C-60 Ayoob Campaign: No I Won't Shut Up

[benben]

Just out of curiosity I looked up the closed length of the Hundred Pacer, it’s a 132mm verses the 144mm closed length of the Szabo. And the Szabo is just over an inch longer overall.

I’d like to see a 7.75” to 8” model knife with the same blade profile as the Hundred Pacer!

[JD Spydo]

Just out of curiosity I looked up the closed length of the Hundred Pacer, it’s a 132mm verses the 144mm closed length of the Szabo. And the Szabo is just over an inch longer overall.

I’d like to see a 7.75” to 8” model knife with the same blade profile as the Hundred Pacer!

I now wonder how the Tatanka model compares to those two??

When it comes to the C-60 Ayoob model it is one of the 3 that I believe are nearly complete "perfect" models that I believe Spyderco ever produced. The TEMPERANCE 1 fixed blade has a perfect handle fit and it also has an almost perfect blade length as well as a sheath that I find near-perfect. It's still my favorite Spyderco fixed blade to this day.

You can also add the Chinook III handle and blade to the near-perfect category. There are not many factory made knives I've encountered over the years that I can make that statement about. And Spyderco has 3 of what I claim to be "user perfect"

The third and my favorite is thee C-60 Ayoob >> it is a folder I rate as nearly perfect in almost every feature. So glad another Sprint Run is in the plans.

Even though I love the symmetry and ergonomic blade design of the Szabo folder I do agree that the handle size and overall size is just a tad too big for my EDC uses. But again I do think it would be a great Hunter-Folder.

[JD Spydo]

You will love it I can assure you.

I've never owned a hollow ground blade before. That is one of the major selling points for me. I've been wanting to try one. It is also VG-10 and a Seki back lock, both of which I really like. It's kind of a no-brainer when I think about it.

Thank you for bringing up the "hollow grind" feature on the C-60 Ayoob model. I bring it again up for few reasons. There are people here on the Forum that don't really like hollow grind blades but some of those same people have confessed that they do like the C-60 Ayoob model in spite of the fact that it has a hollow grind blade.

Keep a few other things in mind>> Even though there are a few guys that claim they don't like hollow grind blades do consider that most "straight razors have a "hollow grind". Also your Hawkbills and other specialty blades mostly have hollow grind blades. Many of your high performing serrated blades are also hollow grind blades as well.

Now I confess that I do like full flat grind blades a tad bit better but this model in particular performs great in a hollow grind ( If It Ain't Broke, Then Don't Try To Fix It)

With the excellent ergonomic design on the C-60 Ayoob I'm doubtful if a full flat grind would improve it at all. So with that said I hope they don't change anything and keep the same blade that's always been on the C-60 models.

Anything else that comes to mind guys??? :)

[Evil D]

The problem is doing anything other than a hollow grind on a blade as short in height as this one means it would either need to be very thin blade stock or it'll be pretty thick at the edge. You can't blend down a full flat grind into a thin enough edge in just 1/2 inch or however tall this blade is, so if the blade is 3mm or so thick the edge is gonna be super thick if it's FFG. Hollow grind also allows some portion of the spine to remain thick which keeps a thin/short blade like this a bit stronger.

This is probably sacrilege to some but if they did this blade with a straight spine or even a leaf shape and FFG I think it would be a better performing knife overall.

It would be a bit wider in the middle when folded but with FFG and SE this would slice like a beast.

[James Y]

If I did eventually get to own a C-60, it would have to be in SE. For me, the shape of it just screams SE. I don’t mind hollow grinds at all.

Jim

[JD Spydo]

The problem is doing anything other than a hollow grind on a blade as short in height as this one means it would either need to be very thin blade stock or it'll be pretty thick at the edge. You can't blend down a full flat grind into a thin enough edge in just 1/2 inch or however tall this blade is, so if the blade is 3mm or so thick the edge is gonna be super thick if it's FFG. Hollow grind also allows some portion of the spine to remain thick which keeps a thin/short blade like this a bit stronger.

This is probably sacrilege to some but if they did this blade with a straight spine or even a leaf shape and FFG I think it would be a better performing knife overall.

It would be a bit wider in the middle when folded but with FFG and SE this would slice like a beast.

I really appreciate your input concerning a "hollow grind" versus any other type of grind scenario for the upcoming C-60 Sprint Run. You put it very succinctly and I can't hardly think of anything to add to what you just stated. And I sure don't want the blade wider by any means because the narrow, streamlined, ergonomic blade is one of the biggest factors that drew me to that knife to begin with. Nor do I want a straight/level spine>> the curved belly is another huge selling point and it also makes the knife ideal for being used as a hunter folder.

