The serrated Chaparral is pretty cool

[Wartstein]

The Chap SE keeps impressing me, actually even more so the more I test it.

Yesterday in cutting into and whittling a lot of both harder and softer woods - it´s insane how the chisel grind in that thin blade and the teeth bite - and so far no problems with stability of the edge, though I am sure that taken to the extreme the chisel grind and the serrations of course just would not be able to take what the surprisingly robust PE Chap can. For any more or less sensible even harder use it works perfectly fine though so far.

/ I also like how in this thread viewtopic.php?p=1813319#p1813319 about the knife of the year SIX of us already choose the Chap SE, despite it actually did not have too much time yet to get in peoples hands. It IS just that good in its unique way, just like the Chap as a general platform is imo.
Completely believable also the account in that thread how the Chap outcuts the Millie SE on cardboard (viewtopic.php?p=1813641#p1813641) - (no wonder in that particular kind of task of course, comparing the bladestock thicknesses and will be true for almost all other Spydies too when they would get compared to the Chap SE on cardboard).

[katguy25]

I have a SE Chap too. It's a real slicer. So thin and the SpyderEdge just shreds and shreds cardboard while staying sharp for a long time. I love it!

I did not see as many SE blades in the 2025 catalog. I hope Spyderco keeps making them or brings them back in 2026. It's really hard to find a good SE knife. And Spyderco makes the best by far.

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

Anyone who shies away from serrations should give this little beast a go, I guarantee your opinion will change

[benja-man]

Anyone who shies away from serrations should give this little beast a go, I guarantee your opinion will change

It's really that good, isn't it? It seems a definitive step up compared to other serrated blades with thicker stock.

[James Y]

I like those rounded-off looking serrations.

Jim

[vivi]

I like those rounded-off looking serrations.

Jim

the shallow, wavier serrations and thin stock reminds me a lot of my SE Spartan



Definitely a different cut than a 3mm stock saber ground blade with spikey serrations. The spartan is nice for slicing fruit, cutting rope, etc.

[James Y]

I like those rounded-off looking serrations.

Jim

the shallow, wavier serrations and thin stock reminds me a lot of my SE Spartan



Definitely a different cut than a 3mm stock saber ground blade with spikey serrations. The spartan is nice for slicing fruit, cutting rope, etc.

Yes, thank you. Also similar to the teeth on Victorinox's serrated kitchen knives, and on their current Swiss Soldier's model.

Jim

[sal]

Hi Katguy25,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[Aladinsane]

Anyone who shies away from serrations should give this little beast a go, I guarantee your opinion will change

Yeah, I have been avoiding serrations for years, but reading through this and other threads, I think it’s time to try them out!

[James Y]

I would imagine that in addition to cutting more smoothly, those serrations on the Chap would be more durable over time that really pointy teeth.

Jim

[TkoK83Spy]

Anyone who shies away from serrations should give this little beast a go, I guarantee your opinion will change

Yeah, I have been avoiding serrations for years, but reading through this and other threads, I think it’s time to try them out!

You might want to try the value line first. I've got an SE Ambitious gifted to me by a forum member. I've tried SE's in 4 other Spyderco models and they've never stuck around, too pointy and just snag on everything. The Ambitious scallops are incredible, best I've tried! The knife around $35 I believe.

[Evil D]

I would imagine that in addition to cutting more smoothly, those serrations on the Chap would be more durable over time that really pointy teeth.

Jim

This is absolutely an advantage. No sharp points mean far less likely to chip. I'm sure if you try hard enough you still could, but it's surely less likely.

[Aladinsane]

I don’t have one yet, but it seems like the only thing bad people say about this knife is that it’s a bit small. I don’t have an issue with that. The only thing I am concerned about is that it will overshadow my Caly 3 as my favorite knife!

[Wartstein]

I don’t have one yet, but it seems like the only thing bad people say about this knife is that it’s a bit small. I don’t have an issue with that. The only thing I am concerned about is that it will overshadow my Caly 3 as my favorite knife!

It is small indeed... but what one gets for that small size is a lot more than you might expect. In performance anyway, but also blade length and full grip.

I personally never had a Caly 3, but yours might have reason to be worried indeed...

[Aladinsane]

I don’t have one yet, but it seems like the only thing bad people say about this knife is that it’s a bit small. I don’t have an issue with that. The only thing I am concerned about is that it will overshadow my Caly 3 as my favorite knife!

