Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
BigGrove
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#201

Post by BigGrove »

BigGrove wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:46 pm
Received a pair of Ikuchis today. I realized within a few flips that my index finger was cut open and bleeding. The culprit appears to be the sharp point on the back side of the flipper wheel. Both of the ones I received are like this so I assume most are this way. Maybe it's my soft office hands but I have no interest in owning a knife that injures me when I open it.

Image
The Meat man wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:24 pm
^Ouch. Fortunately it looks like an easy fix with a bit of sandpaper.
No doubt it's an easy fix but I have to question why is it leaving the factory like this? Seems unacceptable to me.
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#202

Post by The Meat man »

BigGrove wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:55 pm
BigGrove wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:46 pm
Received a pair of Ikuchis today. I realized within a few flips that my index finger was cut open and bleeding. The culprit appears to be the sharp point on the back side of the flipper wheel. Both of the ones I received are like this so I assume most are this way. Maybe it's my soft office hands but I have no interest in owning a knife that injures me when I open it.
The Meat man wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:24 pm
^Ouch. Fortunately it looks like an easy fix with a bit of sandpaper.
No doubt it's an easy fix but I have to question why is it leaving the factory like this? Seems unacceptable to me.

I understand that. Nobody wants to hit a brand new knife with sandpaper to make it comfortable for use. :o
I guess sometimes, it's difficult to catch some of those small details.
- Connor

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Sumdumguy
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#203

Post by Sumdumguy »

Anyone having trouble taming this blood thirsty beast, feel free to send it to me for breaking ;)
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Spydersense
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#204

Post by Spydersense »

No blood thirst from mine. An instant favorite for me.:)
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Time for another :spyder:!

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youmakemehole
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#205

Post by youmakemehole »

This knife is just awesome. Initially, I was a little surprised at its light weight and small size - the slimness makes it seem much smaller than the length would suggest. This little guy packs a mean blade into such a slim package as well - I believe I remembered criticism of the blade before its release, some saying how it was way too small/flimsy for any practical use and favored form over function. After handling one, I'd say the blade is the one of the most redeeming features of the knife, along with its EDC'ability. It literally is like a scalpel, or exacto knife, and the slimness of the handle feels almost unnatural for something with that much edge. I often find myself wanting to grip it like a pen, or in ways you would hold a scalpel or exacto - with the thumb or index on the spine. The sharpness it comes with is crazy as well, the entire blade feels just like a razor edge after a couple rounds of stropping with .5 and .25 micron diamond on balsa.

One super cool thing about the aesthetics of the knife I dont know if anyone has mentioned yet is the decorative Spidey hole, or should i say holes, when it is open, the close symmetry of the blade ad handle along with the 2 diagonally opposed spideyholes create sort of a yin-yang effect, I think it looks just absolutely smart and stunning.
"Sometimes I think that we're all little kids trying to act like grown ups, in our parents clothes. ;) "

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BigGrove
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#206

Post by BigGrove »

The Meat man wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:59 pm
BigGrove wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:55 pm
BigGrove wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:46 pm
Received a pair of Ikuchis today. I realized within a few flips that my index finger was cut open and bleeding. The culprit appears to be the sharp point on the back side of the flipper wheel. Both of the ones I received are like this so I assume most are this way. Maybe it's my soft office hands but I have no interest in owning a knife that injures me when I open it.
The Meat man wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:24 pm
^Ouch. Fortunately it looks like an easy fix with a bit of sandpaper.
No doubt it's an easy fix but I have to question why is it leaving the factory like this? Seems unacceptable to me.

I understand that. Nobody wants to hit a brand new knife with sandpaper to make it comfortable for use. :o
I guess sometimes, it's difficult to catch some of those small details.
There's a differece between discomfort and a design that out of the box causes injury. Since I'm not willing to be a Spyderco apologist I'll stop bringing up that the Ikuchi has a major design flaw.
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paulwa
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#207

Post by paulwa »

BigGrove wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:46 pm
Received a pair of Ikuchis today. I realized within a few flips that my index finger was cut open and bleeding. The culprit appears to be the sharp point on the back side of the flipper wheel. Both of the ones I received are like this so I assume most are this way. Maybe it's my soft office hands but I have no interest in owning a knife that injures me when I open it.

