K390 in Golden made spydies ?

[chocolatyshatner]

I've been using my Urban K390 constantly since last summer. I love it! It eats through cardboard and doesn't quit, way moreso than my HAP40 Delica. Personally, I'd like to see a sub-3.5" locking folder in K390, made in any country. I'd buy that. The Police 4 is just too big for me to carry, although it looks like an awesome big folder. I'm a fan of K390 now though!

[Spider bite]

I should pick up the police4. I would prefer the k390 in caly3 or 3.5 though.

[Bloke]

Hi Marius,

Going on history, we had an Urban in K390 and a Mule Team, which did sell out (exclusive & short run), and we have a Police 4. Sales re not brisk on the Police 4 in K390 so we're watching the market to determine decisions.

sal

I'd blame that more on it being the police 4 than k390. The blade on the police 4 is just not for me. Put k390 on what most consider a reasonable EDC then judge market in my opinion.

I agree. The model is to be blamed for poor sales not the steel. Police4 has that huge blade plus it’s a japanese midlock and we all know what that means: vertical blade play more or less sooner or later. K390 is a superb steel and it would add alot of value in a popular Golden model.
It’s the only steel that I like more than CPM- CRU Wear for a few of its atributes at that says a lot given that I am a huge CWear fan.

I have no problem with the P4’s size but I fully agree with the lock/vertical play thing. :)

I’d buy a K390 Military this minute if it didn’t have black scales but I could likely live with that. A big black back lock ... I don’t think so. :eek:

[Donut]

I love K390 and would like to see some options with it.

Don't forget about the K390 Pingo.

The thing that kind of kills me is that the knives that are produced in Taichung Taiwan, which would be perfect place for a sprint run in a special steel. All of the good users, like the Chaparral and the Sage, are all set in stone to be either XHP or S30V with almost no exceptions.

[Skidoosh]

I think K390 has some legs but I would not just market receptivity based on the Police 4. I think its a great steel for that knife. Personally I don't have a use for the police and it would be awkward to carry. I have the K390 Urban and love it. My largest regret was selling my K390 Mule. They do come up for sale from time to time.

A sprint Caly 3 would be fantastic.

[Cambertree]

I've been using the K390 Urban and Police 4 pretty much exclusively as my main work knives, and for home and kitchen utility purposes since late last year. I love them both. I thought they were excellent knives when I first got them, and after a few months of continuous use, I like them even more.

The various Dragonfly models have been my work knives of choice for years, and the Urban is just that little bit stouter, and beefier, while still retaining that outstanding ergonomic design, and thin cutting profile. It feels like you could really bear down on it, should you need to. The K390 Urban has been a fantastic performer on cardboard, pallet strapping and multi layered 15micron plastic wrap. This wrap will tell you pretty quickly if your knife is dulled - I especially appreciate the ability of K390 to perform well both with very refined and coarse edges. After thinning it out behind the edge, it makes a great lunchtime apple peeler, and fruit and chilli pepper slicer too. It's small and innocuous looking enough, that it rarely elicits a comment, even around non-knife people. I just use it with my forefinger out to the blade tip in those cases, and it's closed one handed, and back in my pocket, before it's even noticed.

I actually got the Police 4 because of the K390 blade steel, wouldn't have considered it otherwise - it's just too big for EDC use for my purposes. After thinning it out behind the edge on Atoma diamond plates, giving it a 15dps Sharpmaker apex, then a light 20dps microbevel with the brown rods, it's a superb slicer. I ground down the 'humped' spine near the point too, to make it more acute, and because I prefer the cleaner lines. Despite having a full complement of handmade Japanese kitchen knives, I enjoy using the Police in the kitchen a lot. I call it my 'folding chef knife'. It reminds me of personal knives from the 18th century and earlier, when cutlery was not provided, and your knife was used for everything from food prep, to spearing food for eating, to shaping wood (and probably making your wooden EDC spoon) as well as general work duty, and self defence, should you need it for that. My one little niggle, and it's a minor one, is that due to the fine tolerances, it's quite noticeable if fine grit enters the pivot area through the unused tip-down clip screw holes. I'll probably either shorten some spare clip screws to fill the holes, or get some custom micarta scales made by suingab at G10.lt, with clip holes only for my left hand, tip down carry needs. All in all a superb knife, which brought me to an appreciation of using a larger folding knife.



The achilles heel of K390 (and other tool steels) in spite of their vaunted edge retention, can be working with wet and acidic materials, but as long as I remember to treat them like a carbon steel chef knife and give them a quick wipe on a hand towel after slicing with them while cooking, there's no issue with apex degradation.

I think both these knives are really aficionado's models though: the Urban due to the slipjoint construction, and the Police due to the size, and the non stainless bladesteel. I'm grateful for having these models from a production knife company.

I had the Edgematters forum K390 Pingo as well, and used it (in conjunction with a GEC Crownlifter) on an overseas trip, exploring Ireland and the Northern UK. When I flew into Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, my suitcase had been split open from rough handling and my Pingo was missing. The airline paid for the loss and damages, but I ended up buying the K390 Urban for the one handed opening, thinner edge, and better ergonomics (for my tastes), rather than replacing it.

