D'Allara 3 feedback

[Joris Mo]

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.

I can see your point and in some situations I'm happy to carry something chunky that has perfect ergonomics but by then I often carry a fixed blade. For a folder I end up not carrying it if it's not quite slim and lightweight so I'll end up not using it either..

[nicked.onaut]

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

Please dish out the BB recess a little bit more, or make it a full bevel vs. partial chamfer.
With the D3 ( and the Q-ball) the fleshy pads of the thumb- and fingertips compress against the G10 as one attains adequate engagement with the ball. You are squeezing against the G10 as you try to retract the ball, and the G10 has a higher coefficient of friction than the FRN of original D'Allaras. The squeeze tends to anchor the fingertips on the scales, resisting retraction/ unlocking.

Of course the adjustment is to flex the tips more, like "neat pincer grasp of raisin," vs having the tips like parallel plier tips. You can then more easily squish your thumbtip on the ball, and catch it with a bit of thumbnail. It takes a bit more finesse, and while it is easily learned, one would be better served if there were no need for such.

I have 7 or 8 FRN D'Allaras, and would love a sprint with a steel such as CruWear/Elmax/XHP (almost any!). If you make an FRN D3 consider at least a modicum of 3D, the texture of the new Chaparral FRN, and some sprint colors.

For the G10 D3, whose thinness makes it more "gentlemanly" pocket friendly, a sprint with Blue Nishijin and a steel upgrade would be terrific.

kind regards,
nicked.onaut

[sal]

Good stuff, thanx. keep it coming.

sal

[pinepig2]

Good stuff, thanx. keep it coming.

sal

As a follow up to my earlier comments on the G10 version, I’ll add that the liner edges on the open side of the handle are sharp to the point of being painful if the knife is held firmly. My other Seki knife with exposed liners, the Stretch CF, is not like that.

Of course it won’t be an issue with a FRN version (which I assume will have nested liners), but I for one would like to see an improved G10 version in the future. It sounds like G10 knives are getting cost-prohibitive for Japan, but maybe the yen exchange ratio will improve. :)

I’ll second (or third) a prior comment by saying that even if the G10 version sticks with a wire clip, I’m really hoping the FRN knife will have an hourglass one.

[SF Native]

Edit
Of course the adjustment is to flex the tips more, like "neat pincer grasp of raisin," vs having the tips like parallel plier tips. You can then more easily squish your thumbtip on the ball, and catch it with a bit of thumbnail. It takes a bit more finesse, and while it is easily learned, one would be better served if there were no need for such.

edit.

kind regards,
nicked.onaut

I have tried this on my q ball with no luck. My fingers are like sausages that don’t sqeeze into tight spaces. Wondering if a slightly bigger ball would provide a slightly larger opening for fingers. It’s tough because the ball is already close to the edge of the handle. Not much more room for a larger ball. After the break in, it’s one of my favorites, but I can only unlock with two hands and pushing the ball with my thumbnail.

[Evil D]

I would imagine there's a point where the ball is too large and the notch in the blade has to be made huge to accommodate it. If you look back at the Poliwog it has a large ball but also an equally large and awkward notch in the blade.

[sal]

It also makes the knife taller (top to bottom) when closed, which was one of the complaints on the earlier version.

sal

[Spider bite]

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I have been carrying the D'Allara exclusively for a few months now and this knife checks so many boxes for me and will not be knocked out of my pocket anytime soon. Thanks for making this knife Sal & Company! For a almost 3.5" blade it doesn't take up much pocket space and is very slim. Has a very good detent. I appreciate the deep carry and wire clip. The large spidie hole with a sharp edge in it is nice. Such smooth opening and closing. When this knife is carried in my corporate environment I feel it is easy on the eyes and no one is giving me that scared look I have received using a knife with more of a point. Knife has rock soild lock up with no play.

The only thing I could see changing on this model is some how getting more finger purchase on the ceramic ball. I can close the knife one handed but it is not the easy as it could be. I wouldnt want a cage on it though. I have never used the Q-ball but when looking at pictures of its lock area it seems to have a wider chamfer around the ball. If that ends up creating more contact with the ball I would think this would help the D'Allara. If someone that has both knives can chime in if this helps on the Qball. The 2nd picture with the metal plunger on the ball is the QBall for reference. This isnt a deal breaker for me and I would still buy another if made in a upgraded steel, just something I could see a little improvement on.

