Straight Spine Stretch

[dan31]

Ugh!! This thread made me order a HAP40 Stretch 1.

[cycleguy]

Ugh!! This thread made me order a HAP40 Stretch 1.

YAY!!! Stretch 1 Hap 40....

CG

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

As for blade length when hunting might want to pull up some youtube videos and see what people are actually using to skin deer and other larger animals.

I have skinned Deer, I have watched my old neighbor skin Alligators, giant soft shell turtles, raccoon’s, deer of course and quite a few other things like squirrels etc.

He is an avid hunter and not once did I ever see him use a blade under 4 inches for any of this. Seriously who would want to???

As far as the Stretch being designed primarily for hunting yes I am well aware of its history and clearly it did not fulfill that role or it would still look like my old hunter.

As for edc being a secondary role I would say it is it’s primary role with use as a hunting tool as secondary.

Most folks I have ever known do not use folders for skinning anyway they use fixed blades and they are all over 2 inches in length.

Sure you can Skin a deer with a 2 inch knife my boss only had a case folding knife and skinned an Elk according to him it was all he needed in a pinch but it sure was allot of work he said.

You can also skin a deer with a golf ball if you really are trying to prove a point but please let’s not try to make a preference for small blades as something folks that process animals prefer and use by and large it just does not hold up.

There is of-course on a planet of over 7 billion people going to be some famous exception that loves using tiny blades and I say good for you.

As for me well I am a Spyderco buyer and as a buyer I vote with my wallet. Give me a Straight Spine Stretch between 3.75 and 4.0 inches and I will pledge to buy not one but two of them.

The more I think on it 3.75 inches is a good sweet spot but that is because I carry and use my folders for everything not just opening boxes.

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

This is for Wartstein.

Clearly I love the Stretch and have backups of each, these are my users excepting the early Hunter and the Krayton combo blade, hard to come by good ones at a reasonable price. Very shocked how well the Krayton inlays hold up this till very day, good job Sal!.

Out of all the knives Spyderco has produced only the Stretch has demanded so much attention and rightly so.

I also have a Stretch 2 in Brown G10, at the end of this week I am just too tired to dig for it, it is longer than the standard Stretch 2 in the blade.

So I say Sal I understand keeping the blade shortness for retarded laws that are far from just but a straight spine Stretch in XL will top the charts.

Please lets be real... other than the sickening uber-liberal California and New York city just who is measuring a folder any how?

How about no one really cares, we are a nation of firearm owners and only the ultra stupid bring a knife to a gun fight!

When was the last time anyone got measured by a cop? Had to deal with two of them tonight they never even noticed me carrying a H1 Salt.

Great pics, thanks a lot!! :)

I know, the G10 Stretch 2 has a longer blade than the FRN models, this is stated on the Spyderco page (3.57" vs 3.43")

The straight spine Stretch 2 seems to be a hair longer than the regular one, just as the Spydie Wiki says.
/ But what did you do to the blade of one of your new straight spine stretch´s? It neither shows Sals makers mark, nor the Spyderco bug?

Oh hey yeah, lol take a look at the community sharpening thread.

I have been experimenting with different abrasives. Atoma diamond plates, Gritomatic SIC stones, King Water stones, Spyderco Ceramic bench stones.

Have learned allot about abrasives and you can throw numbers and Micron measurements out the window they all cut differently.

So in conjunction with learning about abrasives I am also learning how to sharpen free hand.

I have experienced scratches flats from fixed angle systems and from free hand sharpening with anything other than a water stone.

Never liked this and with my beginner skills I scratched this one up pretty good.

So Having learned from Murray Carters DVD sharpening course, I took a page out of his book and said to **** with looks let’s really use this knife.

To get rid of the scratches I had to grind the flats by hand with different plates and stones and water.

Unfortunately this also removed the makers marks which I do miss.

This current state is after using a 140 Atoma Diamond plate followed by a SIC 240 Grit stone.

I intend to refine this using different abrasives and grits and am very likely to finish with a mirror polish.

It is very sharp.

[Wartstein]

Ugh!! This thread made me order a HAP40 Stretch 1.

Which was a GREAT decision... (imho in that exact configuration perhaps the best EDC folder I am aware of)

[geronm042]

Where are these stretch 1 hap available ?

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

As much as I like larger knives, I don´t think scaling up the great Stretch handle would work too well. It is just perfectly designed as it is now, making it just larger would perhaps ruin that amazing ergos?

As you said, you can easily lengthen the butt end of the handle to accommodate longer blade. And on the other hand, we are talking about extra 0.25 - 0.45 inch (6-10 mm) extra on the blade, and that is not that much increase in handle length..... maybe later I can make a sketch of longer Stretch.

....

Hey doeswhateveraspidercan. I love those photos. Just one question - that orange one is Stretch 1 right? Was there ever a Stretch 2 in HAP 40?

Hey Pancake, thanks it was fun having the family together for a picture :) and I know Wartstein loves the Stretch as much as I do so did not mind digging them out hmm might have left the brown one at the safety deposit box.

As far as I know HAP40 was only available with the stretch1.

The stretch2 in Brown G10 is ZDP 189. The stretch that feels the best however is the one with the Krayton inlays it feels solid in the hand like you have really got something substantial that will never let you down no matter what.

It is also incredibly thin in the pocket and the combo blade is just superb best of both worlds and VG-10 is awesom with an SE Blade.

[Wartstein]

Where are these stretch 1 hap available ?

Discontinued, but maybe still at Bento Box Shop...

