I can’t stop carrying this knife. It’s just too fun.
Gorgeous photo. Where is that?
Re: finger eating flipper: I typically pushbutton my flippers if possible (habit from owning a lot of flippers with so-so action, pushbuttoning practically guarantees a successful opening for me). But with the final lock placement where it is, I lightswitch the Amalgam. For me, pushbuttoning the Amalgam results in the painful jabbed index finger pads you're describing, but lightswitching works just fine (or maybe I'm just used to it now haha).
I can’t stop carrying this knife. It’s just too fun.
Gorgeous photo. Where is that?
Re: finger eating flipper: I typically pushbutton my flippers if possible (habit from owning a lot of flippers with so-so action, pushbuttoning practically guarantees a successful opening for me). But with the final lock placement where it is, I lightswitch the Amalgam. For me, pushbuttoning the Amalgam results in the painful jabbed index finger pads you're describing, but lightswitching works just fine (or maybe I'm just used to it now haha).
I'd say that reliable lightswitch action is the sweet spot that I aim for when doing detent tuning. :)
EDC Rotation: PITS, Damasteel Urban, Shaman, Ikuchi, Amalgam, CruCarta Shaman, Sage 5 LW, Serrated Caribbean Sheepsfoot CQI, XHP Shaman, M4/Micarta Shaman, 15v Shaman Fixed Blades: Proficient, Magnacut Mule Special and Sentimental: Southard, Squarehead LW, Ouroboros, Calendar Para 3 LW, 40th Anniversary Native, Ti Native, Calendar Watu, Tanto PM2 Would like to own again: CQI Caribbean Sheepsfoot PE, Watu Wishlist: Magnacut, Shaman Sprints!
I'm agree that the sweet spot is a nice lightswitchable flipper. My tendency to pushbutton flippers when possible was really to make up for shortcomings, whether it was an overly light detent or stiff pivot or too light of a blade. A flipper had to have pretty bad action for me to need a wrist flick. So I'm pretty happy with the way the Amalgam is easily lightswitchable without wrist as long as it's flipped with any kind of authority (a couple of my friends and family can misfire almost any flipper I hand them because they always only apply juuuuust enough strength to break the detent, or, in the case of my 7777, if the detent is too strong then they can't open it at all :p).
I've also noticed "finger creep" which might be my body's reaction to using flippers for quite some time now.
A flipper detent that seems "just right" to my right index finger seems monstrously strong when flipped with any other finger on that hand. It even feels a little strong to my left index finger
I'm not sure whether my other fingers are weaker and not used to pressing things individually, or if index fingers are stronger in general...
I always have to remember that detent is only part of the flipping action equation, and the other portion is the physiological "springs" of our finger tendons.
EDC Rotation: PITS, Damasteel Urban, Shaman, Ikuchi, Amalgam, CruCarta Shaman, Sage 5 LW, Serrated Caribbean Sheepsfoot CQI, XHP Shaman, M4/Micarta Shaman, 15v Shaman Fixed Blades: Proficient, Magnacut Mule Special and Sentimental: Southard, Squarehead LW, Ouroboros, Calendar Para 3 LW, 40th Anniversary Native, Ti Native, Calendar Watu, Tanto PM2 Would like to own again: CQI Caribbean Sheepsfoot PE, Watu Wishlist: Magnacut, Shaman Sprints!
So I’m typically the guy asking for a stronger detent. I was thrilled with my Cruwear PM2 having twice the detent strength of my older black coated s30v version. The main reason I don’t carry my Gayle Bradley often is a weak detent. But my most recent Spydies have been the Rhino and the Amalgam. Both have somewhat light detents, but near perfect action. Neither blade comes out when I don’t want. It takes a good shake or wrist snap to pop either out. I have nitpicks on pretty much every knife but at the same time can appreciate a good build, and imo the Amalgam is a great knife. Nitpicks maybe but no complaints, even about the detent.
If you're wielding the sharpest tool in the shed, who's going to say that you aren't...?
I've been wanting a bigger Spyderco for some time, but was never able to find one that really "spoke" to me, until now. Just placed an order for an Amalgam, and can't wait to get my hands on it. I'm currently working in Afghanistan, and I've bought a new Spyderco prior to every deployment for the last 16 years. This one is a departure from my usual, the old reliable Endura, but I have high hopes for it. This place is hard on equipment, and I'm eager to see how the Amalgam stands up to use in the harsh, dusty and sometimes dangerous environment of this mountainous region.
"let a man never stir a step on the road without his weapons of war, for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise of a spear on the way without." Havamal, verse 38
Thanks Reference_Sensor! Definitely let me know how you like it when you get it in hand, and keep us posted on how it holds up in your work =). I'm curious how the bearing pivot will do with dust and sand.
The Amalgam is holding up quite well so far. Spring has sprung in Afghanistan, and the roses they grow here are in full bloom!
"let a man never stir a step on the road without his weapons of war, for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise of a spear on the way without." Havamal, verse 38
does anyone know of where I can get some black g10 scales for this bad boy? All my other SpyderCo's I rotate through have those scales and I want my amalgam to match
Yesterday, I had access to a Rockwell hardness tester, so of course I took apart the Amalgam I had on me to try it out. I was pleased to see a reading just over 61 HRC on my sample. Woo!
I didn't take a reading just behind the edge because my understanding is that the sample being tested should be mounted perpendicular to the indenter, and I didn't have an appropriate anvil that would allow me to mount the blade so that the flat grind would be properly perpendicular to the indenter.
Edit: last two images didn't upload properly, re-uploaded them
Last edited by gundamaniac on Sun Oct 20, 2019 2:00 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Yesterday, I had access to a Rockwell hardness tester, so of course I took apart the Amalgam I had on me to try it out. I was pleased to see a reading just over 61 HRC on my sample. Woo!
I didn't take a reading just behind the edge because my understanding is that the sample being tested should be mounted perpendicular to the indenter, and I didn't have an appropriate anvil that would allow me to mount the blade so that the flat grind would be properly perpendicular to the indenter.
Nice ! Hey Brian could you measure the thickness behind the edge... I am quite confused ...
Marius
" A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it "
( Rabindranath Tagore ) Proud member of the old school spyderedge nation
Well, sixteen months later, the Amalgam is still going strong and sharp in Afghanistan. I've used it daily for just about everything a knife is appropriate for, and it has certainly delivered. I would dearly love to see a version in Zome green or brown, or coyote or green G10, with a DLC coated blade.
"let a man never stir a step on the road without his weapons of war, for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise of a spear on the way without." Havamal, verse 38
I'd like one with DLC blade and hardware, and light gray scales, like that Manix sprint that was floating around for a while. Or translucent natural G10 scales with a DLC blade. Or DLC with marbled carbon fiber.
...If they make any variant of this in DLC I will buy it.
While I'm on a roll wishing for Amalgam variants, a sheepsfoot version would be awesome. Or a serrated version. Or a serrated sheepsfoot version. Or, if I really wanna go far out with "unlikely to happen", lightweight FRN.
Basically I want these two knives to have a kid, and then to add some DLC coating on top: