Is the Dragonfly Obsolete?

[Woodpuppy]

Punches wayyyy above its weight

Ugh. That quote... ruined it is.

[SG89]

Punches wayyyy above its weight

Ugh. That quote... ruined it is.

Yoda say what?

[Woodpuppy]

Lol I have a flashback association with that quote being egregiously overused.... makes me twitchy. My problem not yours!

[sparky2016]

Of course not. The Chap may be the “just right” knife for some; but for others it’s exactly wrong, not quite enough, not sturdy and thick enough - a Delica or Native is the alternative carry, not a Chap.

The Chap isn’t better for every use scenario or user. So no, not obsolete.

BTW, see the discussion on this topic at EverdayCommentary under Best Knives.
https://www.everydaycommentary.com/www. ... nives-2018

Heresy, but lot of the things people mention using the Chap for could be done with an Opinel.

[jackh]

I don't think there is a knife design/model, etc. that will ever make the Dragonfly obsolete. It's a perfect design for a knife that size IMO. I've had a few over the years and the only one I've hung on to is the one with the SB blade. I'd like to see a DF with XHP but I like the SB.

I think most think of the DF as a light duty EDC knife which it is. But, I use it as a work knife. For me, a work knife means electrical wiring or carpentry type work. Nine times out of ten you don't need a large knife for those type work tasks. A small, stout knife is perfect IMO. In fact, sometimes a small knife is required for tasks where a larger knife may be to big to fit into small areas.

[ZrowsN1s]

...... Does the Chaparral Light Weight make the Dragonfly obsolete?

https://youtu.be/-K7fCQlUhj0
:D

[GarageBoy]

One could say the dragonfly 2 obsoletes the man and ladybugs...
The dragonfly 2 was a great upgrade from the original, and if the handle works for you, there's very little else to ask for.

[u.w.]

...... Does the Chaparral Light Weight make the Dragonfly obsolete?

https://youtu.be/-K7fCQlUhj0
:D

LMAO! Well played

u.w.

[sailhand]

The dragonfly is my favourite spyderco. Its one of the lightest and smallest knives that fills your hand and has enough blade for the size of the knife. I bought the chapparal after looking at the specs as the OP pointed out they are very similar and i was hoping for the same experience in a slightly larger package. Alas I was sadly disappointed with the knife. It is a beautiful knife and well made however the ergonomics are not suited to my hands. I think everyone has that knife that fits their grip so perfectly that it feels like an extension of their arm and for me that is the dragonfly. The weight of the dragonfly is 1.2 oz vs 2 oz for the lightweight chapparal thats a 60% increase in weight. I have the carbon chapparal and thats heavier again. The dragonfly sits in my waist band and i forget its there until i need it. Best knife in my collection and i have four of them. The only thing that could make the dragonfly better is lc200n.

[araneae]

Dragonfly forever. I like the Chappie, but the Dragonfly 2 is basically perfect...

[Lee48]

No way!

I carry a DF clipless in my pocket with other junk and I never know it's there until I need it. Try that with the FRN Chaparral. No comparison. You'll notice the Chaparral is there.

Everyday, I carry the DF and one other knife. Sometimes that other knife is the FRN Chaparral. Both are outstanding but the Chaparral will never replace the Dragonfly.

[Woodpuppy]

I tend to agree the DF2 just disappears in my watch pocket. I’ve even washed because I forget it’s in there. Completely unobtrusive.

[lonerider1013]

Just got a dragonfly recently, and love it. It is obviously not a full size pocketknkife, but for what it is... a small utility knife... it is perfect.
Light, comfortable, carries well,easy to hold. I even like the teeny weeny pocket clip.
I don't think the chapperal is a replacement to the dragonfly in terms of intended use or style. It seems cool too, but not the same.
So...no, not obsolete.

Also new people are always discovering spyderco knives. To some a knife design may seem old to others it is as new as when they first pick it up. Would be a shame if some classic designs were discontinued and new owners couldn't get their hands on them outside of the used market.

[Water Bug]

Generally speaking, I don't believe any knife of any design becomes obsolete. The purpose of a knife is to cut, so whether the knife is decades or centuries old, or whether the design is of similar age, as long as it's structurally sounds, well maintained, and kept sharp, it's never obsolete.

Now, does the knife and/or its design become obsolete in terms of people's preference because they want the newest, fanciest, most exotic, etc., of whatever comes along... perhaps. My opinion is that's no way to judge a knife. I have knives that are OLD, old fashion, simple in design, possessing blades of non-super steel, etc., yet they all work just fine for their intended purpose... to cut... and, that's good enough for me.

[Lonehunter]

As was mentioned , with 2.5 inches being the max at Gov buildings and such the Dragonfly has found another nich . I’ve owned Spydies since 1,990 and just a few years ago bought my first Dragonfly just for that reason , a MLB Park we visit has a 2.5 limit .

While it’s easy to sneak my Delica past the metal detectors, one time they saw it and measured its blade against a piece of tape on a table, it was what looked like around a half inch to long . Despite me being a rather old harmless guy, and a LT in the FD they’d have none of that and I had to hide it outside .

When I place the Dragonfly on the slide with my phone and such,he just handed it back to me didn’t give it a second glance.

As for the Ladybug which I own 3 of, it’s the hardest Spyderco I’ve owned to reliably open one hand, with no clip access is also slower , the grip is much less and it doesn’t slice like the DF.

Now I’d love to see the DF or another variation with just a sub 2 1/2 inch blade and a reduced choil for more edge as well .

[carrot]

Nope. But when are we going to see an LC200N Dragonfly Salt? H1 is a great steel... but doesn't the Dragonfly deserve more?