Image
Howdy BG,
Sorry you are having issues with the design and finishing on the lock-face edge of your Ikuchi. I completely understand your stance on the issue and your feeling that you shouldn’t have to personally finish a couple edges on a new knife you just purchased. I’m sure Spyderco or any reputable dealer will take the piece back if you are that displeased.

This is a new design/concept for everyone, and while this didn’t pop up on early production samples I handled, it looks to be something that is potentially present as production was ramped up. I’ll definitely be mentioning the sharpness on that edge the next time I talk with Spyderco, as it seems like the factory can remedy that on new pieces pretty easily. From a design perspective, I always intended peoples’ fingertips to start out completely on the wheel surface, but as more feedback comes in, it looks like folks are approaching it more like a conventional front flipper, and reaching pretty far forward on the wheel and on to the front of the scales, where contact with the lock face during flipping is pretty much a given. So we’re all learning a bit on this one, and I’m sorry you ended up being one of the data points that will drive some minor CQI. But, If you don’t mind taking a little more of your time on this, it would also be worthwhile if you reach out to the Spyderco customer service team to alert them to this as well. The more feedback they have on a potential CQI issue, the sooner it can be addressed.

If you do decide to keep your Ikuchi, I posted some comments on page 9 of this thread about how tweaking your flipping technique can help mitigate the chances of this happening; though knocking off that edge, as voiced by other forumites, is probably the best long term fix. I wish there was more I could do to help you out on this one... I know how disappointing it can be to have to tweak a new purchase you were previously so excited about to make it work for you.

- Paul
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anycal
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#208

Post by anycal »

paulwa wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:04 am


Howdy BG,
Sorry you are having issues with the design and finishing on the lock-face edge of your Ikuchi. I completely understand your stance on the issue and your feeling that you shouldn’t have to personally finish a couple edges on a new knife you just purchased. I’m sure Spyderco or any reputable dealer will take the piece back if you are that displeased.

This is a new design/concept for everyone, and while this didn’t pop up on early production samples I handled, it looks to be something that is potentially present as production was ramped up. I’ll definitely be mentioning the sharpness on that edge the next time I talk with Spyderco, as it seems like the factory can remedy that on new pieces pretty easily. From a design perspective, I always intended peoples’ fingertips to start out completely on the wheel surface, but as more feedback comes in, it looks like folks are approaching it more like a conventional front flipper, and reaching pretty far forward on the wheel and on to the front of the scales, where contact with the lock face during flipping is pretty much a given. So we’re all learning a bit on this one, and I’m sorry you ended up being one of the data points that will drive some minor CQI. But, If you don’t mind taking a little more of your time on this, it would also be worthwhile if you reach out to the Spyderco customer service team to alert them to this as well. The more feedback they have on a potential CQI issue, the sooner it can be addressed.

If you do decide to keep your Ikuchi, I posted some comments on page 9 of this thread about how tweaking your flipping technique can help mitigate the chances of this happening; though knocking off that edge, as voiced by other forumites, is probably the best long term fix. I wish there was more I could do to help you out on this one... I know how disappointing it can be to have to tweak a new purchase you were previously so excited about to make it work for you.

- Paul

Agreed. Although my tips are pretty hardened, it is lot more comfortable, and more consistent for opening, to place the wheel further down your finger tip.

This is a very nice knife!
Peter
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paulwa
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#209

Post by paulwa »

Colorodo wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:42 pm
I just noticed that I have two small cuts on my pinky finger while handling it. I didn’t feel the cut until I went to wash my hands.
Howdy Colorado,
Sorry to have overlooked your post and sorry to hear your Ikuchi is getting you from the tip end.

