Spyderco "Hyker"

[Zive]

Congrats on a job well done. Looks beautiful (actually thought you had swapped in a UKPK drop point blade when I first glimpsed it) and your photos really make the handle color pop.

Please keep us all posted with your impressions.

Cheers

[u.w.]

Congrats on a job well done. Looks beautiful (actually thought you had swapped in a UKPK drop point blade when I first glimpsed it) and your photos really make the handle color pop.

Please keep us all posted with your impressions.

Cheers

Hi Zive,

Thank you very much for the kind words. Yes, I will update as I get more time with it.

u.w.

[spoonrobot]

That’s a great looking knife and wonderful photos.

[gundamaniac]

Nice mods! I always love to see examples of people personalizing knives and making them truly their own. Well done!

[Wartstein]

[Posted this in the "Salt 2 ffg.....2-thread already, but actually this is the better thread for it. So just copy and paste... ;]

Hey U.W,,

sorry for the late and short reaction - having computer problems currently (something with the graphics - can´t even really see what I am typing... :o )

/ Nice mod!! :)

And actually shows perfectly one of the things tried to transport when starting [the Salt 2 "perfect u.l. hiking knife] thread:
That the Salt ffg LC200N models perhaps would be a good chance for Spyderco to put the marketing focus more and also more explicitly on the ultralight - and hiking crowd, additionally to pointing out the "Salt"-qualities.
Perhaps the best way for them do so so would be to make a slightly differing model of the Salt 2 ffg (blade shape, like yours or wire clip insted of spoon clip ;or even just a different color and call it something like your "Hyker"!

[Doc Dan]

Nice mod. It looks good and at 1.79 oz it will not weigh you down. Perhaps Spyderco should make this knife? it is a simple mod.

[KnOeFz]

Nicely done!

[Cl1ff]

Lovely shape!
Bonus that it’s so light!

[Matus]

You did a very nice job - love the new spine profile (I am in the same camp as you on spine profiles of the knives you mentioned). However I would tend to carry a LITTLE more strongly build blade for outdoor trips (I am saying that without having a chance to handle this particular knife though).

LC200N should have edge retention close to BD1N or AEBL (at around 62 HRC), so pretty OK - while having a very good toughness (between Cruwear and 3V), so sounds like a steel very much suitable for EDC and outdoor trips.

[u.w.]

That’s a great looking knife and wonderful photos.

Nice mods! I always love to see examples of people personalizing knives and making them truly their own. Well done!

HUGE Thank You to both of you! Means a lot

[Posted this in the "Salt 2 ffg.....2-thread already, but actually this is the better thread for it. So just copy and paste... ;]

...
Nice mod!! :)

And actually shows perfectly one of the things tried to transport when starting [the Salt 2 "perfect u.l. hiking knife] thread:
That the Salt ffg LC200N models perhaps would be a good chance for Spyderco to put the marketing focus more and also more explicitly on the ultralight - and hiking crowd, additionally to pointing out the "Salt"-qualities.
Perhaps the best way for them do so so would be to make a slightly differing model of the Salt 2 ffg (blade shape, like yours or wire clip insted of spoon clip ;or even just a different color and call it something like your "Hyker"!

I replied to your post in the other thread, as I checked it first today. Agreed though, this is likely the better thread for the discussion.

Thank you also, for your kind words, and starting that thread

Nice mod. It looks good and at 1.79 oz it will not weigh you down. Perhaps Spyderco should make this knife? it is a simple mod.

Thank you! Yes, this weight, for this size knife w/ big thumb hole & locking blade, is amazing - to me. No, I don't think it's going to weigh anyone down.

I do feel that this is a knife that perhaps Spyderco should bring to market, which is why I have been subtlety mentioning it for so long now, and have now started this thread.
As to it being a simple mod, I know a guy who has already made the blade shape and can provide it as an example if that would help :D
I would hope to get it back, or a replacement, as I absolutely plan on carrying this knife on my hikes, both day hikes (30 miles or less), and long distance hikes. Of course I'll EDC it too, fwiw... but it's niche for me, is long distance hiking.

Nicely done!

Thank You KnOeFz!

u.w.

[u.w.]

Lovely shape!
Bonus that it’s so light!

Thank You! I do prefer the blade shape for sure; and yes, it's light weight is a big bonus.

