Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
User avatar
Doc Dan
Member
Posts: 14754
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 4:25 am
Location: In a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity.

Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#1

Post by Doc Dan »

Something I do not understand is that some people seem to think the Chaparral is uncomfortable to unlock. Apparently they think it is so narrow that it hurts their little fingers. I do not get it. My first Chaparral did have overly sharp edges that were taken care of in a second or two. The newest one had no issues at all. Neither of them have ever been painful to unlock, not by any stretch of the imagination. Is this some troll fad that everyone jumped on so they could sound up to date with the latest views? I could see maybe a new born child having a problem, but not an adult, surely.

The Chaparral, for me, is as near perfect of a design for a pocket knife we are ever likely to see. It is the right size all around, it has a safe lock, it has a bias to close (important for a pocket knife!), it is light in weight, and it plain looks good.
I Pray Heaven to Bestow The Best of Blessing on THIS HOUSE, and on ALL that shall hereafter Inhabit it. May none but Honest and Wise Men ever rule under This Roof! (John Adams regarding the White House)

Follow the Christ, the King,
Live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the King--
Else, wherefore born?" (Tennyson)



NRA Life Member
Spydernation 0050
Sjucaveman
Member
Posts: 1158
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:00 pm
Location: Central Mn

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#2

Post by Sjucaveman »

I like my raffir noble chap but my frn model the clip grooves were too shallow and the clip broke the frn so it no longer stays in place. I've also found xhp to not be rust resistant enough for my sweaty pockets.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
Adam
cptdean
Member
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:40 am
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#3

Post by cptdean »

I'll jump in since I made a similar complaint in a recent post. No, I don't think the lock is painful. Yes, I do think it's uncomfortable...WHEN (and only when) I sit and fidget it with it a bit. It's probably not the norm for most people, and I probably have something wrong with me for playing with my knives, but I just really enjoy that satisfying snap when the blade locks in place. It makes me want to do it over and over.

That said, I doubt I'd whinge as much if I had no basis for comparison. Both my DF2 and Native 5 LW are very fun to open and close.

And I agree that the Chap is a wonderful knife in the ergonomics department, on top of being an excellent slicer!
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes by itself.

Dragonfly 2
, Para Military 2, Native 5 Lightweight, Chaparral Lightweight, Para 3
User avatar
Sharp Guy
Member
Posts: 8561
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 2:19 pm
Location: DFW, TX (orig. from N. IL)

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#4

Post by Sharp Guy »

Well Dan...all I can say is we're all different and not all knives are the same.

My first Chap was a CF and the lock spring seemed extremely stiff compared to my other back locks. Combined with a thin lock bar made it a little unpleasant to use. It certainly wasn't painful to unlock but it wasn't easy either. My Chap LW was the same way. I've since found a way to correct and they're both much better now.
Of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most!
cptdean
Member
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:40 am
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#5

Post by cptdean »

Sjucaveman wrote:
Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:30 am
the clip grooves were too shallow

I find that to be true. The other day my clip was loose and not gripping my pocket very well. When I tried to tighten it, I noticed the screw was already as tight as I could get it, but the wire had scooted out of the channel a bit. I loosened the screw, re-seated the clip, tightened the screw (hard), and wiggled the clip back and forth about a dozen times to simulate moving around on my pocket. Sure enough, it worked itself out of the groove and was loose again, so I removed the clip and put it back in the box. The knife feels better without it, anyway.
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes by itself.

Dragonfly 2
, Para Military 2, Native 5 Lightweight, Chaparral Lightweight, Para 3
cptdean
Member
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:40 am
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#6

Post by cptdean »

Sharp Guy wrote:
Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:36 am
Well Dan...all I can say is we're all different and not all knives are the same.

I've since found a way to correct and they're both much better now.

Care to share? Did you bend the spring?
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes by itself.

Dragonfly 2
, Para Military 2, Native 5 Lightweight, Chaparral Lightweight, Para 3
Nate
Member
Posts: 1907
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 11:25 am
Location: Hurtling through space...

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#7

Post by Nate »

I got chastised a bit a while back for making similar comments about the Baby Horn. I guess some people just have more sensitive fingers, but I never saw it as an issue.

The locks on both the Chaparral and Horn aren't as soft as something like the Native, with it's thicker stock, but both broke in noticeably after a month or two of carry (which can be greatly accelerated by working the lock bar against a bic pen or something). I didn't make any other adjustments to mine.
Last edited by Nate on Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
:spyder:
Sjucaveman
Member
Posts: 1158
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:00 pm
Location: Central Mn

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#8

Post by Sjucaveman »

cptdean wrote:
Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:40 am
Sjucaveman wrote:
Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:30 am
the clip grooves were too shallow

I find that to be true. The other day my clip was loose and not gripping my pocket very well. When I tried to tighten it, I noticed the screw was already as tight as I could get it, but the wire had scooted out of the channel a bit. I loosened the screw, re-seated the clip, tightened the screw (hard), and wiggled the clip back and forth about a dozen times to simulate moving around on my pocket. Sure enough, it worked itself out of the groove and was loose again, so I removed the clip and put it back in the box. The knife feels better without it, anyway.
I did the same and let it float in the pocket now.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
Adam
User avatar
Jazz
Member
Posts: 7678
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#9

Post by Jazz »

My carbon fibre one was uncomfortable, and don't call me a child, bro. I have big *** thumbs. The fact that it's narrow, and it was sharp wasn't pleasant at all. My FRN one is better by far.
- best wishes, Jazz.
cptdean
Member
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:40 am
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#10

Post by cptdean »

Erroneous post
Last edited by cptdean on Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes by itself.

