that I wish for a little more open detent when using it since it is missing the choil area...

This is my first Spydie slipit (other than the Kiwi 3) and I do wish the spring tension was higher to help hold the blade open.
Also, a word of caution to those swapping the clip from one side to the other. Do NOT allow the rear-most clip/spring bolt to become pressed out any farther than half way thru the backspring. My torx driver forced the barrel bolt out within the first 15 minutes of owning mine and I could not get the bolt re-inserted due to the spring tension partially occluding the hole in the FRN. The result required complete disassembly and was a disappointing mistake. Be warned!

All that said, I love this knife and am glad I purchased a 2nd for my son (one day). I am planing to gift a few to my family for the holidays! Thanks Sal, crew, Anso, and Vox!

[Cheddarnut]

I was looking at jesper voxnæs knives last knite and came to conclusion that his contribution to the design lie in the handle, and ansos lie in the blade. Its probably not so cut and dried, but thats my impression.

[KardinalSyn]

Cheddarnut, where's em photos?

[Cheddarnut]

Cheddarnut, where's em photos?

I will attack photobucket when i get home from work.

[thog94]

I'd love to see a pic of this beside the Squeak, if anyone could be so kind.

- best wishes, Jazz.

Here you go, a few quick shots with my cell phone

[Cheddarnut]

Nice pair :)
Didnt have the brain to wrestle with photobucket today...
Thog, i see a thumbprint on the blade, have u been gripping the blade and pushing against the handle with your palm for one handed opening?
I will admit that i am. Its annoying and not instinctive but possible.

[thog94]

Cheddarnut, to tell you the truth I haven't opened it yet. I got this for my son so he's the one that's been handling it. The Squeak isn't mine either as I had to get something for my wife because she kept taking mine, the last straw was when she didn't know how to close the Meerkat. I will say that I will EDC it to see if I want one myself. It felt decent in my hand.

[Cheddarnut]

Cheddarnut, to tell you the truth I haven't opened it yet. I got this for my son so he's the one that's been handling it. The Squeak isn't mine either as I had to get something for my wife because she kept taking mine, the last straw was when she didn't know how to close the Meerkat. I will say that I will EDC it to see if I want one myself. It felt decent in my hand.

Lol, nothing like the Spydecoys to keep them out of your stash. :D
If u like the LBKs u will dig the pingo. And the steel touches up reeeeal nice like if u havent used n690co yet.

[Jazz]

thog94 - Thanks a lot. :cool: Wow, it's a lot bigger than the Squeak, eh?

- best wishes, Jazz.