D'Allara 3 feedback

[kelpie]

5 months in and the D'Allara 3 has been my edc for work since it arrived. these are a few of my thoughts,

I like the lock. Just as it is. I can manipulate the ball to open or close the blade one handed - this is a lot of fun, I think more so than the axis lock although similar. the axis will rebound when flicking open or shut, but the ball bearing rides tighter on the blade tang and the "flick" almost always results in a successful opening or closing. it took me about a fortnight to get used to having to put more effort into handling the ceramic ball than the axis lock. In my mind this may be an advantage, most of the time (unless I'm playing) I open the knife with the spyderhole, and this is as smooth as butter - the knife then remains open till I actively manipulate it closed. I can understand criticism - but for me I like this it as it is.

the handle design is comfortable, contoured FRN would be an improvement however the flat scales ride in the pocket very nicely.

Blade shape is perfect for my purposes, has a point but also the spine can be used to ride above one material and slice another - I'm sure there is better terminology for this. Grind is a touch on the thin side comparatively to other production knives I have which I like. part of my job is to time chemical applications on cereal crops and so I need a knife to slice through the base of a cereal plant and isolate how far the growing point has developed, a good test of blade finesse and the D'Allara 3 works well.

Pivot and pocket clip screw kept coming undone, I bought some lock tight and fixed it up.

Pocket clip does what it should, this knife is really easy to carry for the size. I've never felt like it could slide/fall out accidentally.

S30V - I won't fish with this knife (fresh water) and I am careful to wipe off any plant residue from work. no issues so far with rust, I like S30V for edge holding and sharpening, I know it won't let me get away with being lazy with it around moisture.

Overall I have struggled to put this knife into any sort of rotation, I haven't felt like I'd gain from using anything else in my collection, in comparison - the military is too big and gawky, para 2 I'm little clumsier with the compression lock (and its pointier), Southard - a touch gritty, Barrage seems bulkier and heavier, and the 940 TO LOOSE!!! Its surprised me, when I talk to mates about nice knives I tend to talk about the 940 as a grail, when I tease my kids about getting them knives when they grow up they'll be All Blacks and Silver Ferns with 940s in their pockets.. yet here I am, 940 is in the box and the D'Allara 3 is sitting next my keys and wallet waiting to go out again tomorrow. I believe that in 10 years an FRN D'Allara 4 could be a mainstay of the Spyderco line.

[Joris Mo]

Nice 'review'!
Would love to try this one out if funds would allow it but still have a few others that I'm also trying to save up for and since I prefer FRN in general I'll probably wait for the FRN version.
My current main user is the Stretch 2 which also took some time to become available in FRN but was well worth the wait.

[gaj999]

If it stays slim in FRN, I'm going to pass. I've already got(and love) the Centofante 3 and 4, and I buy my knives to use. I've also got plenty of other thin-handled knives. A thick, hand-filling handle? You've got my attention. And my money.

[timlara]

I really liked the original in contoured FRN as well, but I ended up eventually letting it go because it was just a bit too bulky in pocket and never got carried. The ergonomics were probably the most comfortable of any knife I've ever held, though.

If there were a new slimmer, but still contoured version, somewhere in between the old one and the current G10 design, I might be interested in trying it again.

[ZrowsN1s]

Great review Kelpie. It seemed like such a solid work knife when I first saw it, nice to hear my suspicions confirmed. I've been trying to decide between this one and the Q-ball for a while. You making a compelling case for the D'Allara

[Evil D]

For me the main competition for this knife is the Caribbean, especially until we see a contoured G10 version. They look like they'll have a very similar feel in hand but I think I prefer the compression lock over the non caged version of the ball bearing lock and I like the sheepsfoot blade on the Caribbean and I'm excited to use LC200N.

Then there's the Lil Temperance, which is a bit shorter than I'd like but it just looks like such a good all around user.

[timlara]

For me the main competition for this knife is the Caribbean, especially until we see a contoured G10 version. They look like they'll have a very similar feel in hand but I think I prefer the compression lock over the non caged version of the ball bearing lock and I like the sheepsfoot blade on the Caribbean and I'm excited to use LC200N.

Then there's the Lil Temperance, which is a bit shorter than I'd like but it just looks like such a good all around user.

