Watu...AKA Lil Chokwe

[holeshot]

Mine came today and I’m loving it!
Oh yeah, this is one of the sharpest Spyderco’s I’ve ever gotten out of the box and I’ve bought a boat load.

[speedseeker]

Received mine two days ago. Really loving it. The only thing slimmer I believe is the Chap. It's a little razor blade. Super smooth action too.

[BG-ThatsMe]

The Watu is really excellent. I’m generally not a fan of the g10/carbon fiber scale material, but it works on the Watu. The straight lines, heavy blocky handle, holes and scale material all work together much better than I thought based on pictures alone.

The detent is nice and strong too.

I really like the addition of the brushed stainless finish on the inside of the liners. It’s a little detail that elevates the aesthetic, and provides a much appreciated but of traction on the compression lock bar. My Kapara could benefit from the same treatment.

Congratulations on a terrific knife.

[toocool006]

Mine arrived today - WOW. Wow wow wow wow wow.

I have also not been a big fan of the CF/G10 laminate, but for some reason I'm really enjoying it on the Watu. Maybe my tastes have changed, or the finishing has improved, or it just fits with this design better, but really very happy with it this time around.

As for the knife - stellar. F&F is Taichung at their finest, the thin stock and tall grind is so so nice, clip placement is perfect. I don't mind the nub-in-comp lock tab one bit (though I could see it annoying others). It's a little heavier than I thought it would be - are these full liners? Haven't disassembled yet to check.

Has immediately jumped into my top ten spydies of all time, and may climb higher with use and carry as we get to know each other better.

Thanks for the amazing knife, Sal. I would think you have another smash hit on your hands.

[TkoK83Spy]

Could somebody post some comparison photos of the overall size, and blade stock along a Chaparral and Delica if they have them handy?

[bbturbodad]

Could somebody post some comparison photos of the overall size, and blade stock along a Chaparral and Delica if they have them handy?

I don't have a Delica but this should give you an idea...

[TkoK83Spy]

Awesome, thank you Turbo!

[Surfingringo]

I like it! It’s funny, the original Chokwe never really spoke to me but I like the looks of the Watu a lot. Somehow the lines and angles of the design work better for my eye in that smaller package.

[RadioactiveSpyder]

The Watu is surprisingly not much smaller than the Chokwe. I don’t have my Watu yet so I can’t take a comparison pic myself, but here’s one off of KeithKevinKen’s IG page with his two:



I honestly thought it’d be a bit smaller than that. I’m really excited about it, and do actually carry my Chokwe on a regular basis still. I even managed to pull one down off eBay a day ago that had a busted clip screw in it - same exact thing happened to mine in the Ti lock-side scale and I simply dissolved the steel screw out with ferric chloride (which doesn’t affect Ti). Cheers, Radioactive

[Wartstein]

The Watu is surprisingly not much smaller than the Chokwe. I don’t have my Watu yet so I can’t take a comparison pic myself, but here’s one off of KeithKevinKen’s IG page with his two:


I honestly thought it’d be a bit smaller than that. I’m really excited about it, and do actually carry my Chokwe on a regular basis still. I even managed to pull one down off eBay a day ago that had a busted clip screw in it - same exact thing happened to mine in the Ti lock-side scale and I simply dissolved the steel screw out with ferric chloride (which doesn’t affect Ti). Cheers, Radioactive

Interesting... they do look really not too far apart in size, you´d expect more so by the specs (Chokwe vs Watu):

Closed length: 4,75 vs 4,17
Overall length: 8,5 vs 7,35
Blade: 3,75 vs 3,26
Edge: 3,38 vs 2,88

I´d prefer the lock type, handle material and blade length of the Chokwe if it was still available; what speaks for the Watu is the thinner blade stock (2.6 vs 3.0 mm)

[toocool006]

Interesting... they do look really not too far apart in size, you´d expect more so by the specs (Chokwe vs Watu):

