Have any of you noticed a change in Seki FRN?

[Doc Dan]

Have any of you noticed a change in the texture of Seki FRN? I have a gray and a purple Delica, a gray Endura, and orange, purple, and yellow Dragonflies from a few years ago. They all feel smooth and a bit gummy or tacky, or something (edit: I meant creamy smooth). I bought a Teal Endura, Yellow Dragonfly, Forest Green and GITD Delicas over the last year and a half and they all feel a bit sandy or something (edit: I meant to add chalky)They definitely do not feel the same.

[Evil D]

My only new (or I guess newest production) Seki FRN is my Rock Jumper, I really don't feel any difference but I also don't have a lot of newer production models to compare it to. My other newest FRN models are from Golden and both are Native 5's which honestly feel like straight up plastic compared to the Rock Jumper, I really don't understand why they made those handles so blocky.

[JRinFL]

I just compared a many years old Delica 4 to my Rock Jumper and I don't detect any obvious differences.

[Sharp Guy]

I haven't noticed any difference

[Doc Dan]

Perhaps it is something on the scales of my knives but there is a noticeable difference in feel. One is chalky and the other is creamy, or something. It is hard to describe. I promise I am not taking or smoking anything.

[steelcity16]

i haven't noticed on mine and i have many Seki knives.

couple thoughts..

could you have some fakes perhaps?

where do you live again? i feel like i remember you living in a jungle environment? perhaps it is environmental? your older ones were left in the sun or something and the FRN changed a little? UV can be very damaging to plastics. its why car seat have expiration dates.

[dj moonbat]

To me, there is a definite change in the feel of FRN between two knives that I bought 5-10 years ago and the Rockjumper I got a few weeks back. The newer stuff feels less yielding, and as OP says, the nylon itself has some slight texture, aside from what gets injection molded into it.

Basically, I’d say the newer formulation or process yields FRN that’s a couple steps closer to feeling like G10.

I definitely recall discussion a while back about how they had changed the recipe slightly, and how the enhanced rigidity was letting them make LW versions of knives they couldn’t make before. So I suspect that’s when it started.

[Pokey]

I'm comparing a Para 3 LW I just got last week to my K390 Delica that I got when they came out earlier this year. The Para 3 has a certain "ping" to it when I flick the FRN with my fingernail, but it is a more open design with a Compression Lock and the Delica scales are more closed and fully supported with a back lock. That pinging resonance may just be the difference in the design of the two. The surface finish of the FRN on the Para 3 is smoother than on the Delica.

When I got the Para 3 I thought the scales were still very stiff for being able to see that much daylight between them. Harder FRN? Maybe.

[James Y]

I haven’t noticed any differences between the current Seki FRN and “old” (late 1990s into 2K) Seki FRN.

Now, when I got my first (and so far, only) Golden FRN, a Native 5 LWT, I did notice that the Golden FRN felt more plasticky and ‘hard’, while Seki’s FRN felt a bit softer in comparison. Personally, I prefer Seki’s FRN over Golden’s.

Jim

[Bill1170]

The FRN handle on my Endela (now lost ) from a few months ago feels just the same as those on my older Seki Spydercos dating back as far as 2007.

[James Y]

The FRN handle on my Endela (now lost ) from a few months ago feels just the same as those on my older Seki Spydercos dating back as far as 2007.

Bill,

So sorry to hear you lost it.

Jim

[Bill1170]

The FRN handle on my Endela (now lost ) from a few months ago feels just the same as those on my older Seki Spydercos dating back as far as 2007.

Bill,

So sorry to hear you lost it.

Jim

Thanks, Jim. I believe it’s the first Spyderco I’ve ever lost. For the first few weeks I thought it’d turn up. It had very little use before I lost it.

[Doc Dan]

i haven't noticed on mine and i have many Seki knives.

couple thoughts..

could you have some fakes perhaps?

where do you live again? i feel like i remember you living in a jungle environment? perhaps it is environmental? your older ones were left in the sun or something and the FRN changed a little? UV can be very damaging to plastics. its why car seat have expiration dates.

Not fakes. Exclusives bought from KW and CS etc.

[Doc Dan]

To me, there is a definite change in the feel of FRN between two knives that I bought 5-10 years ago and the Rockjumper I got a few weeks back. The newer stuff feels less yielding, and as OP says, the nylon itself has some slight texture, aside from what gets injection molded into it.

Basically, I’d say the newer formulation or process yields FRN that’s a couple steps closer to feeling like G10.

I definitely recall discussion a while back about how they had changed the recipe slightly, and how the enhanced rigidity was letting them make LW versions of knives they couldn’t make before. So I suspect that’s when it started.

Thank you. I knew I was not losing my mind. And you said it better than I did.

Now that you mention it, I seem to remember that discussion.

[Doc Dan]

The FRN handle on my Endela (now lost ) from a few months ago feels just the same as those on my older Seki Spydercos dating back as far as 2007.

Bill,

So sorry to hear you lost it.

Jim

Thanks, Jim. I believe it’s the first Spyderco I’ve ever lost. For the first few weeks I thought it’d turn up. It had very little use before I lost it.

Check between the console and where the seat belt anchors and also where the seat is bolted.

[Naperville]

Thanks, Jim. I believe it’s the first Spyderco I’ve ever lost. For the first few weeks I thought it’d turn up. It had very little use before I lost it.

Check between the console and where the seat belt anchors and also where the seat is bolted.

Best bet is to move the seat all of the way fwd, and crawl in to the back seat with a flashlight and look at all of the areas to the sides and beneath the seat.

[Bill1170]

Thanks, Jim. I believe it’s the first Spyderco I’ve ever lost. For the first few weeks I thought it’d turn up. It had very little use before I lost it.

Check between the console and where the seat belt anchors and also where the seat is bolted.

Best bet is to move the seat all of the way fwd, and crawl in to the back seat with a flashlight and look at all of the areas to the sides and beneath the seat.

I’ll give it a try. I looked there already, but it’s worth a second pass.

[araneae]

Zero difference detected and I have piles of FRN, new and old.

[Doc Dan]

I ran my finger nail across the smooth area of my forest green 204P . It has some grit in the texture compared to my old gray one.

[James Y]

I ran my finger nail across the smooth area of my forest green 204P . It has some grit in the texture compared to my old gray one.

I’ve had some slight (very slight) variations of texture in the smooth area of Seki FRN throughout the years. One way or the other. My Endela’s smooth areas are smoother than many of my older FRN handles were. Also, as I’m sure you’re aware, the smooth areas naturally become smoother over time with handling and use, anyway.

Jim