Opinion : the Dragonfly 3 should look like the Byrd Robin 2

[Araignee]

Alright, let me throw a rock in the pond.

I have just received the Dragonfly 2 Wharncliffe in VG-10, and compared its ergonomics with my Robin 2.

As I already suspected from the pictures, I prefer those of the Robin. To me, they're more refined.

My contentions are as follows :

1. The handle is too thin behind the middle and ring fingers, it "lacks meat". There's almost some empty room between my fingers and the handle. As a result, I don't quite grip the knife confidently. There's something unnatural, it isn't a satisfying sensation.

Dragonfly

Robin comparison

2. My pinky finger rests awkwardly on the handle's butt, which is a bit short and especially curved the wrong way at the point of contact : it's convex instead of being concave.

Dragonfly

Robin comparison

3. The Sypderhole's hump is more pronounced than that of the Robin. But more importantly, its apex is more salient meaning it gets further into the thumb's flesh. (The "indentations" are also more pronounced but I don't mind that).

As you've noticed, I formulate these criticisms despite not having gigantic paws for hands
Or perhaps because of it ?

My suggestion for improvements to be implented in a future Dragonfly 3 : a refined solution already exists in-house... look no further that the Robin 2's design !

This being said, I really like how lightweight the Dragonfly is. Also I may have turned into a Wharncliffe believer.

[N. Brian Huegel]

Sal designs continue to refine. Since its introduction 1993-4, the Dragonfly design has had three major modifications/versions as Sal's understanding of ergonomics and mechanical innovations have developed. The Robin 2 is a result of those continual design evolutions, somewhat like the C62 Navigator. Perhaps Sal has more insight.

nb

[araneae]

The Dragonfly 2 is pretty much perfect IMO. I think your preferences are based on your hand. I'd say the Dragonfly is more comfortable than my robins in my XL hands. The relative blockiness of the second generation Byrds is a big detractor for me, but I think the Dragonfly is better overall while being simpler at a glance. Definitely among Sal's finest work.

As you get further into knives and their design, you realize that it's easy to make a design that fits your hand, but much harder to make one that fits everyone's hand well. This is even harder in a small knife design. The Dragonfly 2 accomplished that and I honestly wouldn't change a thing about it.

[Brant]

I’m rooting for a dragonfly XL. Possibly 33% bigger?

[Evil D]

You have quite small hands/fingers. My middle and ring finger fully fill up the center curve of a Dragonfly, and my pinky lands on the little flat at the end of the handle (just barely).

[ZrowsN1s]

Im always a fan of variety, but I wouldn't want the Dfly2 to go anywhere. It remains my first and favourite Spydie.

[p_atrick]

I must be the weirdo, the DF2 just wasn’t that comfortable for me. However, I gave it to a co-worker who adores it. All’s well that ends well.

[Bemo]

Araignee perhaps we need to form a small hands club. I agree, I prefer almost all of the Byrd FRN designs handle wise over the Seki counterparts. Chamfering of the edges is all that's missing. Sal absolutely got it right (for me at least) on the Harrier 2; add that level of chamfering to the Meadowlark 2 and the Robin and they would be amazing. Of course I love choils and not everyone does. Truthfully, I'm grateful that Sal designs knives that work for Hobbits/Harfoots and big people alike.

[Doc Dan]

[vandelay]

IMO, the DF2 just needs an option with a narrower blade to work better with the narrow handle (particularly on the wharncliffe version). That would make the knife's profile smaller and add fewer snag points getting it out of my pocket.

[aicolainen]

Wide angle lenses can be misleading, but from the looks of it I have a similar size hand as the OP, maybe even smaller. And the DF2 is probably my favorite Spyderco. I haven't tried any of the Byrds, so I don't know what I'm missing out on, but I'm reluctant to change anything on the current Dragonfly. It's not that it's impossible to improve upon, but it's so good as it is, a minor improvement for the world as a whole could just as likely be a change to the worse for me specifically.

[z1r]

Im always a fan of variety, but I wouldn't want the Dfly2 to go anywhere. It remains my first and favourite Spydie.

Exactly.

I'm a huge Byrd fan, but the Robin is my least favorite Byrd. But, I'm other others will disagree which is why I appreciate that Spyderco makes so many different models.

[Araignee]

Thanks for all your feedbacks so far.

It is certainly true that the hardest part of designing a handle for the mass is to come up with something which works for most.


The Dragonfly has clearly been doing well with this form factor for many years.

OTOH, so did the Robin.

Perhaps a middle ground could be found ? Not that I'd want to impose my preferences onto the majority, but it might be a worthwile avenue to explore when considering a Dragonfly 3 release.


In the meantime, it should be possible to come up with after-market scales for the Dragonfly 2 which would be closely modeled after the Robin's handle.

[Evil D]

Personally I still want a bigger one, but the Native 5 might be what I really need. I still think this sketch had potential though, and the way I shaped the rear handle would accommodate different finger sizes better and the OP's problem would be solved.

[rangefinder]

The one feature the Robin has that I'd like the Dragonfly to copy is the option of a SE wharncliffe blade.

I didn't realize the Robin had a SE wharncliffe option until this thread (which made me go look up the specs on the Spyderco website), so now I'm considering getting a Robin. But the weight difference between the two knives is significant. And the super light weight of the Dragonfly is one of it's main selling points for me.

[EW1989]

Yes! I recently got a spyderedge wharncliffe Robin - with the intent mainly to refine my serration sharpening skills on a cheaper blade. But that serrated wharncliffe Robin quickly grew on me and is now in a daily battle with my SE Dragonfly 2 Salt for pocket space. I think a great combination for Spyderco to consider would be a SE wharncliffe Dragonfly 2 in H2 steel.

If not in H2, maybe just put some serrations on the current VG-10 wharncliffe. The former would be my preference, but I’d be quick to purchase and use either.