yojimbo

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
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anorexicpillow
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yojimbo

#1

Post by anorexicpillow »

yojimbo and dodo are ugly, they look awful but ive heard good things about them. Either way im going to have to get one of these knives what are the pros and cons to these knives?

and where did they get the name "yojimbo"
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BladeGoblin
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#2

Post by BladeGoblin »

yojimbo means "bodyguard" in japanese, and ugly? I cant agree with you there. I have one, very high quality knife, cuts like a scalpel.
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denny
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#3

Post by denny »

I have the yojimbo it is a great knife. If I could only have one knife it would be the one. I think it is very good looking.
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Michael Cook
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...and I hear the yojimbo trainer is coming soon!

#4

Post by Michael Cook »

:spyder: The Yojimbo was designed by Mr. Janich to sit comfortably in a filipino saber grip, the ergos will keep the handle from moving around even if covered in slippery stuff.
The overall appearance of the yojimbo is not weaponized, outwardly it looks like some kind of general utility knife. A suped-up box cutter, even though the yojimbo was pourpose designed as a m.b.c. knife.
The Whyrncliff blade's razor hone slices fabric and meat without hardly any noticeable resistance and is the easiest blade type to sharpen.
The indexing divots in the handle and clip (done better on the Lil' T) really help keeping a hold on the knife when spinning from saber to referse grips. (the knife does not work in Pakal sadly)
The dodo is smaller and a bit less m.b.c. specific but even more inoculous and easy to carry. Great for knife unfriendly areas.
The dodo is more comfortable and intuitive in the reverse grip than the yojimbo. It like the Yojimbo does not work well in pakal.
I'd give the nod to the dodo for general cutting chores if that's why you carry a knife. :spyder:
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Mr Blonde
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#5

Post by Mr Blonde »

I would stronlgy suggest you try and hold/handle either the Yojimbo or Dodo before you judge. If possible try to carry and use them for a week or two. Your preconceptions of 'good looking knives' will disappear very quickly.

Spyderco makes only a few models, just to 'look good'. SPyderco is best at making knives that work!

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Dr. Snubnose
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#6

Post by Dr. Snubnose »

I agree with Mr. Blonde and Micahel Cook here...The Yojimbo has got to be the ugly best looking knife I own...I carry it each day and as far as MBC and sd you can't get any finer...If I had my pick of only one spyderco that I could carry, my vote would go hands down to that ugly YOJIMBO!...Doc
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donutsrule
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#7

Post by donutsrule »

I can make my Yojimbo work in pakal (edge-in reverse grip).
Must be a hand size/shape thing.
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Dr. Snubnose
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#8

Post by Dr. Snubnose »

The Yojimbo plain doesn't work in that position donutsrule, for that matter neither does the Dodo...Doc
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donutsrule
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#9

Post by donutsrule »

Dr. Snubnose wrote:The Yojimbo plain doesn't work in that position donutsrule, for that matter neither does the Dodo...Doc
Nevertheless it does work for me in that grip. :)
Again, your hands must not be the same size/shape as mine (which are rather small).

I agree that the Dodo's handle doesn't work in Pakal in my hands, either.
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Dr. Snubnose
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#10

Post by Dr. Snubnose »

opps... Donutsrule sorry when I read your post I thought it said I can't rather than can... For me it doesn't work but I have small hands...Doc
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spydutch
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Yoyimbo/Dodo

#11

Post by spydutch »

Hi,

I have the Dodo and it fits my rather big hands like a glove. The only minor I can think of is a little freeplay(Both up and down and a little sideways) I am allergic to knives with freeplay(even the slightest) so I won't buy a knive wthout an adjustable pivotpin very fast. About the Yoyimbo; The point doesn't look very strong to me and the knive looks a little like a Stanleyknife. But as with all spyderco's: the longer I look at them, the more they start apealing to me so in the end I buy the knife anyway. Maybe this will be the case with the Yojimbo as well. We'll see.
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Michael Cook
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Utilitarian appearance means court friendly!

