Towards my first SE Spyderco

[Bloke]

In all honesty, how couldn’t you go wrong with any SE blade knife Spyderco make?

Personally I hung off because I didn’t know how to sharpen them. As it goes Spyderco SE blades are easy to sharpen.

Thanks, D, Vivi, ...

[Airlsee]

Just buy these 3 and call it a day!



I'll vote UKPK SE.

[zhyla]

I would not choose a knife solely on FFG vs HG. I would choose based on thinness of blade, then, then overall design, then cost, then grind, and lastly steel.

I also would recommend an SE Tenacious. Great user blades and the grinds aren’t super thick.

[Wartstein]

For me so far (concerning what I've tried myself): The "mellower" the better. My ffg Endela SE performs even better than my ffg Salt 2 SE, since the latter has a bit more aggressive serrations.

Thank you for mentioning this. I have completely forgot that there is Endela (and Endura) in SE (apparently also in k390). I am going to have a closer look - it would appear that each different model has slightly different grind when it comes to the serrations.

Aggressive matter separator is pretty much what I am expecting. So it sounds like I might be on the right track :)

Some things I´d consider, concerning Endura and Endela SE:

- When it comes to regular blade shape (not wharnie) the Endura SE only comes in sabre grind (not hollow sabre) and with more "aggressive" serrations, the Endela SE only in ffg and "mellower" serrations. I have quite some experience with both, and for me the Endela works a lot better. I think the Endela SE would give you the "real" SE experience many here are talking about

- Yes, both Endura and Endela come in K390 ffg SE. I have no experience with those (or generally with K390), but I think the possible advantages of K390 over VG10 probably are a lot more pronounced in PE than in SE.
SE blades hold an edge longer anyway than the same blade (in the same steel) in PE, and despite SE is really easy to sharpen technically, at least on a sharpmaker one can only use the corners of the rods, and I figure they´d wear down pretty fast with a steel like K390.
For me VG10 is decent in PE, but really a great steel in SE!!

/ "Aggressive matter separator": Jim Malone is talking about the wharnie Endela SE, which I can´t weigh in on.
But my "regular" blade shape Endela SE is actually amazing at really fine cutting, and also at "thin slicing vegetables"! Might be partly due to the much more acute (chisel) grind and not directly to the serrations, don´t know.

[Matus]

All your replies are very much appreciated. Thank you.

I am leaning to start with the UKPK Salt, see what it is like, learn to sharpen it, get a feel of how it cuts. And then decided for a larger serrated blade. I am not going to lie - I like to look of yellow H1 Pacific salt, but indeed the Endela SE looks like it would be the best cutter of the bunch (I am just not too hot on black handles, but that would be a secondary point). What ever medium/large SE blade I would get, it would also see its use around the garden, as that is something we are yet to tackle (even if it is not a particularly large one).

@Airlsee - very nice photo! I had a brief look at the Native 5, but there is a non-zero probability that I will get the PE Magnacut version once it comes out, so I would look elsewhere for an SE edge.

One think that I noticed when comparing grinds on different SE blade is the rather large variation of the length of non-serrated tip knives have. For example - VG-10 Endela has a rather long PE tip, while k390 nearly none. Pacific salts fall somewhere in between. UKPK has also a very short PE tip, though there I kinda get it as the whole cutting edge is rather short. But on the other hand D-fly is even shorter and has longer PE tip. I am wondering what is the reason behind.

EDIT: SE Stretch 2 -/XL would not be a bad solution at all. Just sayin' ...

[Airlsee]

EDIT: SE Stretch 2 -/XL would not be a bad solution at all. Just sayin' ...

That is the configuration that I intend on getting...that and a UKPK Salt would be a very nice combination.

[Wartstein]

...... I am not going to lie - I like to look of yellow H1 Pacific salt, but indeed the Endela SE looks like it would be the best cutter of the bunch (I am just not too hot on black handles, but that would be a secondary point). What ever medium/large SE blade I would get, it would also see its use around the garden, as that is something we are yet to tackle (even if it is not a particularly large one).

.......

As a "knife guy" Spydercos are more than "just" tools to me (if it wasn´t like that, I´d probably own just two or three) - but in case of the Endela SE: Admittedly I personally happen to really like the model itself (light, slim, FRN, backlock, SE in VG10...) - but even if one does not or not so much: I´d still recommend it just as an amazing (cutting-) tool - rationally seen just a great option to have in any tool box. Something one does not have to love, but just works. Also, but by far not just, for "use around to garden"

So: If your main goal is to find out what the SE praise is all about (and not necessarily get the model/platform you like the most): I am certain the Endela with its particular serration pattern is one of the very best choices.
After looking at pics and discussions with David only the Caribbean must be even better (of all SE models I am aware of of course!) - did you consider a Caribbean SE?

[Matus]

Apropos Endela & Caribbean ...

The Endela is a possible candidate as the grind looks really good. I would not mind having a longer cutting edge, but it IS the cheapest option (actually a little bit cheaper than the UKPK Salt at the moment). I am not super attracted to the Endela/Endura pattern, though I must admit that I have never handled Endela (or Endura for that matter), so that sentiment might change. I like that the knife is not so super tall as that should make

I actually used to have a PE leaf shape Caribbean that I eventually sold to a friend of mine. I did not sell it because I did not like it, but it overlapped with a different Spyderco in its intended function (even though objectively the Caribbean is the better knife of the two). So I have a pretty good idea what to expect. The Caribbean has no choil (what I would prefer) and offers actually the longest blade of the knives I am looking at - without being unnecessarily long in the pocket. And after going through that tortre-thread by David I gained a lot of respect for the durability of the knife. The main downside at the moment is the price. And for some reason I am little worried that it might endanger the position of my beloved k390 PM" (which got custom burlap scales in the mean time). On the other hand if it would, it would free some funds - so there are downsides and upsides :) One thing that comes a bit to my mind is that he knife is a bit on the wide (tall) side, so a little less 'nimble'. That was at leas my impressions.