I think the perspective of the photo is doing a little bit of the work of making them seem similarly sized - with the Watu closer to the lens and the angle the shot is taken at, it gives the Watu a bit of a size boost, though it's always hard to tell how much. I'd be interested in an overhead side-by-side for a truer comparison. I've never handled a Chokwe so can't say for sure, but the Watu is definitely delica-sized, and I'd always thought the Chokwe was more Endura or larger:




This screenshot was taken from this video - it's a good watch for size comparisons (delica and sage)
https://youtu.be/n-TWf-WTssE?t=98

[Wartstein]

Interesting... they do look really not too far apart in size, you´d expect more so by the specs (Chokwe vs Watu):

I think the perspective of the photo is doing a little bit of the work of making them seem similarly sized - with the Watu closer to the lens and the angle the shot is taken at, it gives the Watu a bit of a size boost, though it's always hard to tell how much. I'd be interested in an overhead side-by-side for a truer comparison. I've never handled a Chokwe so can't say for sure, but the Watu is definitely delica-sized, and I'd always thought the Chokwe was more Endura or larger:

This screenshot was taken from this video - it's a good watch for size comparisons (delica and sage)
https://youtu.be/n-TWf-WTssE?t=98

Thanks for the pic! But interesting again: Just by the specs given, the Watu should have a significantly longer edgee and especially blade than the Delica (Blade: 3.26 vs 2.875; Edge: 2.88 vs 2.56) - but it does not seem so in the pic...

[toocool006]

Thanks for the pic! But interesting again: Just by the specs given, the Watu should have a significantly longer edgee and especially blade than the Delica (Blade: 3.26 vs 2.875; Edge: 2.88 vs 2.56) - but it does not seem so in the pic...

It does feel larger in the hand than the delica, I think due to the blocky handle design, and the edge is definitely longer (thanks to the tiny choil instead of the ricasso), but I think that some of the genius of this design is how much blade and handle are packed into such a deceptively sized package. If that makes any sense?

[Wartstein]

Thanks for the pic! But interesting again: Just by the specs given, the Watu should have a significantly longer edgee and especially blade than the Delica (Blade: 3.26 vs 2.875; Edge: 2.88 vs 2.56) - but it does not seem so in the pic...

It does feel larger in the hand than the delica, I think due to the blocky handle design, and the edge is definitely longer (thanks to the tiny choil instead of the ricasso), but I think that some of the genius of this design is how much blade and handle are packed into such a deceptively sized package. If that makes any sense?

I does make total sense! Going by the specs on the Spyderco page, you get the exact same cutting edge length in the Watu and the Manix 2 LW... the latter not considered to be a small knife...

[SG89]

So slicey and classy. Another Spyderco gem. Put a different clip on it which lessened the retention but not too badly. Here's some pics:

[toocool006]

So slicey and classy. Another Spyderco gem. Put a different clip on it which lessened the retention but not too badly.

Definitely a gem. Looking good SG! Is that a RGT clip? Mine wasn't seating well and then when I was able to get it on, the contact point was over one of the holes with super loose retention. So I'm curious how it's working for you.

[SG89]

So slicey and classy. Another Spyderco gem. Put a different clip on it which lessened the retention but not too badly.

Definitely a gem. Looking good SG! Is that a RGT clip? Mine wasn't seating well and then when I was able to get it on, the contact point was over one of the holes with super loose retention. So I'm curious how it's working for you.

Yes it's over one of the holes but i tried to knock it loose from my pocket and I think I would have to be upside down for it to fall out. I would compare it to maybe an ink pen clip retention. I am hoping someone will make aftermarket scales for this knife without holes.

[toocool006]

Gotcha, makes sense and thanks for the perspective.

I am hoping someone will make aftermarket scales for this knife without holes.

You and me both :D :D :D

[SG89]

Gotcha, makes sense and thanks for the perspective.

I am hoping someone will make aftermarket scales for this knife without holes.

You and me both :D :D :D

So yeah i already switched back to the stock clip... I will save the rgt clip for some solid scales!

[SG89]

For Warstein: