Chaparral LW in colors, please

[Doc Dan]

I like the Chaparral platform, I have 4 with one on the way -- but to go down the new colour rabbit hold I would propose taking a page from the Sage handbook and do them with new steels as well, something like...

Burnt Orange - Rex45
Toxic Green - LC200N

...and perhaps S90V, 4V, K390, M390 with diff colours?

Just my 2c

And my 2c too...

Generally in my humble opinion it is time that Spyderco gets even more into thinner, better performing blade stocks, and the Chap would be a perfect platform for this.
Nothing at all against thick blades on small folders for those who like that, but there is already a good choice of more "junky" little knives in the lineup...

The Chaparral is the perfect upgrade from the Dragonfly, but my wife does not like grey. I'd like to see gentlemanly and gentlewomanly colors. Instead of hot pink, dusty pink. Coyote tan is nice. Earth tones. I like patriot/country blue, also.

As mentioned above, a marbled FRN would be nice.

[JohnyKwst]

The highly refined and perfected Chaparral deserves all the praise and love that the model receives. I truly believe it is Spyderco’s best knife design and one the best knife designs in history. It is so great to see it being used as a platform and all the variations it receives. That being said I agree with the previous poster, I would love to see a fluted titanium version.

[Wartstein]

The highly refined and perfected Chaparral deserves all the praise and love that the model receives. I truly believe it is Spyderco’s best knife design and one the best knife designs in history. ....

THIS
("One of the best knife designs in history" at least. If it is Spydercos VERY best, I don´t know. But certainly in their top 5 for me... :) )

[TSINGA]

I'd appreciate the Dragonfly and the Chaparral both being available in the same colors as are currently available on the Delica/ Endura. I'd especially like blue FRN scales with VG-10 steel; because I don't like to see fingerprints!

[lilshaver]

While different colors in FRN would certainly be nice a couple colors in G10 would be also.

[Ryder]

Love the subtle and light weight gray FRN as is but Coyote Tan might work. Not interested in micarta or bright colors. I dig low key, good grip texture, high strength and not adding any extra weight.

The Chaparral is far more than a gents knife. Not too big, not too small, not too heavy...it’s a Goldilocks knife.

[z1r]

Love the subtle and light weight gray FRN as is but Coyote Tan might work. Not interested in micarta or bright colors. I dig low key, good grip texture, high strength and not adding any extra weight.

The Chaparral is far more than a gents knife. Not too big, not too small, not too heavy...it’s a Goldilocks knife.

I love my CF Chap, and I'm not really a CF scale fan usually. But I do sort of view that knife as my "dress" knife. I'd love me a couple of FRN Chaps for the very reasons you mentioned!

[Wartstein]

Love the subtle and light weight gray FRN as is but Coyote Tan might work. Not interested in micarta or bright colors. I dig low key, good grip texture, high strength and not adding any extra weight.

The Chaparral is far more than a gents knife. Not too big, not too small, not too heavy...it’s a Goldilocks knife.

I love my CF Chap, and I'm not really a CF scale fan usually. But I do sort of view that knife as my "dress" knife. I'd love me a couple of FRN Chaps for the very reasons you mentioned!

Get one as the rough beater brother of your CF!
The Chap (-blade) is just a joy to use, also in harder tasks!

[z1r]

Love the subtle and light weight gray FRN as is but Coyote Tan might work. Not interested in micarta or bright colors. I dig low key, good grip texture, high strength and not adding any extra weight.

The Chaparral is far more than a gents knife. Not too big, not too small, not too heavy...it’s a Goldilocks knife.

I love my CF Chap, and I'm not really a CF scale fan usually. But I do sort of view that knife as my "dress" knife. I'd love me a couple of FRN Chaps for the very reasons you mentioned!

Get one as the rough beater brother of your CF!
The Chap (-blade) is just a joy to use, also in harder tasks!

Genau, I already view my Native 5 as my rougher use knife, but there's room for an FRN Chap for sure.

[Sharp Guy]

Something you all need to keep in mind is production capacity. We all want the cool variations of current models but then we wonder why there's sometimes a long lapse in inventory for certain models that are made in the Taichung plant. Sal has already said they keep the Taichung plant really busy. Looking at the catalog I see like 40 models & variations being produced by the Taichung plant. No wonder some models are periodically out of stock. I don't think adding more variations to an existing model will help with that

[Matus]

I would vote for Spyderco to offer at least the most common models in white FRN / G10, so that everyone can then dye them to whatever color they please.

[Wartstein]

Something you all need to keep in mind is production capacity. We all want the cool variations of current models but then we wonder why there's sometimes a long lapse in inventory for certain models that are made in the Taichung plant. Sal has already said they keep the Taichung plant really busy. Looking at the catalog I see like 40 models & variations being produced by the Taichung plant. No wonder some models are periodically out of stock. I don't think adding more variations to an existing model will help with that

Good points!

