Tighe Stick

[MacLaren]

Would love to see some pics, and to know what y'all like as well as what ya dislike about the Tighe Stick.
I've been interested in one since they came out. Now, that they are on clearance I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger on one.
Thanx all!!

[Terp61]

I almost bit on the Knife Center deal, but the DLT M390 PM was on pre order and I couldn’t resist it. I didn’t see the Tighe Stick as being a practical user compared to the PM. But the Tighe Stick sure tempted me, **** near pulled the trigger on one. I think it’ll be a great collectors piece.

[clovisc]

It is beautifully well done, and a killer deal at the recent closeout prices. S90V and titanium in an artful design. What's not to like?!

[MacLaren]

True fellas. What's not to like & a collectors piece for sure.

[Larry_Mott]

It is beautifully well done, and a killer deal at the recent closeout prices. S90V and titanium in an artful design. What's not to like?!

The looks? IMO it looks like a cartoon knife.. The design is totally devoid any flow or nice lines. Even the Jot Singh Khalsa is pretti.. sorry, less horrid looking.

[MacLaren]

It is beautifully well done, and a killer deal at the recent closeout prices. S90V and titanium in an artful design. What's not to like?!

The looks? IMO it looks like a cartoon knife.. The design is totally devoid any flow or nice lines. Even the Jot Singh Khalsa is pretti.. sorry, less horrid looking.

Good honest dialog is appreciated.
This could very well be why the Tighe Stick is on clearance.

[Squawk]

I didn't like the looks just judging from the pictures... but i picked one up anyway and don't regret it. It's one sexy blade for sure. Though i must say it will probably stay a collection piece since i don't really see the practical use as an EDC blade and i don't carry knives for SD

[Larry_Mott]

It is beautifully well done, and a killer deal at the recent closeout prices. S90V and titanium in an artful design. What's not to like?!

The looks? IMO it looks like a cartoon knife.. The design is totally devoid any flow or nice lines. Even the Jot Singh Khalsa is pretti.. sorry, less horrid looking.

Good honest dialog is appreciated.
This could very well be why the Tighe Stick is on clearance.

I think it was pushing the envelope just that bit too far for the majority of people. I don't think i know anyone who like its looks..
No disrespect to Brian Tighe, Spyderco or its fans, but i call out a gutter ball when i see one :)

[demoncase]

Aesthetics are often a point of division for people.

I own the Tighe Stick and I like the way it looks- I think the 'dead square' side shots don't let anyone appreciate fully the swoop and lines.
In the hand, it also feels excellent: it's a big hand-filling knife and those beautiful milled serrations work in concert with the grip shape to cement it in hand.

The blade shape is great fun too- a thin grind near the tip as well as being a bellied Tanto-esque shape make for a far more practical blade than the looks would have you think.

The hump on the blade give excellent opening leverage, while being the probably the biggest bug-bear for those on the negative side of the aesthetics- also the overall fit/finish is something superlative.

Give it a chance.... For me it's a great companion piece to something equally high-end like Nirvana or Military Fluted Titanium (Both of which I also own)...or indeed an over-built/over-grown Battlestation

For those down on the knife- Take at look at what Tighe charges for his own knives, factor in the lead time then see the great bargain the Tighe Stick was even at normal retail...On offer it's a steal, frankly.

[Bile Bob]

The looks? IMO it looks like a cartoon knife.. The design is totally devoid any flow or nice lines. Even the Jot Singh Khalsa is pretti.. sorry, less horrid looking.

Except the Jot Singh Khalsa has been sitting around on the shelves unsold for 4 or 5 years. S90V and Titanium handles. I could be wrong but I can't see the Stick being around for that long unsold.

I like the way it looks, I just didn't like the original price tagthat came with it but the clearance pricing is way better. Going to get one before they are all gone.

[archangel]

I love the blade shape, all nice and thick and aggressive. Love upswept blades in general. I‘d love to own one, it would be a perfect brother to my Szabo folder, but I‘ve seriously overstressed my budgets this year. So sadly, I need to pass.

Everyone that own one should consider themselves happy.

[bearfacedkiller]

My reservation is the double grind. If it had one primary grind and a continuous belly I would be all over it at this price.

[MacLaren]

Wow. Thanx Darby!!
Excellent description and pics. I really appreciate it.

[RLDubbya]

It is beautifully well done, and a killer deal at the recent closeout prices. S90V and titanium in an artful design. What's not to like?!

