Finding a Stetch?

[bjz]

So I last week I ordered my first Native and the dealer I purchased from just happened to have one of the ivory straight spine stretch 2 sprints new for sale. This knife was not really on my radar (I’ve never held or even seen a stretch 2 in person) but the price and availability were too good to pass it up and added it to my order.

Well, it seems folks are pretty divided in their preference of the stretch 2 or the previous stretch with the smaller handle. The stretch 2 is bigger than I’d like to carry, so this knife will almost never see pocket time (I’ve been loving it as a utility knife in the kitchen though). I would love to get my hands on the older/smaller version for actual carry time.

There doesn’t seem to be an abundance of these out and about and the few I’ve seen on eBay usually come along with blurry photos and rather high bid prices. Do folks out there that own the previous stretch have any advice on how to decipher between the two? And the various options out there? (It seems that there was a super blue with nice frn color).

Any and all advice will be much appreciated

[kennethsime]

First off, congrats on the new knife! I think you just picked up one of the best Spydercos out there.

If you ask me, you're over-thinking it - they're really about the same size. We forumites get caught up in the minutiae sometimes, and this is one of those times. They both have a 3.5" blade, and take up about the same amount of space in the pocket. 99/100 wouldn't notice the minor differences, other than the new one is a bit more comfortable for folks with bigger hands (oh, and the straight spine on SS models).

If you really want, http://www.bentoboxshop.com has the Hap40 Stretch listed for the better part of $200. Personally? I'd just grab the K390 version that's coming soon. *fingers crossed*

[zhyla]

Yeah they’re not that different. I’d just stick with what you got.

Experiment flipping the clip into the opposite orientation. I much prefer the tip down orientation for my Stretch. It’s not a huge knife but the handle is pretty large in the pocket. But for the blade size and how much handle you have it’s not that bad.

Maybe look at the Para 3 for a knife that carries smaller.

[VooDooChild]

Im going to disagree and say they are different.

With that said, once spyderco discontinues a knife they can be pretty hard to get ahold of.

[Snacktime]

I would try getting an original or a stretch 2 with original blade shape. Really useful blade shape just not as cosmetic as the straight splines. Straight splines is nice but not as strong blade tip for hard use.

[The Deacon]

Original is the smallest, and is easy to spot. It was only ever made with a stainless steel handle with Kraton inlays.

"Second generation", but still a "Stretch 1" came in a variety of flavors. most of which do not have a "Stretch 2" counterpart. Those are also easy to spot as are the versions unique to the Stretch 2. Only hard ones would be the black FRN VG-10 and green FRN ZDP-189 knives, where both Stretch 1 and Stretch 2 versions exist. Easiest way to tell one from the other, aside from simply looking at the logo on the handle, is to look a the back of the handle on the side without the clip. On the Stretch 2 there's a distinct space between the clip mounting boss and the boss around the rearmost body screw. On the Stretch 1 those two bosses touch.

[u.w.]

Having had, carried, and used both - I also feel they are "night and day different" in hand, and in use. 10 our of 10 times I can tell one from the other, in hand - in use, without looking.

To say they are basically the same, while "more or less true", is certainly misleading, in my opinion.

That would be like having the Mona Lisa, and then crayon-ing a uni-brow on her, or penciling on a mustache - more or less, or basically, the same - but very obviously different, and ...

Best of luck in tracking down one/some Stretch 1(s)

u.w.

[The Deacon]

Having had, carried, and used both - I also feel they are "night and day different" in hand, and in use. 10 our of 10 times I can tell one from the other, in hand - in use, without looking.

To say they are basically the same, while "more or less true", is certainly misleading, in my opinion.

That would be like having the Mona Lisa, and then crayon-ing a uni-brow on her, or penciling on a mustache - more or less, or basically, the same - but very obviously different, and ...

Best of luck in tracking down one/some Stretch 1(s)

u.w.

I think it depends a lot on hand size, and probably on one's idea of how a handle should "feel" as well. I carry and use all three "generations" of the Stretch but the original stainless version is still my favorite, in terms of size, perhaps because I have fairly small hands. However, in fairness, it took 3 tries at having one customized to get it to feel just right. There were quite a few folks who complained its handle was "cramped" and most of them still complained that the slightly longer handle of the "2nd gen Stretch 1" was too short and cramped. Those complaints probably had a lot to do with Spyderco's decision to "stretch the Stretch" even further into the Stretch 2 and may be at least part of the logic behind the requests for a Stretch XL.

[bearfacedkiller]

I notice the difference in the blade more than the handle. In the end the changes were subtle in my opinion. That said, I prefer the original.

[bjz]

Original is the smallest, and is easy to spot. It was only ever made with a stainless steel handle with Kraton inlays.

"Second generation", but still a "Stretch 1" came in a variety of flavors. most of which do not have a "Stretch 2" counterpart. Those are also easy to spot as are the versions unique to the Stretch 2. Only hard ones would be the black FRN VG-10 and green FRN ZDP-189 knives, where both Stretch 1 and Stretch 2 versions exist. Easiest way to tell one from the other, aside from simply looking at the logo on the handle, is to look a the back of the handle on the side without the clip. On the Stretch 2 there's a distinct space between the clip mounting boss and the boss around the rearmost body screw. On the Stretch 1 those two bosses touch.


Stretch 1 and 2 EX.JPG

This is fantastic! Thank you so much. I suppose the hunt for a hunting knife is on...but I’m not so much into spending tons of time on forums and such so it’ll probably be occasional ebay searches...would be cool to find one of the basic SE versions!

This place sure is full of enablers! That BHQ m4 para 3 is tempting as I’ve never tried that model before. Sheesh

[Chris_P_Bacon]

If you're a hunter and you field dress animals, and want a folder in your pocket as a "back up" to your fixed blade, then seeking out the older model stretch with the drop-point is worthwhile. That is, if you see the value in a drop point skinning knife (my preferred blade shape for gutting game). It's less-pokey at the tip of the knife, and less likely to puncture said guts.

Some that don't hunt, didn't see the the value. Sales were getting stagnate (I believe) and a change was made to straight spine. If you had a SSS in one pocket and the older FRN drop point in the other I doubt you could pick which was which, they're that similar in size!

[The Deacon]

Some that don't hunt, didn't see the the value. Sales were getting stagnate (I believe) and a change was made to straight spine. If you had a SSS in one pocket and the older FRN drop point in the other I doubt you could pick which was which, they're that similar in size!

Not a "change" so much as a decision to offer an additional blade shape to appeal to those who liked everything about the Stretch except the blade shape. The drop point versions remain in production. As for size, depends on the individual. We have guys here who claim they can notice a 1/8th ounce weight difference between two knives that both weigh about 3.5 ounces. So they'd tell just by the weight. With the Stretch, if I pick them up blindfolded I can't tell between an FRN Stretch and FRN Stretch 2 by feel when they're closed, but can tell immediately when I open them and grip the handles.

Photo below shows my customized "original recipe" Stretch, an FRN "second generation" Stretch, and an FRN Stretch 2. While the 2nd gen FRN handle is longer than the original, the grip area is virtually identical, so they "feel" about the same in my hand. On the other hand, the grip area of the Stretch 2 is noticeably longer. That's a major plus for those with larger hands but a wash, at best, for those of us who were happy with the older ones.