Unpopular opinions

[TomAiello]

Flipperized Spydies are a contradiction of design philosophies.

The midlock Lil’ Native is a masterpiece of littlization; the slipjoint Lil’ Native’s appearance will undermine the justly-popular Urban, hence its delay.

Totally with you on these. I might add that the Comp Lock Lil Native seems to be hurting the development of the mid lock version, which I vastly prefer.

[BobABQ]

The midlock Lil’ Native is a masterpiece of littlization; the slipjoint Lil’ Native’s appearance will undermine the justly-popular Urban, hence its delay.

That is absolutely true! I have both the compression lock version and the backlock version of the Lil’ Native and when used back to back the backlock Lil’ Native it much easier to close.

The only change I would like is a set of handle scales without the pocket clip screw holes. I really detest pocket clips. A color different from black might be nice. A dark purple or dark blue would be my choice if it was available in a Spyderco Custom shop.

[Maximumsmoochy]

My Spyderconfessions go something like this:

- I don't like wireclip, and I prefer the stock spoon clip over aftermarket deep carrys.

- I take clips off to improve ergos - then might put them back on if I feel like "freeing up" pocket space.

- Oh yeah, and I much prefer black clips to silver - a little more subtle in the pants.

- I like choils, but not too deep (eg: Native and Stretch are too deep for my tastes, Para 3/Military/Police are nice and shallow) - My index finger often as not lands on the sticky-uppy bit of the choil when I'm doing my thing, nice to be able to grasp that part of the handle.

- I greatly prefer the Para3 & Military over the PM2. PM2 is a fine knife but it's too centrist for me.

- I really like the thumb hump inherent in the Para Spydie-hole designs

- I really like unsharpened swedges like on the Native or Bradley Bowie

- The scales are just as important a consideration as the blade steel - for example I'm looking forward to the Para 3 S45VN as much for the patterned green G10 as the new blade material.

- Colour matters. Overall aesthetics matter. If it doesn't look quite right to me either open ("looking at you Native Chief...") or closed ("... and you, Watu") I just can't. Both those examples are great knives - but not for me.

- I don't like pale scales (even the Rex 45 Burnt orange - which is objectively awesome). They feel too flashy.

- Yes, the Compression lock can dig into my hand when I'm workin' a hard cut, but I still like it. I wouldn't be sad if the next version of the Military had a comp lock.

- I do not like Axis or CBBL locks - they force you to move your fingers along the length of the knife instead of across it which I find inherently disrupts my grip when unlocking. No thanks.

- I love sprints, exclusives and limited editions, even if I can't get one that I want. Spyderco offering so much variety is amazing even if the market fails to distribute efficiently.

- The Rheinhold Rhino is so **** cool it makes my heart bleed, but it was a little too small for my tastes. I will probably buy it again - it sometimes takes me a few tries to get to know and love a knife.

- FFS, Gayle Bradley should just open up his lock-bar cutouts a little more - like 1mm - it would save more fingers than would get cut off as a result.

- Speaking of Youtube reviewers - Pete from Cedric and Ada tops the list, and NOT just because of his demonstrated cutting and use. I like that he doesn't take it too seriously, reminds me that neither should I.

[VooDooChild]

Every single one of us has a problem!

[TkoK83Spy]

Every single one of us has a problem!

Haha, yep!! This has been a fun thread to read through though, that's for sure!! Amazing how carefree, or nitpicky some of us can be.

[JuPaul]

Flipperized Spydies are a contradiction of design philosophies.

The midlock Lil’ Native is a masterpiece of littlization; the slipjoint Lil’ Native’s appearance will undermine the justly-popular Urban, hence its delay.

Totally with you on these. I might add that the Comp Lock Lil Native seems to be hurting the development of the mid lock version, which I vastly prefer.

Agreed. I'd really like to try a midlock lil native, but I don't like black scales and there are no aftermarket options.

[PeaceInOurTime]

The only steels I feel excited about and willing to spend extra cash for are nitrogen steels. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind if everything else was a value steel. I've used lots of ~8cr and 420HC and can say I care more about corrosion resistance, blade geometry, construction, and ergonomics than having ridiculous edge retention. I love knowing that steels like Maxamet exist and hearing everyone's experiences, but I have no desire for them.

After ~10 years of buying knives and following the various forums, I still feel weird spending ~$100 for a knife. I'll keep doing it, but I hope someday I'll find help and stop :)

Total ambidextrous designs and locks are the absolute greatest. I want the option to use either hand, carry tip up or tip down, left or right pocket. I had surgery on my dominate hand early last year. During that time, I found the importance of a totally ambidextrous knife.