The blade-to-handle packaging is intentionally tight, that was my design choice, but it sounds like you have one where the build tolerances stacked the wrong way, or there is some debris in the stop pin slot that limits the closed-blade seating. If a shot of compressed air around the pivot doesn’t help and you’d rather not sand the tip spine down a bit (which I completely understand), an exchange or return may be in order. If it’s a build issue, the other fixes require disassembly, which is something I don’t think should be asked of the customer. If you find there’s a shortage of replacements at the dealer or SFO, PM me and I’ll see if I can help you out.

But, please share your experience with Spyderco through customer service. It’ll help accelerate the the CQI or tighten QC.

- Paul
Colorodo
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#210

Post by Colorodo »

I noticed it the third time when I slipped the Ikuchi into my pocket so I changed the clip to the other side. The Ikuchi is a keeper.
Tims
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#211

Post by Tims »

paulwa wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 11:43 am
Colorodo wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:42 pm
I just noticed that I have two small cuts on my pinky finger while handling it. I didn’t feel the cut until I went to wash my hands.
Howdy Colorado,
Sorry to have overlooked your post and sorry to hear your Ikuchi is getting you from the tip end.

The blade-to-handle packaging is intentionally tight, that was my design choice, but it sounds like you have one where the build tolerances stacked the wrong way, or there is some debris in the stop pin slot that limits the closed-blade seating. If a shot of compressed air around the pivot doesn’t help and you’d rather not sand the tip spine down a bit (which I completely understand), an exchange or return may be in order. If it’s a build issue, the other fixes require disassembly, which is something I don’t think should be asked of the customer. If you find there’s a shortage of replacements at the dealer or SFO, PM me and I’ll see if I can help you out.

But, please share your experience with Spyderco through customer service. It’ll help accelerate the the CQI or tighten QC.

- Paul
G’day Paul. I’m interested to hear what you might change in the design to remedy the exposed blade tip.

I don’t have an Ikuchi yet but I have a knife that shares the same design feature of having the spine of the blade flush with the scales, it too suffers from an exposed tip. Englarging the cutout of relief in the blade that contacts the stop pin would recess the tip more but then the blade would no longer be flush with the handle(major bummer, its a great feature). Adding a small swell in the butt of the handle would hide the tip but change the ergos but if it’s only a slight bump, maybe not much? (Less of a bummer?).
Losing the trailing point for more of a drop point while keeping the same handle taper would mean shortening the blade, leaving a heap of empty handle real estate(yuk!)

Would love to hear your thoughts. Congrats on the knife and thanks for fielding questions. I’ll just add I mean no disrespect, I’m not picking apart your design, I’m genuinly interested.
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Mako109
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#212

Post by Mako109 »

Tims wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 1:26 pm
paulwa wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 11:43 am
Colorodo wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:42 pm
I just noticed that I have two small cuts on my pinky finger while handling it. I didn’t feel the cut until I went to wash my hands.
Howdy Colorado,
Sorry to have overlooked your post and sorry to hear your Ikuchi is getting you from the tip end.

The blade-to-handle packaging is intentionally tight, that was my design choice, but it sounds like you have one where the build tolerances stacked the wrong way, or there is some debris in the stop pin slot that limits the closed-blade seating. If a shot of compressed air around the pivot doesn’t help and you’d rather not sand the tip spine down a bit (which I completely understand), an exchange or return may be in order. If it’s a build issue, the other fixes require disassembly, which is something I don’t think should be asked of the customer. If you find there’s a shortage of replacements at the dealer or SFO, PM me and I’ll see if I can help you out.

But, please share your experience with Spyderco through customer service. It’ll help accelerate the the CQI or tighten QC.

- Paul
G’day Paul. I’m interested to hear what you might change in the design to remedy the exposed blade tip.

I don’t have an Ikuchi yet but I have a knife that shares the same design feature of having the spine of the blade flush with the scales, it too suffers from an exposed tip. Englarging the cutout of relief in the blade that contacts the stop pin would recess the tip more but then the blade would no longer be flush with the handle(major bummer, its a great feature). Adding a small swell in the butt of the handle would hide the tip but change the ergos but if it’s only a slight bump, maybe not much? (Less of a bummer?).
Losing the trailing point for more of a drop point while keeping the same handle taper would mean shortening the blade, leaving a heap of empty handle real estate(yuk!)

