Please Pardon the shameful sales pitch - Rock Jumper

[speedseeker]

Oh, and one other thing. This design would thrive with the Salt community. Make it in that new green with LC!

[Evil D]

OK I'm really enjoying the Rock Jumper. Super surprised at how much I'm enjoying it too. In the beginning, like many I suspect, I thought there wouldn't be enough to distinguish it from the Delica Wharncliffe. But, not in hand and use, I've learned otherwise. The beefing up of the blade stock and handle are just enough (but not too much) to make it a very useful EDC type package. Please Sal, give us more? One last thing, I am quite enjoying the absence of jimping. I get the idea that Sal was going for here...no jimping lets me more comfortably let the knife settle into my grip. I've never felt ramp jimping made all that much of a difference anyway. The ramp itself is what provides the secure feel to me. So...no jimping vote from me. I like Sal's design as is. Besides, there are dozens of models with the ramp jimping...lets leave well-enough alone.

There was a time in the gun world where this mentality was applied to handguns, at least with a few of them. There was a guy named Paris Theodore who made a 9mm called the ASP that had almost all of the grip checkering smoothed off and that "settling into your grip" was the main goal, as opposed to grabbing the gun in a poor grip and being locked into that poor grip because the grip is so highly textured. I've had this happen with knives a bunch of times, so with a design like the RJ at least if my grip is slightly too far forward or backwards it'll still be comfortable and not land on points in the grip.


Found the video I was thinking of. Skip to 4:00.
https://youtu.be/4trmOFxuJw0?t=240

[ABX2011]

Any photo out there showing it closed, resting on the back so we can see the spine tip?

[Evil D]

Any photo out there showing it closed, resting on the back so we can see the spine tip?

Not sure what you mean....do you want to see the tip of the blade closed inside the handle?

[grubetown]

Any photo out there showing it closed, resting on the back so we can see the spine tip?

Not sure what you mean....do you want to see the tip of the blade closed inside the handle?

I think the opposite end from the tip. It does stick out from the scales but not annoying because of the scale design.

[curlyhairedboy]

Got one of these inbound. eager to try out!

[Evil D]

Any photo out there showing it closed, resting on the back so we can see the spine tip?

Not sure what you mean....do you want to see the tip of the blade closed inside the handle?

I think the opposite end from the tip. It does stick out from the scales but not annoying because of the scale design.

I think you're talking about the back corner of the blade at the spine where the lock bar meets the tang? If not let me know I'm taking pics right now so no biggie if you need more.

[ABX2011]

Any photo out there showing it closed, resting on the back so we can see the spine tip?

Not sure what you mean....do you want to see the tip of the blade closed inside the handle?

Hi thanks, I meant the tip of the blade closed inside the handle. I was curious about the amount of "extra room." It's fairly pronounced on the Delica and I wonder if this is similar.
I get a pretty good idea from the above pic.

[SubMicron]

Well, I've gotten a chance to use and carry my Rockjumper as well as sharpen it a couple times. I've not been able to find any downside to the design and I like it a lot... While in-hand, it feels like a natural extension of my arm, it's sturdy, I have high confidence with it when putting muscle behind it, and operationally I can do all of the normal Spyderco backlock stuff.

I have a lot of Spyderco backlocks and my primary concern was when closing one handed without looking. I have a fair amount of muscle memory built up with regard to index finger placement and my concern was cutting myself when dropping the blade closed on my finger without the obviously tall ricasso to protect me. The tall ricasso is (thankfully) still there and no adjustment with finger placement is required. Its just hidden by the forward shoulder of the handle. I can still drop it on my finger without thinking about it... it still has a generous margin of error.

I'm a person who likes a good choil and typically my fingers are all over the blade at times. The handle design of the Rockjumper so far has removed any need to bring my fingers forward of the handle while in use.

The VG10 blade, with normal EDC usage, seems to perform in a comparable way to S30V. While perhaps not technically as wear resistant, VG10 seems to take a sharper edge more easily, and is more versatile with regard to abrasive type. Its nice to not need diamonds, especially to just touch up the edge.

I do maintain a high level of sharpness at all times and for that reason, through normal miscellaneous use, its very hard to tell the difference. If I did a controlled cut test, I'm sure I'd find a numerical difference of some kind but such things don't necessarily matter with most usage profiles, especially with comparable steels, most especially if you maintain the edge.

I suspect the market would support size variations of this design, both smaller and larger, as well as sprint runs of various steel types.

[benben]

I’m loving mine, I cut a burger in half with it today and it performed flawlessly, impressed me! :D

[Wartstein]

I’m loving mine, I cut a burger in half with it today and it performed flawlessly, impressed me! :D

Thanks for sharing this real hard use test! :p

[benben]

I’m loving mine, I cut a burger in half with it today and it performed flawlessly, impressed me! :D

Thanks for sharing this real hard use test! :p

Yes sir! One crucial thing I forgot to mention, my thumb did NOT slip off of the ramp because of the lack of jimping!

[Evil D]

I just spent last night reprofiling a Delica and didn't think to take more comparison shots, but I did spend some time comparing it to my RJ and for my hand size it's just no comparison. If the front hook part of the Delica handle extended forward just a bit more I could line my fingers up with the grooves better but I'd just assume they weren't there at all. The RJ has just the right amount of handle, any less and it would be too small for me and going between the two really made the Delica feel cramped and too small.

[JRinFL]

My copy is very, very smooth. Seki lock backs have always been "flickable" for me and this one is no exception. Because the lock bar is a few millimeters further back on the handle, I do not have the same issues with partial unlocking in reverse hammer grip that I have with the Siren.
I'm still on the fence in regards to the lack of jimping. Currently, it is very comfortable to use, but I have not done any serious work with it.
Hot take: For me it negates any reason to get an Endela.

[benben]

[Sonorum]

I’m loving mine, I cut a burger in half with it today and it performed flawlessly, impressed me! :D

Thanks for sharing this real hard use test! :p

Yes sir! One crucial thing I forgot to mention, my thumb did NOT slip off of the ramp because of the lack of jimping!

Otherwise a common problem when burger-cutting :D

[benben]

I’m loving mine, I cut a burger in half with it today and it performed flawlessly, impressed me! :D

Thanks for sharing this real hard use test! :p

Yes sir! One crucial thing I forgot to mention, my thumb did NOT slip off of the ramp because of the lack of jimping!

Otherwise a common problem when burger-cutting :D

Absolutely, very dangerous!

[Pancake]

I've got a mail from Lamnia that serrated version is in stock.

[ABX2011]

Mine has a Dent :D

[Marko]

I can’t put my RJ down. This thing should be the new testing platform for steels.

I know it has been mentioned that the RJ may take on a leaf profile blade in the future. I would add that it seems like an excellent candidate for a hawkbill blade.