Left handers: Kapara?

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silvershade255
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Left handers: Kapara?

#1

Post by silvershade255 »

Question to lefties and/or ambis and/or righties who can try with their left: How is the kapara in the left hand to close?
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spyderg
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Re: Left handers: Kapara?

#2

Post by spyderg »

I’ll let you know in a couple days. Mine should be here Monday. I’ve yet to have issues with a compression lock. Mind you I don’t have trouble with any “right handed” lock.
My issue with it will possibly be with the wire clip, worst clip made imo. Hotspots, and moves around in use. I’m hoping it’s far enough back on the handle that it’ll be o.k. If not I’ll make an insert for it like I did on my Ikuchi.
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Cambertree
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Re: Left handers: Kapara?

#3

Post by Cambertree »

I use smaller knives and write with my left hand, and I find it fine.

I've noticed some leftys have different responses to the compression lock. I personally don't feel hindered by it at all, operating it with my thumb, and I won't even consider buying a knife that has a right handed lock bias anymore.

Closing for me tends to be a two part operation of depressing the lockbar with left thumb, pushing the blade slightly with forefinger on top of the spydiehole hump, then clearing my fingers back from the blade channel and sweeping the blade fully closed.

It sounds cumbersome, but in practice it's not, once the motions are ingrained in muscle memory. I don't really need lightnin' fast closing action, lol. :D

Due to the thin Kapara handle and sleek contoured carbon fibre scales, I pay a little more attention to the process than I do with other compression lock knives, but apart from that it's fine.

It does seem that you get a bit less of your thumb into the detent, than on the PM2, Para 3, Caribbean etc.

I probably wouldn't nominate it as the number one fidgeters knife for leftys though. ;) :)
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spyderg
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Re: Left handers: Kapara?

#4

Post by spyderg »

Cambertree wrote:
Sat Sep 14, 2019 9:21 pm
I use smaller knives and write with my left hand, and I find it fine.

I've noticed some leftys have different responses to the compression lock. I personally don't feel hindered by it at all, operating it with my thumb, and I won't even consider buying a knife that has a right handed lock bias anymore.

Closing for me tends to be a two part operation of depressing the lockbar with left thumb, pushing the blade slightly with forefinger on top of the spydiehole hump, then clearing my fingers back from the blade channel and sweeping the blade fully closed.

It sounds cumbersome, but in practice it's not, once the motions are ingrained in muscle memory. I don't really need lightnin' fast closing action, lol. :D

Due to the thin Kapara handle and sleek contoured carbon fibre scales, I pay a little more attention to the process than I do with other compression lock knives, but apart from that it's fine.

I probably wouldn't nominate it as the number one fidgeters knife for leftys though. ;) :)

That’s how I typically close my compression locks too, kinda like a backlock. However I can flip em closed too, just requires using the clip for grip. That’s another thing wire clips fail at as they move around a lot.
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Re: Left handers: Kapara?

#5

Post by wrdwrght »

I write left-handed but can work knives ambidextrously. Closing the Kapara one-handed with my left hand is easy but not as easy as with my right. With my right, I compress with my index finger and drop the blade shut. With my left, I compress with my thumb, drop the blade on my index finger, then pull the blade closed with this finger.
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Cambertree
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Re: Left handers: Kapara?

#6

Post by Cambertree »

spyderg wrote:
Sat Sep 14, 2019 9:20 pm
My issue with it will possibly be with the wire clip, worst clip made imo. Hotspots, and moves around in use. I’m hoping it’s far enough back on the handle that it’ll be o.k. If not I’ll make an insert for it like I did on my Ikuchi.
I know what you mean with the wire clips, Spyderg.

Overall, I find the Kapara is by design a knife that is more suited to a 'loose' grip. The shape of the handle means it still feels secure held that way. It works well with a loose, chef style pinch grip, with thumb and forefinger on either side of the blade; or thumb resting in the spydiehole and forefinger out along the spine.

Sometimes I like to take a tight hammer grip on my knife when bearing down on branches or stripping bark off firewood and the like. The PM2, Millie etc give you a comfortable fistful of secure knife, with no hotspots.

The Kapara's wire clip and squared off handle edges are quite noticeable when gripping the knife tightly. It wouldn't be my first choice for a whittling knife.