#12

Post by Michael Cook »

:spyder: The yojimbo was engineered towards performing Michael Janich's Filipino system Martial Blade Craft (mbc) wich uses mainly saber-gripped bio-mechanical defang-the-snake type cuts to the bicep, tricep, forearm tendons and quadriceps.
This knife has every feature needed yet is so lowkey even knife folk see it only for it's utilitarian appearance, look deeper! :spyder:
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Michael Cook
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#13

Post by Michael Cook »

:spyder: Mind you, I do love my dodo ;) :spyder:
More of what does not work will not work. Robin Cooper, Rokudan; Aikikai.

There is great power in the profound observation of the obvious. John Stone, Rokudan; Aikikai
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skcusloa
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#14

Post by skcusloa »

I'm sure the Yojimbo is a fine knife, but you MBC are nutty. I remember asking about it a long time ago here and everyone I ran into that was a MJ disciple seemed really wierd. I tried to tell them it was more sensible to carry a gun if you're so worried about being attacked by people. They spat on the idea. They came up with stupid reasons why a knife was better, like you have to reload a gun, and I thought, how many people do you think you can take on with a pocket knife? It has no range. A group of hoodlums with some bricks and a baseball bat would destroy you. To me a pocket knife would be more of a surprise or last resort weapon. Sure there are laws and such about guns, but if you're SO worried that you train with a pocket knife for hours every week, I'd think you'd be better off investing in gun and a carry liscence. I have no problem with people that do it as a hobby, it's just the die hard people that think it's the holy grail of self defense that get to me.

I don't own a pistol and I don't do MBC. I've never been in a self defense situation either. I'm not an expert in any sort of warfare. It is common sense that a gun is better than a knife. Sure guns are illegal in some places, but you've gotta have access to something better than a knife for self defense.
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#15

Post by thombrogan »

Anorexicpillow,

The more you use a :spyder: , the prettier it becomes. Both the Dodo and Yojimbo are drop-dead gorgeous.

Dr. Snubnose,

I have small mitts and I can easily hold the Yojimbo in pakal position.

skcusloa,

Assuming you have no felonies and are of average or greater mental stability, you should get some sort of pistol, a concealed carry permit, and training in the judicious use of deadly force.
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Michael Cook
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#16

Post by Michael Cook »

skcusloa, it need not be one or the other, both guns and knives have value in serious self defence.
In Wisconsin there is NO legal concealed carry of firearms. Period. Legal carry of guns is NOT an option so what else would you suggest that has reliable stopping power like a knife does?
I'm glad you've never been in a self-defence situation, it's not fun, and look forward to hearing what the "something better" than a competantly wielded blade is for those of us who can't legaly pack a gat. Enlighten us with your "common sense" armchair quarterbacking.
More of what does not work will not work. Robin Cooper, Rokudan; Aikikai.

There is great power in the profound observation of the obvious. John Stone, Rokudan; Aikikai
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Michael Cook
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#17

Post by Michael Cook »

thombrogan wrote: I have small mitts and I can easily hold the Yojimbo in pakal position.
Hmm, interesting. You say you can easily hold the yojimbo in pakal but can you comfortably and intuitively use it in pakal? :)
More of what does not work will not work. Robin Cooper, Rokudan; Aikikai.

There is great power in the profound observation of the obvious. John Stone, Rokudan; Aikikai
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Dr. Snubnose
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#18

Post by Dr. Snubnose »

Not going to say which is better knife or gun because each has it's place in the world of self defense...however that being said lets just think about some facts...A sixty year old man with a knife in hand can cover 20 feet of distance from a dead stance in under three seconds, think what a twenty year old can do it in...better have that gun in hand is all I can advise...and you best sharpen you SD skills real good...cause you won't be able to access either the gun or knife in the time alotted...Doc
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donutsrule
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#19

Post by donutsrule »

Michael Cook wrote:Hmm, interesting. You say you can easily hold the yojimbo in pakal but can you comfortably and intuitively use it in pakal? :)
Speaking for myself: I think so. :D
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Michael Cook
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#20

Post by Michael Cook »

Well, hey, good on ya! :cool:
More of what does not work will not work. Robin Cooper, Rokudan; Aikikai.

There is great power in the profound observation of the obvious. John Stone, Rokudan; Aikikai
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