Dragonfly 2
, Para Military 2, Native 5 Lightweight, Chaparral Lightweight, Para 3
cptdean
Member
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:40 am
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#11

Post by cptdean »

Sharp Guy wrote:
Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:36 am
I've since found a way to correct and they're both much better now.

Care to share? Did you bend the spring?
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes by itself.

Dragonfly 2
, Para Military 2, Native 5 Lightweight, Chaparral Lightweight, Para 3
cptdean
Member
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:40 am
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#12

Post by cptdean »

And another. Sorry.
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes by itself.

Dragonfly 2
, Para Military 2, Native 5 Lightweight, Chaparral Lightweight, Para 3
SG89
Member
Posts: 10587
Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2015 12:42 pm

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#13

Post by SG89 »

Narrow, sharp, and stiff=not for me. I've owned a lot of spyderco knives and the chap is one I've tried multiple times and still can't love it. Oh well good thing there are 100s of other spyderco options. Thanks Spyderco
Spydergirl88
3 Nats, 1 Chap, 1 Sham, 1 Urb
User avatar
Jazz
Member
Posts: 7678
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:46 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#14

Post by Jazz »

I took mine apart and rounded the lockbar a tad. Fixed it right up.
- best wishes, Jazz.
cptdean
Member
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:40 am
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#15

Post by cptdean »

I guess I'm extra wimpy, since the one I bought direct from Spyderco a couple of weeks ago came with a slight chamfer. They at least get kudos for CQI!

Image
Last edited by cptdean on Tue Aug 07, 2018 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes by itself.

Dragonfly 2
, Para Military 2, Native 5 Lightweight, Chaparral Lightweight, Para 3
User avatar
toocool006
Member
Posts: 372
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:42 pm
Location: New Orleans

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#16

Post by toocool006 »

I've often thought that adding a boye dent would be helpful to ease some of the aggression of the narrow lockbar. Any thoughts why that road wasn't taken?
~andrew
User avatar
abbazaba
Member
Posts: 4673
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 3:40 pm
Location: New England

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#17

Post by abbazaba »

I've had more than a few and the first couple I fell in love with were very easy to disengage. My RF broke in nicely, my CF was always perfect, and the FRN was the easiest of them all. I sold the Ti, but it certainly wasn't painful.

However, I recently bought one for my father and it was painful to unlock, completely different lock tension than the others I've had.
User avatar
Sharp Guy
Member
Posts: 8561
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 2:19 pm
Location: DFW, TX (orig. from N. IL)

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#18

Post by Sharp Guy »

cptdean wrote:
Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:43 am
Sharp Guy wrote:
Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:36 am
I've since found a way to correct and they're both much better now.

Care to share? Did you bend the spring?
No bending. I just slid the spring forward a tiny bit (maybe 1/16"?). That made a noticeable difference.
Of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most!
User avatar
MichaelScott
Member
Posts: 3008
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:42 am
Location: Southern Colorado

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#19

Post by MichaelScott »

I remember the complaints when the FRN model was released. Mine was perhaps a bit more stiff than, say the Dragonfly, but not much if at all. I tended to depress the bar with the tip end of my thumb or thumbnail which gave no discomfort. I suspect the discomfort is a product of individual thumb properties, technique and internet-set expectations.
Overheard at the end of the ice age, “We’ve been having such unnatural weather.”

http://acehotel.blog

Team Innovation
cptdean
Member
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:40 am
Location: Middle Tennessee

Re: Something I do not understand about the Chaparral

#20

Post by cptdean »

I'm in no way advocating this for anyone else, but based on what Sharp Guy posted I took mine apart and slid the spring forward a bit. I like it.

Pic 1 shows the spring fully nested in its pocket:

Image


Pic 2 shows it moved forward, with the curve of the bar pressed against the curve in the lock bar:

Image


Pic 3 shows the clearance between the blade and the spring when closed:

Image


If you depress the lock with the blade closed (why would you do that?), the spring DOES contact the blade. *BUT* if you depress the the lock with the blade closed (again, why would you do that?) with the spring fully seated, it ALSO contacts the blade, just a little further toward the tip. To me this is a great, non-destructive mod that eases operation without impacting the quality of the knife. I'm keeping it this way.
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes by itself.

Dragonfly 2
, Para Military 2, Native 5 Lightweight, Chaparral Lightweight, Para 3
Post Reply