Official Sliverax Discussion Thread

[bearfacedkiller]

It sounds like a lizard or dinosaur to me.

Or maybe something from Dr Suess. :)

[pftbahaa]

Anyone know if one will be at Blade Show this weekend? To check it out and feel it up a bit?

[SG89]

Or maybe something from Dr Suess. :)

Definitely

[paulwa]

OK, sorry for the delay getting back to the thread, and thanks again for the continued interest.
With Blade Show looming I suppose I’ll address the questions on that end, first. While I do not have 1st hand knowledge pertaining to whether only the production prototype will be there, or full production samples, or whether it will be in the regular model case or the prototype case, I would be shocked if it is not there for folks to fondle in some form or fashion. In the last conversation I had with Eric and crew, it sounded like production delays were fairly minimal so its availability to the public should be at least similar to Shot Show, if not more accessible. I’m not going to be there; but if you are, give her a quick flip for me, and let us know what you think.

Next, Hamilton had some clip/lanyard questions I’ll try and clear up. First, the clip is a full-size, deep-carry wire pocket clip, which should be more or less identical to that on the Caly 3.5 (the Ouroboros uses the small or Dragonfly version of the clip). And just to spend an extra minute on clips, I absolutely love the Spyderco wire clip in all its forms (but prefer the deep carry versions). I think they have a simple elegance that is unmatched by other more stylized flat metal clips. I know they are more prone to bending than other clips, but I actually consider that a feature. Not only are they easier to bend back into serviceable condition; but as far as I’m concerned, the clip should be almost a ‘sacrificial’ component of the knife. I’d rather mangle a clip than damage the knife, rip a car seat cover, tear up my clothes, or scratch some paint or furniture; all things much more likely with a stamped (or machined) clip. I've had to get replacement clips a time or two, but found any cost reasonable and delivery fairly timely, so no complaints from me on that front. Plus, all the round edges tend to be easier on the hand during hard use than pretty much any other clip. So if I get my way, almost everything I design has/will have some form of wire clip. Finally, while understand the drive for more discreet carry, a knife that's so buried in the pocket you have to fumble to get it out, especially in high-pressure situations, is more of a liability than a bit of the handle sticking out of the pocket. So it’s design trade-off, hopefully we’ve come up with a version the bulk of customers can be satisfied with, I know I am, in this case.
As for the clip location relative to the lanyard hole, I typically prefer an aft-of-clip placement for the hole. It's just the logical place to put a lanyard hole so the lanyard is most accessible for easy pocket removal (its main purpose, though decoration/customization is a close second). It can sometimes extend the handle a bit, but a lot of the clip location constraints have to do with internal packaging of blade, standoffs, spacers, etc. and making sure the thin edges on the scale from the clip cut outs are robust enough to survive use/abuse. But with all that said, I’m about to contradict myself… The prototype version of the knife had a nested lanyard bar between the liners that paracord, leather, etc. could be wrapped around. This definitely put the lanyard quite a bit forward on the spine, something is was torn about; but if you find no use for lanyards, it definitely made for a cleaner look.
Original prototype pic:

In the end, the tubed lanyard hole only added about 2mm to the handle length from my calculations/measurements, and it's not as hidden or hard to figure out as the bar (for non-knife people); plus, Spyderco definitely likes a hole...

Thanks everyone, and keep the questions coming,
I will answer them when I can,
I will answer them to-a-man,
I will answer them to keep you a fan.
I may even answer them while in a van,
Or perhaps while drinking a Black and Tan…

Cheers,
- Paul

[Cheddarnut]

OK, sorry for the delay getting back to the thread, and thanks again for the continued interest.
With Blade Show looming I suppose I’ll address the questions on that end, first. While I do not have 1st hand knowledge pertaining to whether only the production prototype will be there, or full production samples, or whether it will be in the regular model case or the prototype case, I would be shocked if it is not there for folks to fondle in some form or fashion. In the last conversation I had with Eric and crew, it sounded like production delays were fairly minimal so its availability to the public should be at least similar to Shot Show, if not more accessible. I’m not going to be there; but if you are, give her a quick flip for me, and let us know what you think.