[Ramonade]

Dunno if this will help in any way but here I go
I recently acquired an Endela SE and it's a really nice introduction to SE. Already had played with a byrd hawkbill but this one easily takes the cake!

I'm interested in even "wavier" stations like on the Caribbean or police K390.

I think those are the closest to PE in the feeling department while bringing all that SE has to offer.

I've yet to construct and post my "review" of the Endela SE. It's a bit more stout of a FFG than the Police tho, this one seems to be a toothy laser!

[Evil D]

You made me do this




(it's really black in the middle of the scale, that's just a weird lighting thing that makes it look teal)

[ladybug93]

another model that seems like it would be great with serrations that everyone seems to forget about is the rockjumper. it's not as expensive as most other knives being suggested either.

[Ramonade]

another model that seems like it would be great with serrations that everyone seems to forget about is the rockjumper. it's not as expensive as most other knives being suggested either.

Oh yes! My eyes were on a k390 wharncliffe but the edge going all the way up to the handle might make it a winner in my books.

[Evil D]

Not trying to detail this thread but I'm really really really hoping we see a K390 Rock Jumper. I'd like to continue playing with the SE/K390 combo but probably not in a Police 4.

[Matus]

You made me do this

(it's really black in the middle of the scale, that's just a weird lighting thing that makes it look teal)

That is a very cool mod, was already admiring it in another thread. he blade is flat-ish, but not completely. And I must say - it would be cool if that blue tone would be the actual color, looks super nice.

another model that seems like it would be great with serrations that everyone seems to forget about is the rockjumper. it's not as expensive as most other knives being suggested either.

I have noticed it some time ago already - the first reason being the handle (it looks a bit like a merger of Stretch and Caribbean), but I am not sure I want a sheepsfoot blade. But I am going to give it more attention.


***
The way the grind is made on the k390 SE edges is really attractive, but I am actively going to set them aside. I think it will be easier to lern to sharpen H1/LC200N/VG-10 in this format. Plus I don't have the CBN rods yet for the sharpmaker.

[Matus]

Not trying to detail this thread but I'm really really really hoping we see a K390 Rock Jumper. I'd like to continue playing with the SE/K390 combo but probably not in a Police 4.

This is very well in line. Is there a particular reason you would be interested in Rockjumper over some other k390 SE knives? Endela should be coming out soon (I hope). I am just curios.

[Evil D]

Not trying to detail this thread but I'm really really really hoping we see a K390 Rock Jumper. I'd like to continue playing with the SE/K390 combo but probably not in a Police 4.

This is very well in line. Is there a particular reason you would be interested in Rockjumper over some other k390 SE knives? Endela should be coming out soon (I hope). I am just curios.

I just really prefer the handle forward, hidden ricasso design a lot. It also happens to have the best pivot action I've experienced in a back lock, something about the shape of the blade tang and the cam shape that control how much self close bias it has is just different and it's much easier and smoother to open than any other back lock I have. I'm hoping we see SE/K390 in the upcoming Leaf Jumper too.

[ladybug93]

salt or bust. everyone wants these hard steels for knives with no liners and plastic handles. just give me a salt version of the rockjumper/leafjumper/xl and stretch xl and i'll be happy.

[Matus]

I decided to have a closer look at the serrations and realized that de details are easier to observe/compare from the right-hand side of the blade. TheKnifeJoker, GPknives and DLT Trading has some really good photos on their webpage so I have put the following few blades together and scaled them so the size is approximately comparable. To my eye the most 'mild' serrations are on the Endela and Caribbean. Most aggressive seems to the the Pacific Salts followed by - somehow surprisingly - the UKPK.

(EDIT: I uploaded a new photo in better quality)

[Evil D]

I decided to have a closer look at the serrations and realized that de details are easier to observe/compare from the right-hand side of the blade. TheKnifeJoker, GPknives and DLT Trading has some really good photos on their webpage so I have put the following few blades together and scaled them so the size is approximately comparable. To my eye the most 'mild' serrations are on the Endela and Caribbean. Most aggressive seems to the the Pacific Salts followed by - somehow surprisingly - the UKPK.

SpyderEdge.JPG

Well yes and no. That makes it easier to see the curve of the serrations and how sharp the points are, but you can't see how deep into the blade they're ground and how thick the resulting ridges will be. This is a huge detail with serrations because thicker ridges perform the same as a really thick edge on a plain edge knife...they create a lot of drag. Basically the blade grind needs to be thinly ground before the serrations are cut into it, which limits how thick the ridges can then end up being.

Another thing that I've noticed with older SE blades is they were really more of a chisel grind than today's knives because the edge was truly at the "back" of the blade and you can see that the actual edge is off center towards the back of the blade. Today's SE blades are usually ground offset to compensate for this and the edges are centered on the blade. This helps to reduce chisel grind walk and I think goes a long way in thinning out the ridges between the serrations too. I think this is a big reason why modern knives like the Caribbean are so much better slicers than some of the classic SE models from 25 years ago. When you think about people's past perception of serrations, I think this may be a big reason why some do not like them if they've never used a newer knife like a Caribbean or Endela or UKPK Salt etc. The grinds have come a long way.

[Matus]

Well yes and no ...

I agree fully (and thanks for the grind details) - I was only trying to compare the shape of the serrations in the photo above (P.S. I have changed the photo to a better one).