It is small indeed... but what one gets for that small size is a lot more than you might expect. In performance anyway, but also blade length and full grip.

I personally never had a Caly 3, but yours might have reason to be worried indeed...

I’m definitely intrigued! I’ve not had a knife too small, but I have had one that was too big. I’m going to have to give this one a try. Certainly in SE, and I might get two. One to put up, since it won’t spoil! I’m sure I’ll still love my Caly 3!

[Wartstein]

I’m definitely intrigued! I’ve not had a knife too small, but I have had one that was too big. I’m going to have to give this one a try. Certainly in SE, and I might get two. One to put up, since it won’t spoil! I’m sure I’ll still love my Caly 3!

You really should.

I don´t want to be pessimistic and I might be (hope to be!!!) completely wrong:

But the fact that the Chap SE got heavily reduced in price at some European and US dealers quite early on in its "carrier", and the fact that quite some SE versions of other Spydies got disco´ed after a rather short time makes me fear this could happen to the Chap SE too... and their might not even be a next batch coming?

I mean why did dealers reduce the prices of the SE version, despite it should/could be a new and exciting thing, but not the PE?
Perhaps they could not sell the SE well enough?
At least the SE version IS in the new product guide, so I am probably just doom mongering...

[KeepCalm&Carrion]

I’m definitely intrigued! I’ve not had a knife too small, but I have had one that was too big. I’m going to have to give this one a try. Certainly in SE, and I might get two. One to put up, since it won’t spoil! I’m sure I’ll still love my Caly 3!

You really should.

I don´t want to be pessimistic and I might be (hope to be!!!) completely wrong:

But the fact that the Chap SE got heavily reduced in price at some European and US dealers quite early on in its "carrier", and the fact that quite some SE versions of other Spydies got disco´ed after a rather short time makes me fear this could happen to the Chap SE too... and their might not even be a next batch coming?

I mean why did dealers reduce the prices of the SE version, despite it should/could be a new and exciting thing, but not the PE?
Perhaps they could not sell the SE well enough?
At least the SE version IS in the new product guide, so I am probably just doom mongering...

I wondered the same thing when I bought my SE Chap for $60 USD. Even for a holiday blow-out sale, that seemed almost too good to be true. That said, I'm relieved to hear it's in the new product guide; there's time to get backups if the need arises.

[zhyla]

I mean why did dealers reduce the prices of the SE version, despite it should/could be a new and exciting thing, but not the PE?

It may have been just not selling for that retailer and they had to make some hard choices about inventory. I imagine MAP is a bit of a trap if stuff isn’t selling, so when a MAPnesty day comes around you price stuff to move because you’re stuck with it otherwise.

I always figured the SE run was more Spyderco doing us a solid than them introducing a competitive model. There are not many people out there looking to pay $140 for an SE knife. We’re lucky they did a run at all.

[Aladinsane]

I’m definitely intrigued! I’ve not had a knife too small, but I have had one that was too big. I’m going to have to give this one a try. Certainly in SE, and I might get two. One to put up, since it won’t spoil! I’m sure I’ll still love my Caly 3!

You really should.

I don´t want to be pessimistic and I might be (hope to be!!!) completely wrong:

But the fact that the Chap SE got heavily reduced in price at some European and US dealers quite early on in its "carrier", and the fact that quite some SE versions of other Spydies got disco´ed after a rather short time makes me fear this could happen to the Chap SE too... and their might not even be a next batch coming?

I mean why did dealers reduce the prices of the SE version, despite it should/could be a new and exciting thing, but not the PE?
Perhaps they could not sell the SE well enough?
At least the SE version IS in the new product guide, so I am probably just doom mongering...

I hope you are wrong about the Chap going out of production!! At least it wasn’t on the “discontinued list” for this year. Hopefully it will stay in production, it seems to be pretty popular around this forum at least! I should be able to get mine pretty soon, then I won’t have to worry!

[Wartstein]

I hope you are wrong about the Chap going out of production!! At least it wasn’t on the “discontinued list” for this year. Hopefully it will stay in production, it seems to be pretty popular around this forum at least! I should be able to get mine pretty soon, then I won’t have to worry!

!! I meant explicitly the Chap SE - this is the one I fear for a bit.
Don´t think that the FRN Chap PE is in any "danger"