Chaparral CQI

[dickie]

Hi everyone

Long-time lurker, first time poster.

After reading lots and lots of good feedback on the serrated edge Chaparral and finding it relatively cheap in Europe, I pulled the trigger last year and got one myself. It's only the second serrated Spyderco for me after the Salt I - and I love this little thing.

But while loving the ergonomics, overall styling and performance of this knife, I'm having a long, hard look at the plain edge version of it. All reviews of that one are quite old though and most of them mention sharp edges on lockbar and spydiehole.

As the serrated Chap has chamfered edges I'm wondering: if I buy a plain edge Chaparral today, would it also have these improvements as part of CQI? Or has that version remained the same?
(not considering potential old stock I might be getting when ordering, of course. would check that before hand..)

Can anyone provide some feedback if indeed these changes have been made to the non-serrated LW version as well?


Thanks in advance!

[sal]

Hi Dickie,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[WilliamMunny]

No input as I only have the SE but thought you might find this interesting.

viewtopic.php?t=98128&sid=cbd989f069d48 ... 35e6ddf722

[dsvirsky]

Can't answer your question, but I will point out that a few minutes with 600 grit sandpaper can render your concerns moot.

[Switchback]

I don’t have access to my knives at the moment but I copied a picture of my Chaparral and enlarged it a bit.

Please note that I bought the knife used and I don’t know when it was made.

Perhaps you could compare this to your SE variant. If it looks the same then this must be a newer model and you will have your answer. If not, it won’t be any help.

[dickie]

Hi Dickie,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

Thank you, Sal.

Been buying Spyderco Knives (exclusively besides Victorinox) since 2014 and have been reading on this forum for several years as well. Still amazed by your active participation, great insights and general thoughts on all things knive-related!

[dickie]

Thanks for all the replies thus far. The red carbon fibre chaparral in the teaser looks more than tempting indeed!

@Switchback From what I can gather from the picture it looks identical to my serrated edge version. That would be good news indeed! Thanks a lot for the reference.

[Flash]

I haven’t encountered any sharp edges on the lock bar of my plain edge FRN Chaparral.
Mines about 6 years old and appears to have a very small chamfer on both the edges, rendering it nowhere near sharp enough to cause me any concern.

I’d like to hazard a guess that most of the people who’ve complained about this “issue” likely work in an office environment and have exceptionally soft hands.

[Palestrina]

They are exactly the same, no sharp edges.

SE left, PE right.

I can't stress enough how much I love the tightness on this backlock, it's slim, but built like a tank.

[mikestp]

I have a plain edge chaparral sun and moon from years back, the lockbar edges are chamfered.

I think there is an issue with many reviewers that the only time they touch a tool is when they do their tabletop review and they need to invent problems to talk about (chaparral lockbar is too skinny and hurts my fingers, Sebenza thumbstuds are too pointy and hurt, shaman nub hurts my thumb, Gayle Bradley can't be unlocked because the lock is too stiff with poor finger access etc etc etc...) When you handle the knives in question they turn out not to be issues at all.

[Red Leader]

I have a plain edge chaparral sun and moon from years back, the lockbar edges are chamfered.

I think there is an issue with many reviewers that the only time they touch a tool is when they do their tabletop review and they need to invent problems to talk about (chaparral lockbar is too skinny and hurts my fingers, Sebenza thumbstuds are too pointy and hurt, shaman nub hurts my thumb, Gayle Bradley can't be unlocked because the lock is too stiff with poor finger access etc etc etc...) When you handle the knives in question they turn out not to be issues at all.

Agreed.

And...

I wonder if it might be possible for Spyderco to do something like the 'cobra hood' for the exposed backlock part, a wider pad of sorts like they do on the Assist. Just make sure that the cutouts in the scales have enough relief for the movement and to keep any pinching at bay? It may be inventing a solution for a problem that doesn't exist, but I know on my daughter's Chaparral, she says the lock hurts a bit to close, so she uses her Chicago more, so it is a thing. It might just be more isolated than others may mention. A larger pad on the backlock may help some of these users like my daughter. Even if it isn't flared all the way out flush to the scale surface, it could still be improved and make a huge difference in comfort.