It's interesting how on some designs you don't really notice the wire clip in hand, like the Dragonfly, Urban and UKPKs.

Others, like the Chaparral and Caly 3.5 feel so boxy and uncomfortable, I don't really use them much, or if I do it's with the clip removed.
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spyderg
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Re: Left handers: Kapara?

#7

Post by spyderg »

Cambertree wrote:
Sat Sep 14, 2019 10:01 pm
spyderg wrote:
Sat Sep 14, 2019 9:20 pm
My issue with it will possibly be with the wire clip, worst clip made imo. Hotspots, and moves around in use. I’m hoping it’s far enough back on the handle that it’ll be o.k. If not I’ll make an insert for it like I did on my Ikuchi.
I know what you mean with the wire clips, Spyderg.

Overall, I find the Kapara is by design a knife that is more suited to a 'loose' grip. The shape of the handle means it still feels secure held that way. It works well with a loose, chef style pinch grip, with thumb and forefinger on either side of the blade; or thumb resting in the spydiehole and forefinger out along the spine.

Sometimes I like to take a tight hammer grip on my knife when bearing down on branches or stripping bark off firewood and the like. The PM2, Millie etc give you a comfortable fistful of secure knife, with no hotspots.

The Kapara's wire clip and squared off handle edges are quite noticeable when gripping the knife tightly. It wouldn't be my first choice for a whittling knife.

It's interesting how on some designs you don't really notice the wire clip in hand, like the Dragonfly, Urban and UKPKs.

Others, like the Chaparral and Caly 3.5 feel so boxy and uncomfortable, I don't really use them much, or if I do it's with the clip removed.
I figured I’d be using the Kapara for lighter duty so hopefully it won’t be too bad. Similar to the Ikuchi but I still ended up needing to add an insert I made to reduce the hotspot. Thing is, I tend to grip my knives, tools in general very tightly. I’m hoping the clip on the Kapara is far enough back to sit in a spot where it isn’t too bad. I don’t carry my Techno or mantra thanks to terrible blisters they gave me.
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Cambertree
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Re: Left handers: Kapara?

#8

Post by Cambertree »

spyderg wrote:
Sat Sep 14, 2019 10:12 pm
I figured I’d be using the Kapara for lighter duty so hopefully it won’t be too bad. Similar to the Ikuchi but I still ended up needing to add an insert I made to reduce the hotspot. Thing is, I tend to grip my knives, tools in general very tightly. I’m hoping the clip on the Kapara is far enough back to sit in a spot where it isn’t too bad. I don’t carry my Techno or mantra thanks to terrible blisters they gave me.
Yeah, I figure the truth is with most of us, we have enough different knives and knowledge about using them, that it's often more about identifying the right niche for a particular knife in your 'toolbox of blades', than expecting it to be the perfect all round user.

I guess the brilliance of most of Sal's designs is that they do work really well as a perfect, or almost perfect EDC for such a wide variety of people.

The back end of the Kapara clip, which is usually the most uncomfortable part, just manages to miss my hand when gripping the handle tight, but YMMV. The heavier gauge wire, also 'softens' the feel somewhat.
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Re: Left handers: Kapara?

#9

Post by spyderg »

Just got it today. Lefty closing super easy, there’s enough handle to grip allowing for thumb on the lock, flick, (or drop shut) closing. The clip is indeed far enough back as to not give me a hotspot. As a matter of fact, due to clip position and handle shape, this is the only wire clipped knife that I have ever found to be truly comfortable. I have not yet put it to work but the clip sits in a way that it doesn’t feel like it’ll move around a lot either. I am very pleased so far and excited to test it out.
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Re: Left handers: Kapara?

#10

Post by Cambertree »

spyderg wrote:
Mon Sep 16, 2019 1:53 pm
Just got it today. Lefty closing super easy, there’s enough handle to grip allowing for thumb on the lock, flick, (or drop shut) closing. The clip is indeed far enough back as to not give me a hotspot. As a matter of fact, due to clip position and handle shape, this is the only wire clipped knife that I have ever found to be truly comfortable. I have not yet put it to work but the clip sits in a way that it doesn’t feel like it’ll move around a lot either. I am very pleased so far and excited to test it out.
That's great! It's a fine knife. That contour in the scales is pretty cool, hey? I wish they did that with more Spydies.
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