Good point on the Caribbean...very similar in a lot of ways, but I also kind of prefer the features it has. Not sure about the handle scale choice, but I'd have to see it in person to be sure. Hopefully an FRN Caribbean is on the horizon if it does well.

I wish the Lil Temp was still made in Golden so the price was closer to a Yo2...The fact that I could pick up the S90V Yo2 sprint for $30 less than the Lil Temp 3 currently is a tough sell.

[farnorthdan]

Great review, I have an original D'Allara SE and its a beastly knife for sure, just love the way it fits my hand and the feel with the contoured scales. I'd like to grab this new one but just so many others dropping at the moment, someday I'm sure.

I wasn't going to grab T3 either at the listed price but lucked into one at a greatly reduced price and couldn't resist, can't recommend it enough guys, the T3 is all about stout and super comfy for hard use.

[Northglenn500]

I've also been carrying this knife on duty. I love how slim it is. It practically disappears in the pocket, and is the most comfortable knife I've carried. No problems deploying, or closing. As Sal said earlier, there is a learning curve - you just have to use your fingernails to grab the ball.

Honestly, the only thing I'd change is the steel. This is a Police knife. It's meant for first responders, so give it a steel that makes sense for that job. PE LC200N or SE H1. The average Cop/Firefighter/EMT has enough gear to take care of. If I can get something that doesn't need a lot of maintenance, I'll do it. I might be out on a rainy scene for hours and won't be able to wipe down my knife till the end of shift, or even the next day - if I remember with all the other things I might have going on. Make this the best first responder knife available. Contoured FRN, but not as thick as the original version, black wire clip to blend in with uniform pants, and a maintenance free steel that can get thru seatbelts, rope and clothing. If you have to keep S30V, at least offer an SE model. That edge cuts through all those things easier. Especially if it's been neglected and could use a sharpening.

And if I can add something that it doesn't actually need, but would be nice; put something on it to memorialize why we have this knife to begin with. 'Never Forget', a thin blue line, or his badge number. Something.

[DougC-3]

A few months ago, I made it to a B&M and had a couple of minutes to try out the D'Allara 3, the Q Ball, and the Lil' Temp 3 in hand and was going to pick up one of the three that day. I went there expecting to probably get the Lil' Temp, but the D'Allara was a perfect fit for my hand, and was so comfortable I went with it. Later I got something of a deal on the Q Ball and picked it up as well. My hands aren't typical (sort of broad palmed), so I recommend trying to handle them in person before choosing. (Manix 2 & XL fit me perfectly.) I'm happy with the D'Allara. The long edge and thin blade are great for slicing and peeling, and I enjoy the smooth opening and closing action. I have no problems with quick, easy one-hand closing with a relatively short thumbnail. Also, as mentioned above, it carries very thin and deep in pocket.

I was carrying my FRN D'Allara 2 PS drop point yesterday and wound up using it to scrape out the inside of a car battery terminal connector after dropping my terminal brush into an unreachable place in the cowling under the fender. As huge as this knife is, it's still significantly lighter than the unskeletonized standard G-10 Manix 2. I'm really looking forward to the FRN version of the #3 model.

[pinepig2]

Interesting thread! When the 2018 product guide is released the first thing I'll be looking for is D'Allaras. 1- The FRN model, 2- Any tweaks to the G10 model.

I hope that D'Allara 3 sales haven't been so slow as to preclude additional versions.

For me the current knife looks great, but the descriptions of using a thumbnail to catch the ball have concerned me as I keep my nails short (No B&M hands-on options nearby). Also S30V is a bit of a downer - I keep hoping that Spyderco will just switch to S35VN as their base PM steel (or something else entirely).

[vivi]

Last time I carried a ball lock knife I played a lot of bass and kept my nails short. No issue at all using the pads of my fingers to operate the lock on my dodo, phoenix, etc., as long as I used two fingers to move the ball rather than thumb only.

[Joris Mo]

The main general issue seems to be the lock which I think would be solved if it would be a caged ball bearing lock which might also be more interesting commercially since I can imagine that people who just want a good user knife and are not total knife nerds won't take the time for a learning curve on using their knife..
Personally as a knife nerd I'd be interested to see how it goes with the current lock as well.
(big fan of the slim handle btw)

[Evil D]

If the G10 were just smoothed around the ball hole it would be much easier to operate. What made it at all difficult for me was my fingers getting traction on the G10 around the hole...if they could slide along smooth G10 it would be easier. If I can get my fat sausage fingers in there to unlock it I think most people can.

