I really like FRN

[Doc Dan]

I have come around to really liking FRN. I still not not like it as well as G10, but this stuff is pretty nice. It is light weight, so my pockets do not sag and if you are out and about off road, it does not add unnecessary ounces to your gear. It is strong, stronger than I would have believed. You can drop it, bang it on something, beat it, and it laughs it all off, seemingly. I have yet to break an FRN knife, thought I do prefer liners to limit flex. I especially like the Bi-Directional texturing Spyderco puts on their FRN. It is the best grip I have found.

Druthers:

I wish Spyderco would give us something besides the rather pedestrian colors they offer. They could offer multi-colors, browns made to look like wood grain, and many more imaginative things.

I was going to post this earlier and then I awakened to find an unfortunate thread related to this. So, I held off till now. FRN is great stuff and I hope to see more options, especially colors, with this material.

[Jazz]

I love FRN. Great light and tough stuff. Plain and simple. I'd just like to see more blue jean color.

[dsvirsky]

Personally, I like my FRN without liners. Guess I don't use my folders hard enough for flex to be an issue. :D

It's easy to look down on FRN as "plastic" and cheap, but it's strong, light, and maintenance free. One of my favorite knives for just dropping in my shorts/sweats pocket is an old, blue Delica (PE, ATS 55) with the clip removed.

[demoncase]

I wish Spyderco would give us something besides the rather pedestrian colors they offer. They could offer multi-colors, browns made to look like wood grain, and many more imaginative things.

Marbled effect in a glass-fibre-reinforced material is tough to do-

You're putting a shot of hot polymer and chopped glass fibre into a mould: You want it to spread evenly and rapidly around the mould in order to keep the thicknesses in tolerance and maintain the sharpness of the impression.

When you have plastics being moulded and injected from two different directions, you either end up with a 'weld line' between them in the mould (which as you'd expect is a source of weakness in the finished material) if they don't reach each other while hot, or you will get a 'diffusion' from one to the other (so shoot red in from one side and blue from the other and you'll get a purple area in the middle, diffusing to either source end)

That's not to say it can't be done with injection moulding per se- take a look at the rear light cluster of any modern car and you'll see a three-coloured piece of polycarbonate or methacrylate that was injection moulded all at once in 1 mould, with three liquid plastics being injected at once- do so you have to very carefully ensure that the viscosity of all three liquids is identical so they don't mix and get turbulent in the mould....But that isn't glass-reinforced which makes the moulding force required much more violent and tougher, making that 'multi-colour' approach nigh on impossible. And that rear light cluster is weak along the join between each colour, as it's a 'weld line'.

You have seen those marbled-effect plastics on various toys and decorative items.... Try and find one in a strong technical polymer or composite- I can't recall seeing one, for the reasons I've mentioned.

All that said- film transfer and screen-printing offers all kinds of solutions to the finished result :)

[PWork]

FRN is one of my favorite handle materials for EDC and work. With the right surface texture it can even be classed up for "dressier" occasions. :cool:

[Doc Dan]

I carry a Delica without the clip, dropped into my pocket. It is the same size as the Ken Onion Leek and around the size of a CASE Trapperlock. However, it is much lighter, stronger, and more useful than those two pocket classics. The FRN is the main reason for this. Great stuff.
I did not like it at first, but experience is a good teacher.

I also like the blues and would love to see some other shades on the Delica and Dragonfly.

[apollo]

Frn is a nice material. I love Cf , g10 and wood more but is still is very very nice.
I do have to say i would like to see some frn models change a bit.
For example the centofante 3 would be just great if it was given a colour frn screw construction handle with bronze washers and if you trow in a zdp blade you would have me really sold.
Also knives like the squeek and the pingo if they just would have the texture of the delica/endura they would be much nicer in my opinion. :)

[MichaelScott]

I was doubtful about FRN before I purchased my Delica 4. I had not bought or had experience with Spyderco knives so I was uncertain about the material and the "grip" pattern. However, I did like the blue and the brown, so I opted for the brown. I've had it for about a year I think and I've come to appreciate and prefer FRN. G10 is now ubiquitous and found on about every make of knife as a standard. Probably for good reason, but I think the ability to mold the shapes and patterns into FRN provides the ability to design excellent ergonomics, including thoughtful grip surfaces and shapes, into the handle. I don't use my knives hard enough to worry about flexing the handles, and I think the FRN would take a tremendous amount of stress before seriously flexing. Just an opinion though.

