Spyderco "Hyker"

[u.w.]

The Spyderco "Hyker", as I had envisioned it, and started subtlety posting about a couple of years ago or more now - on the Spyderco forum(s)...

What is the "Hyker" you ask? A spyderco Delica/Salt knife, Hi-Vis handles, highly stainless steel blade, at or better than VG-10 wear resistance, and 2.0 ounces or less.
What I use my knife for while on hikes: cut vines, saplings, branches, avocados, pepperoni, salami, open packages, cut string, rope, webbing/straps, etc... with SD being a potential use also, though I have never had the need (*knocks on wood).

I've modded numerous Delicas over the years to my own taste/preference, to come close to my ideal long distance backpacking knife. But, I could not get to, or under, that 2.0 ounce mark due to the Delica having skeletonized liners, and I wasn't going to get a H1 steel knife, due to it's (for me, my uses, my opinion) not such great edge holding...

And then - Spyderco put LC200N steel in a Hi-Vis Salt 2 handle (green is my favorite color too), so I bought it within the first minute I found out they had been released and some dealers had them (thanks again Spydergirl88).

I got it last night (2/27/21). I put it on my scale, and it weighed in at 53 grams - or - 1.869 ounces! Yes!
Of the two Bugouts I have, one weighs 54 grams, and the other weighs 53 grams.

Of course I already knew I was going to mod it to the blade shape I prefer, that being the "drop point" i.e. UKPK Drop Point, Stretch I & II, and Kapara to name a few.

I went to sleep that night happy, and excited. Next morning (this morning) woke up, had some oatmeal and coffee, grabbed a face mask, safety glasses, pickle jar of ice water, a ruler, a sharpie, and some of my drop point Spydercos. Some shaping on the belt sander and dipping in the ice water later, and we have the Hyker!

I put it on my scale again, after re-shaping the blade profile, and...
51 grams!! 1.798 ounces!! It's lighter than the both of the Bugouts I have!

And it's a backlock, and it's got that big ole' thumb hole that I love so much! Total win!






u.w.

[TenGrainBread]

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.

[SG89]

Nice!

[bearrowland]

I like it. I picked up the Dragonfly as a hiking knife, as your needs and mine are very similar. I found that I like the Delica better for my hiking...nothing big, just my preference. I like that bright green color. Nothing is worse than dropping a knife in the brush and not being able to find it because it blends in!

[vivi]

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've found I can get either steel to hold a working edge 2-3x longer than the factory edge by dropping the edge angle a bit and giving it a coarser finish.

viewtopic.php?t=85096

[bearfacedkiller]

Nice mod on that spine. Thanks for sharing.

[u.w.]

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.

Thanks! I took my time with it for sure. It's super smooth.

I've heard the same in regards to the edge retention, but not ever tried it out myself, so time will tell. I personally don't have any issues with VG-10, so If it's equal or better, then it's a keeper and big win, for me.

Nice!

Thanks! It was your post that made me aware they were available. Mere seconds past between me seeing your post in "what spyderco is in the mail", and me finding and then ordering my own.

I like it. I picked up the Dragonfly as a hiking knife, as your needs and mine are very similar. I found that I like the Delica better for my hiking...nothing big, just my preference. I like that bright green color. Nothing is worse than dropping a knife in the brush and not being able to find it because it blends in!

This may sound silly but why I prefer the Delica/Salt size, is because I can cut through a stick of hard salami, summer sausage, pepperoni, etc... in just one cut. Can I do it with a smaller knife and numerous cuts? Yes, but I don't prefer it. And it's just enough bigger/beefier (than the DF2) that it's a huge improvement (for me) when cutting branches, saplings, and vines.
Just my own personal preference that I've learned over the years.
For me it big enough for anything (more or less) without being to big, or extra. Now at only 51 grams - or -1.79 oz! Three inch blade, thumb hole, back lock locking blade.
Agreed on the Hi-Vis handle color too!

u.w.

[Holland]

Very nicely done reprofiling the blade

[araneae]

The Spyderco "Hyker", as I had envisioned it, and started subtlety posting about a couple of years ago or more now - on the Spyderco forum(s)...

What is the "Hyker" you ask? A spyderco Delica/Salt knife, Hi-Vis handles, highly stainless steel blade, at or better than VG-10 wear resistance, and 2.0 ounces or less.
What I use my knife for while on hikes: cut vines, saplings, branches, avocados, pepperoni, salami, open packages, cut string, rope, webbing/straps, etc... with SD being a potential use also, though I have never had the need (*knocks on wood).








u.w.

Excellent looking mod. I will point out that from what I recall, Larrin's work found LC200N is not equal or beyond VG-10 in edge holding, rather below, something like 20% less I think. I sometimes feel like I am the only one who hasn't jumped on the LC200N wagon.

[tonijedi]

Once again, congratulations.

Hope you like it and report back after use it some time.

[vivi]

The Spyderco "Hyker", as I had envisioned it, and started subtlety posting about a couple of years ago or more now - on the Spyderco forum(s)...

What is the "Hyker" you ask? A spyderco Delica/Salt knife, Hi-Vis handles, highly stainless steel blade, at or better than VG-10 wear resistance, and 2.0 ounces or less.
What I use my knife for while on hikes: cut vines, saplings, branches, avocados, pepperoni, salami, open packages, cut string, rope, webbing/straps, etc... with SD being a potential use also, though I have never had the need (*knocks on wood).








u.w.

