Astute First Impressions

[SG89]

"hey honey can you hold this knife so I can take a picture of your hand for the forum?" lol love it

[ladybug93]

it's for science!

[JuPaul]

"hey honey can you hold this knife so I can take a picture of your hand for the forum?" lol love it

That's pretty much exactly what I said.

[JuPaul]

Nice!

But since I recall you saying that you have rather small hands: In your pic it really looks more like a knife not suited for XL paws, or is it just the perspective (maybe you could post a pic of the Astute in the hand of your husband, if he does not mind... :) )?

Yeah, my hands are small overall compared to my husband's hands, but they're on the long side for a woman's hands. Anyhow, here it is in my husband's hands. He had no idea what glove size he wears, but he can palm a basketball, so I'm guessing it'd be a large at least.

Thanks Julia, that´s really kind of you - and your husband of course (I guess his first appearance here? :) ) !

And actually a surprisingly good fit in his certainly not exactly small hands!

I will definitely thank him for you. I do think this was his first time on the forum as a hand model. :D But I thought these pics might be even more useful to you for size comparison:

[Cambertree]

Thanks for the review Spydergirl, and everyone else for the further notes, pics and comparisons.

This is such an elegant looking knife. I can see this becoming my go-to gift knife for people with smaller hands or kids. That 8Cr13MoV easily takes screaming sharp edges too...

[toocool006]

thanks for your review and pics.

how is the opening? the hole doesn't seem to line up the best with the contour and is obscured on the other side as well. can you still spydie flick it?

It took a few minutes of practice for me, but definitely flickable. It's more of a flick "up" than "out", i.e. parallel to the handle rather than perpendicular to it. But once I got my hand placement and technique now, I can flick like 95%

[JuPaul]

Thanks for the review Spydergirl, and everyone else for the further notes, pics and comparisons.

This is such an elegant looking knife. I can see this becoming my go-to gift knife for people with smaller hands or kids.That 8Cr13MoV easily takes screaming sharp edges too...

Yes. My thoughts exactly.

[Mushroom]

If I may ask: What is your handsize and how does the handle fit in your hand?

I wear size large gloves and the handle feels good in hand but it's noticeably slim by the Spydiehole when opening. I noticed that I need to move my thumb closer in towards my hand than other Spydies that I'm used to. The rounded shape of the rear of handle definitely helps to fill my hand though.

I can take a quick comparison photo between the Endura and Astute later if you'd like.

Thanks!

Yes, I´d appreciate if you post that comparison pic later!

I can comfortably squeeze my pinkie onto the very back end of the handle of the Astute.

[carrot]

After using the astute for a bit I kinda wish it had jimping.

[Wartstein]

If I may ask: What is your handsize and how does the handle fit in your hand?

I wear size large gloves and the handle feels good in hand but it's noticeably slim by the Spydiehole when opening. I noticed that I need to move my thumb closer in towards my hand than other Spydies that I'm used to. The rounded shape of the rear of handle definitely helps to fill my hand though.

I can take a quick comparison photo between the Endura and Astute later if you'd like.

Thanks!

Yes, I´d appreciate if you post that comparison pic later!

I can comfortably squeeze my pinkie onto the very back end of the handle of the Astute.

Thanks for taking the time and effort Mushroom! :)

The handle still looks to be a bit on the short side, but that makes me appreciate even more what a huge amount of cutting edge the Astute has to offer (more than a Manix!) - and, of course: Finally a 2.5 mm bladestock, like Delica and Watu! (And not the "thicker" and imho overbuilt 3mm or even 3.6 mm of many other small Spydies)

[Wartstein]

I will definitely thank him for you. I do think this was his first time on the forum as a hand model. :D But I thought these pics might be even more useful to you for size comparison:

Thanks a lot, Julia, those pics are very usefull indeed!

As said in my post above: Amazing, how much cutting edge one gets with that little thing (more than on a Manix).
An Astute in XHP (like the Chap) would be cool...

Though i have to say: The looks are very elegant, but also quite "for females" indeed - don´t get me wrong, that is of no practical importance and a good thing of course since the knife was designed with womens hands in mind.

It´s just - hard to explain - while I really like the looks estheticwise, the Astute (or better: Its handle) does not really "call to me" as being a day to day user that I´d carry a lot... might very well change if I´d actually tested the design in real life!

[Abyss_Fish]

The distance between the bottom of the edge and the top of the handle concerns me a bit... This thing is going to develop some nicks along the top of that g10 from sharpening, I can feel it.

Not as bad as some knives I've seen but this is still a lil' bit concerning...

[JuPaul]

I will definitely thank him for you. I do think this was his first time on the forum as a hand model. :D But I thought these pics might be even more useful to you for size comparison:

Thanks a lot, Julia, those pics are very usefull indeed!

As said in my post above: Amazing, how much cutting edge one gets with that little thing (more than on a Manix).
An Astute in XHP (like the Chap) would be cool...

Though i have to say: The looks are very elegant, but also quite "for females" indeed - don´t get me wrong, that is of no practical importance and a good thing of course since the knife was designed with womens hands in mind.

It´s just - hard to explain - while I really like the looks estheticwise, the Astute (or better: Its handle) does not really "call to me" as being a day to day user that I´d carry a lot... might very well change if I´d actually tested the design in real life!

It has darn near the same edge length as a pm2! Pretty crazy.

I've heard people describe designs as "sexy" before, and I think this falls into that category. So I agree there's definitely something feminine about it, but in a way that a lot of men might appreciate.

[abbazaba]

I got mine a while back from the campsaver deal along with the swayback and siren. I agree with the consensus... A little smaller than I thought, but what a great design! I've been carrying mine clipless (wire clip would've been perfect for this one, or at least a standard 2-56 screw IMO), and it's been a pleasure to use. I think a larger version is inevitable if we keep buying them! Seriously, this is one of the best new designs in a while. I took a few (not so great) pictures a week or so ago but got lazy...

[Wartstein]

As said, what I particularly like is the thinner bladestock of this knife. Gives me hope that Spyderco will generally move more towards the imho from a practical point of view superior thinner 2.5 (like the Delica) or even 2.00 (like the Chap) mm stocks at least in smaller new models (instead of 3.00 to 3.70)

The Watu is another example where they did so!

[Curtis]

Lovely pieces

[toocool006]

I think this might be my favorite new spyderco in some time. It's probably just me (men's small glove size), but the handle absolutely melts in my hand, and the palm swell is magical. I know hoping for a sprint is a pipe dream, but that is where I'm at right now. Such an incredible design!

[JuPaul]

As said, what I particularly like is the thinner bladestock of this knife. Gives me hope that Spyderco will generally move more towards the imho from a practical point of view superior thinner 2.5 (like the Delica) or even 2.00 (like the Chap) mm stocks at least in smaller new models (instead of 3.00 to 3.70)

The Watu is another example where they did so!

It definitely seems like they're trying to meet demand for thinner blade stock on smaller models, especially after Sal's bombshell about the thinner, longer Enuff fixed blade as well.

[PSquared]

The Astute looks like they shrunk a Barong blade and fitted it in a Leek handle ... I like the look of it but would really have preferred another steel. I know that realistically I could quite comfortably live with 8CR on all my knives but I choose not to yet I’m happy with AUS8 ...first world problems and illogical bias.

[SG89]

3 weeks later and still loving it