Favorite Factory Scales

[kennethsime]

I really like that micarta Shaman a whole lot. I could probably have every knife I own made in a similar way with the rounded scales and I'd never want for anything more.

Yea, this man. 100% this.

[skeeg11]

Since my two favorite knives are the Mantra 2 and the SpydieChef, one might conclude that titanium is my favorite handle material. Some say titanium is slippery when wet, but I haven't found that to be much of an issue since the ergos fit my hand very nicely. Japanese FRN has a HUGE following. The main criticism being that it may be inherently susceptible to lock rock in its most recent iteration of lightweight salts unless the tolerances are spot on. I personally would like to see more linerless textured G10 on American made Salts like my Siren.

[Wartstein]

Since my two favorite knives are the Mantra 2 and the SpydieChef, one might conclude that titanium is my favorite handle material. Some say titanium is slippery when wet, but I haven't found that to be much of an issue since the ergos fit my hand very nicely. Japanese FRN has a HUGE following. The main criticism being that it may be inherently susceptible to lock rock in its most recent iteration of lightweight salts unless the tolerances are spot on. I personally would like to see more linerless textured G10 on American made Salts like my Siren.

Actually it was not lock rock, but side to side play that seemed to occur a bit more often in the latest (ffg) lightweight Salts, or actually perhaps just in the Pac Salt 2 ffg - ?

Lock rock in my experience is something that most Seki FRN Spydies (with or without liners) do have anyway to a certain (normally just very slight) degree.
No issue at all functionally speaking imho, but it does bother some (not me though)

The few Golden FRN backlocks and of course the Taichung Chap FRN did not have any perceivable lock rock though (perhaps I could have provoked one in an not-real-use related test, don´t know).

[vivi]

Since my two favorite knives are the Mantra 2 and the SpydieChef, one might conclude that titanium is my favorite handle material. Some say titanium is slippery when wet, but I haven't found that to be much of an issue since the ergos fit my hand very nicely. Japanese FRN has a HUGE following. The main criticism being that it may be inherently susceptible to lock rock in its most recent iteration of lightweight salts unless the tolerances are spot on. I personally would like to see more linerless textured G10 on American made Salts like my Siren.

The Siren has worse lock rock than any other Spyderco lockback though?

Personally I've never handled a Spyderco lockback with zero play.

[skeeg11]

Since my two favorite knives are the Mantra 2 and the SpydieChef, one might conclude that titanium is my favorite handle material. Some say titanium is slippery when wet, but I haven't found that to be much of an issue since the ergos fit my hand very nicely. Japanese FRN has a HUGE following. The main criticism being that it may be inherently susceptible to lock rock in its most recent iteration of lightweight salts unless the tolerances are spot on. I personally would like to see more linerless textured G10 on American made Salts like my Siren.

The Siren has worse lock rock than any other Spyderco lockback though?

Personally I've never handled a Spyderco lockback with zero play.

Perhaps I got lucky with my Siren as I asked my supplier to check for this. My serrated LC200N Pac Salt 2 not so much. TBH the absolutely tightest lock backs I own are linered serrated Byrds. The Hawkbill and Cara Cara Rescue. Virtually no play in any direction and I'm talking about really leaning on 'em. How they do that for that kind of money is beyond me. Drop shutty to boot! I'm actually OK with 8Cr13MoV for serrated blades. The bar for budget steels is being raised and Sal is paying close attention. It will be interesting to see if Sal goes with some 9Cr or in another direction.

I carry my serrated LC200N Pac Salt 2 when I'm fishing for stripers in the surf and love its performance, but if my Siren had teeth, that would change.

[vivi]

Since my two favorite knives are the Mantra 2 and the SpydieChef, one might conclude that titanium is my favorite handle material. Some say titanium is slippery when wet, but I haven't found that to be much of an issue since the ergos fit my hand very nicely. Japanese FRN has a HUGE following. The main criticism being that it may be inherently susceptible to lock rock in its most recent iteration of lightweight salts unless the tolerances are spot on. I personally would like to see more linerless textured G10 on American made Salts like my Siren.

