(Unofficial) Paul Alexander Ikuchi Discussion Thread

[toocool006]

With apologies to Mr. Alexander if starting this thread is jumping the gun, but I'm very excited about what is already a strong contender in my mind for #1 favorite Spyderco. I would love to hear what thoughts others have, especially from members lucky enough to have handled the prototype at Blade. Personally, I have a feeling that this knife will be the one to finally have me seeking out custom handles, as peel-ply CF isn't my favorite, I already have a few (Sliverax, Rhino) of those around, and this may well be my solid EDC for the foreseeable future so it would be money well spent.

Let's get excited!


Photo cred - is this yours Lance? Found it on image search and want to give credit where credit is due :-)

[koenigsegg]

This thing looks perfect to me. I wonder if this will be the same price point as the Mantra 3, it should be I would think. If it is lower cost, I hope they do a sprint of this. I would love to see real CF and 20CV

[SpyderScout]

That looks great. I like that blade style. Nilakka et al (not to compare the two).

[SpyderScout]

With apologies to Mr. Alexander if starting this thread is jumping the gun, but I'm very excited about what is already a strong contender in my mind for #1 favorite Spyderco. I would love to hear what thoughts others have, especially from members lucky enough to have handled the prototype at Blade. Personally, I have a feeling that this knife will be the one to finally have me seeking out custom handles, as peel-ply CF isn't my favorite, I already have a few (Sliverax, Rhino) of those around, and this may well be my solid EDC for the foreseeable future so it would be money well spent.

Let's get excited!


Photo cred - is this yours Bloke? Found it on image search and want to give credit where credit is due :-)

Dont worry, you are not jumping the gun
//forum.spyderco.com/viewtopic.php?t=79862

[Surfingringo]

The design is amazing. Saw it at Blade in June and spent LOTS of time fooling with it. Feels great in hand and pocket. Very useful blade shape and size. This one has me more excited than any new design in the last few years.

-I think the knife is even more beautiful and sleek in the closed position than when open. Blade spine matches handle perfectly so the entire blade is hidden when closed.

[SpyderScout]

In action at 3:01 in. 'Opens like a Bic lighter.' Nifty.

https://youtu.be/ke8cx8lRfhU&t=301s

I really wish Eric Glesser hadnt demo'ed the Smock in this vid as well. I was aware of it but hitherto it didnt speak to me. After seeing it in the vid, I want it. What a horrible addiction :mad: Spyderco should have a 'detox program' for repeat offenders!

:D

[SpyderScout]

The design is amazing. Saw it at Blade in June and spent LOTS of time fooling with it. Feels great in hand and pocket. Very useful blade shape and size. This one has me more excited than any new design in the last few years.

-I think the knife is even more beautiful and sleek in the closed position than when open. Blade spine matches handle perfectly so the entire blade is hidden when closed.

Of course you like it; the blade shape looks like it perfect for gutting fish! :D

[Sumdumguy]

I'm waiting on this one!

[Naperville]

I could see my way to a Paul Alexander Ikuchi. Lets hope they make a ton of them. I hardly ever get in on any Sprints.

That is the first time that I saw the BladeHQ video. Eric does a great job representing Spyderco. I have a lot of faith in him.

[Liquid Cobra]

Yup this one has been on my mind ever since lance was kind enough to share the first picture of it. I hope it’s not too far from release but I suspect it is. Count me in!

[Surfingringo]

The design is amazing. Saw it at Blade in June and spent LOTS of time fooling with it. Feels great in hand and pocket. Very useful blade shape and size. This one has me more excited than any new design in the last few years.

-I think the knife is even more beautiful and sleek in the closed position than when open. Blade spine matches handle perfectly so the entire blade is hidden when closed.

Of course you like it; the blade shape looks like it perfect for gutting fish! :D

Haha. I know you make that comment half joking but there is a lot of underlying truth to it and this is something that I've given a lot of thought. Most of the chores that I "need" a knife for are in the boat or at the cleaning table. Before that (growing up) my biggest actual need for a knife was skinning game. My father used certain blade shapes for that and I think that was "imprinted" on me, for lack of a better word. The point is, nowadays I have a certain idea of what a "proper" blade shape is, (mostly based on my experience with what works best for me) and I always gravitate towards blades with that kind of shape. And yes, the blades that end up looking attractive to me are typically ones that look like shapes I would use for fish and game...even if it's in a knife that I would probably never use for that purpose.

Honestly, I would like to be a little more open minded about blade shape but it is deeply ingrained. I usually don't even think about it consciously, I just see a knife with a blade that I wouldn't want to clean fish with and it simply doesn't look attractive. I don't know, I'm probably over thinking it. I guess I just find knives with certain characteristics like a sharp tip and a narrower profile attractive because I find them useful. Another guy with different uses might find knives with wide blades and thick overbuilt tips attractive. Kind of like women I suppose. Thank God we've all got different taste so there's enough love to go around for all of them. Oh, and thank God THEY'VE all got different taste too or most of us would be SOL. :p

[SpyderScout]

I can relate to that.
As I mentioned in a post above, I like the sleek pointy blades of some models - like for example the Nilakka and in extension knives like the Mantra (2) and the Ikuchi.
(Not comparing the models apart from them being sleek and pointy in general).

[Mako109]

Immediately made the top of my list for Spyderco's new releases this year, and just may become my #1 urban EDC.

[hambone56rx]

I am also pumped on this one!
Incredible design!

[Sumdumguy]

I really wish there was more info on this one.
I'm not into flippers, but this one does it for me.

[vivi]

I really wish there was more info on this one.
I'm not into flippers, but this one does it for me.

Same. I usually never look twice at flippers, especially ones with non-functional spyderholes, but this is a really cool design.

That video made me much more excited for the bow river too. Size looks perfect, the handles appear nicely contoured, and the talk about thin grinds caught my attention. I see it being a huge hit. I know I'm in for a few.

[zhyla]

Hmmm. It looks kind of cool, but I couldn’t help but compare it with the Burnley kwaiken family of knives which way sleeker than this in my opinion. Also not sure how useful the blade shape would be.

But I hear good stuff about his other designs.

[timlara]

Definitely interested to try out this flipper mechanism. To me, the usual style of flipper tabs on a Spyderco actually take away from the simple elegance of the classic opening hole, in that it adds an extra protrusion sticking out which doesn't really add any practical benefit over the function of the hole.

In the case of this knife, however, the flipper mechanism ADDS to the elegance of the design, in that it allows it to be much thinner than it would be with a traditional opening hole, while still allowing ease of opening, which to me is one thing that I usually feel is a compromise on thinner (less tall?) knives. Usually, they're a bit harder (or maybe impossible) to open one-handed since there's less room to adjust your grip on the handle, or maybe only something like a nail nick to grab onto. By contrast, I feel like this method of opening was a really good way to solve the issue of having a sleek knife that's still really easy to open. (Plus, it's just plain neat.)

[Evil D]

It's an interesting design but it's missing the sexy curves of his other designs. I'm far more intrigued by the Parata. I appreciate the front flipper idea but the way the top corner of the handle is cut off while open really throws off the lines. I'm excited to try out the lock on the Parata.

[MichaelPeterson]

Up for preorder, 130, seems fair...if it’s successful enough I’d be excited for a sprint run, maybe s90 and pakawood or maybe micarta