EDIT: Stretch 1 is discontinued generally, but since the HAP 40 was a sprint run anyway, that's not the totally correct term perhaps

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Where are these stretch 1 hap available ?

They have them for $120.00 at Bento Box Shop just be aware they charge allot for shipping

[sal]

Very nice discussion. Fun.

As to California, I spent many a year racing the canyons from the valley to the beach in sports cars and motorcycles. Ah, the good old days. ( Laurel, Benedict, Topanga, etc. ) ( In fact, I lived on Old Topanga Canyon when there were very few houses and none on Mulholland, Our Sunday Motorcycle run ).

As mentioned, many of our designs really take laws into consideration. It's the responsible thing to do. My personal preference is about 4" and always felt that over 4" was not necessary. But then I designed the Police 4 mostly for me and found that even I was flexible.

On a stretched stretch. I think I can go to just under 4." and keep the Ergos. I designed the 3.5" version to comply with laws, like in Denver, law changed from 4 to 3.5.

So I'm game for another test. Let's shoot for 4" or just under, straight spine, We'll have to test with G-10, which will be expensive, but it is less costly than an FRN mold for a test piece. Maybe I can chase down some ivory G-10? as I like ivory handle for it for testing.

I should probably start another thread.

Thoughts?

sal

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Sure start another thread and yes I will purchase in G10 and Ivory in G10 will be cool.

Speaking for myself I understand more expensive and am willing to pay for it.

I am thinking it will probably need to be around $175 and $200.00

Tell you what put me down for two of these.

[Mushroom]

Sure start another thread and yes I will purchase in G10 and Ivory in G10 will be cool.

Speaking for myself I understand more expensive and am willing to pay for it.

I am thinking it will probably need to be around $175 and $200.00

Tell you what put me down for two of these.

Stretch 2 in G10 sold for about $220 at MAP, so unfortunately, theres just no way a larger G10 stretch plus another increase in MAP can result in anything less than $220.

[vivi]

This is for Wartstein.

Clearly I love the Stretch and have backups of each, these are my users excepting the early Hunter and the Krayton combo blade, hard to come by good ones at a reasonable price. Very shocked how well the Krayton inlays hold up this till very day, good job Sal!.

Out of all the knives Spyderco has produced only the Stretch has demanded so much attention and rightly so.

I also have a Stretch 2 in Brown G10, at the end of this week I am just too tired to dig for it, it is longer than the standard Stretch 2 in the blade.

So I say Sal I understand keeping the blade shortness for retarded laws that are far from just but a straight spine Stretch in XL will top the charts.

Please lets be real... other than the sickening uber-liberal California and New York city just who is measuring a folder any how?

How about no one really cares, we are a nation of firearm owners and only the ultra stupid bring a knife to a gun fight!

When was the last time anyone got measured by a cop? Had to deal with two of them tonight they never even noticed me carrying a H1 Salt.

Gotta agree. I see people walking around with guns and kabars in Walmart where I live. Even if there were a 3.5" law here, no one would give it any thought.

Great idea of the Strech XL. The Calypso has a similar handle shape and size to what you're suggesting and I think its great. I'd be in for a Stretch XL!

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Sure start another thread and yes I will purchase in G10 and Ivory in G10 will be cool.

Speaking for myself I understand more expensive and am willing to pay for it.

I am thinking it will probably need to be around $175 and $200.00

Tell you what put me down for two of these.

Stretch 2 in G10 sold for about $220 at MAP, so unfortunately, theres just no way a larger G10 stretch plus another increase in MAP can result in anything less than $220.

Ok still on board let it cost what it will.

[vivi]

Over 4 inches on a folder is kind of well stupid.

Cold Steel has many great designs but they tend to be way over the top, like stupid going wayyyy to far over the top.

Have you ever tried the Police? It'd probably change your mind about 4"+ blades.

It's funny, my Cold Steel Voyager looks a lot more over the top than my Police, but the blades aren't as different as you'd think at first glance:

[Wartstein]

Over 4 inches on a folder is kind of well stupid.

Cold Steel has many great designs but they tend to be way over the top, like stupid going wayyyy to far over the top.

Have you ever tried the Police? It'd probably change your mind about 4"+ blades.

It's funny, my Cold Steel Voyager looks a lot more over the top than my Police, but the blades aren't as different as you'd think at first glance:

Now THAT`S a chip in the Voyagers edge...

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Over 4 inches on a folder is kind of well stupid.

Cold Steel has many great designs but they tend to be way over the top, like stupid going wayyyy to far over the top.

Have you ever tried the Police? It'd probably change your mind about 4"+ blades.

It's funny, my Cold Steel Voyager looks a lot more over the top than my Police, but the blades aren't as different as you'd think at first glance:

Lol of course I have tried the police, remember I bought police 3 from you :) thanks for that still have it by the way.

I am thinking about some of their truly out there models, from the I have purchased the Broken Skull and the tango everyone was raving about a few years back. Both good solid knives.

They make quite a few that are hugenormous for folders you know like the one the owner of the company tuffs down his pants in som of his interviews it is like a 6 to 7 folder.

God why do I feel like I just provided Bloke with ammo?

[kennethsime]

So how well would the ivory frn take RIT dye?

[Wartstein]

So how well would the ivory frn take RIT dye?

It's almost white, so I guess very well.

[Sirens1]

SS Stretch = Perfect knife.
Feels unearthly. I own many, many SPYDERCO'S and this is one of my top 3 favorites. I can't quite find the words to describe it. I firmly believe they would be sold out if only people could handle one ...