You did a very nice job - love the new spine profile (I am in the same camp as you on spine profiles of the knives you mentioned). However I would tend to carry a LITTLE more strongly build blade for outdoor trips (I am saying that without having a chance to handle this particular knife though).

LC200N should have edge retention close to BD1N or AEBL (at around 62 HRC), so pretty OK - while having a very good toughness (between Cruwear and 3V), so sounds like a steel very much suitable for EDC and outdoor trips.

Thank you very much Matus.

I will say that in my own use, personal experiences, across literally thousands of miles of trails in woods and across mountains, I have not ever found myself requiring even a little more strongly built blade. My modified drop point Delica's (Hyker protos?) I carried for all of that worked amazingly well for every task I put them to.

I hope you're right on the blade steel. I am very excited and happy about it for sure.

u.w.

[przemekspce]

I like it! The blade looks great :)

[u.w.]

I like it! The blade looks great :)

Thank you przemekspce. It is great :)

I've been using it for a day now, for simple "EDC" stuff (opened two bags of chips, one envelope, cut up one small cardboard box, and prepared my salad yesterday), and it did/does them all exceptionally, and with ease.

u.w.

[cycleguy]

Nice job with the reprofiling of the blade silhouette. It looks very smooth.

I've heard various takes on LC200N's edge retention vs. VG-10, some saying equivalent, some saying one or the other takes the lead. I'd be curious to see some testing. Maybe there's data out there I'm not aware of. VG-10 tends to get a bad rap.

I posted my initial impressions some time ago with a LC200N Mule and felt it was about VG-10 or a bit better with edge holding based on a cardboard project I had worked on. I was pummeled by the momentum of the LC200N lovers for saying such. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all!!! :D

CG

[ladybug93]

Nice job with the reprofiling of the blade silhouette. It looks very smooth.

I've heard various takes on LC200N's edge retention vs. VG-10, some saying equivalent, some saying one or the other takes the lead. I'd be curious to see some testing. Maybe there's data out there I'm not aware of. VG-10 tends to get a bad rap.

I posted my initial impressions some time ago with a LC200N Mule and felt it was about VG-10 or a bit better with edge holding based on a cardboard project I had worked on. I was pummeled by the momentum of the LC200N lovers for saying such. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all!!! :D

CG

i like lc, and initially praised it pretty highly. i made comments about it being equal to s30v. after some more experience, i have to admit it's not as good as s30v. it does sharpen easier though and i still like it. at this point, i think i'm happier with se h1 instead though. i need to test it on a thinner pe knife though. my only experiences are with the pe native salt and se sheepsfoot caribbean. if they do these in all black, i may pick up a pe.

[Wartstein]

....

I posted my initial impressions some time ago with a LC200N Mule and felt it was about VG-10 or a bit better with edge holding based on a cardboard project I had worked on. I was pummeled by the momentum of the LC200N lovers for saying such. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all!!! :D

CG

Well, Larrins charts put LC200N below VG10 in edge retention as far as I recall...

[Hobnob]

Nice work on the blade. I just got one in SE. Been waiting on this awhile. Close to the perfect EDC for me. Very light, SE in FFG, which is ideal. The build quality is exceptional. My Delica's will be taking a backseat.

[Doc Dan]

Nice job with the reprofiling of the blade silhouette. It looks very smooth.

I've heard various takes on LC200N's edge retention vs. VG-10, some saying equivalent, some saying one or the other takes the lead. I'd be curious to see some testing. Maybe there's data out there I'm not aware of. VG-10 tends to get a bad rap.

I posted my initial impressions some time ago with a LC200N Mule and felt it was about VG-10 or a bit better with edge holding based on a cardboard project I had worked on. I was pummeled by the momentum of the LC200N lovers for saying such. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all!!! :D

CG

i like lc, and initially praised it pretty highly. i made comments about it being equal to s30v. after some more experience, i have to admit it's not as good as s30v. it does sharpen easier though and i still like it. at this point, i think i'm happier with se h1 instead though. i need to test it on a thinner pe knife though. my only experiences are with the pe native salt and se sheepsfoot caribbean. if they do these in all black, i may pick up a pe.

Why are you happier with SE H1? I am curious because I do not have any LC200N at present and my only H1 se is a Dragonfly Salt. It does do pretty well at edge retention, but I have not had to sharpen it much yet.

[u.w.]