Though I personally (and of course totally subjective!) would see this differently in case of the Chap:

More color choices would be pretty easy to do (production process would remain the same, just addanother color to the FRN)
And it could help to make this particular model more popular, which again could begin to end the myth of "thinner blades are too weak" and perhaps allow Spyderco to become even more the performance oriented company they already are.

[Sharp Guy]

Something you all need to keep in mind is production capacity. We all want the cool variations of current models but then we wonder why there's sometimes a long lapse in inventory for certain models that are made in the Taichung plant. Sal has already said they keep the Taichung plant really busy. Looking at the catalog I see like 40 models & variations being produced by the Taichung plant. No wonder some models are periodically out of stock. I don't think adding more variations to an existing model will help with that

Good points!

Though I personally (and of course totally subjective!) would see this differently in case of the Chap:

More color choices would be pretty easy to do (production process would remain the same, just addanother color to the FRN)
And it could help to make this particular model more popular, which again could begin to end the myth of "thinner blades are too weak" and perhaps allow Spyderco to become even more the performance oriented company they already are.

Maybe you're right. Instead of doing a run of grey FRN they can do a run of blue, etc. However, (and I could certainly be wrong) I don't really think adding more FRN colors will make people see the knife any different than they already do. I still see it as more of a Gent's knife even though I fully agree with you that it's a very capable cutting tool. That's why I think it's such a great Gent's knife. It's small but it performs above it's size. I think the same about my Ferrum Forge Gent's models that I like so much. Very small package with a nice blade shape that cuts really well. I can use these knives for almost all the cutting I do daily (heck I could use a Manbug or Dragonfly for most of it). They're really the most practical size for me and pretty much what I was looking for when I started this quest several years ago. I never really wanted anything bigger yet that's what I have with me most often. If I have a big cardboard box to cut up for the recycling bin I always use something with a longer blade and bigger handle.

[Ryder]

Love the subtle and light weight gray FRN as is but Coyote Tan might work. Not interested in micarta or bright colors. I dig low key, good grip texture, high strength and not adding any extra weight.

The Chaparral is far more than a gents knife. Not too big, not too small, not too heavy...it’s a Goldilocks knife.

I love my CF Chap, and I'm not really a CF scale fan usually. But I do sort of view that knife as my "dress" knife. I'd love me a couple of FRN Chaps for the very reasons you mentioned!

Carbon fiber can be absolutely gorgeous. I have several items using CF like hiking poles and a great Gitzo Mountaineer tripod. Lovely stuff but mine has developed a few scratches and the hiking poles have zillions of scratches on the lower sections.

But it’s a user and I’ll use the Chaparral till the wheels come off and probably get another just like it. If they can stretch the blade a half inch I’ll get that model immediately but I do value the thin, hard toothy blade immensely.

[Abyss_Fish]

Absolutely! More simple options for the chap would be great, I think coral-ish watercolor-ish shades would suit it well. Muted teal, orange, and blue, you get the idea. Simple G10 would be nice as well as a mid range option, something between the ~100 dollar chap lw and the ~140-160$ chaps with fancy scales. Polished ivory and forrest green g10, simple stuff.

And tbh I don’t think steel choices are really important for this model as a few have mentioned. I’m all for it usually, but as a convenient to use slicer xhp is perfectly fine. The chap is more about the scales. If anything just do a straight upgrade with s90v, but I don’t think it’s necessary.

[Wartstein]

Good points!

Though I personally (and of course totally subjective!) would see this differently in case of the Chap:

More color choices would be pretty easy to do (production process would remain the same, just addanother color to the FRN)
And it could help to make this particular model more popular, which again could begin to end the myth of "thinner blades are too weak" and perhaps allow Spyderco to become even more the performance oriented company they already are.

Maybe you're right. Instead of doing a run of grey FRN they can do a run of blue, etc. However, (and I could certainly be wrong) I don't really think adding more FRN colors will make people see the knife any different than they already do. I still see it as more of a Gent's knife even though I fully agree with you that it's a very capable cutting tool. That's why I think it's such a great Gent's knife. It's small but it performs above it's size. I think the same about my Ferrum Forge Gent's models that I like so much. Very small package with a nice blade shape that cuts really well. I can use these knives for almost all the cutting I do daily (heck I could use a Manbug or Dragonfly for most of it). They're really the most practical size for me and pretty much what I was looking for when I started this quest several years ago. I never really wanted anything bigger yet that's what I have with me most often. If I have a big cardboard box to cut up for the recycling bin I always use something with a longer blade and bigger handle.

Perhaps you´re right and color options would not really "boost" the Chap FRN - but if they did, for me it would be mostly not about making a particular knife more practical, but rather a whole "class / kind of knives" and standard for a great cutting tool.

And I am convinced: 2mm, at least in taller blades, should be the standard, at least for smaller folders (or at max the 2.5 of Delica and Salt) - people just don´t trust such blade, but mostly cause they often don´t try..