Sal—design for Roadie 2

[sal]

Hi Jazz,

The Proper is 2.8", not 2.5". Doc says 2.5", your last dwg was 2.5". I can see a Roadie 2 at 2.75" - 2.8", which I think I can do a good job on the design without the original limitations. When I look at all of the companies making slippies these days, it's obvious to me that our original trend was accurate.

I am not at all interested in making a "nail nick". I think it will work with a slightly thinner blade, but I don't want to just make a Spyderco version of an SAK. Tacky.

sal

[Dazen]

Here is a very long discussion about a premium Spyderco Slip Joint. I think we are all looking from something.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=84397

[Doc Dan]

Hi Jazz,

The Proper is 2.8", not 2.5". Doc says 2.5", your last dwg was 2.5". I can see a Roadie 2 at 2.75" - 2.8", which I think I can do a good job on the design without the original limitations. When I look at all of the companies making slippies these days, it's obvious to me that our original trend was accurate.

I am not at all interested in making a "nail nick". I think it will work with a slightly thinner blade, but I don't want to just make a Spyderco version of an SAK. Tacky.

sal

Hahaha! I thought we had reached a consensus at 2.75 inches of blade as being the right size. We were trying to come to some agreement on the blade design and handle. Though I like my blade better, I thought we had worked out the handle as being the same as the current Roadie, only made to fit the longer blade (obviously). I do like Jazz' blade okay and would be happy with his blade or mine, but at 2.75 inches.

I think we were having a discussion on thickness the last I checked in. He is afraid 0.078" is too thin for the dimples/divots. I wonder if it is, because as long as they are bead blasted or something to give texture, do they really have to be very deep? Even with a thicker blade, I think we all want thin behind the edge.

What do you think?

[Jazz]

Whatever you make, we’ll buy, Sal. I trust you’re a better designer than us by far. I just hope for a clip if it’s that size range. Not all pants like horizontal knives. And a hole at the far end of the handle, so the fob can fit properly. I love your dimple opener as much as the hole opener. Nail nicks aren’t cool.

[Doc Dan]

Basically, I love the current Roadie as a small knife. What we are after is simply a larger Roadie with just a bit more tip. I like the Roadie handle as it fits my hand and can be opened one handed. A 2.7 to 2.75” blade would be nice, and we were trying to design in the divots.

[sal]

Peter is currently drawing a Roadie 2 at this time. 2.75" blade. 10% - 15% taller overall. Lanyard hole at the rear end opened up to 5mm. Wire clip in "Tip up" config. "Double Dent" farther from the tip and the tip more pointy.

sal

[ChrisinHove]

All this sounds great to me!

A Tern/SPYDK handle length would suit me very well.

[Jazz]

Thank you for giving it a go, Sal. It sounds pretty cool.

As a side note, we have a lot of time on our hands, so I hope we aren’t too annoying.

[sal]

Hi Jazz,

Talking to you guys is part of my job. I must admit it is one of the more fun part of my responsibilities.

Gail and I are quarantined. We're High risk oldsters.

sal

[Doc Dan]

Thanks Sal. Awesome. I can’t wait. Can we see his drawing?

[Jazz]

Stay safe, you and your family.

[Jazz]

I can’t stop thinking about this. I hope it happens.

[Doc Dan]

I was just thinking of this last night and wondering about a sheepsfoot blade with a traditional straight edge with zero belly...or wharncliffe, again, no belly.

[rabbitanarchy14]

well i was really interested in where the roadie 2 started, and doc's drawing was right on, and then sal came in and made it bigger from 2.5 to 2.75-2.8. i still do not get the lanyard hole or why every knife spyderco makes has to have a huge hole in it. well if we ever get docs i will be in for buying one, if not then i guess i will never have to think about the roadie again.
and just fyi i loved the bm proper but is was too big for a bottom-of-the-pocket knife for me. really wish they made it pocket size 2.5.

[Jazz]

Lots of people, like me, like a fob, not a lanyard, on smaller knives. They make the handle larger for a more secure grip, and help in getting it out of the pocket. If you don't like it, just don't use it, like me on most of my knives. I'd rather it was there, in case.

[Doc Dan]

well i was really interested in where the roadie 2 started, and doc's drawing was right on, and then sal came in and made it bigger from 2.5 to 2.75-2.8. i still do not get the lanyard hole or why every knife spyderco makes has to have a huge hole in it. well if we ever get docs i will be in for buying one, if not then i guess i will never have to think about the roadie again.
and just fyi i loved the bm proper but is was too big for a bottom-of-the-pocket knife for me. really wish they made it pocket size 2.5.

2.65” is my sweet spot as it is just long enough but fits down in a pocket. However, I originally chose 2.5” because I was thinking of people in offices and in jurisdictions where the limit is 2.5”.

[JacksonKnives]

I'm probably buying a Roadie for my daughter's 5th birthday this fall, along with making her a pukko of some sort for bushcraft (just in case we ever get released back into the state parks or make it back to Canada to use it.)

I'd definitely spring for a slight reverse-S on a new Roadie over my other pick, a Cricket, for my kids as a first knife. I love the Cricket, I think the s profile lends well to teaching cutting motions. The RIL/liner lock gives me pause, though.

That said, the current and proposed designs also look good to me. I haven't seen a Roadie in person yet (just started putting together a list of my needs for a first knife) but I like that two-handed deployment is said to err on the side of easier deployment than on traditional slippies; that's one reason I'm leaning toward this knife over something like I got when I was five.

[sal]

Hi Doc,

Just got the first drawing. (Roadie XL) It's in the 2.7" blade range. Next is an in-house prototype.

sal

[Sonorum]

Thanks for letting us be part of the process Sal! Keep safe!

[MichaelScott]

This, the Great Eastern Cutlery Easy Pocket Congress, is very similar to some of the proposed designs. It also has a pen blade.