The Siren has worse lock rock than any other Spyderco lockback though?

Personally I've never handled a Spyderco lockback with zero play.

Perhaps I got lucky with my Siren as I asked my supplier to check for this. My serrated LC200N Pac Salt 2 not so much. TBH the absolutely tightest lock backs I own are linered serrated Byrds. The Hawkbill and Cara Cara Rescue. Virtually no play in any direction and I'm talking about really leaning on 'em. How they do that for that kind of money is beyond me. Drop shutty to boot! I'm actually OK with 8Cr13MoV for serrated blades. The bar for budget steels is being raised and Sal is paying close attention. It will be interesting to see if Sal goes with some 9Cr or in another direction.

I carry my serrated LC200N Pac Salt 2 when I'm fishing for stripers in the surf and love its performance, but if my Siren had teeth, that would change.

Try pressing the Sirens edge hard into a cutting board.

viewtopic.php?p=1497735#p1497735



I'd love zero play lockbacks but even with some play they're still my favorite lock.

Wonder if they can do CBBL salts?

[skeeg11]

Since my two favorite knives are the Mantra 2 and the SpydieChef, one might conclude that titanium is my favorite handle material. Some say titanium is slippery when wet, but I haven't found that to be much of an issue since the ergos fit my hand very nicely. Japanese FRN has a HUGE following. The main criticism being that it may be inherently susceptible to lock rock in its most recent iteration of lightweight salts unless the tolerances are spot on. I personally would like to see more linerless textured G10 on American made Salts like my Siren.

The Siren has worse lock rock than any other Spyderco lockback though?

Personally I've never handled a Spyderco lockback with zero play.

Perhaps I got lucky with my Siren as I asked my supplier to check for this. My serrated LC200N Pac Salt 2 not so much. TBH the absolutely tightest lock backs I own are linered serrated Byrds. The Hawkbill and Cara Cara Rescue. Virtually no play in any direction and I'm talking about really leaning on 'em. How they do that for that kind of money is beyond me. Drop shutty to boot! I'm actually OK with 8Cr13MoV for serrated blades. The bar for budget steels is being raised and Sal is paying close attention. It will be interesting to see if Sal goes with some 9Cr or in another direction.

I carry my serrated LC200N Pac Salt 2 when I'm fishing for stripers in the surf and love its performance, but if my Siren had teeth, that would change.

Try pressing the Sirens edge hard into a cutting board.

viewtopic.php?p=1497735#p1497735



I'd love zero play lockbacks but even with some play they're still my favorite lock.

Wonder if they can do CBBL salts?

I have and I don't get that.

I am very fond of lock backs, too. I forgot to mention that the very first lock backs whose build quality really impressed me and are every bit as tight as the Byrds I have are the Gerber mid lock backs. They were made by Gerber Sakai or G. Sakai. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...............could that be the very same Seki City company that makes Spyderco Salts?

[Bill1170]

I’m right there with Vivi and Wartstein. Fibered composites tick the most important boxes for me in a folder I’ll actually use. Wood and bone are lovely and have good hand feel, but require more care than I want to give a work knife/EDC,

Titanium is beautiful in a gentleman’s knife, but it (like FRN) needs to be textured for grip. Metal handles are elegant but not so practical in a working knife because slick, heavy, cold/hot, etc. I have a lovely Kershaw Leek somewhere, but even in a suit I’d rather carry an FRN Delica.

[AH80s]

G10 by a long way. Everything else is dependant on rest of the knifes desirability. FRN only if it had liners, pretty much don’t look at anything in FRN though.

[skeeg11]

Vivi---

BTW I forgot to ask. Why haven't you sent that Siren in to W & R? That pic is painful to see. I wish I could un-see it.

[Bolster]

NOT the smooth woven carbon fiber scales.

All the others, I like.