Spyderco Experimental Slicer

araneae · #1

So I would like to suggest a Sprint (of sorts) built like this.
Handle: FRN Delica 3/ Salt 1
Blade: 1095 carbon, no super steels required
Grind: FFG
Thickness: 2.0mm or less

I would like to see this done as an experiment in slicing performance. Having owned the Chaparral for well over a year, I know it is robust enough to handle most of my daily knife work. I have also carried Opinels and use a No6 which is 1.5mm at the spine I believe. I'd like to see a knife that is all about slicing. I know its not really a sprint, but thought perhaps the Spydercrew would look into it as a possibility. I suggest the D3 handle as a cost saving method. It's linerless, and proven, and would be less expensive than a D4 based platform. I have no problem with 1095 as a steel and with geometry like this would have, super steel or even vg-10/super blue may be moot. To top it off, I'd throw a swedge in ala the Caly Jr. So I guess at the end, its not exactly a sprint- maybe a bit of an experimental model. Seeing as there are no new molds, perhaps a short run would be possible to gauge interest. Anyone interested?

Just to add, I've been thinking about this for a while, but the resurrection of the Herder thread Cliff started inspired my post.

xceptnl · #2

I'm interested. 1095 or maybe O1 would be fine with me. Black Salt 1 handles (who cares about the name in the FRN molds) and the swedge (or not) would appeal to me very much.

Holland · #3

I would buy this in a heart beat! 1095 would be an incredible steel to use in this platform. Awesome suggestion

Ankerson · #4

araneae wrote:So I would like to suggest a Sprint (of sorts) built like this.
Handle: FRN Delica 3/ Salt 1
Blade: 1095 carbon, no super steels required
Grind: FFG
Thickness: 2.0mm or less

I would like to see this done as an experiment in slicing performance. Having owned the Chaparral for well over a year, I know it is robust enough to handle most of my daily knife work. I have also carried Opinels and use a No6 which is 1.5mm at the spine I believe. I'd like to see a knife that is all about slicing. I know its not really a sprint, but thought perhaps the Spydercrew would look into it as a possibility. I suggest the D3 handle as a cost saving method. It's linerless, and proven, and would be less expensive than a D4 based platform. I have no problem with 1095 as a steel and with geometry like this would have, super steel or even vg-10/super blue may be moot. To top it off, I'd throw a swedge in ala the Caly Jr. So I guess at the end, its not exactly a sprint- maybe a bit of an experimental model. Seeing as there are no new molds, perhaps a short run would be possible to gauge interest. Anyone interested?

Just to add, I've been thinking about this for a while, but the resurrection of the Herder thread Cliff started inspired my post.

They are made in Japan so 1095 would not be an option..... Only Japanese steels... Something like white steel.....

araneae · #5

Ankerson wrote:They are made in Japan so 1095 would not be an option..... Only Japanese steels... Something like white steel.....

I'm open to anything, just don't think there is any reason to increase price for what may be marginal return. Just a decent steel.

Brock O Lee · #6

I think the Superblue Delica sprint is close to what you describe... 2.5 mm blade stock though...

DeathBySnooSnoo · #7

I would be interested in seeing what Spyderco did with 1095. It's a steel that I like quite a bit.

3rdGenRigger · #8

Ankerson wrote:They are made in Japan so 1095 would not be an option..... Only Japanese steels... Something like white steel.....

I've been wanting to try Shirogami White-1 for a while now. It being harder than the other Hitachi steels offered in Spydercos (Like Super Blue and ZDP-189), and also having a more homogeneous and finer grain structure make it very appealing to me. I'd like to try sharpening it and see if it gets as scary sharp as it's rumoured to be able to achieve...that and it's so close to Super Blue which I like so much.

Ankerson · #9

3rdGenRigger wrote:I've been wanting to try Shirogami White-1 for a while now. It being harder than the other Hitachi steels offered in Spydercos (Like Super Blue and ZDP-189), and also having a more homogeneous and finer grain structure make it very appealing to me. I'd like to try sharpening it and see if it gets as scary sharp as it's rumoured to be able to achieve...that and it's so close to Super Blue which I like so much.

They make Swords out of White Steel.....

