Why Did The Jumpers Fail?

[Ramonade]

In my "knife" friend group, most of the mlove blade length or 4" and over. And we're in France, I'm sure the US (and other less restricted countries) will have more than enough people that welcome a 5" Police with open arms !

But you're right, as Sal said it's still niche, the size of the niche can't be determined unless they test.

I'm totally in for a handle forward version. I kinda skipped the Jumpers because they answered no "need" for me back then. I might still score a leafjumper though, having a handle forward backlock is something I'd like, and I can't make that (yet)

"Less restrictive". Well, that doesn't cover my state. I can own a 5-inch folder, but I cannot carry any blade hidden ("in a pocket") that is over 3.5 inches. This is why I opt for fixed blades over 3.5 inches, because they are easy to carry openly in sheaths, and THAT IS legal here. But, pity the folks in Chicago...2.5 inches max is the legal limit.

Of course, I wanted to summarize but yeah, I sadly know that many states have restrictions on knives. I just wanted to say that there are still quite a few places in the world where carrying a 5" folding knife isn't illegal. Sorry for being too generalist.

[vivi]

no length restrictions here - folding or fixed. I'd buy a 6" police if Sal made it!

[Actinolite]

Of course, I wanted to summarize but yeah, I sadly know that many states have restrictions on knives. I just wanted to say that there are still quite a few places in the world where carrying a 5" folding knife isn't illegal. Sorry for being too generalist.

No worries.

[Wartstein]

This will be interesting to see and find out indeed (though I am a bit afraid there might not be too many who'll buy a 5" blade folder...?)
[...]

In my "knife" friend group, most of the mlove blade length or 4" and over. And we're in France, I'm sure the US (and other less restricted countries) will have more than enough people that welcome a 5" Police with open arms !

But you're right, as Sal said it's still niche, the size of the niche can't be determined unless they test.

I'm totally in for a handle forward version. I kinda skipped the Jumpers because they answered no "need" for me back then. I might still score a leafjumper though, having a handle forward backlock is something I'd like, and I can't make that (yet)

Well, I have my share of good friends... but sadly no "knife friends" in my "real life". Nobody I know is into knives or even regularly carries one.

And: I am in Austria, still a true island of bliss when it comes to knife laws and Europe. We can carry pretty much everything we want (there are disconcerting rumors though that this could change after so many years. Crazy politics, for no rational reasons)
Still, I have to be honest: Though I´d probably get and try a 5" Police, I most likely would not want to carry one as an EDC. I found Endura size to be the the best compromise between convenient carry and still good amount of edge just for me personally.

/ As said: I think I am all for "backlock handle forward" in a bit smaller knives - but, if the cutting edge length remains roughly the same, in a folder as large as a 5" Police I´d probably appreciate the certainly good four finger grip behind a choil as well as the locked in feel of finger-in-a-choil...

[Michal O]

For me it was handle covering choil area, so proportions went off*. I know that for most people Spyderco aren't lookers, but that was the factor for me. Calypso 3,5 is similar in overall design but more refined. Just bring it back in K390.

*Lil' Temperance 3 has something in common but because it's CL I'm more forgiving towards it.

[zhyla]

Got my K390 Leafjumper SE just now. So far I'm more on the impressed side. Really nice, snappy action. Honestly, top notch in terms of being a lockback. Despite being 3 oz it feels pretty light. Room to spare on the handle.

The handle feels a little weird in a way I can't quite describe. Maybe it's just blue . But I like the rounded corners all around, I like it much better than say the current Native LW handles.

Shorter edge than my Stretch but identical length handles. I think I prefer the Stretch in hand but not by a large margin.

Why did these "fail"?

The Rockjumper is a wharncliffe so obviously it has limited appeal and probably would struggle to justify the handle molds etc on its own.

The Leafjumper in my opinion is pretty good. However in pictures it looks like a "fat Delica" and it's maybe not super obvious to most people should they buy a Delica, Endela, Leafjumper, Endura, or Stretch.

[Wartstein]

...
Shorter edge than my Stretch but identical length handles. I think I prefer the Stretch in hand but not by a large margin.

Why did these "fail"?

The Rockjumper is a wharncliffe so obviously it has limited appeal and probably would struggle to justify the handle molds etc on its own.

The Leafjumper in my opinion is pretty good. However in pictures it looks like a "fat Delica" and it's maybe not super obvious to most people should they buy a Delica, Endela, Leafjumper, Endura, or Stretch.

To be clear: I really, really liked the Leaf- and Rockjumper I had for a brief time... but in the end I did not keep either cause both my Stretch 1s (discontinued) and Endelas felt just slightly even better for me and I try to keep my array of Spydie users as slim as possible.

In a way I was kind of a "victim of my own expectations":
When in one "Byte" it was literally said that it was a design goal of the Jumpers to pack as much cutting edge as possible into the compact handle I was anticipating just that.
But as you say: The Stretch 1 has pretty much the exact same handle length and a great finger choil but still a lot more actual cutting edge (3.19" vs 2.87").

The Endela on the other hand is in the same weight class as the Jumpers, of course longer in closed length but also with a longer edge (2.99 vs 2.87). And since I am a bit of an outlier in really appreciating that "choked up on the ricasso grip" it also offers more good grip options for me.

On top of that I personally don´t need one of the generally great aspects of the Jumpers:
- Pretty much no visible choil or ricasso, but one can still safely let an unsharpened portion of the blade drop on the forefinger when closing the knife.
I though just pretty much never close backlocks in that manner but usually with one of the several other methods.

But I know for sure: If I did not have owned Stretch 1s and Endelas already and/or if I was not into keeping my array of Spydies as slim as possible (so that I can really use them all frequently) I´d definitely (still) have Jumpers! They ARE great designs... but just for me personally it turned out that there are even greater alternatives.

Now if that "Sequoia / Leaf Jumper XL" will ever happen and be anywhere in the 3.5" to 4" blade length area:
Instant buy, no doubt!

[zhyla]

In a way I was kind of a "victim of my own expectations":
When in one "Byte" it was literally said that it was a design goal of the Jumpers to pack as much cutting edge as possible into the compact handle I was anticipating just that.

Yeah, I remember the same and so was expecting some very edge-efficient knife. It's certainly not bad, but it's just kind of normal.