Rockjumper opinions?

[Blerv]

I have a Rockjumper in the mail for my dad. I recently turned him on to serrated Spyderco knives since he tends to abuse edges (and I have to fix them). I’m sure he will muck up some teeth but the abuse a SE has to see where it becomes non-functionally sharp is wayyy up there.

Initially I thought the Rockjumper was similar in blade length to the D’Allera Rescue (3.5) which I loved but it was just a chunky carry, heavy and fairly thick geometry. The just over 3” RJ seems a great compromise packing as much edge as possible to a nicely contoured handle. I’m looking forward to playing with it a bit and seeing what he thinks.

Any Rockjumper fans want to chime in? Would love your input :) . I might need to get one of these as well! Heck…maybe for a regrind job.

[StuntZombie]

I just recently sold mine. Not because I didn't like it, but because I ultimately found that the wharncliffe blade was not my preference for all around use. It's ground very thin, and is a great cutter, but I find I like having a little bit of belly in my blade. It's also a bit tall in the closed position, though I think it's still a little narrower than a Manix and possibly the D'Allera.

Still, it's one of my all time favorite Spyderco designs. I love the handle, and adore the fact it was choil-less. It's one of the most comfortable handles they've put out. The action was the smoothest out of all the Spyderco lockbacks I've owned. I'm not sure what kind of regrind job you were thinking of, but I don't know if it could get much thinner than the grind on the Rockjumper.

If the Leafjumper ever makes it to market, I will be picking one of those up.

[RevMike]

I have a PE RockJumper in the mail right now. I'll expect to really enjoy it but I don't suspect I'll ever like it as much as the D'Allara Rescue.

[Matus]

I love the shape of the handle, but I am waiting for a leaf shaped blade in a tool steel.

[Evil D]

I really like it, the opening action is fantastic and probably my favorite out of any back lock I've had. I'm crossing my fingers hoping we see the XL versions someday. I absolutely love the handle-forward design and I hope Spyderco expand on it with a bunch of models.

[Wartstein]

....

Initially I thought the Rockjumper was similar in blade length to the D’Allera Rescue (3.5) which I loved but it was just a chunky carry, heavy and fairly thick geometry. The just over 3” RJ seems a great compromise packing as much edge as possible to a nicely contoured handle. I’m looking forward to playing with it a bit and seeing what he thinks.

...

Has been discussed before: The only downside of the RockJumper for me is: It does not "pack as much edge in the handle as possible". There is quite some space left in the handle for a longer blade / longer edge.
Can´t recall the exact thread anymore, but at one point Sal even said they´d give the Rock Jumper a longer blade and more edge, should there be a second run. But in the end this would have been too costly, as far as I recall.

Just for perspective: Both the Rock Jumper and the (diso´ed) Stretch 1 have a handle length of 113 mm.
But while the Stretch 1 packs 89 mm of blade and 81 mm of edge AND a choil in that handle , the RJ offers "only" 78 mm of blade and 72 mm of edge.

As great as the model is, it would be even better with a longer, more versatile blade for me. Especially as it actually WAS advertised in the "Byte" as a model that would "pack as much edge as possible in the handle".

[soulspy]

I have a SE one. It has great action and the handle is one of the more comfortable handles that doesn't have a choil. If you have a Sharpmaker, the serrations are really easy to clean up if your dad beats it up. VG-10 is actually pretty dang nice for serrations.

Blade length is fine. Bringing up the wording of the catalog is the start of a past post that went on and on...I always felt that the meaning was not about length in the blade, but that Sal had tweaked the geometry to have sharpened blade closer to the pivot while still having a "kick" that makes you get your finger out of the way when you close it.

I'm kinda doubtful that any other steels are offered unless it's a dealer exclusive. Apparently, it hasn't sold well. It was targeting a pretty niche user with the idea that it would be carried by a climber who may need to cut rope. I find it pretty useful all around, but don't need any other versions of it.

[JSumm]

Not much more I can add. I definitely enjoy the design. From Sal's comments, it sounds like we will have a Leaf Jumper, but the Rock Jumper may be no more. The Wharncliffe is more specialized. There are some things it does better with no belly, but to have a "do anything" EDC knife I tend to like a slight belly.

