FRN Chaparral - impressions

[Soanso McMasters]

My first Spyderco ever arrived several days ago, a FRN Chaparral. The action is wonderfully smooth, the weight is ridiculously light, and the thin blade is crazy slicey. I really like this thing! I lament not just getting it in bird’s eye maple, as I’m not a huge fan of the FRN texture for comfort, but I am quite pleased with this knife. The Spydie hole is a bit sharp but I’ve adapted I do believe. I am a fan!

[Netherend]

FRN grows on you. I had the same feelings as you with my FRN knives when I first bought one, then I started using it. FRN is really a pleasure to carry. It’s grippier and more user friendly than it seems. It is also super light weight which makes it optimal for every day carry. The FRN Chaparral is on my wish list. Enjoy it, use it and stay safe.

[Roblues]

Yes I agree with you it is a beautifully small and light slicer that is the easiest knife to carry! I love the slimnesss, light weight and grippy texture of the frn.

[Pancake]

I have FRN Chaparral since 2019 (?) and it is a wonderful little knife. Fit and finish is excellent, cuts like crazy, and it has proper 4 finger grip while using a choil.
Even tho the wire clip is not my favourite, it's doing its job ok.

IMO, for EDC, FRN is the best material. Wood is nice, so the fancy black and white G10, but FRN is the money, durable, stable, extremely grippy due to texture, yet the material is smooth.

This is a Sal's masterpiece.
One thing that bugs me, I would like to try Sage at some point, it's like his bigger brother.

[chronovore]

I've come to appreciate Spyderco's FRN. It's wonderfully utilitarian and reasonably comfortable for the amount of traction it offers. This is something that a lot of companies get wrong.

Another part of the charm with FRN is that it's distinctly not fancy. It dispels notions of avoiding wear or trying to keep a pretty knife pristine. It encourages use. It has also encouraged me to mod things I don't like. For instance, I've been happy to file or chamfer crisp edges around Spydie holes or along inner scale edges.

I'd like to see more modern folders going with thinner stock. It makes cutting a joy.

[Bolster]

I'd been reading the forum for months, seeing all these recommendations for the Chap. Finally bought one: Now I understand what all the fuss is about. It's a brilliant knife.

[Wartstein]

I'd been reading the forum for months, seeing all these recommendations for the Chap. Finally bought one: Now I understand what all the fuss is about. It's a brilliant knife.

Glad you got one and like it!
It IS brillant indeed!

Now, after some use, you'll perhaps also understand the desire and quest for a Chap XL, something I started more than one thread about (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=85342 for example).
This thing, esoecially this thin, but strong blade, would be an amazing performer in let's say Endela size.

[Toucan]

If I could only have one knife (assuming it wouldn't be a huge knife like an Endura), it would be the Chappy. It's basically an ultra lux Delica. Thinner, slicier, lighter, powder steel, internal stop pin, choil, dyeable, wire clip -- what's not to like?

[Wartstein]

My first Spyderco ever arrived several days ago, a FRN Chaparral....

Congrats, great first Spydie!
Alomg the lines of Pancake above and what I always say: A masterpiece even among Sals masterpieces...

Some points:

- The "sharp" opening hole imho is a good thing, "grabs" the skin better and makes opening the knife more reliable. But if you don't like that: No big deal to knock the sharpness down a bit.

- Yes, the Chap IS light absolutely speaking, but actually "heavy" in a good sense for its small size. It has an extremely solid build (the whole back of the handle is metal, steel liners...)

- Don't let people tell you this would be just a "light duty" "gents" knife. It is this TOO, but I' ve really beat on the Chap also in harder outdoor use, turned and twisted the blade in harder wood and so on: No problems at all. This is a tough, also hard use knife, with a blade as thick as necessary, but still thin enough to be a superior slicer over the (not to few...) "fat" bladed small folders.

Enjoy!!

PS: If you like light weight, thin slicey blades and backlocks: Salt 2 ffg (in LC200N) is the logical recommendation. Lighter than a Chap, but larger and more cutting edge, blade not 2.00 but at least just 2.5 mm and not the "standard" 3.00 mm or even "fat" 3.7...

And with the Salt you could try SE or a wharnie blade... or, best choice, both

[sal]

Hi Roblues,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[Wartstein]

.....
One thing that bugs me, I would like to try Sage at some point, it's like his bigger brother.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Ssge is a great platform, the Sage 5 LW currently the only comp.lock model I'd consider to get and way better than the Para 3 for me, the Sage 1 with its linerlock in FRN and "just" S30V would be even better...

But: The Sage may be the bigger brother of the Chap... but it is actually pretty different, especially since it does not offer this sensibly thinner bladestock, not such an amazing backlock, not the thin carry and on the Sage the choil is nice to have for some, while for others it just reduces cutting edge length, but on the Chap the choil is pretty much mandatory for larger hands.

[kobold]

I traded it away, because the handle was too thin and gray plastic will never have any staying power in my collection, but I love my maple and RN Chaps.