Function > form 99% of the time.

I think Zome is really cool and under appreciated on the forum.

G10 is nice, but FRN makes alot sense. Contouring, grip patterns, cost, colors, it's all good :cool: .

Serrations are useful and have a place in my pocket -- maybe forever :) .

[TomAiello]

- The Para Military doesn’t work for me. I still have a PM2 that I never carry and I sold my original Para Military that I possibly preferred to the PM2.

- The compression lock isn’t for me. This is possibly the cause of the opinion above. Tried the PM1, PM2, S and Junior and decided I don’t need to try any more unless everything else about the knife screams “pick meeee”.

I'm with you on both of these.

I'll admit that the Para3 really works for me though. PM2 really doesn't fit my hand, but the Para3 is great.

And I wish the comp lock wasn't the 'default' lock. I really like the CBBL better (and the back lock, too).

[Ankerson]

The only steels I feel excited about and willing to spend extra cash for are nitrogen steels. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind if everything else was a value steel. I've used lots of ~8cr and 420HC and can say I care more about corrosion resistance, blade geometry, construction, and ergonomics than having ridiculous edge retention. I love knowing that steels like Maxamet exist and hearing everyone's experiences, but I have no desire for them.

After ~10 years of buying knives and following the various forums, I still feel weird spending ~$100 for a knife. I'll keep doing it, but I hope someday I'll find help and stop :)

Total ambidextrous designs and locks are the absolute greatest. I want the option to use either hand, carry tip up or tip down, left or right pocket. I had surgery on my dominate hand early last year. During that time, I found the importance of a totally ambidextrous knife.

Function > form 99% of the time.

I think Zome is really cool and under appreciated on the forum.

G10 is nice, but FRN makes alot sense. Contouring, grip patterns, cost, colors, it's all good :cool: .

Serrations are useful and have a place in my pocket -- maybe forever :) .

In the days of $1,000+ cell phones, $8 cup of coffee and $40,000 cars on ave $100 for a knife really isn't all that much, and the knives last a lot longer too.

I suppose it's all about perspective.

Now granted I won't spend much over $250 without thinking about it some, like do I really need or want this....

I think about what I already have before getting anything, or not... Especially after I trimmed down my collection a lot.

I am not as big of a collector as I used to be, not even near it, very picky these days.

[James Y]

Due in part to having no work due to the pandemic, and also in part because I’ve become extremely picky over the past 9 to 10 years or so, I haven’t been buying any knives. Last year was an anomaly, as I purchased a few (all Spydies). This year, zero. There are knives I’m interested in, but am in no hurry to buy, like the Jumpmaster 2, and a few others. Some knives I thought I was interested in end up falling off my list.

I feel under NO pressure to purchase knives, which is freeing. I’m actually enjoying the knives I have more now, because I don’t have that self-imposed pressure many forumites feel to get this or that knife, and I never concerned myself with sprint runs. No pressure, no disappointments.

Jim

[PeaceInOurTime]

In the days of $1,000+ cell phones, $8 cup of coffee and $40,000 cars on ave $100 for a knife really isn't all that much, and the knives last a lot longer too.

I suppose it's all about perspective. ...

I'll agree with that :)
Things that help me justify a new knife purchase are special occasions, gifts of money, and if I've worked alot of overtime recently. Otherwise, I have a hard time justifying in my mind frequently spending for new knives. Most recently, my brother-in-law ordered a new knife for me to celebrate my twins being born. I should be receiving a Spyderco ARK sometime soon. :cool:

I'm cheap, but I still enjoy Spyderco knives :D

[GarageBoy]

There are too many Sprint safe queens - it's like guys who buy a Corvette and washes it every week, but doesn't put more than 1000 miles a year on it.

We should have non Sprint knives in tool steel more often - for those of us who don't care about the handle color, or the exclusivity, it'd be nice to get a knife in a tool steel without having to fight collectors - the k390 line is a great start

An unopposed Torx-head on a “D” post is a pivot waiting to spin in unlined FRN; lateral blade-play is the worst of all lock-up issues.


Flipperized Spydies are a contradiction of design philosophies.

European steels in Japanese Spydies make the latter less special and may even deaden the drive to explore Japanese steels.

I'm afraid to touch the pivot on my Urbans

Flipper Spyderco models are probably better off as regular bushing thumbhole openers as user knives

Seki should definitely do more Japanese steels - it's sad watching cold steel, Al Mar, SOG move away from Seki City

[TkoK83Spy]

I have a Sharpmaker but I almost never use it, not overly fond of it.

