Spydercos you pair with NON Spydercos (inspired by Cambertree) - pics appreciated!

[PSquared]

Could you post a comparison pic of your Rambler to some Spyderco? More a well known one (Delica, Para 3, PM2, Endura, Manix, whatever... )?!

Apologies for the delay while travelling.

Vic Rambler with Ladybug and Dragonfly as well as with a Delica and Endura

[Wartstein]

Could you post a comparison pic of your Rambler to some Spyderco? More a well known one (Delica, Para 3, PM2, Endura, Manix, whatever... )?!

Apologies for the delay while travelling.

Vic Rambler with Ladybug and Dragonfly as well as with a Delica and Endura

Thanks for keeping this in mind and posting the pics! :)
Appreciate it and it helps a lot.

[Wartstein]

I needed an adecuate partner for my san mai master hunter.

And this is my favorite combination:

Three of the knives VERY nice! :)
That Marauder though makes me think (but also want to try myself): That unusual second guard thing? Good idea or not?
Might be great for chopping by locking in the hand and preventing it from slowly slipping towards the back of the handle, but then:
When chopping one grabs the handle more backwards often times, so BEHIND that second guard, plus the knife has some "hook" at the handle end anyway (plus for chopping a long lanyard is the best option imho anyway)?

The Marauder is a controversial knife, I know. But for me the function defines the form, and this is my grill-grail. On grill days, my hands are greasy and sweaty, and I DON'T want to risk this magna blade to slip out of my hands, specially when cutting my "asado" above the flames. So the sub-hilt gives me the sure feeling I need to concentrate on the cut.

It is a matter of taste, of course, and without trying is difficult to imagine how it works in action. But I am very pleased with the knife itself and thankful for the sub-hilt.

Thanks for explaining! .)
As you say: That second guard certainly is controversial, but one can only form an opinion on it by trying the design in"real life"!
Sounds like there it actually works very well. Perhaps I´ll try myself one day, bu usually when I have spare money for another knife it goes into a Spyderco folder...

[Wartstein]

Hiking pairing

Nice combo!

Though if I may suggest: When you bring a PE fixed blade, perhaps try to pair it with a Spyderco SE folder - you might like that! I´ll admit that I love Spydercos SE anyway, but specifically on a hike it has some nice properties, for example it makes great feathersticks, bites deeper into wood due the chisel grind, will "tear apart" stuff like PE can´t, and will stay sharp longer plus still remain somewhat functional even when dull...

[Wartstein]

Hey Wartstein, my friend. :)

Thanks for starting this cool thread, and I’m honoured you enjoyed the other Pairs thread I started.....

Thanks for the detailed reply, my friend!
And I am glad as well that you enjoyed this thread, actually it is pretty much "yours" too: When I replied in the very interesting one you started about Spydie pairs I realized (as said there) that I actually almost never pair Spydie and Spydie, but if at all, Spydie and "other", so it was pretty much obvious to start this thread

Always like to read when you share your obviously deep and universal knowledge about cutting tools! Especially the traditional Japanese one. I have to read up on that more! I just know a bit about Japanese swords, how they were/are traditionally made and compare to medieval European swords in their properties, but really almost nothing about Japanese knives.
As I understand though the cladded construction of our beloved HAP40 Stretch (and luckily I have the HAP40 Endura too :) ) is something really traditionally Japanese, right?

Now on the Vics:
Funny, I tried quite a few of the larger Vics, and ended up with the Trailmaster as the perfect choice for me (and the only one I kept) - this model is exactly like your Soldier, but actually HAS the tweezers and toothpick, which the Soldier lacks...might be something for you? Though, as fas as I see: The Trailmaster is only available in Europe (https://www.victorinox.com/de/de/Produk ... 0.8463.MW3), while in the elsewhere just the Trailmaster grip https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Produc ... 461.MWC941, which again does NOT feature the tweezers and the toothpick (both, but especially the tweezers, more practical than many might assume!)

I happen to just get into the small Vics a bit right now, thinking about a really flat "fifth pocket" option, even flatter than my leatherman Micra.
Your "classic" was one I considered, but I think the Rambler or Manager (a Rambler with the addition of a small pen) are even better for me. No nail file, which I´d never use anyway, but instead a "multi-function Phillips screw driver" (https://www.victorinox.com/de/de/Produk ... r/p/0.6363)

[Cambertree]

Thanks for the kind words Wartstein. :)

My knowledge of knives and cutting tools is very far from universal though, my friend. :o However, I’m fortunate to have learned from people who do have a deep knowledge of many aspects of blade lore.