Next, Hamilton had some clip/lanyard questions I’ll try and clear up. First, the clip is a full-size, deep-carry wire pocket clip, which should be more or less identical to that on the Caly 3.5 (the Ouroboros uses the small or Dragonfly version of the clip). And just to spend an extra minute on clips, I absolutely love the Spyderco wire clip in all its forms (but prefer the deep carry versions). I think they have a simple elegance that is unmatched by other more stylized flat metal clips. I know they are more prone to bending than other clips, but I actually consider that a feature. Not only are they easier to bend back into serviceable condition; but as far as I’m concerned, the clip should be almost a ‘sacrificial’ component of the knife. I’d rather mangle a clip than damage the knife, rip a car seat cover, tear up my clothes, or scratch some paint or furniture; all things much more likely with a stamped (or machined) clip. I've had to get replacement clips a time or two, but found any cost reasonable and delivery fairly timely, so no complaints from me on that front. Plus, all the round edges tend to be easier on the hand during hard use than pretty much any other clip. So if I get my way, almost everything I design has/will have some form of wire clip. Finally, while understand the drive for more discreet carry, a knife that's so buried in the pocket you have to fumble to get it out, especially in high-pressure situations, is more of a liability than a bit of the handle sticking out of the pocket. So it’s design trade-off, hopefully we’ve come up with a version the bulk of customers can be satisfied with, I know I am, in this case.
As for the clip location relative to the lanyard hole, I typically prefer an aft-of-clip placement for the hole. It's just the logical place to put a lanyard hole so the lanyard is most accessible for easy pocket removal (its main purpose, though decoration/customization is a close second). It can sometimes extend the handle a bit, but a lot of the clip location constraints have to do with internal packaging of blade, standoffs, spacers, etc. and making sure the thin edges on the scale from the clip cut outs are robust enough to survive use/abuse. But with all that said, I’m about to contradict myself… The prototype version of the knife had a nested lanyard bar between the liners that paracord, leather, etc. could be wrapped around. This definitely put the lanyard quite a bit forward on the spine, something is was torn about; but if you find no use for lanyards, it definitely made for a cleaner look.
Original prototype pic:

IMG_0062.JPG

In the end, the tubed lanyard hole only added about 2mm to the handle length from my calculations/measurements, and it's not as hidden or hard to figure out as the bar (for non-knife people); plus, Spyderco definitely likes a hole...

Thanks everyone, and keep the questions coming,
I will answer them when I can,
I will answer them to-a-man,
I will answer them to keep you a fan.
I may even answer them while in a van,
Or perhaps while drinking a Black and Tan…

Cheers,
- Paul

Knifely done :)

[pftbahaa]

Embracing the Suess I see.

The knife does look really smooth without the lanyard hole. Completely unnecessary feature in my opinion and a ruiner of aesthetics.

[hambone56rx]

Embracing the Suess I see.

The knife does look really smooth without the lanyard hole. Completely unnecessary feature in my opinion and a ruiner of aesthetics.

I agree on this point! But that's just me. Thanks for the reply Paul, I really appreciate your openness in responding. I would prefer a deep a eide as possible, but that's just my specific desires. I have seen a fair amount of complaints with using Spyderco Bearings and PB washes out of the Taichung factory (Mantra and Mantra 2), so if the Sliverax don't need washers, I feel like this is a win! I will keep my eyes out for videos coming out of Blade show. Thanks again everyone!

[paulwa]

Lucky you, I am bored! I Hope these help!

Oh, and many thanks to Tyrdle, I think your images really help show where the Sliverax fits into the Spyderco line-up. (I tend to take few to no pictures so I don't accidentally leak something before it's time, so these really do fill a void in the material I have to share.) And keep cranking on the 3D printed models... you're not too far off from how I build, refine, and submit my designs. Get something original done with a moving blade and who knows, maybe your design could pop up in a future catalog.

- Paul

[pftbahaa]

Held the knife today. Just WOW! I couldn't get enough. It's just as good as I'd hoped. Excellent action with the flipper AND the spydie hole! It's plainly and simply incredible.

Also got to hold some other beauties like the Shaman. Some didn't even have names yet. All great as well.

I got to speak with Sal himself which was pretty surreal. Great day. Looking forward to my own copy of the Sliverax arriving.

[Bill1170]

It sounds like a lizard or dinosaur to me.

Or maybe something from Dr Suess. :)

Totally. That was my first thought when I mentally pronounced the name. Maybe related to the Lorax?

[paulwa]

Held the knife today. Just WOW! I couldn't get enough. It's just as good as I'd hoped. Excellent action with the flipper AND the spydie hole! It's plainly and simply incredible.

Glad to hear it didn't disappoint, especially since you've been one of the design's more vocal supporters on the forums. I would hate for you to have to go through the trouble of changing your avatar. Between you and Evil D, I probably owe you two some sort of marketing fee. :D
Now if someone could just get one of the Spyderco crew to comment on a release date, that would be something I'd be seriously excited to hear about.

