Chaparral

[twinboysdad]

Hi Wrdwrght,

Interesting observation. Yes, the market has spoketh, and we work for you. The Kopa, Sage and Chaparral series were all ideas of mine that I thought might have had longer term success.

The Kopa series ran into problems with the maker not being confident to use all of the handle materials I had planned. It was a limited run of each material which worked well until we hit that wall. Now they are a hard to find collectable, and quite expensive when you can find one.

The Sage series, likewise, ran into issues with capacity of the maker and slowing of sales with earlier locks. I probably should have made them a limited series, like the Kopa, but I felt the Sage design (pattern) had more appeal than just for locks. So while we will continue to add various locks when we can (I'm testing one right now), we will also offer the design in variations that you are requesting. That was one of the reasons for the FRN version, which permits steels and color variations, in a popular lock.

The Chaparral series offered some pretty classy, in my opinion handles, like the machined Titanium, and the Sun/Moon version (which was a repeat of the Solo Sun/Moon) concept. But again, I probably should have offered it in limited quantities, which still would have disco'd models. But we also ended up with an FRN version to utilize the design with more versions in steels and color, per your requests..

sal

Well thanks for the LW. I had a Raffir and sold it as it was in between a user and collector. The LW is a machine. I consider it an elevated D4. Choil, wire clip, thin stock, backspacer- it’s the wolf in sheep’s clothing

[Sharp Guy]

I’d like to see a Chaparral MagnaCut Yellow FRN before the old chap says goodbye.

By the way, the Chaparral Stepped Titanium (without blue anodizing) is a stunning piece of functional art. Very time-consuming and expensive 3D CNC machining.

^ That's one I do regret not picking up when they were disco'd. I assume I had other things on the radar at the time

[Wartstein]

@Wartstein I still believe there is a misunderstanding. I was only
talking about the Chaparral and Chaparral LW, not a new model.

Chaparral = No changes except handle material and finish.

Chaparral LW = A departure from the original series - fair game to change whatever they want.

Again, I’m not trying to tell Spyderco what to do, I’m just expressing my own personal preference.

Thanks, Nick, I think NOW I understand indeed !

As I´ve stated probably more than enough for many : In my humble opinion the LW should get as many variants as possible, and any effort to make it more popular and folks really TRY it (not only as a "gents knife") should be taken

[Wartstein]

I don't have a strong opinion on a steel change to the Chaparral. Any steel that Spyderco would choose to use on the model is AOK with me. For its intended use as a gentleman's knife, CTS XHP is perfectly fine.

I may sound like a broken record, and yes, I am sure the Chap was/is intended primarily to be a gents knife.

But I always hope that more people try it out as a little hard use monster (!for a small pocket knife!):
It is really good at that too, relatively to the superslim package one carries, and to me it really was a surprise that it fills that niche as well as the "gents" niche

- The thin blade is sturdier than most might think, especially where it matters most when it comes to snapping a blade: At the tip. This is cause the tip is actually shaped rather obtuse on that leaf blade (when one looks at the flat of the blade) and there is not too much tapering going on on the spine.
(Again: The tip is sturdy for such a thin blade, of course it is not a sabre grind Endura tip )

- With a thin blade many times one has to use less force when separating matter anyway

- And: Being so small, the Chap will be held pretty much always with a finger in the choil: In "hard use" this takes force away from the pivot and there is not much blade sticking out in front of the hand, so the leverage forces on the blade are not that much.
On top of that the Chap is built extremely solid and "heavy".

- Handle: Sure, not your "comfy fat bushcraft handle" for hours of woodwork.
But for short time duration folder tasks perfectly fine and very stable in hand.

[sal]

So, for the sake of conversation, on the frn version, whaddayouwant?

Colors, Steels or specific combinations?

sal

[zhyla]

So, for the sake of conversation, on the frn version, whaddayouwant?

Colors, Steels or specific combinations?

sal

Honestly the gray FRN is nice, CTS-XHP is great, and you guys finally put out an SE version. I often say the Chap LW is the best knife Spyderco makes.

I imagine some people would appreciate color options. I’m just glad it’s not black.

I don’t think it needs a “better” steel. The design is excellent, it doesn’t need anything else to sell it.

[Wartstein]

So, for the sake of conversation, on the frn version, whaddayouwant?

Colors, Steels or specific combinations?

sal

- Bright handle, rustproof "outdoor" version (and also marketed as that: A super slim and small, very slicey, but "bombproof - ly" built highly efficient cutting tool for small outdoor and other tasks- so in this version deliberately NOT focussing on the "gents knife aspect").

- High edge retention version: K390 or whatever is the most convenient "hard" steel for Taichung and a "classy" handle color like emerald green or dark burgundy red

Just my layman 2c, cause you asked, Sal, and I really admire the Chap platform!

[Wartstein]

Honestly the gray FRN is nice, CTS-XHP is great, and you guys finally put out an SE version. I often say the Chap LW is the best knife Spyderco makes.

I imagine some people would appreciate color options. I’m just glad it’s not black.

I don’t think it needs a “better” steel. The design is excellent, it doesn’t need anything else to sell it.

I (only) agree on a personal level: For me (and you...) gray scales and XHP are perfectly fine (in my case both as a "gents" knife AND for outdoor an EDC use).