It does have the smoothest action of any of my Backlocks. However, it also has the most lock rock. Not sure if that correlates.

Either way, the design is brilliant, and I really hope we see it's influence in different models.

[fixall]

I really, really like the Rockjumper. It just feels so much more refined to me, compared to most of the other FRN lockbacks. You can really tell that a lot of thought went into it.

Great, hand filling ergonomics, buttery smooth action, great blade shape, a handle forward design that brings the blade closer to your hand…. It’s an awesome knife.

I ended up selling mine, but only because I’m accumulating too many knives…. And getting a little bored with black frn/vg-10 (talk about your first world problems). I’m holding out hope for an exclusive or sprint run.

[Blerv]

Thanks for the terrific feedback everyone :) Looking forward to seeing it in person soon.

The regrind comment was just considering pushing the envelope. I haven’t chipped my Southard reground ZDP Stretch2 so it’s more a curiosity than a necessity.

[Blerv]

Blade length is fine. Bringing up the wording of the catalog is the start of a past post that went on and on...I always felt that the meaning was not about length in the blade, but that Sal had tweaked the geometry to have sharpened blade closer to the pivot while still having a "kick" that makes you get your finger out of the way when you close it.

Thanks. I wasn’t around for the launch and R&D talk. I took the description like you said, less dead space between edge and pivot. You go get a lot of straight teeth for the exposed blade. I personally am not as much a choil fan (I still have a number), it’s just less sharp area to catch on cutting material. The handle-forward handle as Evil D put it is my personal preference.

Will have to see how it works in practice. Thanks again, all.

[Wartstein]

...
Blade length is fine. Bringing up the wording of the catalog is the start of a past post that went on and on...I always felt that the meaning was not about length in the blade, but that Sal had tweaked the geometry to have sharpened blade closer to the pivot while still having a "kick" that makes you get your finger out of the way when you close it.
.....

I certainly don´t want this to "go on and on" again, and I want to be clear: The Rock Jumper is a great design indeed, the blade length thing not a deal breaker!!

Still: The exact wording in the "Byte" announcement was (https://mailchi.mp/spyderco/spyderco-by ... ember-2020)

"One of the primary design goals of the RockJumper was to pack as much cutting edge as possible into its pocket-friendly size..."

... No offense, but for me this is hard to understand other than, well, pack as much actual cutting edge/blade as possible in the given handle.
- Now the RockJumper, as far as I recall (I can check later, still have a pic) could offer like 7mm (0.3 ") more cutting edge. This would make the edge longer than on a PM2, while now it is shorter than on a Manix.
- Plus: The blade length of the RockJumper is 3.08" - so OVER the legal 3" limit anyway, while it would never get to the "next" 3.5" limit...
- People often (rightfully!) rave about how the Caribbean packs a Millie edge in a PM2 sized handle;or how the Caly 3.5 a PM2 edge in a Delica sized handle. To have "edge length efficiency" as a CHOICE in SOME models is a very good thing imo. and the Rock Jumper actually could be a "backlock Mini Caribbean" in that regard - but is not.
- So I hope you understand that people like me were really excited when the RockJumper was actually announced as such a choice of "as much cutting edge as possible", but then not 100% happy when it turned out to be otherwise.
And when actually before the RockJumper this happened to the Stretch 2 (longer handle than the "1", but shorter edge) and the Endela (could also offer like 6 or 7 mm more edge)
But again, the RockJumper STILL is a great model and design-idea, no doubt!

[Evil D]

The "as much edge as possible" thing literally goes both ways, meaning they extended the edge all the way to the handle (or I guess rather extended the handle to the edge or whatever), but why tweak the ricasso end of the knife to gain edge length just to turn around and short the design with less blade than will actually fit into the handle? If the goal is more edge then get more edge in all the ways you can.

[zhyla]

People obsess way too much about blade to handle ratios. I’ll take a more ergonomic design over an extra quarter inch of blade any day. And if I need more blade, I’ve got bigger blades.