[pinepig2]

Thanks for the photo comparison! I wonder why D'Allara uses a plastic plunger instead of a metal one like the Q-Ball?

I think I now have plunger-envy.

[DougC-3]

SmartSelectImage_2017-12-09-19-23-23.jpgSmartSelectImage_2017-12-09-19-22-56.jpgI have been carrying the D'Allara exclusively for a few months now and this knife checks so many boxes for me and will not be knocked out of my pocket anytime soon. Thanks for making this knife Sal & Company! For a almost 3.5" blade it doesn't take up much pocket space and is very slim. Has a very good detent. I appreciate the deep carry and wire clip. The large spidie hole with a sharp edge in it is nice. Such smooth opening and closing. When this knife is carried in my corporate environment I feel it is easy on the eyes and no one is giving me that scared look I have received using a knife with more of a point. Knife has rock soild lock up with no play.

The only thing I could see changing on this model is some how getting more finger purchase on the ceramic ball. I can close the knife one handed but it is not the easy as it could be. I wouldnt want a cage on it though. I have never used the Q-ball but when looking at pictures of its lock area it seems to have a wider chamfer around the ball. If that ends up creating more contact with the ball I would think this would help the D'Allara. If someone that has both knives can chime in if this helps on the Qball. The 2nd picture with the metal plunger on the ball is the QBall for reference. This isnt a deal breaker for me and I would still buy another if made in a upgraded steel, just something I could see a little improvement on.

I have both and the chamfer itself is wider around the Q Ball's ball opening, but the overall width of the outer edge of the openings is about the same on both knives, around 9.5mm. I'm assuming they had to widen the chamfer on the Q Ball because the ball is much smaller and a little deeper, (maybe 3/4 mm) than the D'Allara ball, which is just a hair below the surface of the scale. They somehow made the scales about a quarter of a mm thinner on the Q-Ball, which helps some with it. I find it about equally easy to one-hand unlock both, with thumbnail only. There may be a little technique involved, going beyond the ball a little and angling the thumb tip back toward it -- if so, it'a all muscle memory now.

I think I mentioned this somewhere else, but it's easy to see on the Q-Ball (and same on the D'A3 of course) that the ball is completely contained by its metal track and removing more G-10 of course has no effect on retaining the ball -- you just have to be sure not to weaken the outer edge of the G-10 rim around the hole. For that matter, if you want to do a mod, you could start by removing G-10 just on the inner edge of the ball opening. That should give you plenty of access to the ball.

[Spider bite]

SmartSelectImage_2017-12-09-19-23-23.jpgSmartSelectImage_2017-12-09-19-22-56.jpg

I think I mentioned this somewhere else, but it's easy to see on the Q-Ball (and same on the D'A3 of course) that the ball is completely contained by its metal track and removing more G-10 of course has no effect on retaining the ball -- you just have to be sure not to weaken the outer edge of the G-10 rim around the hole. For that matter, if you want to do a mod, you could start by removing G-10 just on the inner edge of the ball opening. That should give you plenty of access to the ball.

I thought about removing some of the g-10 but the chamfer almost touches the screw that holds in the spacer( my 1st picture above is the D'Allara). It doesnt leave and room to take away more with out hitting the screw back.

[DougC-3]

SmartSelectImage_2017-12-09-19-23-23.jpgSmartSelectImage_2017-12-09-19-22-56.jpg

I think I mentioned this somewhere else, but it's easy to see on the Q-Ball (and same on the D'A3 of course) that the ball is completely contained by its metal track and removing more G-10 of course has no effect on retaining the ball -- you just have to be sure not to weaken the outer edge of the G-10 rim around the hole. For that matter, if you want to do a mod, you could start by removing G-10 just on the inner edge of the ball opening. That should give you plenty of access to the ball.

I thought about removing some of the g-10 but the chamfer almost touches the screw that holds in the spacer( my 1st picture above is the D'Allara). It doesnt leave and room to take away more with out hitting the screw back.

I was talking about the area on the long side of the opening below and next to the ball in the picture. I don't need to change mine, but I thought flattening out the chamfer some there and to the right in the picture might give you a little more traction on the ball.

