What happened to the Boye Dent?

[yowzer]

Once upon a time, pretty much every new lockback Spydie came with the dent. In the last few years it seems like it's gone away, not just on dressy knives, but on ones meant for hard work too where the Boye dent's claimed purpose (Harder to accidentally release the lock bar) makes sense to see it. Police 4, Siren, Rockjumper, etc. What happened with what was a big part of Spyderco's design language?

[araneae]

Read the latest Spydie byte. Seems like its being designed out.

[JRinFL]

My Siren desperately needs a Boye dent as it is far too easy to partially open the lock in several grips.

[steelcity16]

I'm really bummed about the move away from dents and jimping. The Lil' Native is another one where the lack of these caused me to sell mine. I am interested in the upcoming Lil Native LW (presumably a backlock salt?), but if they stick with no jimping and boye dent then I'll stick with my Dragonflies. In the case of the Rock Jumper, I'll just pick up a Delica Wharnie instead. Luckily there are so many models with the features I do like. If anything it is saving me money by not continuing to add new models to my purchase list.

[Albatross]

I prefer it. If nothing else, it's at least more comfortable to actuate a back lock with a Boye Dent. The indexing is nice too.

A lot of people dislike it, and I thought Spyderco found it unnecessary on some models, because they were able to make the lock press travel longer, to prevent the lock from disengaging accidentally.

[Albatross]

I'm really bummed about the move away from dents and jimping. The Lil' Native is another one where the lack of these caused me to sell mine. I am interested in the upcoming Lil Native LW (presumably a backlock salt?), but if they stick with no jimping and boye dent then I'll stick with my Dragonflies. In the case of the Rock Jumper, I'll just pick up a Delica Wharnie instead. Luckily there are so many models with the features I do like. If anything it is saving me money by not continuing to add new models to my purchase list.

With Seki getting LC200, you might as well stick with those. Golden (and Taiwan) no longer have a monopoly on the steel.

[The Meat man]

I also like the Boye dent, for both aesthetic and practical purposes.

[Evil D]

It's significantly easier to add than it is to remove.

[Sharp Guy]

I can take or leave the Boye dents. I've never had an issue where I've squeezed the knife so hard I press the lock bar in. I have a Native on me today and I can't press the bar in even a little, not to mention far enough to unlock it. As far as finding the lock without looking at it. I just run my thumb down the back of the knife and feel for the cut out. It's as easy for my to find the lock release on a knife without the Boye dent as it is with it.

Personally, I think a knife actually looks better without it. So I have no issue with them not using it

[VashHash]

It's significantly easier to add than it is to remove.

I totally agree with this. Honestly it doesn't bother me if it's there or not.

For me the main benefit is a tactile aid. I can feel it when I want to unlock the knife without looking. I don't need it but that's mainly what I use it for. It also doesn't determine if I buy a knife.

[sal]

Hi Yowzer,

We originally added the Boye dent because of a possible safety issue that we were informed about by Bob Taylor and Mike Janich. The "indexing" was an added feature. For me, safety is very important so we worked on the different ways to "fix" the problem. We also received many complaints about it in the beginning for a variety of reasons.

As mentioned, easier to a make one than to remove one. Note that the dent is parallel to the bottom of the lock well when the loci is fully depressed, not when the blade is open.

sal

[Doc Dan]

I prefer the Boye Dent. It looks cool and is very functional.

[Evil D]

It's significantly easier to add than it is to remove.

I totally agree with this. Honestly it doesn't bother me if it's there or not.

For me the main benefit is a tactile aid. I can feel it when I want to unlock the knife without looking. I don't need it but that's mainly what I use it for. It also doesn't determine if I buy a knife.

I'm the same, but I just feel for the lock well along the scales instead. I'm doing some work today with gloves on to test this vs the Dent.

[James Y]

I’ve never come close to accidentally depressing a Spyderco back lock by squeezing one, but I do prefer having the Boye dent for tactile reasons, as others have mentioned. Even without it I can find the lock bar without looking by feeling along the scales, but the dent makes it quicker and a bit more comfortable.

As far as looks go, I don’t think the Boye dent makes a knife look any better or any worse. It simply enhances function, which Spyderco is all about.

Jim

[sal]

We'll hide-n-watch reaction as we've been doing. We're not opposed but lately, I've been designing lock-backs without one.

sal

[steelcity16]

We'll hide-n-watch reaction as we've been doing. We're not opposed but lately, I've been designing lock-backs without one.

sal

Will the 4" Straight Spine Stretch keep the dent and jimping of the base Stretch?

[JRinFL]

I think knives look better without a Boye dent, however on my Siren the lack of one has me considering selling it. If Spyderco offered a service where they added a Boye dent, I would send it off now to have it added.
In a heavy cut, using reverse hammer grip, I can just about fully unlock the blade on the Siren. While it did not unlock, it also was not confidence inspiring. A stiffer lock spring would help almost as much, but then people with lesser grip strength would complain. In other grips I can get the lock to slightly open which allows blade play, which is annoying but unlikely to be unsafe.

[steelcity16]

I think knives look better without a Boye dent, however on my Siren the lack of one has me considering selling it. If Spyderco offered a service where they added a Boye dent, I would send it off now to have it added.
In a heavy cut, using reverse hammer grip, I can just about fully unlock the blade on the Siren. While it did not unlock, it also was not confidence inspiring. A stiffer lock spring would help almost as much, but then people with lesser grip strength would complain. In other grips I can get the lock to slightly open which allows blade play, which is annoying but unlikely to be unsafe.

I was about to say the same thing. If they could offer dents and jimping as a spa service it would be great. Makers like Bark River who have sold thousands upon thousands of knives still offer basic stuff like this for free. I'd be happy to even pay $10 for added jimping on models like the Spyderhawk and Rockjumper and dents on the Police LW and Rock Jumper and Natives models.

[JuPaul]

I prefer it. If nothing else, it's at least more comfortable to actuate a back lock with a Boye Dent. The indexing is nice too.

Absolutely. I really, really wish the Chap had one. I don't seem to miss it as much on the Native, but I was very surprised to see the dentless design of the Rockjumper. The boye dent seems meant for exactly such a knife.

[Holland]

I'm pretty indifferent if I cant tell in use.

The siren I can definitely notice lithe lack of boye dent and the knife unlocks in hammer grip which is why I am selling mine