Yes, there’s actually an interesting continuity between Japanese swordsmithing and the development of their knives.

After the Boshin War of 1868-69, which resulted in the fall of the Tokugawa shoguns who had ruled Japan for over 250 years, and the subsequent Meiji restoration, edicts were made which were intended to destroy the power of the samurai class.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boshin_War

Samurai themselves were not banned as a social class, but their characteristic haircuts were, as was the wearing of swords in public. This basically amounted to the same thing.

This had a drastic effect on the master bladesmiths who had been attached to the courts of the various daimyo lords and their samurai retainers.

Almost overnight they were forced to earn a living by turning their skills to making tools such as kitchen knives, scissors, sickles, chisels and other cutting tools.

This is part of the reason why these tools are crafted to such a high level of refinement in Japan today.

As I’m sure you’re aware, there were many combinations of different laminating techniques used in nihonto - Japanese swords.

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/laminate.htm

Many of the ones I saw in Japan had some variation of outer hard cladding, over a softer, more ductile core.

Once the hard outer steel has been sharpened down to the soft core steel, the sword is essentially finished as a usable weapon.

Of course the san mai laminates used in our modern Spydies are the opposite of this, with their core of hardened blade steel sandwiched between softer layers of stainless steel.

So, yes those san mai Spydies are certainly the descendants of a long line of traditional Japanese bladesmithing knowledge, although the layering is a little different to most traditional nihonto.

As another example of how this bladesmithing culture still prevails in Japan today, I have a pair of beautifully made scissors which are made of laminated White Steel No. 1, and another pair made from SLD steel, which is the Japanese equivalent of D2.

I also have some forged SK5 carbon steel nail clippers I got in Sanjo.

I was amazed to see that you could buy handforged laminated White Steel garden sickles in the larger roadside petrol/gas stations. They also had very well made carbon steel kitchen knives for sale there! Brings a new meaning to the term ‘gas station knife’!

I was lucky enough to have participated in a tour of the Takefu Special Steel plant when I was in Japan in 2014. We got to see large billets of laminated steel being made and milled into sheets.

Takefu produce VG10 and the various clad steels which Spyderco use.

That’s interesting that you settled on the Vic Trailmaster. I’d definitely like to have those tweezers and pick, but I guess my Soldier has sentimental value for me now, so I’ll just use those tools from one of my small 58mm Vics.

The Rambler or Manager seem like good options. I like to buy used SAKs from time to time and sharpen and refurbish them and give them away, so I’ve had quite a few of the small SAK models. Yes that multipurpose magnetised screwdriver/bottle opener is one of the most useful tools, I think, on the 58mm Vics.

I thought I’d mention that I got one of the Rescue Clipitools with the SE blade for my brother, and it is very well made. It’s not so lefty friendly, so I won’t get one for myself, but maybe it’s an option that might one day prompt you into a Spydie/Spydie pairing?

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/detail ... escue/1122

Have you checked out the Minichamp at all? Not as flat as some other models but certainly a very useful array of tools and will still ride nicely in a coin pocket.

You prompted me to just purchase an alox Minichamp to try it out.

Ok, back to Pairs - I had my lefty Millie and my Soldier out with me today on a bike ride. I used the Millie to cut some thorny blackberry vines back from the forest path, and the saw on the Soldier to harvest some European Ash staves from a deadfall branch to make a couple of walking sticks with, which is a relaxing hobby of mine from time to time. :)

[Granoo Fink]

Skinny and his big brother:

[TkoK83Spy]

[Cl1ff]

Skinny and his big brother:

May I ask what exactly that little fixed blade is?
It looks familiar, but I’m also just really liking that Dinosaur graphic lol

[abbazaba]

Ladybugs and Manbugs go great with everything... The K390 Ladybug has been my most carried knife since it dropped.










Dragonflies are pretty great too!

[Wartstein]

Deleted for nonsense.. :o

[Granoo Fink]

Skinny and his big brother:

May I ask what exactly that little fixed blade is?
It looks familiar, but I’m also just really liking that Dinosaur graphic lol

It's a Winkler Knight Zipper.
The Raptor-Etching is available at rheinleder.de

[Wartstein]

It's a Winkler Knight Zipper.
The Raptor-Etching is available at rheinleder.de

Hey Granoo Fink,

a bit off topic, but you mentioning "rheinleder.de" made me look at your profile in order to perhaps see where you live and it says "southern Germany"
May I ask where or perhaps at least which region / federal state? Is it perhaps even close to me here in Austria, so you living in Bayern (or Allgaeu), or do you mean "southern" more broadly, so everything south of the Main or something like this?

