Caly 3 love?

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Haunted House
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Caly 3 love?

#1

Post by Haunted House »

I’ve been interested in the Caly 3 & reading older Caly 3 threads. Man that knife used to get all the love, with many folks calling it their favorite Spyderco at the time.
In 2017 I think it was even voted Spyderco knife of the year, and I can see why- Delica-esq styling but beefed up with big liners,
g-10 handles and a wire pocket clip.

Just 2 years later and I hardly ever see it mentioned.

Is it because there hasn’t been any new releases of it? Lack of blade steel choices? Did everyone fall out of love? Did it not hold up to long-term use & abuse? Overshadowed by newer models? A lack of Nick Shabazz reviews?

Just wondering what happened to the Caly 3 love.

*Also- is the Caly 3 discontinued? Any chance we’ll get any new versions?
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#2

Post by Mushroom »

With so many options available from Spyderco, I think it's just hard to keep one model in the spotlight forever.

My only experience with the Caly 3 is the most recent HAP40/Foliage Green Sprint run. I really like it, it has great ergonomics and HAP40 is one of my favorite steels! That sprint can even be found brand new still. ;)

And, yes, the Caly 3 has been discontinued for a bit now. Which could also be one of the factors as to why you don't hear much about it anymore. The Caly 3.5 with Carbon Fiber and ZDP-189 is still available though.

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JuPaul
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#3

Post by JuPaul »

The hap40 caly 3 is still on my wish list.
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#4

Post by TkoK83Spy »

JuPaul wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:06 pm
The hap40 caly 3 is still on my wish list.
I'm not sure about now, but I know KnivesPlus had it available for $175 just last week!
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#5

Post by Sharp Guy »

JuPaul wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:06 pm
The hap40 caly 3 is still on my wish list.
Look like Knives Plus still has in stock. The price appears to be straight retail but much better than another place I found it at.

Caly 3 is a classic Spydie and a must have IMO. I anticipated the HAP40 sprint run so much I ended up with two. Finally departed with one a few months back in attempt to thin the collection a little
Last edited by Sharp Guy on Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#6

Post by VooDooChild »

Id like to get an original full size calypso model. But between the police 4 lightweight and native chief Im not sure it would serve much of a purpose.
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#7

Post by JuPaul »

TkoK83Spy wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:09 pm
JuPaul wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:06 pm
The hap40 caly 3 is still on my wish list.
I'm not sure about now, but I know KnivesPlus had it available for $175 just last week!
Yeah BBS has them, too. Same price when you figure in shipping. Just haven't been able to pull the trigger on full msrp. I'm hoping a pre-owned one will pop up.
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Haunted House
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#8

Post by Haunted House »

Mushroom wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:02 pm
With so many options available from Spyderco, I think it's just hard to keep one model in the spotlight forever.

My only experience with the Caly 3 is the most recent HAP40/Foliage Green Sprint run. I really like it, it has great ergonomics and HAP40 is one of my favorite steels! That sprint can even be found brand new still. ;)

And, yes, the Caly 3 has been discontinued for a bit now. Which could also be one of the factors as to why you don't hear much about it anymore. The Caly 3.5 with Carbon Fiber and ZDP-189 is still available though.

:spyder:
Ahhh, I can see how being discontinued would kill it’s buzz. That’s a bummer. I wonder why it was discontinued given all the love for it.
I’m not a fan of carbon fiber so I’ll pass on the 3.5, but I’m definitely going to pick up that green Hap40 Caly 3 while I still can. That’s a great looking knife.
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#9

Post by Sumdumguy »

I much prefer the 3.5, the 3 doesn't do it for me.

I wish they had done the Hap40 in the 3.5 v.v
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#10

Post by Wartstein »

Never had one, but from what I know a Caly 3 in FRN could very well be kind of the "Delica with a choil" many would like to see (not me though!)

What makes me not being interested in the Caly 3 is just, well, the existence of the Caly 3.5

In a closed package only 0.25 " longer than the Caly 3, the Caly 3.5 actually gives you double the amount of that difference (0.5") of more cutting edge...

