Urban pocket carry

[Doc Dan]

Now, if Spyderco would make a knife with a tad longer blade and make it in GOLDEN, CO., then all complaints would disappear.

is this not exactly what the ukpk is?

No. The UKPK is larger. I do like the action of the UKPK better, though.

you said a tad longer blade... that sounds like you wanted something a little bigger, which the ukpk is. you could understand my confusion, right?

Not really. The UKPK is 3". The Urban is 2.5". The K390 Urban is 3.65" and is the perfect length for the handle and for my uses. I know we are talking small amounts. I do carry a UKPK frequently and I have two. Sometimes I just want to carry something smaller than the UKPK and there is a good bit of difference in the closed lengths of the two.

[Doc Dan]

The UKPK has a slightly different handle shape and length. Maybe what doc means is to keep the Urban's closed length, the same, but stretch out the blade a bit longer? I also like the Urban's shape and length much better than the UKPK.

I happy to see that I am not the only one that handle shape/design on Urban is even better than UKPK and it has a lot of potential in a slightly larger knife. Absolutely!

I also love the ratio of thickness-to-width of the handle. It is actually not super slim (like on Chaparral) and thus sits a lot better in hand.

For my hand size I don’t think it’s possible to beat the ergonomics of the Urban handle, but with the unnecessarily short blade it’s been given I’m tempted to get an UKPK as well. Beyond tempted actually, and I’ve decided to try the MC salt when it shows up in EU stores.

I understand the rationale for shortening the blade to its current length, but I can’t help being a bit disappointed. The Urban is / could be a very size efficient design, that allows for quite a lot of edge length in a comparatively short handle. Unfortunately this potential is not utilized fully in its current form.

Where I live the law doesn’t really take into account blade length or if a knife is locking or non locking, they’re both just as good/bad, so irrespective of the chosen retention mechanism, I hope that some day the Urban handle will be fitted with the blade (length) it deserves.

The upcoming Metropolitan is supposed to address the blade length issue. Apparently, the Metropolitan was supposed to have the 3.65" or so blade length that the Urban K390 accidentally got. The Urban was always supposed to have a 2.5" blade. The K390 length was a mistake. So, they shorted the blade on the Urban and the upcoming Metropolitan, which uses the SPY-DK handle, will have the longer blade. We just need to be patient.

[aicolainen]

The UKPK has a slightly different handle shape and length. Maybe what doc means is to keep the Urban's closed length, the same, but stretch out the blade a bit longer? I also like the Urban's shape and length much better than the UKPK.

I happy to see that I am not the only one that handle shape/design on Urban is even better than UKPK and it has a lot of potential in a slightly larger knife. Absolutely!

I also love the ratio of thickness-to-width of the handle. It is actually not super slim (like on Chaparral) and thus sits a lot better in hand.

For my hand size I don’t think it’s possible to beat the ergonomics of the Urban handle, but with the unnecessarily short blade it’s been given I’m tempted to get an UKPK as well. Beyond tempted actually, and I’ve decided to try the MC salt when it shows up in EU stores.

I understand the rationale for shortening the blade to its current length, but I can’t help being a bit disappointed. The Urban is / could be a very size efficient design, that allows for quite a lot of edge length in a comparatively short handle. Unfortunately this potential is not utilized fully in its current form.

Where I live the law doesn’t really take into account blade length or if a knife is locking or non locking, they’re both just as good/bad, so irrespective of the chosen retention mechanism, I hope that some day the Urban handle will be fitted with the blade (length) it deserves.

The upcoming Metropolitan is supposed to address the blade length issue. Apparently, the Metropolitan was supposed to have the 3.65" or so blade length that the Urban K390 accidentally got. The Urban was always supposed to have a 2.5" blade. The K390 length was a mistake. So, they shorted the blade on the Urban and the upcoming Metropolitan, which uses the SPY-DK handle, will have the longer blade. We just need to be patient.

You’re probably right, but it’s not obvious for the uninitiated that the k390 was a mistake, since all the literature still lists the Urban with a 2.61” blade.
The SPY-DK handle is listed as 3mm longer and has a slightly different shape, but hopefully the ergos are similar.
While I’ll never not wish that the k390 blade length was the intended blade length, I’m very patient. I’ll be fine even if it never sees the light of day, but if a Metropolitian / k390 Urban re-issue ever happens I’ll certainly be interested.

[bbturbodad]

I don't know how well it shows in photos but the reason I like the K390's blade better (steel aside) is not the length as much as the lower tip. The shorter Urbans especially the HH version tend to slip off what I'm cutting due to height of the tip and smaller belly.




This is a photo of the HH on top of the K390 version and you can see there is a significant difference in height of the tips.

[Matus]

I don't know how well it shows in photos but the reason I like the K390's blade better (steel aside) is not the length as much as the lower tip. The shorter Urbans especially the HH version tend to slip off what I'm cutting due to height of the tip and smaller belly.

I just quickly compared my N690co and k390 and can indeed confirm. It is nearly as if the tip "traveled back along the spine". I am naively going to make the guess that keeping the tip lower would quickly make the blade look 'odd'.

[aicolainen]

I don't know how well it shows in photos but the reason I like the K390's blade better (steel aside) is not the length as much as the lower tip. The shorter Urbans especially the HH version tend to slip off what I'm cutting due to height of the tip and smaller belly.

Agreed. I focus my complaining on the blade length, but the resulting blade shape and tip position is very much a product of the blade length, so as an extension this argument is built into my critique. The overall usability takes a hit because of the short blade, which in this case feels unnecessary as a longer and better performing blade could and have been fitted into the same handle.

I also sympathize with anyone subject to 2.5” blade length limits, and realize that the updated version of the blade is better than no blade. You can’t make everyone happy, so I should just let this one go and be happy for those who are now able to legally carry it. With a handle that fits me so perfectly, that no easy feat, but I’ve beaten this horse enough now.

…well, almost. Can’t deny that those few extra mm’s and lower tip adds a lot to the esthetics and visual balance. Great pic, bb!

I’ll bury my horse and take a backseat from here on.

[Doc Dan]

I seem to remember Sal saying that they corrected the maker on the blade shape and moving forward the blade is supposed to be shaped more like the K390, just shorter.

[GarageBoy]

All the N690 Urbans have the "correct" shape right? Only the k390s are "wrong"?

[Matus]

Yep, the k390 is wrong, but wrong the right way :p

[Doc Dan]

Yes, wrong the right way. It is a fantastic knife.

A person could start a nice collection by trying to get all of the variations of the Urban. Those Italian makers aren't very consistent.

[Doc Dan]

Later, if I remember, I'll post a picture comparing the Urban handle with the likely Metropolitan handle.