Spyderco Forums

I'm a huge fan of the original Schempp Rock Salt; I've had mine since it was first released, going on 10 years now.

Truly an incredible design, one of the few credible 'do all knives.' Negative blade angle gives it a good amount of chopping power, while the refined ergonomics allow close up grips for doing precision cutting tasks. I think it's the coolest fixed blade Spyderco has ever produced.



That said, I've lately been thinking that I'd love to have a 'Rock Chopper' - a heavier version of the Rock, that's less 'do all knife' and more 'Mini Kukri.'

The current Rock/Rock Salt is 3mm thick, weighing 9.2oz.

I imagine the 'Rock Chopper' as pretty much the same knife, just 6mm thick, and without the weight reducing swedge at the tip. Everything else would remain the same.

Here's an crude 'paint' photoshop.


Basically the Rock, with a 6mm full thickness, Kukri like spine profile:


Does that interest anyone else?

I'm interested...

I want a Tatanka size folding version.

I think a sprint run of the original would probably sell. Especially if it was run in some high-reputation "tough" tool steel like Cruwear, 4v or 3v.

Make it thicker, yeah, FFG like the VG-10 version, and in V-Toku 2.

I just want an LC200N Rock Salt.

Interested! Just got the VG10 version a few weeks ago and it’s as great in hand as I imagined the original would be when I was in college and unable to afford such luxuries. I’d be interested in a combo blade with serrations in the recurve too, as long as we’re kicking around ideas.

TomAiello wrote: ↑

Sun May 10, 2020 5:59 pm

I think a sprint run of the original would probably sell. Especially if it was run in some high-reputation "tough" tool steel like Cruwear, 4v or 3v.

There was a sprint run of the original a few years back:

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/detail ... Orange/980

What's nice about the 'Rock Chopper' is it would allow another chance for the Rock series. At this point since the Rock Salt has had a Sprint, plus also a VG10 variant (the Rock,) its hard to imagine a re-release of the regular version returning.

I'd buy one in 3V.

I know Spyderco doesn't re-release sprints but I'd go for a "Rock Salt Chopper" in H-1—I missed both the original Rock Salt and the orange-handled sprint. I have the Schempp Rock in VG-10 & it's a great all-around camp knife, but I've always wondered how H-1 steel's top-tier toughness (relative to other stainless steels) would compare to a tool steel in a chopper platform (IIRC, Ed Schempp won a chopping competition back in the day using a Rock Salt prototype in H-1)

zuludelta wrote: ↑

Wed May 13, 2020 1:29 pm

(IIRC, Ed Schempp won a chopping competition back in the day using a Rock Salt prototype in H-1)

Thats something I've been wondering about - how does the Rock/Rock Salt compare to Schempp's cutting competition knives?

Most of the cutting comp knives I could find are around 0.25" thick.

What about a tool steel? I have the original custom that Ed made with 52100 and carbon handle.

sal

sal wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 9:15 am

What about a tool steel? I have the original custom that Ed made with 52100 and carbon handle.

sal

Tool steel would be great, but I’d rather have something at least a little more rust resistant than 52100 if I had a choice. Not necessarily stainless, however.

sal wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 9:15 am

What about a tool steel? I have the original custom that Ed made with 52100 and carbon handle.

sal

I'd be happy in pretty much any steel. And I imagine a 6mm chunk of H1 might be prohibitively expensive.

Perhaps some type of laminate steel? I know Fallkniven's very tough S1/A1/A2 knives uses a 420j/VG10 laminate, to provide both edge retention and durability.

mark greenman wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 5:34 am

sal wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 9:15 am

What about a tool steel? I have the original custom that Ed made with 52100 and carbon handle.

sal

I'd be happy in pretty much any steel. And I imagine a 6mm chunk of H1 might be prohibitively expensive.

Perhaps some type of laminate steel? I know Fallkniven's very tough S1/A1/A2 knives uses a 420j/VG10 laminate, to provide both edge retention and durability.

You don't want a chopper in H1... not the appropriate blade material because it won't hold up to the stresses of chopping and you'll get a warped/deformed edge or bevel.

I have a Schempp Rock and dislike it. Mostly because it is a Kuhkri and it doesn’t weigh enough to be a good Kuhkri. I also don’t like aggressive bidirectional texture on a chopper.

I have asked for a larger version a few times. A 9-10 inch blade weighing a pound or a little over would be great. I believe the Schempp Rock is a scaled down version of the original so I would love to see the original size produced.

I have a BK4 that I love. It has a 9” blade and weighs a pound and is super useful.

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Fri May 15, 2020 7:26 am

I have a Schempp Rock and dislike it. Mostly because it is a Kuhkri and it doesn’t weigh enough to be a good Kuhkri. I also don’t like aggressive bidirectional texture on a chopper.

I have asked for a larger version a few times. A 9-10 inch blade weighing a pound or a little over would be great. I believe the Schempp Rock is a scaled down version of the original so I would love to see the original size produced.

I like the size and grip of the Rock very much.

In terms of weight, current 3mm Rock is 9.2oz.

Assuming 1oz for the grips + screws, that would make a 6mm Rock 17.2oz. Without the weight reducing tip swedge, weight may bump up to 18-19oz.

That should hopefully put chopping performance more into the 'Mini Kukri' range.

sal wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 9:15 am

I have the original custom that Ed made with 52100 and carbon handle.

sal

Sal, how different is the original custom from the production version?

Sal, I'd be interested in Cruwear.

My cutter knives were lighter than most with a weight of about 18 ounces with a reverse distal taper, putting as much weight as possible toward the tip. Most of them had a false edge moving weight toward the edge. With a negative blade angle the blade purchased the medium to be cut not slipping away from the cut, the knife resisted twisting in the hand in use. I'd like to see it made in Vanadis 4 or 4V.