Would love to hear your thoughts. Congrats on the knife and thanks for fielding questions. I’ll just add I mean no disrespect, I’m not picking apart your design, I’m genuinly interested.

I like the highlighted idea the best. The spine of my copy is not exactly flush with the liners and scales, rather is sits a just a fraction of a mm higher...approximately 0.30 mm near where the jimping ends. When I push the spine down and hold it there to make it truly flush, then the tip issue is practically eliminated. I'm inclined to do this mod/adjustment myself if it's not too difficult (I know it will void warranty but I like Ikuchi that much to risk it). I'm also interested in Paul's thoughts on this.
Last edited by Mako109 on Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:19 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Danvp
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#213

Post by Danvp »

My piece of the Ikuchi has the same two problems as mentioned here. I dont mind fixing them myself. Thanks for all the suggestions here how to fix it in the best possible way.
If i am not mistaken, this is the first front flipper Spyderco makes. (I am not that long into knives). CQI will improve the next runs i am certain.
The Ikuchi is a true piece of art and i enjoy carrying and using it. Still in the testdrive mode and putting more mileage on it everyday.
koenigsegg
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#214

Post by koenigsegg »

BigGrove wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 6:46 pm
Received a pair of Ikuchis today. I realized within a few flips that my index finger was cut open and bleeding. The culprit appears to be the sharp point on the back side of the flipper wheel. Both of the ones I received are like this so I assume most are this way. Maybe it's my soft office hands but I have no interest in owning a knife that injures me when I open it.

Image
Same exact thing happened to me but after a few minutes with a fine sharp maker stone it's much better
S30V, VG10, M4, XHP, BD1, Cruwear, Elmax, Maxamet, 204P, H1, K390, A11, Rex45, LC200N, M390, 20CV, BD1N, S45VN waiting to afford MagnaCut
Tims
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#215

Post by Tims »

Mako109 wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 2:08 pm
Tims wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 1:26 pm
paulwa wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 11:43 am
Colorodo wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:42 pm
I just noticed that I have two small cuts on my pinky finger while handling it. I didn’t feel the cut until I went to wash my hands.
Howdy Colorado,
Sorry to have overlooked your post and sorry to hear your Ikuchi is getting you from the tip end.

The blade-to-handle packaging is intentionally tight, that was my design choice, but it sounds like you have one where the build tolerances stacked the wrong way, or there is some debris in the stop pin slot that limits the closed-blade seating. If a shot of compressed air around the pivot doesn’t help and you’d rather not sand the tip spine down a bit (which I completely understand), an exchange or return may be in order. If it’s a build issue, the other fixes require disassembly, which is something I don’t think should be asked of the customer. If you find there’s a shortage of replacements at the dealer or SFO, PM me and I’ll see if I can help you out.

But, please share your experience with Spyderco through customer service. It’ll help accelerate the the CQI or tighten QC.

- Paul
G’day Paul. I’m interested to hear what you might change in the design to remedy the exposed blade tip.

I don’t have an Ikuchi yet but I have a knife that shares the same design feature of having the spine of the blade flush with the scales, it too suffers from an exposed tip. Englarging the cutout of relief in the blade that contacts the stop pin would recess the tip more but then the blade would no longer be flush with the handle(major bummer, its a great feature). Adding a small swell in the butt of the handle would hide the tip but change the ergos but if it’s only a slight bump, maybe not much? (Less of a bummer?).
Losing the trailing point for more of a drop point while keeping the same handle taper would mean shortening the blade, leaving a heap of empty handle real estate(yuk!)

Would love to hear your thoughts. Congrats on the knife and thanks for fielding questions. I’ll just add I mean no disrespect, I’m not picking apart your design, I’m genuinly interested.