I posted my initial impressions some time ago with a LC200N Mule and felt it was about VG-10 or a bit better with edge holding based on a cardboard project I had worked on. I was pummeled by the momentum of the LC200N lovers for saying such. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all!!! :D

CG

I personally look forward to seeing how it (LC200N) does for me, in my uses. I love seeing folks doing testing, and sharing that data.
Though I didn't see your post on your initial impressions with the LC200N, I don't question or doubt what you did, or the results you got. Thank you for bringing it up here, otherwise I might not have ever been aware.

i like lc, and initially praised it pretty highly. i made comments about it being equal to s30v. after some more experience, i have to admit it's not as good as s30v. it does sharpen easier though and i still like it. at this point, i think i'm happier with se h1 instead though. i need to test it on a thinner pe knife though. my only experiences are with the pe native salt and se sheepsfoot caribbean. if they do these in all black, i may pick up a pe.

I saw a video, some time ago now, where Pete (of Cedric & Ada youtube) posted one of his rope cut test with his Spydie Chef, which has a LC200N blade. As I recall, he reported more or less what your initial comments were. That being it was right around S30V.
What I can say so far is, for my "edc" use, it seem just fine. From my re-shaping and then hand sanding off all the scratches on the spine until there were zero scratch marks and it was oh-so-smooth... It was noticeably easier/faster to do that on this LC200N blade, than it has been on the numerous VG-10 blades I've done in the past... Also, on the belt sander - very few orange "sparks".
I'll re-state though, that in my "edc" use across a few days now - it's doing just fine, and I have no complaints what so ever with it.

Well, Larrins charts put LC200N below VG10 in edge retention as far as I recall...

If that turns out to be the case in my use also, then I would Love to see VG-10, or even better S30V, be used as the steel for the Hyker. I don't have any issues with VG-10, and have found S30V to be even better.
When I initially started posting about the Hyker, what I was asking for was to put VG-10, or S30V, in the Salt 2 handle (cost savings as that handle has long since been made), and make it a Spyderco drop point shape blade.
So again, if for whatever reason LC200N turns out to NOT be so great in regards to edge retention... Refer back to initial postings, years ago, about this knife idea.

Back then, I got told by multiple folks, to just buy a Salt 2 and do a blade swap... while the end result may have been what I was desiring, the cost of doing it didn't make sense to me. And so, here and there, along the way, I continued to make subtle posts about it... Until this knife hit the market, and then I bought it, and made an actual Hyker, as I have/had envisioned it all along.

As to stain resistance... what I've found is: The more polished the blade, the less prone to staining (rusting) it is. I am speaking to stainless steels here. I've polished/buffed the blades on my VG-10 Hykers, and they more or less don't rust now, even in the humidity of our summers, and/or days of being in the rain on trail.

Nice work on the blade. I just got one in SE. Been waiting on this awhile. Close to the perfect EDC for me. Very light, SE in FFG, which is ideal. The build quality is exceptional. My Delica's will be taking a backseat.

Thank You!

I agree, the build quality IS excellent, and perhaps the perfect EDC for me too. Now, I will say that the first three screws (counting the pivot as one, and moving toward the clip) were finger tip loose on mine. Having said that, I had read where folks were finding that, and so I checked mine for it. I DO NOT, in any way, consider that a flaw or fault. Give me every knife like that please! It's easy to check for. One at a time I took them out, added a dab of blue loctite, and reinstalled them - No problem, eazy-peazy. Build quality being centered blade, Strong bias to close black lock, no lock rock, fit-n-finish, etc... and Yes, Unbelievably light!

u.w.

[Wartstein]

Well, Larrins charts put LC200N below VG10 in edge retention as far as I recall...

If that turns out to be the case in my use also, then I would Love to see VG-10, or even better S30V, be used as the steel for the Hyker. I don't have any issues with VG-10, and have found S30V to be even better.

Personally I really like both VG10 and S30V, and in my use (though that is a lot outdoors in wet/moist/sweaty conditions) and environment they are both rustproof enough.

But if we´re talking about marketing the Salt 2 ffg or at least a special version of it as a near perfect hiking- and ultralight folder: The total corrosion-resistance would be probably a strong marketing argument for many customers of this crowd (and for many actually pretty nice to have...)

I think rustproofness is what many hikers and outdoor folks want to have (and what puts the Salt ahead of the Bugout).
Just the strong focus on marine / salt environments might make them overlook the Salt as a more general option.