Also I think I mentioned in an earlier post that there used to be a guy here on this Forum from the Finger Lakes area in Upstate New York. He told me that the C-60 Ayoob also was his favorite knife to fillet fish with. He also later told me he liked it better than the Catcherman>> and that blew me away because the Catcherman is an awesome fillet knife. Oh and by the way I also like the thickness of the spine just as it is. I'm to the point to where I must say "Don't change a thing because they got it right the first time on their design of the C-60 Ayoob model. The only thing I would consider changing at all in this great model would be to eventually offer it with a supersteel blade. Other than that we can stay the course as far as I'm concerned. Again you put it into perspective about as well as it could be.

[JD Spydo]

If I did eventually get to own a C-60, it would have to be in SE. For me, the shape of it just screams SE. I don’t mind hollow grinds at all.

I get that completely Jim and I'm with you 100% of the way. Because I'm also in the camp that wants this great folder offered in PE & SE both. If they only did it in PE I would consider it somewhat of a "let down" . But reading between the lines I do believe that Mr. Glesser gets that message loud and clear.

As I said in a earlier post this C-60 Ayoob model is one knife that I like it just as much in SE as I do in PE. The only other thing that I do believe would improve the C-60 model would be to eventually offer it up with a newer/better blade steel. I'm hoping this Sprint Run will go over so well and sell out so fast that they might consider making a run of them in a newer/better blade steel. I do believe that this Sprint Run will sell out in less than two months. And I think it's even remotely possible that it might even sell out in less than one month. Actually with all the fanfare we've gotten on this thread I think it's highly possible that the SE models might sell out quicker than the PE models will. It's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out for sure.

[JD Spydo]

Well there are two other items that have come to mind before this thread ends up in the Spyder-Archives :cool: . First off I haven't heard anyone say as to whether or not they would like to see this C-60 model at some point be made available in Combo edge?

Also the more I think about the possibility of seeing a C-60 Ayoob with either an Anodized Titanium or Anodized Aluminum handle. I got out one of my older Benchmade Boguszewski Spike models I almost forgot how much I liked those older Anodized Aluminum handles.

Maybe many of you have never tried either one of those in the past. Or is G-10 the ideal conclusion to the handle discussion on the upcoming C-60 Ayoob 2020 Sprint Run. I sure hope this project is will be complete by the Spring of 2021. I know we haven't heard that last of this project.

[p_atrick]

Couple of questions about anodized aluminum handles. How cold do they get in the winter? Do you need to wear a glove? Have you seen a knife with aluminum scales that doesn't have screws that go directly in the aluminum? Protech makes some really neat looking knives, but I worry about the threading in the scales. I get that the aluminum is hardened, but why not use steel spacers like the Sage 2? Also, does anybody know if the anodization process is the same for titanium and aluminum? Every piece of anodized aluminum that I have touched seems to have a texture to it. Is that a part of the anodization process? Titanium just seems to change color, the texture remains the same. I am most familiar with anodized aluminum for cookware. They all seem to be a the same dark, dull gray. Aluminum knives have vibrant colors. I'm guessing those colors are added to the anodization process. Am I wrong in that assumption?

[sal]

Hi JD,

We're currently waiting on the maker to let us know if they can make screw construction with the tooling.

Your request for a lightly thicker handle? I need a number?

Interesting thoughts David, but I think I agree with JD. The concept behind the model was the ability to pierce, bags, naturally. The shape is pretty straight forward.

Mas is a very skilled arms trainer. I'd love to get him on this thread?

sal

[bearrowland]

I would love to hear his Mas's thoughts. He's a legend in my field.

[JD Spydo]

Just out of curiosity I looked up the closed length of the Hundred Pacer, it’s a 132mm verses the 144mm closed length of the Szabo. And the Szabo is just over an inch longer overall.

I’d like to see a 7.75” to 8” model knife with the same blade profile as the Hundred Pacer!

Yeah BenBen you heard what Mr. Glesser just said!!>> let's see if Mr. Massad Ayoob himself will chime in on this thread and give us some more insight. I would love to hear his input first hand>> but first I would at least like him to read the first 2 to 3 pages of this thread so he has a more clear idea of what we've been talking about up till now.