Or to put it differently: Literally in a Para 3 sized knife you get a PM2 cutting edge with the Caly 3.5 (and that with a thinner blade too and still a full 50:50 choil)
Sure, the Caly 3 is also shorter and probably a better carry than Para 3 and even Delica while offering the same edge-length.
But not as impressive as the Caly 3.5
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#11

Post by kennethsime »

I love the Caly, think it's a gorgeous knife and a great dress-up folder. Feels great in-hand. $175 just seems like a lot when I could get a Dragonfly for $100, or $120 for a nice one, and have almost the same utility.
I'm happiest with Micarta and Tool Steel.

Top four in rotation: K390 + GCM PM2, ZCarta Shaman, Crucarta PM2, K390 + GCM Straight Spine Stretch.
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#12

Post by Wartstein »

kennethsime wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:16 pm
I love the Caly, think it's a gorgeous knife and a great dress-up folder. Feels great in-hand. $175 just seems like a lot when I could get a Dragonfly for $100, or $120 for a nice one, and have almost the same utility.

Sorry, no offense, but imho you really can't compare a DFly to a Caly , starting by size...

The DFly is great for what it is, don't get me wrong, but "same utility as a Caly"... ?! :confused:
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#13

Post by Doc Dan »

It’s no secret that I love my Caly3. It’s the knife that replaced another maker’s much vaunted pocket knife for me. TheCaly3 is a much better knife.

Right now I’m rockin’ a UKPK, which is the same knife as a slip joint. Love it too.
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kennethsime
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#14

Post by kennethsime »

Wartstein wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:35 pm
kennethsime wrote:
Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:16 pm
I love the Caly, think it's a gorgeous knife and a great dress-up folder. Feels great in-hand. $175 just seems like a lot when I could get a Dragonfly for $100, or $120 for a nice one, and have almost the same utility.
Sorry, no offense, but imho you really can't compare a DFly to a Caly , starting by size...

The DFly is great for what it is, don't get me wrong, but "same utility as a Caly"... ?! :confused:
Have you ever carried a Dragonfly, Warstein? I've found it to be quite capable.

Expanding a bit, I guess I see the Caly as a light-duty knife for dress carry. Compared to a Para 3, with a similar-sized cutting edge, it feels thinner and more refined. The Para 3 feels a bit more hard-use. If I'm going to cary a light-duty knife to cut open boxes, apples and such, why not go for the even lighter-weight knife that allows me to do the same tasks? Bear in mind, it's been some time since I've handled a Caly, and it was the carbon fiber laminated zdp version (fancy).
I'm happiest with Micarta and Tool Steel.

Top four in rotation: K390 + GCM PM2, ZCarta Shaman, Crucarta PM2, K390 + GCM Straight Spine Stretch.
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#15

Post by Skidoosh »

The Caly love will come around again when the LW model is released. I would anticipate some K390 models and other steels that will put it into the spotlight. An issue has been some of the struggles finding makers that can produce the same quality.
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#16

Post by Evil D »

Always one of my favorites but they need some CQI, it takes too little sharpening to reveal the blade tip out of the handle when closed. It either needs a more pronounced bump at the butt of the handle to hide the blade more or the blade needs to seat further into the handle when closed.
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#17

Post by bearfacedkiller »

I like the Calypso family! I’m still waiting for a Caly3.5 in green/HAP40.

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Re: Caly 3 love?

#18

Post by GarageBoy »

The caly 3.5 packs a lot of blade into a small handle - would like to see it updated in a dressed down (okay, just not slippery carbon fiber) form - the zdp/CF makes the price of admission a bit high

Calypso Jr will always have a place in my heart as my first Spyderco
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#19

Post by Wartstein »

GarageBoy wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2020 5:52 am
The caly 3.5 packs a lot of blade into a small handle - would like to see it updated in a dressed down (okay, just not slippery carbon fiber) form - the zdp/CF makes the price of admission a bit high

Calypso Jr will always have a place in my heart as my first Spyderco

The 3.5 (so not the 3) you're talking about WILL come in an FRN / LW version...
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Caly 3 love?

#20

Post by carrot »

Caly3 was a long time carry for me too. I may still be carrying one if I hadn’t lost it!

I think the larger Caly3.5 just doesn’t appeal to the same users. At the same time the 3.5 size is getting crowded.

Today I think the Chaparral has scooped up most of the users who would have liked a Caly3. They are similar, not the same knife of course, but achieves the same goal of gentleman’s carry without a trade off in cutting power or ergonomics.
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