And wouldn't you know it - a couple of weeks ago, I was checking over a large shipment at work, before the crew loaded it into an export shipping container, and noticed my Urban was missing. I think the forklift seatbelt may have unclipped it and flung it off, or more likely, I put it down on top of a pallet, and when it was picked up, it slipped down between some boxes. I turned the place almost upside down looking for it, and the guys helped me (all trustworthy individuals), but no luck recovering it. Ah well, I guess there's a happy container unpacker in New Zealand with a new K390 Urban by now! (If anyone has one they'd like to sell, then please PM me.)


RIP, or Happy Travels, my little Urban!

I'd definitely like to see more knives in K390. A PM2 (or Stretch) would be great, but at the moment, I find I'm missing my Urban so much, I'd be happy to see another run of that model in K390! Or a drop point K390 UKPK, if we're talking Golden models, only. I understand Sal isn't over fond of micarta in folding knives, due to potential dimensional changes over time, but think how cool a stonewashed K390 blade would look, with OD green, contoured, canvas micarta scales, ala the Cuscadi 'Dr Jones' models!

Here's a Pingo with the Cuscadi 'Dr Jones' treatment, for comparison:

[elena86]

Hey Cambertree you can still get a K390 Urban.. they are available in a few places... BBS is one of them

[Cambertree]

Hey Cambertree you can still get a K390 Urban.. they are available in a few places... BBS is one of them

Thanks very much for the tip, Marius. BBS postage more than doubles the price of the knife, unfortunately, but I’ll certainly keep that in mind, should I fail to turn one up anywhere else. :)

[elena86]

Hey Cambertree you can still get a K390 Urban.. they are available in a few places... BBS is one of them

Thanks very much for the tip, Marius. BBS postage more than doubles the price of the knife, unfortunately, but I’ll certainly keep that in mind, should I fail to turn one up anywhere else. :)

My advice : get one while you can :)

[Cambertree]

My advice : get one while you can :)

Wise advice, my friend, I've been considering a second knife to allay the postage cost a little. :)

Edit: Thanks, got it, along with a HAP40 Manbug. (Sorry for the thread drift. :) )

[Knife Knut]

if the Police 4 came in ComboEdge partial serrations I would get one. But if the plainedge is selling poorly, it seems like there would even less of a business case for a comboedge, which is even less popular as i understand it.

[Paracelsus]

I don't need a Paramilitary 2; when I want something like it, I reach for my Byrd Raven 2.
But K390 is such a superb steel, and so well-suited to a hard-use platform like the Para 2,
that such a knife might push toward the front of the line for new Spydercos I "need."

While the Police 4 is a beautiful design, it is too big and too back-lock for me.
Para 2 is the obvious next step for K390 and Spyderco, and a Golden-made Para 2 in K390 would certainly be a big seller,
all the more so if it were issued with micarta scales.
I just hope they grind it nice and thin to take advantage of the exceptional properties of this steel.

[Doc Dan]

I would kill for a Millie or a Para2 in K390 :eek: Oh, let's not forget the backlock Manix2...it deserves a K390 treatement :spyder:

You are talking my language!

[Doc Dan]

Hi Marius,

Going on history, we had an Urban in K390 and a Mule Team, which did sell out (exclusive & short run), and we have a Police 4. Sales re not brisk on the Police 4 in K390 so we're watching the market to determine decisions.

sal

I'd blame that more on it being the police 4 than k390. The blade on the police 4 is just not for me. Put k390 on what most consider a reasonable EDC then judge market in my opinion.

I agree. The model is to be blamed for poor sales not the steel. Police4 has that huge blade plus it’s a japanese midlock and we all know what that means: vertical blade play more or less sooner or later. K390 is a superb steel and it would add alot of value in a popular Golden model.
It’s the only steel that I like more than CPM- CRU Wear for a few of its atributes at that says a lot given that I am a huge CWear fan.

I agree and also the P4 is a lot more expensive than many people are willing to pay. I think a Millie would sell out quickly. I would pony up for a M2 backlock at just the mere mention it would be available. Golden made knives just scream for this steel.

Of course, I would love to see this steel in some smaller knives, as well. I love my Urban LW K390. It is in my pocket now.

[di81ni]

I also love K390 in my Urban and Mule, and would buy almost anything that came out with it, but also not a big fan of back locks (except for my super blue caly 3).

A Chokwe in K390 would be my absolute dream knife!

[Chris_P_Bacon]

Para2 in K390 = no brainer.

I'd also buy a Manix XL.

If a tip up CQI Military was ever sorted (or PM2 XL), that as well.

[Doc Dan]

We need a K390 Forum knife. How about a Lil Native Back Lock? I also wonder how K390 would fare in a Chaparral LW?

[TomAiello]

K390 Chap would be a home run. But I think it would go against the intended philosophy of the Chap (same blade, different handles).

[Skidoosh]

The FRN of the K390 urban looks the same shade as the FRN of the Chap but I would love a FRN K390 Chap, it would keep costs reasonable

[sal]

I'll discuss this with Eric and Tom.

sal