Excellent looking mod. I will point out that from what I recall, Larrin's work found LC200N is not equal or beyond VG-10 in edge holding, rather below, something like 20% less I think. I sometimes feel like I am the only one who hasn't jumped on the LC200N wagon.

Either way LC improves on Ti and H1 PE edge holding. For people that like rust proof knives it offers a nice upgrade :)

[ladybug93]

very nice. i kinda want one of these now.

[u.w.]

I've found I can get either steel to hold a working edge 2-3x longer than the factory edge by dropping the edge angle a bit and giving it a coarser finish.

viewtopic.php?t=85096

OK, good to know. I will definitely try that then. Thanks,

Nice mod on that spine. Thanks for sharing.

Thank YOU, and you're welcome.

Very nicely done reprofiling the blade

Thank you

Excellent looking mod. I will point out that from what I recall, Larrin's work found LC200N is not equal or beyond VG-10 in edge holding, rather below, something like 20% less I think. I sometimes feel like I am the only one who hasn't jumped on the LC200N wagon.

Thank you.
I hadn't read that. I'm still going to carry and use it to see how it does for me. If it is noticeably less than VG-10, then it will not go on hiking trips with me. I'm gonna give it a fair try though. As vivi has pointed out, thinning the edge and finishing it "courser" has improved edge longevity, for him. I prefer coarser edges myself (nod to Cliff Stamp, Joe Calton, and vivi), and while I may be a bit of an "old dog", I'm definitely not to old to learn. So it'll get a coarse (say 400 to 300 grit) finish and I'll thin the edge a little (this is pretty routine for me anyway), and I'll see how it goes from there. I can go much coarser (more coarse?) if needed, or finer.

Once again, congratulations.

Hope you like it and report back after use it some time.

Thank you again. Yes of course, I will report back to update after I use it more and more, over time.

u.w.

[u.w.]

Either way LC improves on Ti and H1 PE edge holding. For people that like rust proof knives it offers a nice upgrade :)

Very true. It's gonna get "the vivi treatment", all the same though. That of course (pun not intended, lol) being, edge thinned and coarse finish.

very nice. i kinda want one of these now.

If I, in any way, am enabling that, then :D :) :spyder:

u.w.

[Enactive]

The Spyderco "Hyker", as I had envisioned it, and started subtlety posting about a couple of years ago or more now - on the Spyderco forum(s)...

What is the "Hyker" you ask? A spyderco Delica/Salt knife, Hi-Vis handles, highly stainless steel blade, at or better than VG-10 wear resistance, and 2.0 ounces or less.
What I use my knife for while on hikes: cut vines, saplings, branches, avocados, pepperoni, salami, open packages, cut string, rope, webbing/straps, etc... with SD being a potential use also, though I have never had the need (*knocks on wood).

I've modded numerous Delicas over the years to my own taste/preference, to come close to my ideal long distance backpacking knife. But, I could not get to, or under, that 2.0 ounce mark due to the Delica having skeletonized liners, and I wasn't going to get a H1 steel knife, due to it's (for me, my uses, my opinion) not such great edge holding...

And then - Spyderco put LC200N steel in a Hi-Vis Salt 2 handle (green is my favorite color too), so I bought it within the first minute I found out they had been released and some dealers had them (thanks again Spydergirl88).

I got it last night (2/27/21). I put it on my scale, and it weighed in at 53 grams - or - 1.869 ounces! Yes!
Of the two Bugouts I have, one weighs 54 grams, and the other weighs 53 grams.

Of course I already knew I was going to mod it to the blade shape I prefer, that being the "drop point" i.e. UKPK Drop Point, Stretch I & II, and Kapara to name a few.

I went to sleep that night happy, and excited. Next morning (this morning) woke up, had some oatmeal and coffee, grabbed a face mask, safety glasses, pickle jar of ice water, a ruler, a sharpie, and some of my drop point Spydercos. Some shaping on the belt sander and dipping in the ice water later, and we have the Hyker!

I put it on my scale again, after re-shaping the blade profile, and...
51 grams!! 1.798 ounces!! It's lighter than the both of the Bugouts I have!

And it's a backlock, and it's got that big ole' thumb hole that I love so much! Total win!

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/509 ... 7ba2_k.jpg

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/509 ... 1b4a_k.jpg

u.w.

Very nice on the blade shape re-work. I am a big fan of the Stretch and UKPK style drop points.

[u.w.]

Very nice on the blade shape re-work. I am a big fan of the Stretch and UKPK style drop points.

Thank you Very Much. I too am a big fan of the Stretch & UKPK style drop points, which is why I do it to my Delica's, and did it to this one.

u.w.

[Ryder]

Excellent job. May it serve you well through wilderness trails and the rough country.

[araneae]

Excellent looking mod. I will point out that from what I recall, Larrin's work found LC200N is not equal or beyond VG-10 in edge holding, rather below, something like 20% less I think. I sometimes feel like I am the only one who hasn't jumped on the LC200N wagon.

Either way LC improves on Ti and H1 PE edge holding. For people that like rust proof knives it offers a nice upgrade :)

My comparison was just to VG-10 as that was the OP's bar. Yes, it does improve over PE H1, I just find it curious that in the same place where s30v is often disparaged, a steel with significantly lower edge retention than VG-10 gets so much love. Especially looking at the cost LC adds. I guess I'm just glad that I like my Salts in H1 SE. I'd still love to see Catra head to head of H1 and LC200N.

[u.w.]

Excellent job. May it serve you well through wilderness trails and the rough country.

Thank you very much. I hope it does - time will tell...

u.w.

[bearrowland]

Actually that makes perfect sense to me u.w.