I have come to conclude that I’m not happy with the straight-spine Stretch2.
Every time I hold mine, it tells me it’s a midlock PM2 (I cannot agree) and not a Stretch (I cannot disagree).
Plus, I think I don’t care for the attempted ivory.
Odd how irrational thoughts can weigh on you.
No problem. Nothing works for everyone and it's probably a good thing that it doesn't, otherwise we'd live in a boring world where every product only came in one form and one color. To be perfectly honest, my absolute favorite Stretch is still the original and most compact version, but even there, I hated the stainless handle with the Kraton inlays and it took me three tries at have one customized before I was 100% happy with the result.
I’ve said elsewhere that the PM2 is not my most loved Spydie but is the best utility knife I’ve ever used.
Could I live with only one Stretch or Stretch2? Of course, and happily. I love the original blade-shape and I well-understand why hunters particularly are drawn to its edge-shape. I wish I’d had one when I hunted caribou with the Naskapis during my many months among them.
But as a fan of difference in design, I don’t care much for blurring of distinctions, even if it’s the Glessers who rightly do it.
It remains a mystery to me why many here become vocal fans of a particular Spydie model or family of models and not of others, yet beg for key features in other models to be incorporated into their favored models.
There is, of course, absolutely no reason why fans should not beg, nor the Glessers accommodate.
I just prefer distinctions.
You lived with the Naskapis?! That´s really fascinating to me (when I was younger I read and learned a lot about Native Americans, but, as an European, solely in theory... ). I´ll better stop it here, this would derail very quickly in a very long off-topic rambling.... :rolleyes:
/ I understand what you mean, and these are interesting and valid thoughts!
As for the Stretch: The Stretch 1 is MY personal best utility knife out of all folders of all brands (as for you is the PM2), and I prefer the original Stretch blade shape.
So I would not need a straight spine Stretch, but still think it is a cool variant and practically speaking most likely MORE usefull for people who particullary want a pointier tip..
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)
I have come to conclude that I’m not happy with the straight-spine Stretch2.
Every time I hold mine, it tells me it’s a midlock PM2 (I cannot agree) and not a Stretch (I cannot disagree).
Plus, I think I don’t care for the attempted ivory.
Odd how irrational thoughts can weigh on you.
No problem. Nothing works for everyone and it's probably a good thing that it doesn't, otherwise we'd live in a boring world where every product only came in one form and one color. To be perfectly honest, my absolute favorite Stretch is still the original and most compact version, but even there, I hated the stainless handle with the Kraton inlays and it took me three tries at have one customized before I was 100% happy with the result.
It was you, Paul, who opened my eyes to the Stretch, and I’m grateful.
-Marc (pocketing an S110V Native5 today)
“When science changes its opinion, it didn’t lie to you. It learned more.”
Some more contoured Koa for the wood scale lovers out there. :)
This was not the easiest one to pull off... This is the straight spine blade (obviously) mounted into the brown G10/SS ZDP-189 frame of the Stretch 2 first released in 2015. I had Steve Ketchen at the time make me these amazing scales and asked Casey Lynch to kindly anodize one of his clips as dark brown as he could.
Swapping this blade in is where it got a bit interesting since its mated lockbar out of the ivory FRN scales is actually just a bit too long to clear the backspacer on the G10/SS frame (pretty sneaky Seki!). I quickly tried using the drop point ZDP blade’s lockbar but it allowed too much up and down blade play, so out came the Dremel and a bit later, the now shorter VG-10 straight blade lockbar was successfully mounted into the frame. There’s a few tricks to doing blade swaps on Seki models (I love reading about folks using Zip ties and the like, I can blade swap a Delica in under two minutes!) but I’ll say there’s a pretty darn strong spring on that G10 Stretch! The FRN model was quite easy to refit the blade into, but the G10 model took a bit of doing! :D
It's better to be good than evil, but one achieves goodness at a terrific cost. ––– Stephen King
Some more contoured Koa for the wood scale lovers out there. :)
...