[nicked.onaut]

SmartSelectImage_2017-12-09-19-23-23.jpgSmartSelectImage_2017-12-09-19-22-56.jpg

I think I mentioned this somewhere else, but it's easy to see on the Q-Ball (and same on the D'A3 of course) that the ball is completely contained by its metal track and removing more G-10 of course has no effect on retaining the ball -- you just have to be sure not to weaken the outer edge of the G-10 rim around the hole. For that matter, if you want to do a mod, you could start by removing G-10 just on the inner edge of the ball opening. That should give you plenty of access to the ball.

I thought about removing some of the g-10 but the chamfer almost touches the screw that holds in the spacer( my 1st picture above is the D'Allara). It doesnt leave and room to take away more with out hitting the screw back.

I was talking about the area on the long side of the opening below and next to the ball in the picture. I don't need to change mine, but I thought flattening out the chamfer some there and to the right in the picture might give you a little more traction on the ball.

I took these photos back in March but never posted, as the issue seemed well-discussed. However, they may make visualizing an asymmetric dish cut of the G10 a bit clearer. (The Q-Ball and D'A 3 are peas in a pod re: access to unlock.)



With a firm pincer grasp, the fingertip pads have substantial friction with the G10. The more you squeeze to snag that slippery ball, the more resistance to retracting the lock ball.



Here showing index finger:


Here's the thumb; note distortion and blanching from tight squeeze


Better access is obtained by slightly shifting and rotating the thumb. A stubby nail helps catch the ball. The index finger also makes a slight shift:



Let's compare with the frn original D'Allara.

Index finger fits better into that larger recess, whether flat (extended):


or flexed:



The thumb enjoys easy access:


Unfettered access, whose outer margin encompasses part of the pivot screwhead:


The FRN is also slicker than G10, lower coefficient of friction.
Perhaps the G10 D'A 3 can benefit from a similar asymmetric spooned out area which is smooth.

After all this time, I will mention one disappointing QC issue with both the Q Ball an D3. The machining on the Torx recess of the clip screwheads is abysmal. (They are punched in, yes?)
These are asymmetric, with irregular ledges of different heights within the hole, and the torx "points" and recesses are not equal, nor pointy. For me, not worth the hassle of a return, but then again I always check torx heads with a loupe if I am contemplating any tinkering , e.g. clip flip, pivot adjustment. Thence extra caution.

Hard to see, but the "ledges" within are of different height, and any torx wrench would therefore insert only partway / shallow/resting on the higher ones. Red arrow to indicate the worst of the flat points, which promote wrench-slip :


Flip side. And, no, I did not use a torx wrench on them.:


QC for the screw supplier maybe not so stringent, but this can be seen with my presbyopic good eye in contrast with a smooth and shiny "good" screw. Just sayin' as an aside, not meant to distract from D3 design discussion.

Frankly, the history and legacy behind this knife is what matters most, and I am grateful that Sal and crew will be carrying this forward.

kind regards,
nicked.onaut

[sal]

Thanx much appreciate the detailed input.

sal

[Spider bite]

Both my clip screws are very similar on my D3. I cant get enough purchase on one of them to get the clip off. I was going to make some wood scales but will revisit that idea later.

[Evil D]

I've been carrying my D'Allara 2 the last few days and honestly it had one of the best handle designs I've ever felt. If the D3 doesn't eventually get nicely contoured scales like this knife has I'll probably pass. The feeling in hand is just fantastic. This knife is exactly what I was talking about in my folder vs fixed blade handle thread, it feels like a thinned out fixed blade.

[cangokaw]

love the ergos on the g10 version, lock is slightly akward.
how about frn version same shape, with forward placed backlock like caly 3.5?

[Pa. Woodsman]

I would not touch it. In time it will get better. A knife should be easy to open and hard to close.

[sal]

Hi Pa. Woodsman,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[PSquared]

Since my comments in this thread more than a year ago I've picked up a Poliwog as well. That is the easiest of my ball bearing locks to open as the front of the frame is open allowing easy access to the ball. This might be a solution?

Opening the blade of the D'Allara is so smooth and feels almost hydraulic and starts a great use experience with the knife. Fighting to close it at the end spoils everything.

First prize for me would be to convert the existing model to a back lock and see how that goes before spending cash on FRN moulds - it's a fantastic handle, great blade shape, fantastic grind and it, in my opinion, is let down by the lock.