If he's still on that GLOCK Forum tell him that there are many of us here on the Spyderco.com Forum that are on "Pins & Needles" anxious to hear his reply. After all it's his masterpiece from the get-go. And what the heck he might have something in mind everyone here would like to think about.

I am glad to hear he likes G-10 handles because personally I've never had a G-10 handled folder I didn't like.

[JD Spydo]

Hi JD,

We're currently waiting on the maker to let us know if they can make screw construction with the tooling.

Your request for a lightly thicker handle? I need a number?

Interesting thoughts David, but I think I agree with JD. The concept behind the model was the ability to pierce, bags, naturally. The shape is pretty straight forward.

Mas is a very skilled arms trainer. I'd love to get him on this thread?

sal

Great News Mr. Glesser!! And I do think it will be highly worth the wait for the "screw construction" over the pin construction. I'll get my calipers out this afternoon when I get home and try to get thickness dimension for you and the rest of the gang to consider. It won't have to be much thicker to have a considerably better grip.

As great as this C-60 model is I just know that many of the newer guys will be impressed for sure. I would also love to see Massad Ayoob design another folder at some point. His intricate detail on "function" is nothing short of remarkable.

[benben]

JD, I just posted over at Glocktalk, gave Mas a proper invite and a link to this thread, we’ll see? I’d also love to hear what he has to say.

[bearrowland]

[benben]

He just replied, said he’d take a look!

[benben]

Good evening Mas, thought I’d give you an update on the C60 thread over at the Spyderco forum, it’s up to 21 pages!

I’d like to introduce you to a forum member over there named JD Spydo, this push to bring back your C60 is his brainchild, there’s tons of other members there on board including me, and it’s really looking like it’s going to happen, but it’s JD who’s advocating it’s return loud and clear, he’s the biggest fan ever of your C60 design, hands down!

Sal has chimed in that thread more than several times, he and JD both said they’d love to have you come over and read it, and maybe chime in yourself on your design philosophy and your thoughts and opinions on some of the content over there. I think it would be awesome myself and the final push to really put this in motion!

Here you go.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=87077

Thanks Mas!
benben


***Here’s the message I posted over at Glocktalk.

[Mas Ayoob]

Hi folks, Massad Ayoob here.

I'm delighted to see the enthusiasm for the C60.

Changes? I wouldn't care to see it thicker: the comfortable ride in pocket or waistband was one of its signature features.

I'm partial to G10.

As others have noted, I think we got the overall design and blade configuration right the first time.

Steel? I've been very happy with the VG-10 in every respect after carrying the C60 for about 18 years now and using it daily. However, Sal knows WAY more about blade steel than I do, and if he has a supersteel he thinks will work better, I'll defer to him.

I'm one of Sal's early "Clipiteers" who liked the speed of a momentum pinch-snap opening, and remain a big fan of tip-down carry for that reason. Wouldn't hurt if Sal came up with a design offering the choice, it was already set up for ambi and more choices for the user is good.

Plain edge, serrated edge, or a bit of each is entirely up to Sal. In the first production run, on my end the plain edge far outsold the serrated, but Sal of course has a better handle on sales nationwide than I do. Sal's call, of course.

I'm hoping the sprint run happens. Thanks to all who requested it from Sal!

Best,
Mas

[JD Spydo]

Thank you so much BenBen :) Brother I owe you one for sure If we get his blessings on this Sprint Run and if Sal is successful making this Sprint Run into a newer "screw construction" version I'm willing to bet that there will be a huge renewed interest in this model. And it might be enough to have a new C-60 model with "screw construction" even make it to the main line up again.

Also for all of you waiting I made it here to my home this evening and I got one of my 2011 Sprint Run C-60 Ayoob models and I got to measure the thickness of the scales with my calipers. The initial measurement I came up with on both ends of the handle/scales is ".380">> it's just a hair beyond 3/8ths of an inch thick. Now Mr. Glesser proposed in his last post that a slight increase in the handle's thickness would be desirable.

I've looked at it closely under magnifying glasses and put it up against two other Spyderco models as a comparison. I figure that an increase between .400 to .410 or thereabout would be just enough increase for a better grip. I'm anxious to see what Mr. Glesser thinks of that for an increase in handle thickness. I believe that somewhere between .400 ( inch) to .410 ( inch) would give it more grip without creating too much bulk.

[p_atrick]

I like my P4LW which is around 0.38. An increase to .4 or .41 sounds good. As long as it remains on the thinner side (< 0.5), it should be good. Thanks for taking the measurements.