[Knutty]

I love FRN so much I'd pay extra for it. There is no "Oooo but it's plaaaaaastic!" sneer from this corner. But just like the OP, I wish color options were more readily available. My collection would triple overnight were this so. I love black and grey, but not everything needs to be black or "meh".

[SpyderNut]

I hear you in the colors. I suppose more colors will be offered as time goes on (as evidenced by the recent offerings with the purple D'fly and even the various colors offered for the Roadies). I'm still hoping for a Salt series Manbug. :)

[bdblue]

I like the light and simple aspect of FRN, and the textures that can be molded in. What I don't like is the reduced precision that makes it difficult for FRN knives to operate smoothly. My G10/Liner knives are very smooth. My Delica, Dragonfly and Endura are not quite as smooth.

[gbelleh]

I grew up during the transition into polymer pistols. So, I remember when every policeman still had a blued steel revolver with walnut grips in the holster, and when high-tech, lightweight, polymer pistols started replacing those revolvers. So plastic has never seemed cheap or inferior to me. Spyderco's FRN standards, like the Delica/Endura are engineering and manufacturing masterpieces as far as I'm concerned. I also enjoy the variety of colors. But I must say, I could do without crazy swirly colors.

[MichaelScott]

I was about to remark that the best thing about a bright, obvious color is that it makes the knife harder to lose, or forget, but having lost my orange Dragonfly 2, that argument doesn't hold up for some of us.

I think the edge — it's grind, shape and length determine what it is best used for and the handle should contribute to that use. I think the FRN handles are well suited to their intended, or designed uses.

[Knutty]

I've referred to FRN antipathy as simple-minded, and that's exactly what it is. There is a rightful general contempt for plastic where it concerns consumer products, because it's so often used as a cheap way out, in cases where metal or other (higher-quality) polymers would be better alternatives.

But what people pretend not to understand is that polymers are often among the best choice, for the reasons we are all aware of. We see that with polymer-based handguns, which people ridiculed to death ... and come to think of it, they still do. You know, the simple-minded ones who carry 7-lb handguns and have never had to use one.

[Doc Dan]

I well remember the change from metal guns to polymer. I helped make some of that transition when worked in the industry. So, I am not adverse to polymers, and you know, you do not see Glock et al. made from G10, now do you?

FRN is good stuff for the knife application, I think. When I was thinking color options I guess my psychedelic '60's and early '70s were coming back. I did not mean wild colors (though some might like them) just different mixes and different colors. I am certain this is possible. I would also like to see some better shades of colors like that UPS brown. I would like a dark chocolate brown better, for instance.

[bdblue]

I was about to remark that the best thing about a bright, obvious color is that it makes the knife harder to lose, or forget

My wife has been carrying a black Dragonfly for a long time. Like most women, she has trouble finding it in the bottom of her purse. She spotted my blue Delica on my table and remarked that it would be easier for her to find in the bottom of her purse so now I have to buy her a yellow or orange knife.

[spyderg]

I never liked frn until I caved and picked up a racing green dragonfly. Now I really like it, grip is fantastic, feels nice and looks better in person than in pics. Always comes across looking like cheap plastic in photos. I still don't like the black frn for some reason but most other colors look good to my eye.
bdblue, you should get her one of the purple dragonfly's, they look pretty nice.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I agree, Doc. FRN is lightweight, feels good in the hand, resilient, tough, durable, everything good. I have zero problems with it. Please keep FRN on Spyderco knives.

[paladin]

Add me to the "FRN fan boy bandwagon!" :D

I love the "feel" of the FRN, can't explain it much better than that... :o

IMHO, an ELU would be hard pressed to find a better balanced material for handles... :spyder:

[tvenuto]

I think spyderco really nails the FRN with their bi-directional texturing. Also, I think they do a good job of matching the material to the design. I really love a lot of their G10 designs as well, but I think certain ones like the Delica just work better in FRN, and I've actually been underwhelmed by the G10 variants.