BUT: For the "market" I am almost certain the Chap DOES need "something else" to sell it (better)!

People these days just want more rustproof steels (and many have good reasons for that!), want "supersuper" modern steels, and I think is would be good if more realized what the Chap can do and be beyond the "gents knife" thing. For that it does need new inputs and variants imo.

[RamZar]

So, for the sake of conversation, on the frn version, whaddayouwant?

Colors, Steels or specific combinations?

sal

— MagnaCut Yellow FRN
— LC200N Green FRN
— K390 Blue FRN

[zhyla]

BUT: For the "market" I am almost certain the Chap DOES need "something else" to sell it (better)!

You’re probably right. People certainly enjoyed the Dragonfly color boom.

People these days just want more rustproof steels

Are you talking enthusiast people or just people? Cause regular people just want a good knife they can carry around the office and open boxes. That’s where I see the Chap.

[PaloArt]

So, for the sake of conversation, on the frn version, whaddayouwant?

Colors, Steels or specific combinations?

sal

- Bright handle, rustproof "outdoor" version (and also marketed as that: A super slim and small, very slicey, but "bombproof - ly" built highly efficient cutting tool for small outdoor and other tasks- so in this version deliberately NOT focussing on the "gents knife aspect").

- High edge retention version: K390 or whatever is the most convenient "hard" steel for Taichung and a "classy" handle color like emerald green or dark burgundy red

Just my layman 2c, cause you asked, Sal, and I really admire the Chap platform!

What Wartstein highlighted here is great, especially on k390 version... Outdoor marketed one as is intriguing as well

[benja-man]

— MagnaCut Yellow FRN
— LC200N Green FRN
— K390 Blue FRN

Short and to the point. I agree.

[DansGearAddiction]

So, for the sake of conversation, on the frn version, whaddayouwant?

Colors, Steels or specific combinations?

sal

— MagnaCut Yellow FRN
— LC200N Green FRN
— K390 Blue FRN

I think this covers a wide variety of use cases and gives a nice variety of steels. SPY27 might make for a nice choice too. I think it would be interesting to see how some of these steels perform on a knife with a really thin blade.

I'd love to also see the "smooth" FRN pattern as seen on the UKPK as an option too, though I believe that's exclusive to slip-joints; with that being said, I'm not sure of the demand of that in the general market and I might be the only buyer (my weird use case is that I deal with pretty severe eczema, and the "grippier" FRN pattern isn't usable during an outbreak, and I'm often using non-FRN/G10 knives during this time).

[Mat_ski]

I would love some high edge retention stainless like s90v in a chaparral.

Actually it would be awesome in Sage as well.

[twinboysdad]

So, for the sake of conversation, on the frn version, whaddayouwant?

Colors, Steels or specific combinations?

sal

Burnt orange. The green from the Delica FFG series. Both of those are insta buys

[ugaarguy]

So, for the sake of conversation, on the frn version, whaddayouwant?

Colors, Steels or specific combinations?

sal

Spyderco box red scales, one of the M390 triplets or S90V. If you wanted to do black liners, hardware, clip, and blade to complete the Spyderco colors theme this Georgia Dawg would be even happier.

Honestly, as long as RGT keeps offering red G10 scales for the Chap, I don't care what color the factory scales are if we can get a more corrosion resistant steel.

[tzirconia]

— MagnaCut Yellow FRN
— LC200N Green FRN
— K390 Blue FRN

Well said, any of these and I'm in.

[Wartstein]

— MagnaCut Yellow FRN
— LC200N Green FRN
— K390 Blue FRN

Well said, any of these and I'm in.

Would be very cool, but do/will they use MC and K390 in Taichung?

[Wartstein]

So, for the sake of conversation, on the frn version, whaddayouwant?

Colors, Steels or specific combinations?

sal

- Bright handle, rustproof "outdoor" version (and also marketed as that: A super slim and small, very slicey, but "bombproof - ly" built highly efficient cutting tool for small outdoor and other tasks- so in this version deliberately NOT focussing on the "gents knife aspect").

- High edge retention version: K390 or whatever is the most convenient "hard" steel for Taichung and a "classy" handle color like emerald green or dark burgundy red

Just my layman 2c, cause you asked, Sal, and I really admire the Chap platform!

What Wartstein highlighted here is great, especially on k390 version... Outdoor marketed one as is intriguing as well

Yes, the "Chap is only a light duty gents knife" - thing to me is a bit like "serrations are hard to sharpen".. something people repeat over and over again, but if they actually tried in the right ways they'd see this is not the case.

Where the Chap is great for example:

If one carries a larger fixed blade in the outdoors, but pairs it for all the smaller bushcraft and other tasks with the a lot more convenient (and slicier!) for that Chaparral.

I sometimes call it a little "bushcraft claw" - the Chap sits so nicely in the hand, just like a "sixth finger" that can cut extremely well.
Plus feels really solid and completely disappears in pocket with its superslim carry when not being needed.

[RamZar]

— MagnaCut Yellow FRN
— LC200N Green FRN
— K390 Blue FRN

Well said, any of these and I'm in.

Would be very cool, but do/will they use MC and K390 in Taichung?

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Taichung already has Maxamet and will soon have SPY27 and Rex 121 all in the Sage FRN.