I also agree with this. I never use my Sharpmaker base...but I use the rods and free hand with them. I get much better results this way for some reason. I only used the based when reprofiling with the CBN rods, until I got a DMT Extra/Coarse double sided benchstone.

Have you ever tried using the sharpmaker like a bench stone?

https://streamable.com/7lpkll

Watch the end.

I get my best edges this way.

After today, my 20CV Manix needed a bit of a touch up after 3 days of good work. I remembered this thread and your video, gave it a shot...worked out great! Obviously a bit more stable than holding the rod in hand. Took me a few passes to find my groove, but once I got it it was a breeze. I also like that there is just enough clearance from where they are stored laying down, and used as a benchstone to where they are inserted in the base used for the preset angles. This also aids in making sure your blade is perfectly level across the rod. If you hit the base, you know your a bit off.

Something about those preset angles just doesn't work for me, though I absolutely love the rods themselves. Thanks for the tip bud!

[ykspydiefan]

Unpopular opinion, education is unimportant. That is only because, if I hadn't read all about it, my early Gerber Gator would still be the only knife I need.

[rabbitanarchy14]

i guess i will put in my unpopular opinion

1. I extremely dislike back locks of all kinds and shape. yes i have seen the vids, no i do not want to talk about it anymore, i have reasons and its just my opinion.
2. I like choils for the simple reason i can get up to the blade instead of 1/2 wasted space like the delica, or an edge to the handle and fingers on top of the pivot and not behind it.
3. My favorite lock is the cbbl followed by compression and liner lock.
the frn/frcp feels cheap, yes it is durable and great but that is how it feels and looks.
4. I dislike wire clips on medium to big knives and like spoon clips for them.
5. I fidget with all my knives.
6. I like black clips more than silver ones
7. I extremely dislike anything linerless.
8. I would be perfectly happy with all my knives in s30v and different color scales but i do admit i love m390.
9. I don't care for all the goofey designed handles and blades that seem more like collector pieces than users
10. Knives are tools and not weapons.

and because the op mentioned how he liked his cat, i feel i missed mine and ordered one in BD1N.

[Wartstein]

i guess i will put in my unpopular opinion

1. I extremely dislike back locks of all kinds and shape. yes i have seen the vids, no i do not want to talk about it anymore, i have reasons and its just my opinion.
2. I like choils for the simple reason i can get up to the blade instead of 1/2 wasted space like the delica, or an edge to the handle and fingers on top of the pivot and not behind it.
3. My favorite lock is the cbbl followed by compression and liner lock.
the frn/frcp feels cheap, yes it is durable and great but that is how it feels and looks.
4. I dislike wire clips on medium to big knives and like spoon clips for them.
5. I fidget with all my knives.
6. I like black clips more than silver ones
7. I extremely dislike anything linerless.
8. I would be perfectly happy with all my knives in s30v and different color scales but i do admit i love m390.
9. I don't care for all the goofey designed handles and blades that seem more like collector pieces than users
10. Knives are tools and not weapons.

We both know where in all friendshipness we´ll disagree forever (indeed no need to discuss this once more, just differing personal preferences and just fine! :) ), but on the highlighted parts I am totally with you!

Only remaining question, if I may (and I maybe have asked before, but can´t recall!): You feel that the Delica Ricasso is purely wasted space or can you still choke up on it (I personally like to do so very much and all the time), even if maybe not as comfortable as on a dedicated choil?

[rabbitanarchy14]

i can use it with my fingers on the ricasso but other knives and manufactures are the same with wasted space between my finger and where the edge starts. and your right it works but not so comfortable as if it was made to use a finger on.

its all good Gernot. i like talking with you and respectfully getting the other side of a conversation is great. i have not been posting much because it seems anytime i have a differing opinion there is one or two that have to jump all over me, and i know its not you and your not trying to make anyone feel bad.

[JRinFL]

-I dislike the Liling & XLing of existing models.
-Too many Comp locks, not enough bolt locks or CBB locks.
-Too much attention to expensive steels that excel in only one area. Balance is best.
-Spydie holes have gotten too large.
-Wire clips are fine, but need to be stronger.
-Multiple sprints per year are not needed. One or two is enough already.

(edited for clarity)

[AHarbuck]

-the Spydie flick is useful not for fidgeting but in real world use.

-VG10 and a Sharpmaker and I’m set. Rest is gravy.

[Hopweaver]

-Knives under 3.5 inches are too small.
-I've never been in a situation where I said to myself, "Self, I wish this knife edge was smaller" :rolleyes:
-We need to see more Military models injected into the pipeline. We have watched countless new PM2 & PM3 blades get released the past several years and not much on the Military front.
-Spyderco make the best blades on the planet... Earth, Golden, CO! :D