Amazing! Really beautifull knife.
And generally: Straight spine Stretch: Imho still the best (for me personally the better) PM2 alternative out there...
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)
Radioactive! Such a nice piece, the scales are really awesome.
Why the heck I did not buy this knife.....it is beyond me
Since I can't have too many knives and still slightly prefer the Stretch 1 I sold my ss Stretch... but maybe I shouldn't have done so, it's just such a great design... :o
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)
Every time I try to buy one of these I start to ask why it is better than the two I already have, a SE Stretch 1 and a HAP40 Stretch. I always come to the conclusion that I would gain nothing from it other than another duplicate knife. I do really like the way it looks, but saving for something else takes precedent.
"...it costs nothing to be polite." - Winston Churchill
“Maybe the cheese in the mousetrap is an artificially created cheaper price?” -Sal
Since I can't have too many knives and still slightly prefer the Stretch 1 I sold my ss Stretch... but maybe I shouldn't have done so, it's just such a great design... :o
I should have bought that one from you :D Agree, it is a very nice design, I hope that straight spine Stretch will return at some point in the future.
In the pocket: Chaparral FRN, Native Chief, Police 4 K390, Pacific Salt SE, Manix 2 G10 REX45
Thanks guys and your comments hit on the very reason I did want this version so much - I was worried this would be the only straight spine version they might make, or another may not come around again for many years. Plus there’s always the fact that if people don’t buy this version, it’s less likely another run will be done in another steel. As for the color choice of ivory FRN scales, a $3 bottle of RIT dye can change that pretty quick! And I do mean quick because all the FRN scales I’ve ever dyed have hit the right color within a minute or two of being in the drink, as opposed to requiring a half hour or more for dyeing G10 scales. :)
It's better to be good than evil, but one achieves goodness at a terrific cost. ––– Stephen King
It's a great knife when you want something lighter than a Para 2. FWIW Sal has said it is on the schedule to be produced in K390.
Are you sure that he did not mean the "regular" Stretch 2 but not the straight spine Stretch?
I personally prefer the straight spine Stretch 2 over the regular Stretch 2, solely cause the former has a longer cutting edge (blade of the ss Stretch is a tad longer plus the blade part of the choil shorter: Result: More edge)
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)
Are you sure that he did not mean the "regular" Stretch 2 but not the straight spine Stretch?
I personally prefer the straight spine Stretch 2 over the regular Stretch 2, solely cause the former has a longer cutting edge (blade of the ss Stretch is a tad longer plus the blade part of the choil shorter: Result: More edge)
I don't post often but read much. This one has got me out of lurker mode. I have to say that this design is what I look for in a Spyderco. I have a couple Delica's, an Endura, and a Police 4 . But the Spydies that I find myself going back to time and again are the ones with choils. I have 5 (at the moment) Native 5's, and another 4 para 3's, a para 2, a lil' native (fantastic knife). In the over 3" knife category I think this rivals the Manix as the most ergonomic design. It has won me over on the design and I have 2 more Stretch 2's coming. I can't believe I neglected this one for so long. I may part with my PM2 in Cru Wear as this feels so superior in my hand. While I'd love to see some with super steels, I think the Stretch 2 design would be fantastic as a Salt version in LC200N.
Does anyone remember when the ivory frn ss stretch 2 first launched? Thanks in advance if anyone can give me an answer!
I just can say (checked right now) that I bought mine in [EDIT :NOVEMBER] 2019 - this must have been right when the ivory Stretch sprint was available here in Europe...
Last edited by Wartstein on Mon Mar 11, 2024 5:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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)
Does anyone remember when the ivory frn ss stretch 2 first launched? Thanks in advance if anyone can give me an answer!
I just can say (checked right now) that I bought mine in [EDIT :NOVEMBER] 2019 - this must have been right when the ivory Stretch sprint was available here in Europe...
Bought mine in November ’19 in the states, seems accurate.