Am lustigsten waere, wenn Du z.B, in Berchtesgaden leben wuerdest.... dann sind wir uns vielleicht schon mal über den Weg gelaufen...

[Granoo Fink]

It's a Winkler Knight Zipper.
The Raptor-Etching is available at rheinleder.de

Hey Granoo Fink,

a bit off topic, but you mentioning "rheinleder.de" made me look at your profile in order to perhaps see where you live and it says "southern Germany"
May I ask where or perhaps at least which region / federal state? Is it perhaps even close to me here in Austria, so you living in Bayern (or Allgaeu), or do you mean "southern" more broadly, so everything south of the Main or something like this?

Am lustigsten waere, wenn Du z.B, in Berchtesgaden leben wuerdest.... dann sind wir uns vielleicht schon mal über den Weg gelaufen...

Hallo Gernot

I'm living in the outskirts of Stuttgart, but my parents used to have friends in Salzburg and Vienna. So when I was a boy, we visited them a few times per year.

Fun fact: my first name is Gernot, too. You are maybe the fifth or sixth person with this name I have met in 50 years.

Viele Gruesse
Gernot :)

[Cl1ff]

Skinny and his big brother:

May I ask what exactly that little fixed blade is?
It looks familiar, but I’m also just really liking that Dinosaur graphic lol

It's a Winkler Knight Zipper.
The Raptor-Etching is available at rheinleder.de

Thank you!

[TkoK83Spy]

There's an abbazaba calendar Spydergirl was asking for the other day! :eek: Awesome knives and shots too!

[Wartstein]

Hey Granoo Fink,

a bit off topic, but you mentioning "rheinleder.de" made me look at your profile in order to perhaps see where you live and it says "southern Germany"
May I ask where or perhaps at least which region / federal state? Is it perhaps even close to me here in Austria, so you living in Bayern (or Allgaeu), or do you mean "southern" more broadly, so everything south of the Main or something like this?

Am lustigsten waere, wenn Du z.B, in Berchtesgaden leben wuerdest.... dann sind wir uns vielleicht schon mal über den Weg gelaufen...

Hallo Gernot

I'm living in the outskirts of Stuttgart, but my parents used to have friends in Salzburg and Vienna. So when I was a boy, we visited them a few times per year.

Fun fact: my first name is Gernot, too. You are maybe the fifth or sixth person with this name I have met in 50 years.

Viele Gruesse
Gernot :)

Guten Morgen, Gernot!

Thanks for your reply. Stuttgart, especially in its outskirts, must be a nice place to live! :)

In my twenties I stayed in Stuttgart for about 2 weeks, since I had a pretty lazy job there: I had to copy each single recording they had of Mozart in the Stuttgart broadcasting center to DAT casettes for the Salzburg Mozart Ton und Film Museum..
So I basically was sitting around there, listened to Mozart while reading the musical scores to it, and just had to make cuts on the DAT casettes after each movement of a symphonie or whatever (luckily I played piano for ten years, so I could read the sheet notes) :)

I can recall that it was really nice to hike around in the Stuttgart surroundings in my off time: Not real mountains, but also not flat at all, nice woods and landscape. Thought it must be great for mountain biking, but did not bring mine for the two weeks I worked there.

/ Yes "Gernot" is a pretty rare name - I have not even met as "many" as you, perhaps only two or three... weird, right, since it is such a perfect name to have... :p :p

/ If you ever like to visit Salzburg again: Shoot me a message if you like, so we can meet up! :)
And bring your biggest locking Spydie and enjoy carrying it legally here in Austria! (Your German knife laws always drive me mad. Make no sense at all to me )

[Brock O Lee]

Most of my Spydies are paired with an alox SAK.

[Wartstein]

Most of my Spydies are paired with an alox SAK.

Very nice combo! Very nice pic!!!

[Wartstein]

Ladybugs and Manbugs go great with everything... The K390 Ladybug has been my most carried knife since it dropped.


....

I strongly assume this is the Biblio and not the Grande, right?

Regardless, both are two of the very few folders that interest me a bit outside of Spydercos lineup these days (Both could have a bit thinner stock for me though, like 2.5 on the Biblio and 3 on the Grande)

The Grande looks to be even a possible Shaman alternative, right?