As far as grain goes think a long the lines of 52100 so like most steels in that range it would be pretty easy to sharpen.

SolidState · #10

I've got a shipment of 1095 coming in next week, and I had planned on doing a bird and trout based on the delica design exactly like you described. I also plan on putting a hamon on it. 1095 should be a good platform for a slicer. It makes great, thin nikiri.

Cliff Stamp · #11

If you want something similar to 1095, don't jump all the way to the white steels, they are not equivalent. The SK series steels are the Hitachi equivalent of the US plain carbon steels like 1095. The yellow series are a step up in purity, the white steels are in the extreme range of purity for the ultimate in performance for very discriminating users.

araneae · #12

The only SK series steel I know is SK5. I think that its similar to 1080?

araneae · #13

SolidState wrote:I've got a shipment of 1095 coming in next week, and I had planned on doing a bird and trout based on the delica design exactly like you described. I also plan on putting a hamon on it. 1095 should be a good platform for a slicer. It makes great, thin nikiri.

Sounds very interesting.

araneae · #14

Brock O Lee wrote:I think the Superblue Delica sprint is close to what you describe... 2.5 mm blade stock though...

I want thinner.

ginsuwarrior · #15

1095 rusts instantly for me, A2 on the other behaves much better. Why not go with something of that order? Of course if this is an experimental card board slicer for uses in home laboratories, then I guess corrosion is not much of an issue.

araneae · #16

I have had plenty of 1095 knives and never found rust to be a big issue. Just treat it like carbon steel, keep it oiled and no issues. I'm not suggesting this is a knife to be used to just slice cardboard, but to see how usable a thin blade is. I am pretty certain it can do more than most people think.

Cliff Stamp · #17

araneae wrote:.... see how usable a thin blade is. I am pretty certain it can do more than most people think.

The majority of utility cutting by actual working people is done with very thin blades, 0.025" and similar stock. They use these for work that most people here would freak out over, especially since people complain that cardboard is hard on edges. Those knives are used to cut fibreglass insulation, gyproc, cabling and shingles. They do tend to snap on occasion when the blades get very dull and people ramp up the force to keep using them. To resolve that complaint they started making laminated blades, usually with HSS edges - those are near impossible to snap. Of course the thin stock limits blade length, once you start working with 1/16" and under stock it becomes very easy to flex the blade if it is of any length. But then again, you can do a lot of work with a 2" blade, how often are you making 2"+ deep cuts.

bh49 · #18

Cliff Stamp wrote:how often are you making 2"+ deep cuts.

Not often, but even to cut an apple on halves I need at least 3" long blade. 3.5" will be even better. 2 mm stock FFG to .010" behind the edge will be great.

Ankerson · #19

Cliff Stamp wrote:The majority of utility cutting by actual working people is done with very thin blades, 0.025" and similar stock. They use these for work that most people here would freak out over, especially since people complain that cardboard is hard on edges. Those knives are used to cut fibreglass insulation, gyproc, cabling and shingles. They do tend to snap on occasion when the blades get very dull and people ramp up the force to keep using them. To resolve that complaint they started making laminated blades, usually with HSS edges - those are near impossible to snap. Of course the thin stock limits blade length, once you start working with 1/16" and under stock it becomes very easy to flex the blade if it is of any length. But then again, you can do a lot of work with a 2" blade, how often are you making 2"+ deep cuts.

Utility knives?

Really?

Yes, some of us have a vast amount of experience in using those things, personally I have around 3 decades.......

I am sure most people actually know what a utility knife is, that and box cutters..... That is unless they live in a vacuum and or never had a job outside of a desk job in their life and or grew up in an apartment and still live in one........ So I would expect MOST people would have at least seen a utility knife in their lives or used one at some point...... Their use covers a very broad range of jobs and or career choices... And that's not even getting into around the house use.....

Disposable blades for a reason..... Yes they see work that nobody here would ever use even a gas station knife for.....

Those laminated blades didn't come out until not all that long ago... Before then they all completely sucked because the blades are garbage, even the supposed better ones they used to push..... Total garbage.......

Forgot, I remember when they 1st came out with the utility knives that had the quick blade change feature, it was great because before that it was a PITA to change blades every 5 or 10 mins....