The looks? IMO it looks like a cartoon knife.. The design is totally devoid any flow or nice lines. Even the Jot Singh Khalsa is pretti.. sorry, less horrid looking.

In the name of Sal, Eric, and the Spyder, get thee away from this forum, blasphemer! The Tighe Stick is simply gorgeous, bordering on holy in its beauty. (Just kidding, just kidding...although I, for one, really like the way it looks).

Operation is silky smooth, whether you are talking about opening, closing, or locking/unlocking. I was on the fence about the knife at normal retail price, but when I saw the discontinued price, I immediately purchased, and am strongly thinking about a second one.

The blade shape: it's sort of a modified Tanto. with all that implies. There are two distinct edges; the immediately noticeable difference between it a true Tanto is that this blade has a curve - it isn't just a straight edge.That curve, sort of bringing to mind a Persian, in effect gives the blade a whole lot of belly. I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again: I have a lot of belly, and so should my knife. The Tighe stick certainly does, however, it is graceful and flows nicely - and permits thumb flicking. The ridges in the Ti actually feel great, lending texture and a sure grip.

Speaking about the grip: I'm reminded of the Manix XL in a couple ways, and it is also much like the Emersons: a thin knife (which Spydies always have been), but with some girth so that I have something to wrap my fingers around, to change up my grip to a reverse grip when needed. Other Spydies have the thin grip but (seem to me) to be lacking in girth and are correspondingly harder to get a solid grip on.

As long as I've mentioned Emerson: the Emerson series of "hard use knives" designed as EDC blades typically have 3 price points: the "mini" model usually comes in around $180-$200; the standard model $230-$250; and the "Super" or "Big" model around $300. The only differences between mini, standard ans super for a given model line is the sizing. For example, my Super Commander in Black Cerakote was $300; the same "standard" knife goes for about $230.

Why this rambling about Emerson pricing? Well, these are Emerson's low-end, hard use EDC knives. (A custom Emmie is going to set you back in the neighborhood of $2000). Somebody mentioned that the Tighe stick, priced at $180, was not an EDC knife - it was too expensive. I have no problem in carrying the Tighe stick as an EDC. In fact, I have no problem carrying any of my Spydies as EDCs, and I think that's the way a knife should be used. If you can't carry and use the knife, if you're limited to keeping the knife at home locked away...well, I just think that's not the way to enjoy the knife.

Oh, and just to remind myself: the Emmie will be made from 154CM steel. The liners will look like they were fabbed by a 3rd grader who marked the stock up with crayons - I don't know how else to explain the crooked cuts that are endemic to Emerson. I have no explanation for the rust I see on the liners, straight out of the box.

Anyhow, sorry to ramble. Returning to the main theme of this post: I absolutely love the Tighe stick, wish I would have purchased a copy sooner, and am enjoying the heck out of every aspect of the knife.

[Larry_Mott]

Fair play to you RLDubbya !
It's great to share forum space with so many different people of different opinion. Especially great when people get that critique/critisism isn't about the owner/buyer/individual and is nothing to take personal.
Cheers!

[MacLaren]

Wow. Great stuff, both RL and Larry.
Very informative RL. Thank you.

[Bile Bob]

Just buy it. A few years down the road you'll be glad you did.

[dogrunner]

I do not have one because of the pre-disco'd price, but I have always liked the look. Beauty, as others have already emphasized, is in the eye of the beholder, and one thing that all of us spydie fans all have in common is that we long ago (if we ever needed to) saw past at least one thing that turns a lot of people off, and that is the spydie hole influence on blade shape. The thumb hole opening mechanism is my favorite, by far, so that if a folder does not have one, it better be darn good in all other ways. When I first saw the Tighe stick, my reaction was that it was a beautiful, flowing blade... except for that hole, but that the hole was a good thing (but for other reasons). The handle added to the attractiveness, even though I am not a fan of finger cutouts. I love S90V. What I did not like was the Ti handle (don't like metal handles period), but it was not a deal breaker. I don't like RILs, but that was not a deal breaker. It was a combination of the price and that I probably would not carry it that much (my EDCs are Milis and PM2, and I rotate in Yo2 and GBs). I would just be buying a Tighe stick just because I liked the look, and not with the intent to carry regularly, and it was too expensive for that. Now I gotta decide if I think I might want one at all, so this thread has been both great and possibly a budget buster

[MacLaren]

Nice post dogrunner. I agree.
Thanx Bob.

[MacLaren]

Oh, I also have a $20 credit with KC, which would actually bring it to $159 if my math is correct.