I like the highlighted idea the best. The spine of my copy is not exactly flush with the liners and scales, rather is sits a just a fraction of a mm higher...approximately 0.30 mm near where the jimping ends. When I push the spine down and hold it there to make it truly flush, then the tip issue is practically eliminated. I'm inclined to do this mod/adjustment myself if it's not too difficult (I know it will void warranty but I like Ikuchi that much to risk it). I'm also interested in Paul's thoughts on this.
Excellent. Sounds like an easy CQI and easy DIY solution
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brj
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#216

Post by brj »

Strange (and a bit sad) to see folks experiencing issues with their Ikuchis, I'm really enjoying mine and do hope it sells well enough for Spyderco to look into building the entire series. To me the wheel flipper worked like a charm from the get going, I've had no issues deploying the blade with either index or thumb (seems I'm developing a slight preference toward index finger deployment tho). Also, no matter how hard I've tried, I haven't been able to wedge the meat of any of my finger deep enough in the proximity of the tip for that to be a potential liability. My current issue is the closing, as muscle memory dictates I should press the comp lock with my thumb and let the kick of the blade hit my finger (as this is how I close my comp & back locks) which obviously would be a bad idea in this case... still working on changing the habit :)

Apart from that, I really like:
- The wheel flipper. Over the last decade or so, I've purchased and immediately sold a good number of flippers, due to my lack of interest in the flip tab. So far, the wheel works great (for me) so the Ikuchi seems to be here to stay.
- Grip-agnostic handle. I appreciate the 50/50 choil for what it is but I've never actively liked it as a design feature. I find myself gravitating towards more grip-neutral handles and the Ikuchi is absolutely stunning from this perspective. The looks could be a bit meh at first, as it's just a length of CF, G10 and metal with the slightest curvature to it - and yet somehow manages to sit incredible in hand.
- The pointy kwaiken style blade coupled with the 2.5 mm thickness might very well turn this into the ultimate slicer. YMMV of course and there's nothing inherently wrong with overbuild, my take is we simply need more of this in pocket knives.
- The slim package. At roughly the same dimensions and weight, the Ikuchi packs an additional cm of blade into a package half as wide as the Salt 2 wharnie.

Image
ABX2011
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#217

Post by ABX2011 »

It's a slick knife. The tip is a bit exposed. I sanded the spine a little. It doesn't take much. I started with 400 grit and then 600 grit.
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Zatx
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#218

Post by Zatx »

Just picked up my sample of the Ikuchi and I gotta say, Paul, this is the first knife that made me exclaim "Whoa!" when I opened the box. It looks and feels great, and I don't see it leaving one of my pockets for some time. It's the perfect back pocket backup riding next to my wallet, yet equally at home as a front pocket main EDC.

I'll have to sand some from the choil where it rests against the stop pin; it's very easy for me to cut the pad of my finger/thumb with that laser-like tip. There is a lot of separation between the knife edge and the standoffs so I don't see any reason the blade can't sit deeper within the scales.

I'm finding the bic lighter thumb method as the most reliable and enjoyable opening method. When using my index finger, I frequently fail to fully deploy the blade.

The only improvement selection I can provide is the addition of jimping on the spine of the blade. The spine is quite smooth, and the thumb slides down it quickly. I don't think I would use the same fine pattern as the flipper wheel for this purpose, but a broader cut that aligns with the recesses in the scale liner.

Here's a picture to illustrate:

Image

What say you?
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paulwa
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#219

Post by paulwa »

Zatx wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:43 am
...I'll have to sand some from the choil where it rests against the stop pin...
Double check this, but I believe the cutout in the liners that contact the pin in the blade control travel. There should be a small gap in the choil-lock stop area.

- Paul
ABX2011
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Re: Who else is getting an Ikuchi as soon as they are released?

#220

Post by ABX2011 »

Zatx wrote:
Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:43 am
I'll have to sand some from the choil where it rests against the stop pin; it's very easy for me to cut the pad of my finger/thumb with that laser-like tip. There is a lot of separation between the knife edge and the standoffs so I don't see any reason the blade can't sit deeper within the scales.
Ball detent won't align if you alter that on a liner/frame/compression lock knife.
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