K390 Straight Spine Stretch with Green Canvas Micarta Scales

[kennethsime]

I've been waiting for this knife a long time - since the SS Stretch was first announced! It's set to take over my pocket for the next month or so as soon as the loctite cures!






Scales are by Suingab, a nice guy from Lithuania. Overall, very fine work - finished nicer than my Allen Putnam scales, I think. The Micarta simply melts into your hand. I made the order on August 6th, and the scales arrived here in California on the 27th - not bad overall. My two minor complaints are:

• The backspacer isn't quite flush with the scales. This isn't really an ergonomics problem, and I think I could just sand it down, but:
• There's a bit of play in between the sping and the backspacer.

I've reached out to Suignab to see if there's anything he can do about the second issue - I'm sure it's difficult to produce a factory fit without having the actual knife in front of you. In the meantime, it's not going to stop me from using the knife.

[Wartstein]

I've been waiting for this knife a long time - since the SS Stretch was first announced! It's set to take over my pocket for the next month or so as soon as the loctite cures!



....

I've reached out to Suignab to see if there's anything he can do about the second issue - I'm sure it's difficult to produce a factory fit without having the actual knife in front of you. In the meantime, it's not going to stop me from using the knife.

EXTREMELY nice, man!

I have been thinking about getting such scales for one of my Stretch 1s for quite some time now.. in the color yours have or brown or denim blue.

Just not sure yet if to order from Suingab or Cuscadi (the two sources for custom scales I am aware of in Europe)

The former makes a bit nicer (= more contoured) scales , on the flipside one can send the knife in two the latter so they can fit the scales on one distinct folder...

[kennethsime]

EXTREMELY nice, man!

I have been thinking about getting such scales for one of my Stretch 1s for quite some time now.. in the color yours have or brown or denim blue.

Just not sure yet if to order from Suingab or Cuscadi (the two sources for custom scales I am aware of in Europe)

The former makes a bit nicer (= more contoured) scales , on the flipside one can send the knife in two the latter so they can fit the scales on one distinct folder...

I'm really pretty happy overall, the knife is VERY comfortable in hand.

However, I think that if I was in Europe and had the option to send the knife to the maker, I would go that route. Like Sal says, they're not Legos, and I think the Seki knives in particular are hand-finished. I think the fitment issue with the lockspring reveals this. I'll report back after carrying the knife tomorrow to see how much it really matters.

[kennethsime]

Well, Suingab got back to me within an hour on a Saturday night (his time) offering to make a new backspacer with a tighter fit for the lock spring. I'd say that's great service right there.

[TkoK83Spy]

I want to hold your knife! Haha, looks great.

[kennethsime]

I want to hold your knife! Haha, looks great.

Man I'm at work right now and the Stretch is at home curing - I keep looking back at these pictures 'cos I can't wait to hold it also!

Yea, I think I have a problem...

[Doc Dan]

I've been waiting for this knife a long time - since the SS Stretch was first announced! It's set to take over my pocket for the next month or so as soon as the loctite cures!






Scales are by Suingab, a nice guy from Lithuania. Overall, very fine work - finished nicer than my Allen Putnam scales, I think. The Micarta simply melts into your hand. I made the order on August 6th, and the scales arrived here in California on the 27th - not bad overall. My two minor complaints are:

• The backspacer isn't quite flush with the scales. This isn't really an ergonomics problem, and I think I could just sand it down, but:
• There's a bit of play in between the sping and the backspacer.

I've reached out to Suignab to see if there's anything he can do about the second issue - I'm sure it's difficult to produce a factory fit without having the actual knife in front of you. In the meantime, it's not going to stop me from using the knife.

Those look amazing, apart from the two issues you pointed out. I really like Micarta of all types and these make the knife rugged looking.

[FK]

Thank you for posting the photos, my K390 Stretch arrived, while excellent Spyderco design, I also want to try micarta on the knife.

Regards,
FK

[kennethsime]

3 months later, I’m still not 100% on these scales - I think I’ll replace them eventually.

Yesterday my knife wouldn’t open all the way. I cycled a few times before taking a closer look, expecting pocket lint. I found a chunk of the scale had broken off and was impeding the blade from locking open.



I haven’t been using my knife as a hammer, and haven’t dropped it, so I assume this was just bumping up against my Swiss Army knife which is carried in the same pocket.

The lockup still isn’t great, either.



Suingab and I disagreed of the cause of this, and rather than open the knife back up to try his solution, I just left it alone. YMMV with him.

[Ramonade]

Pretty sad that the scales dies out this way. They were looking pretty nice !
Maybe the maker didn't believe that there could be a bubble while the micarta was made. If there wasn't hammering or else, that's one of the only reason I could find for it to go into pieces that easily...

(I kept mine with the FRN, but i like the FRN ^^)