[Soanso McMasters]

Hi Roblues,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

Thanks! You’ll have to forgive me, but what or who is Roblues? I’m borderline incompetent so if this is a term everyone around here knows I apologize for a silly question!

[Soanso McMasters]

My first Spyderco ever arrived several days ago, a FRN Chaparral....

Congrats, great first Spydie!
Alomg the lines of Pancake above and what I always say: A masterpiece even among Sals masterpieces...

Some points:

- The "sharp" opening hole imho is a good thing, "grabs" the skin better and makes opening the knife more reliable. But if you don't like that: No big deal to knock the sharpness down a bit.

- Yes, the Chap IS light absolutely speaking, but actually "heavy" in a good sense for its small size. It has an extremely solid build (the whole back of the handle is metal, steel liners...)

- Don't let people tell you this would be just a "light duty" "gents" knife. It is this TOO, but I' ve really beat on the Chap also in harder outdoor use, turned and twisted the blade in harder wood and so on: No problems at all. This is a tough, also hard use knife, with a blade as thick as necessary, but still thin enough to be a superior slicer over the (not to few...) "fat" bladed small folders.

Enjoy!!

PS: If you like light weight, thin slicey blades and backlocks: Salt 2 ffg (in LC200N) is the logical recommendation. Lighter than a Chap, but larger and more cutting edge, blade not 2.00 but at least just 2.5 mm and not the "standard" 3.00 mm or even "fat" 3.7...

And with the Salt you could try SE or a wharnie blade... or, best choice, both

The LC200N is so intriguing I had to order a Spydiechef. In the salt serious I’m considering a Native, but the sheepsfoot and wharncliffe are a siren’s call as I love those blade shapes.

[Roblues]

Hi soandso
I am Roblues, posted a reply to your thread above. I just recently joined, so Sal noticed that.

Thanks for the welcome Sal, your knives are fantastic.

[Keats]

Got mine a few weeks ago.

First, FANTASTIC KNIFE and probably the best edc ever made imho.

Genius of the design comes from economy of size and weight. Great choice in steel for the slender blade. Very light. There are lighter knives, but what you get for that weight is...full liners, bronze washers, CTS-XHP blade under 3" that slices like crazy, handle and choil that are designed for full hand grip (unless you're Andre the Giant).

Any knife that has full liners and FRN is plenty strong. Combine that with the lock back and XHP...when opened, rock solid tip to tail. Anyone who thinks this is not a hard-use knife is underestimating the knife. It might not be my first choice for hard use, but again...for the size and weight that both make for exceptional carry, it's a mini beast.

Some cons:
1. If you're going to have the most carry-able edc ever made with most cutting power and ergos for size and weight, the lock back might be a bit thin and cause some thumb divots. Really not an issue for me, but...I can see where some might not like the very thin steel in the back lock when closing.

2. The FRN is flat. Again, very minor issue that goes to weight and the slenderness in pocket, but having an old-school Native from like 10 years ago, I know how nice contoured FRN can be. I think a bit more FRN to make it a little better in hand would be worth the added size and weight, but we're talking serious picking of nits.

My new EDC, carry it every day. Retired my Rat2 and Delica--two I used to switch out.

[Soanso McMasters]

Hi soandso
I am Roblues, posted a reply to your thread above. I just recently joined, so Sal noticed that.

Thanks for the welcome Sal, your knives are fantastic.

Me, too! I ain’t so bright!

[sal]

Hi Keats,

Welcome to our forum.

Hey Soanso,

I try to welcome new visitors when I notice. If I didn't welcome you when you first joined, apologies. welcome.

sal

[Pancake]

Snip

Of course you are right with all your observation with Sage. There are quite a few differences, but in my mind, Sage is in the same category of knives as a Chaparral, but just a bit bigger.
One thing that I wonder is, if the 2 mm blade stock would be sufficient enough for longer blade. Probably yes. But maybe there are some ..... that would break the blade. I don't know.
I like the concept of a bigger Chaparral, with like 3,5" blade.

[Wartstein]

Snip

Of course you are right with all your observation with Sage. There are quite a few differences, but in my mind, Sage is in the same category of knives as a Chaparral, but just a bit bigger.
One thing that I wonder is, if the 2 mm blade stock would be sufficient enough for longer blade. Probably yes. But maybe there are some ..... that would break the blade. I don't know.
I like the concept of a bigger Chaparral, with like 3,5" blade.

I personally am 100% certain that 2mm bladestock in XHP and this rather tall blade would be sufficient for a length of 3.5"!

Sure, in some crazy youtube "hard use tests" such a blade would break earlier than in 3mm stock. But in any real life knife (like in cutting tool) "hard use" not.

Just look at many old time folders or Opinels: Very thin and by that better slicing blades and work just fine..

I personally hope Spyderco will go more in the "Chap direction" concerning bladestock and less in the "Para 3 direction"