[sal]

I'd like all of the input I can get before moving forward. the beauty of the plain ball is simplicity, and it's almost impossible to accidentally unlock. The new model was completely redesigned and re-engineered to solve some of the issues n the earlier model (pocket hog, too tall, too thick, clip too large, etc.

sal

[ConspicuousConsumption]

I'd like all of the input I can get before moving forward. the beauty of the plain ball is simplicity, and it's almost impossible to accidentally unlock. The new model was completely redesigned and re-engineered to solve some of the issues n the earlier model (pocket hog, too tall, too thick, clip too large, etc.

sal

Love a serious choil. Maybe that’s just me, but anything without a choil just is dangerous for me because I instinctively want to choke up.

[pinepig2]

Today I took a long drive to a shop in Oregon, Keith's Sporting Goods, which is apparently the only place in the greater Portland area with a decent selection of Spydercos. My hope was to find a neglected Slysz Bowie in the corner of the cabinet or in the back. No such luck, but they had two D'allara 3's in stock. Woah, this is a seriously compelling design. Overall hand comfort is superb - I was carrying a PM2 and the D'allara has it beat. The dropped heel is key, and of course the gently curved front strap sans finger-grooves/protrusions. The shallow thumb ramp also gives a less-cramped, comfy feeling. I'm also kind of digging the lack of jimping, which is not something I would have guessed.

I dont think I've purchased a Spyderco in a store since my first one in 1994 (Pro Venator), but I was just too enthralled by this knife and the opportunity to hand-pick the best of the two. The price was good, too.

At this point there is no way for me to unlock the ball with one digit, so it's generally a two-hander for me. I can close it one handed if I rest the butt against something, and use my thumb+middle finger on ball and index finger on the blade. Not ideal but I can live with it. This is definitely not the knife for the fidgeters/flippers out there.

Fit/finish is quite good, a step up from the last Seki knives I purchased several years ago. Still not Taichung level, however. The biggest issue on this one is obvious spiral tool marks [gouges] in the thumb hole. Also the gap at the base of the spine (in the open position) seems a bit cheap, especially compared to the Native 5's seamless lock-up. I can see Sal now, struggling to meet a price target given the Japanese labor and exchange rate...

I imagine the FRN version will be a buy for me as well. That duo could possibly supplant both my PM2's and Stretch 1's as my primary carry knives! I like the self-close spring tension of the ball lock (like a back-lock) over the PM2 detent. I also like the idea of a self-adjusting lock vs a back-lock, which will loosen up eventually. The jury is still out on whether I'll miss the choils on those models, but so far it doesn't feel like a loss.

I agree with Evil D that I'd prefer an hourglass clip on this one. A little more chamfer on the G10 scales would have also been welcome. The liners are not heavily skeletonized, which would have been a nice weight reduction if they had been (the liners just have round holes, which I'm guessing was a cost-saving measure vs shaped cutouts). With those changes I wouldn't even need a FRN version!

[DougC-3]

Though I've lauded the G-10 D'Allara 3 for it's thinness, I'm hoping the FRN version will keep more of the hand-filling grip of the D'Allara 2.

To me, they're two different knives. The G-10 model is more of a gentleman's knife and would look good in fancy scales like Nishijin, and the deep-carry wire clip goes well with this notion.

But I think the spirit of the FRN D'Allara is more that of a work knife like its ancestors, and a thicker, more contoured grip would be better for this.

[Evil D]

I must be one of the few who only carries a knife in my knife pocket. I understand the knife hog complaint but it isn't that big of a deal to me if it means the resulting ergonomics when opened and in use are as good as the D'Allara 2 is. It's a trade off I'm willing to make. I don't see it as a fair trade to have a knife that'd ridiculously thin and carries well in the pocket if it feels like crap in your hand. I don't buy knives to carry I buy them to use.

[ABX2011]

I'd love to see an affordable FRN version. Same goes with the Lil' Temp 3 and the Police 4. I think all of those models could be hits at lower price points and with sprints/exclusives in special steels and different colored scales.