Nothing wrong with optimizing a design for blade length. But I think it’s a bit silly to choose a knife based on that ratio.

[Wartstein]

People obsess way too much about blade to handle ratios. I’ll take a more ergonomic design over an extra quarter inch of blade any day. And if I need more blade, I’ve got bigger blades.

Nothing wrong with optimizing a design for blade length. But I think it’s a bit silly to choose a knife based on that ratio.

Many posts here, including several by Sal himself, pointing out the advantages of a longer blade / longer cutting edge.
Just a few examples: Stays sharp longer, will have more likely "sharp areas" left after a lot of cutting, cuts more efficiently, not only (but especially) through matter with larger diameter, has more reach and so on.

I think it would be "silly" to emphasize only on edge to handle ratio.
BUT: To have options in the lineup and the collection that emphasize on this, is not "silly" at all.

I mean, following your argument, it would be silly to choose the EDC knife you carry by if it has a steel with good edge retention. Can be poor edge retention, no problem, cause you most likely have "better edge retention blades" anyway. Or if the handle is not that comfortable. You will have "knives with more comfortable handles". Or if the knife rusts very easily. You will have "more rustproof blades"

As said, people explicitly like to carry their Caribbean or Caly 3.5 for the amount of edge they get in the very compact carry. It is an advantage if the knife you bring for the day offers this and the enhanced versatility.

Now, sure an ergonomic design is important indeed. But if this design could also offer a good amount more of edge, without any downside and without even changing the "legal blade length situation"... why not make the "ergonomic design knife" even better?

[fixall]

Meh. I like it as is. With a 3.3” - 3.5” blade, I would have zero interest in the knife.

[Evil D]

Nothing wrong with optimizing a design for blade length. But I think it’s a bit silly to choose a knife based on that ratio.

Eh. 60 hours a week at a ball busting job says I can be as picky as I want. When other people buy my knives for me then I'll be less critical about little details like this.


For the record I bought one of the initial release batch and I'm committed to buy another one of the lengthened ones just to support what I ask for. Fair is fair.

[Blerv]

Maybe the knife is good example of PR gone awry. If they just said “optimized for efficient pull cuts” or something it wouldn’t have been a nuance war, lol.

Anyways, looks good. Glad it doesn’t have a choil. Glad it has a nice handle. Glad it’s like $90. I’m sure it delivers, like most Spydies. I’m not going to criticize it with a ruler.

[Manixguy@1994]

Like David , I’m waited for the next version and would really like to see another steel. I already have a Wharnie Delica o too close to have same blade in same steel . I think it is a great knife and really like the handle , has that Stretch feel with the belly . I think it would be a great gift for your Dad . I can be your Dad too ! :) MG2

[Mushroom]

Still: The exact wording in the "Byte" announcement was (https://mailchi.mp/spyderco/spyderco-by ... ember-2020)

"One of the primary design goals of the RockJumper was to pack as much cutting edge as possible into its pocket-friendly size..."

... No offense, but for me this is hard to understand other than, well, pack as much actual cutting edge/blade as possible in the given handle
- Now the RockJumper, as far as I recall (I can check later, still have a pic) could offer like 7mm (0.3 ") more cutting edge. This would make the edge longer than on a PM2, while now it is shorter than on a Manix.

For the given handle, it comes about as close as possible to achieving that.

Adding 7mm or .3” to the Rockjumper blade is too generous and would extend the blade past the end of the handle when it’s closed.

This is the closest photo I could find of a closed Rockjumper with one scaled removed. This photo is from Evil D’s Rockjumper Comparison thread and as far as I can tell the blade is fully seated while closed.

The tip of the blade is visible under the tape. That blade only has about another 1/8”(.125”) or roughly 3mm before it’s completely bottomed out at the very end of the handle. It probably only has about a 1/16” (.0625”) or about 1.6mm of handle space that they could safely extend the blade.

I guess to your point though, the blade could technically fill the handle a little more than it currently does. It’s just such a small amount it’s negligible. Unless it’s for legal reasons, that amount of blade length will never make a difference in any real world situation.