[Wartstein]

Agreed.

And...

I wonder if it might be possible for Spyderco to do something like the 'cobra hood' for the exposed backlock part, a wider pad of sorts like they do on the Assist. Just make sure that the cutouts in the scales have enough relief for the movement and to keep any pinching at bay? It may be inventing a solution for a problem that doesn't exist, but I know on my daughter's Chaparral, she says the lock hurts a bit to close, so she uses her Chicago more, so it is a thing. It might just be more isolated than others may mention. A larger pad on the backlock may help some of these users like my daughter. Even if it isn't flared all the way out flush to the scale surface, it could still be improved and make a huge difference in comfort.

I am almost but not entirely sure that I shared with you already how to decrease the spring tension which might make operating the Chap more comfortable for your daughter..?
Never tried it myself (love the Chap backlock right how it is), but some say it makes a noticeable difference if one can operate the lock with less pressure applied on the bar.

[dickie]

They are exactly the same, no sharp edges.

SE left, PE right.


20250514_195742.jpg


I can't stress enough how much I love the tightness on this backlock, it's slim, but built like a tank.

Thank you, Palestrina for the picture. I consider it confirmed now that the 'optimizations' on the SE Chap are also done on the plain edge version.. in the end it's not just the backlock spring but also some slight chamfering on the opening hole.

Agree on several of the reviews - and most I saw where from way back when the model was introduced. Great to see - and tempting me to do the same as you, @Palestrina , and also go for both versions

[Skywalker]

Old reviews are likely talking about the original CF Chap - and even then later versions appear to have a little chamfer as well, if my March 2022 (CV) example is anything to go by:



That said, I still find this one a little uncomfortable to close, just with the lockbar thinness and because the notch in the handle is small enough that I have to use the side of my thumb joint to get far enough in to sufficiently depress the lockbar.

So it's not just a little uncomfortable, it's also different than what I'm used to for most other Spyderco backlocks. Doubly awkward, easier to carry a UKPK or Urban when I need something small and discreet.

(And while I am an office worker, I'd like to think my hands aren't that soft - I've got the calluses from lifting and playing guitar, do a decent amount of brazilian jiujitsu in the gi, and I love the original GB with proud liners, stiff liner lock, and all )

[Palestrina]

in the end it's not just the backlock spring but also some slight chamfering on the opening hole.

Harder to see, but here you go...

[dickie]

in the end it's not just the backlock spring but also some slight chamfering on the opening hole.

Harder to see, but here you go...

20250515_204914.jpg

Thanks once more. Enabling another Spyderco step by step

Nah, seriously. I'd say it's fully confirmed and the subtle, but effective changes are certainly not bringing manufacturing costs down - but it is well worth it for this quality product, imo

[Palestrina]

...but it is well worth it for this quality product, imo

Even though the Delica is my favourite platform, the Chaparral is of higher quality in comparison - I might say even better than my Lil' Natives.

[zhyla]

I was an early adopter of the Chap LW. I think the lockbar issue was mainly people with thin skin / sensitive fingers. I never noticed a problem.

What IS a problem on those early Chaps is they didn’t make the clip pocket deep enough and they would tend to lose tension. I bought an aftermarket clip because of this. Big miss on Spyderco’s part IMO, despite the knife being otherwise excellent.

I am pretty sure those first run units have all been flushed out of distribution channels by now.

I have both PE and SE versions of this knife, and I was one of those begging for an SE version. I have to say… sometimes I prefer the PE.

[Wartstein]

...
I have both PE and SE versions of this knife, and I was one of those begging for an SE version. I have to say… sometimes I prefer the PE.

Heresy!!...

.....

[zhyla]

Heresy!!...

I know! I think I’m less a fan of wavy serrations than most people. And the simplicity of a plain edge on a tiny knife is nice. May just be an aesthetic thing.