And to the lucky folks still at Blade, enjoy the rest of the show!
- Paul

[Evil D]

Between you and Evil D, I probably owe you two some sort of marketing fee. :D

- Paul

I'll PM you my address and you can mail me a copy :D


Seriously though, I just really appreciate the design. While I like many things that Spyderco make, even my most favorite knives have things about them that I would change. This design really does feel like something I myself would design, and that's not something I see very often.

Example...look at my own modded Manix 2 handle. Look familiar? If I could do away with the choil and get an extra bit of cutting edge, I absolutely would do so, and the only reason the butt end isn't completely rounded off is because the clip mounts there.


I've been fascinated with deep choil/guard style handles for a long long time and it just isn't a design idea that gets used very often, or when it does there are slews of other things about the design that I don't like. Another thing I really REALLY love is the lack of a thumb ramp. It isn't that I don't like them, but after carrying the Yojimbo 2 for so long (another great choil/guard style handle) I really found that the Filipino grip works very well for me, so not having a thumb ramp makes that much easier. I can extend my thumb past the small thumb ramp on my Manix, but I would just assume it not be there at all and the blade be lower in relation to the handle.

Another thing I've been preaching about for a while now are the lack of full blade-length cutting edges. And again, it isn't that I don't like 50/50 choils, but I do believe that if the handle is designed right there just isn't a need for one. This is where the deep choil handle really shines if you can work it out so that the edge comes right back to the handle, then your index finger is positioned very close to the edge. Your design could stand to be a little closer to the edge, but you can only push the grip so far forward on a design like this before you run into the pivot, since your index finger is cutting so far up into the handle, plus if you shorten the very nose of the handle then you start to expose the tang/lock area on the blade, and you can only make that so small if you want to use this lock. I know that there's a delicate balance of all these things going on all at the same time so I understand how difficult it can be to make it all work.

Another thing I love is the lack of any handle grooves or points. On some knives they're fine (I still don't mind the original Manix 2 shape) but on knives like the Delica for example, you can only get the finger groove spacing to work for some people, and then everyone else has to live with their fingers falling on the points instead of between them. I like that your handle design is just smooth and flowing.

If there's one thing I could nitpick, it's the choice in steels, but I understand that this is standard Spyderco practice for the most part. I wish they had given the standard version something like 204P like the Southard got, but it sounds like you're on board with steel sprints so maybe you can help push for some M4 or something a little more fancy.

So yeah, it's safe to say you definitely have a fan here. I really liked the Ouroboros, but the size just wasn't what I was looking for. With this knife checking in at ~3.5 inches and having a really nicely balanced blade to handle ratio, and the nice deep choil grip, AND being a flipper, man it just checks off a lot of boxes. There haven't been many models that blew me away just from pics of the prototype (in fact the only two I can remember that I absolutely HAD to have were the Yojimbo 2 and Kiwi 4) but this one feels like pure EDC gold.

[pftbahaa]

Held it again. It may have gotten even better from people flipping it. I think I'm in love.

[Evil D]

Man this is not cool. I had my bank card out before the page loaded.

[paulwa]

Man this is not cool. I had my bank card out before the page loaded.

CURSE YOU, CLICK-BAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll update this thread when I get a production sample. Things will be super close then if it's like the Ouroboros release.

- Paul

[Halfneck]

So handled the Sliverax at BLADE - if you like the ergonomics of the Delica, you'll like the ergonomics of the Sliverax.

[Evil D]

So handled the Sliverax at BLADE - if you like the ergonomics of the Delica, you'll like the ergonomics of the Sliverax.

What if I hate the ergonomics of the Delica :confused:

[SG89]

So handled the Sliverax at BLADE - if you like the ergonomics of the Delica, you'll like the ergonomics of the Sliverax.

What if I hate the ergonomics of the Delica :confused:

Oh dang you are so looking forward to this knife and now the ergos might be iffy for your hand :eek:

[Evil D]

Oh dang you are so looking forward to this knife and now the ergos might be iffy for your hand :eek:

I really doubt it. My issue with the Delica is with the finger grooves, and the Sliverax has none. If the Delica handle were shaped like the Harpy I would be all in for Team Delica.

[Farmer888]

Hi Paul,

Another one waiting for the release date of Sliverax. Just one question on the stop pin, is it made of solid (stainless) steel? I noticed that it doesn't have the stop pin screw that Yojimbo2 has.