Spyderco Forums

Just curious if most of you feel as I do. I MUCH prefer g10 with steel liners. I just think the knives look and feel higher quality. I don't even mind non skeletonized liners. To me, a knife with a little heft just feels confidence inspiring. I buy frn for work knives but am working on getting g10 or full stainless versions of my favorites. How 'bout the rest of you?

Depends on the knife. FRN works great on knives like the dragonfly that are small and light. But for heavier duty knives like the para2, g10 is more fitting. When I first began buying knives I hated FRN and now it is arguably my favourite material due to the strength it offers at such a lightweight.

Yours is a sentiment I hear frequently, Holland.

For me personally I like to use FRN, but for pure looks sake I think G10 looks better, especially if it is a different color than just black.

I like them all, but I think it depends on the specific designs. I picked up the S110V Manix2 and it seems almost too light in the handle after the S90V Manix2 XL. Maybe everythings' relative though, indexed off the last knife you liked best.

I used to only like G10 and steel, and thought FRN was cheap and inferior. I still prefer G10 and steel, however, I find FRN knives much easier to actually use and use for whatever I need them for without babying them. In that regard, I love FRN. But if I had a choice for the same price or a reasonable amount more, I would take the G10 and steel over the FRN every time.

I think my favorite is solid G10 without or with minimal liners like the Military. I do like the texture of cast FRN, I'd love to see it machined into G10.

That would be pretty awesome to see some bi-directional G-10 scales.
I am sure it would take some pretty complex machining though...not that it can't be done for a price (chap 3).

G10 and full steel liners is very heavy. I didn't know this til I carried my Manix for a full year and then got the M4 Manix with skeletonized liners.

I didn´t try FRCP yet but FRN is fine. Linerless G10 like on UKPKs/Urbans/Byrd Tern or Dodos is the handle version I absolutely prefer.
Skeletonized liners might add some strength but for my use they are nothing more than a pocket lint trap or a spot where sweat/cleaning water accumulate.

Looks good to me....

For me, the edge goes to g-10. I'm a big fan of g-10 with recessed liners. I also have a few in frn now and like it more than expected. I especially like the texture used on the UKPK.

It depends. Mostly on how the materials are finished. I will say that, of the three, the only one that spends any appreciable amount of time in my pocket is FRN, in the form of the black FRN/VG-10 Stretch. However, I will say that the red G-10 on the Schempp Persian Sprint, and the black G-10 on the Des Horn look great and are head and shoulders above any FRN surface treatment Spyderco has ever used in terms of beauty. But, among Spyderco's G-10 offering, they're the odd cases. Peel-ply G-10, OTOH, is probably the most unattractive material ever slapped on the sides of a pocket knife. Given the choice between it and stabilized dessicated dog poop, I'd take the lawn sausage. As for FRCP, I'm sure Spyderco tested it thoroughly and believe it to be at least as strong as FRN, if not stronger, but for some reason it feels brittle to me and does not inspire my confidence.

Only handle material i haven't tried was the FRCP. I have the S90V manix 2 and now the S110V so i didn't feel i was lacking in the weight department and i don't baby my S90V model because when i bought it i didn't know what a sprint was so i started using it from the start. I did like the clear factor on the manix lwt but bd-1 wasn't enough to "edge" it into my pocket. G10 does feel pretty good in the hand but i do enjoy my Spyderhawk Salt SE its one knife i never leave home unless i forget to clip it. I do usually have a g-10 model in one of my pockets though. I honestly could care less what the material is if the knife works. If i had to pick though I'd go with Black Linen Micarta but Spyderco doesn't use it anymore. Liners or not don't make much difference to me. I have one of the original Vesuvius with the blue inlay and it really dresses up the FRN. I've seen the handle on the Spyker and i like the inlay in the G-10. Again they can all be dressed up to make them look nicer. FRN does flex a little but it doesn't chip when you drop it. G-10/carbon fiber chip if you drop them. I don't have any FRCP so i don't know what happens if you drop it. I'd still choose Micarta all day everyday.

My all time favorite scale material is canvas micarta. However, of the 3 you've listed, I prefer G10 with stainless liners. I like FRN, but find myself reaching for the G10 models I have more often.

G10 is awesome feeling in the hand. FRN is a fine handle material. The two knives in FRCP I've had I did not care for the feel.

I'd like to see some liner less G10 knives. I've never handled one but seems like a thin light weight knife would be awesome with that construction.

I like them all, due to different looks and feel. My number one would be FRN, second G10, third FRCP, fourth stainless. I really like FRN for some reason even if G10 looks way more expensive and more sturdy.

Hmm, this question made me think. My three go to folders are...

Caly 3.5- carbon fiber
Pacific Salt- frn
Military- G10

For me, I guess it is all about the application.

Oh, my favorite kitchen knife has a micarta handle. :confused:

I have never used frcp.

The Deacon wrote:It depends. Mostly on how the materials are finished. I will say that, of the three, the only one that spends any appreciable amount of time in my pocket is FRN, in the form of the black FRN/VG-10 Stretch. However, I will say that the red G-10 on the Schempp Persian Sprint, and the black G-10 on the Des Horn look great and are head and shoulders above any FRN surface treatment Spyderco has ever used in terms of beauty. But, among Spyderco's G-10 offering, they're the odd cases. Peel-ply G-10, OTOH, is probably the most unattractive material ever slapped on the sides of a pocket knife. Given the choice between it and stabilized dessicated dog poop, I'd take the lawn sausage. As for FRCP, I'm sure Spyderco tested it thoroughly and believe it to be at least as strong as FRN, if not stronger, but for some reason it feels brittle to me and does not inspire my confidence.

Hahah! i nearly spat water all over my computer reading this :D

Hi Folks!


FRN works best for small / medium sized knives: Delica, D'Fly, LadyBug, etc. :) For everything else G10 hands down. :cool: And in both scenarios nested liners make wonders. :D