....for asking yet another question :-)
I am the person who keeps asking the "Wegner or Starmate" question. After reading the responses to that question, and then reading through many of the other threads on this forum, I realized that I may have been asking the wrong question!
So please allow me to try again.
I currently own a Native FRN plain edge. Very happy with it (it was my first knife!). I love how sharp it is and how easy it was to sharpen on the 204 - it seems like the objects I want to cut surrender on sight :-)
I am now planning out my next two knife purchases. The first knife I buy is going to be a larger knife, something between 3.5 and 4 inches long. The second knife I plan to buy will be the same size as the Native or smaller.
I tend to do only light cutting chores, i.e., boxes, strings, letters, tags, cable ties, etc. However, I would like the larger knife to be able to handle, well, larger tasks as well should they arise. And I do plan to make this knife my primary EDC.
The 2nd knife I would like to eventually become my secondary EDC (i.e., I want to carry both, but use the 2nd only when necessary). The requirements for this knife are a little vague, except that it should be easily carryable, and probably capable of finer work than the 1st knife.
Here's where ya'll come in (finally huh!). Based on what I have described above, what would you recommend for the next two purchases, and please state why. I do think that I would like for one of these knives to be a hollow grind and the other to be a flat grind, just for variety.
Thanks all!
Matthew
Forgive me, fellow forumites....
Wegner next, then the Calypso Jr. Of course, maybe I say that because those are the next two I plan to buy.
I value the judgement of several forumites, particularly shootist16 re the broad utility of the Wegner. Tho designed primarily as a folding hunter, it has excellent ergonomics, good steel, and is in the right size bracket. (Hollow ground)
The Calypso Jr., according to many, particularly Joe Talmadge, say it cuts like no other knife on the market. (Flat grind)
Stare
I value the judgement of several forumites, particularly shootist16 re the broad utility of the Wegner. Tho designed primarily as a folding hunter, it has excellent ergonomics, good steel, and is in the right size bracket. (Hollow ground)
The Calypso Jr., according to many, particularly Joe Talmadge, say it cuts like no other knife on the market. (Flat grind)
Stare
Mathew,
I thought it might be helpful to mention that most people prefer to have their carry knives either all tip up or all tip down.
Your current knife(the Native) is tip up. The Wegner you are considering is also tip up but the Calypso Jr. and the Starmate are tip down. There is no reason you can't have both types but you will probably find switching back and forth to be a pain. All the knives you have mentioned are good knives and would serve you well. Two knives that can be either tip up or tip and might be a good second knife would be the Chinese Lum and Vesusius.
- Glenn
I thought it might be helpful to mention that most people prefer to have their carry knives either all tip up or all tip down.
Your current knife(the Native) is tip up. The Wegner you are considering is also tip up but the Calypso Jr. and the Starmate are tip down. There is no reason you can't have both types but you will probably find switching back and forth to be a pain. All the knives you have mentioned are good knives and would serve you well. Two knives that can be either tip up or tip and might be a good second knife would be the Chinese Lum and Vesusius.
- Glenn
-
ramlanrafie
- Member
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- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
My .02 cents says ....for the big knife a large calypso. To say it's impressive is a serious understatement.
For the small knife... a small calypso jr.ltw. again a serious cutter in a nice package. To say that I
like the Caylpso line personally is true. What I REALLY like about them is their perfomance. I
indulge myself on what ever knife I see that takes my fancy which has lead to a collection of just
about any kind of knife you can think of. Not another knife in my collection can compare to the
calypso line for perfomance or urban utility. They are in a class by themself. However, knives are
like wine& the ladies........it's all in what you like..
For the small knife... a small calypso jr.ltw. again a serious cutter in a nice package. To say that I
like the Caylpso line personally is true. What I REALLY like about them is their perfomance. I
indulge myself on what ever knife I see that takes my fancy which has lead to a collection of just
about any kind of knife you can think of. Not another knife in my collection can compare to the
calypso line for perfomance or urban utility. They are in a class by themself. However, knives are
like wine& the ladies........it's all in what you like..
Yes the large was still available in serrated on the spyderco web site. For the Plain edge version you'll
have to go into the secondary market. i.e. e-bay, yahoo auctions etc. I bought my large calypso fom a
nice fella on e-bay. Just about bought another last week ,but let someone else enoy it instead. I've
watched the large for price for a long time and they go for a fir price ,but always less than retail.
the large calypso is one knife I'd say would really be worth whatever you have to pay for it. Beside
isn't that half the fun of knife collecting ......the "hunt' for the knife you want?
have to go into the secondary market. i.e. e-bay, yahoo auctions etc. I bought my large calypso fom a
nice fella on e-bay. Just about bought another last week ,but let someone else enoy it instead. I've
watched the large for price for a long time and they go for a fir price ,but always less than retail.
the large calypso is one knife I'd say would really be worth whatever you have to pay for it. Beside
isn't that half the fun of knife collecting ......the "hunt' for the knife you want?
mpclb....Suggest that you buy the calypso jr ltw. for now. Carry it for awhile use the dickens out of it
everyday....THEN.....go a day or two without it . The withdrawal will be painful! Put it back in you
pocket the go a hunting for the large calypso. You'll have your two kinfe set up that requires NO
adjustments to use at all. All in vg-10 from our friends at spyderco. Now really how can you lose???
everyday....THEN.....go a day or two without it . The withdrawal will be painful! Put it back in you
pocket the go a hunting for the large calypso. You'll have your two kinfe set up that requires NO
adjustments to use at all. All in vg-10 from our friends at spyderco. Now really how can you lose???
Tightwad - I couldn't agree more about the Calypso's...incredible! Not only that, but they're smooth, fit perfectly and cut like they're being sucked through the stuff you're cutting! Amazing.
So, howzabout a plain edged Calypso lightweight and a serrated Police model for your combo set? This way, you'd have a precision "pocket scalpel" (Joe Talmadge's term) in the flat ground Calypso LW and a "folding saw" in the hollow ground Police model. Jeff/1911.
So, howzabout a plain edged Calypso lightweight and a serrated Police model for your combo set? This way, you'd have a precision "pocket scalpel" (Joe Talmadge's term) in the flat ground Calypso LW and a "folding saw" in the hollow ground Police model. Jeff/1911.
Flat & Hollow ground are different both visually and functionally. Flat ground is shaped like a "V"
while Hollow shaped with thick spine with deeply ground cuts to make the edge. As an example
all of the "old fashioned" pocketknives are flat ground while larger fixed blade tend to be hollow
ground. This differance in grind addresses the useage they were designed for....cutting and/or cutting
with light prying. Hollow grinding supports the blade spine better with more material. This extra
strength is needed on a large fixed blade whereas the smaller pocketknife is designed only for cutting.
For most urban utility uses flat ground is really much better. Hollow ground blade are always a
compromise between strength ad cutting and like any compromise serve neither function well. Just
good enough. If the intended use is light duty urban everyday cutting then either will serve ok.
while Hollow shaped with thick spine with deeply ground cuts to make the edge. As an example
all of the "old fashioned" pocketknives are flat ground while larger fixed blade tend to be hollow
ground. This differance in grind addresses the useage they were designed for....cutting and/or cutting
with light prying. Hollow grinding supports the blade spine better with more material. This extra
strength is needed on a large fixed blade whereas the smaller pocketknife is designed only for cutting.
For most urban utility uses flat ground is really much better. Hollow ground blade are always a
compromise between strength ad cutting and like any compromise serve neither function well. Just
good enough. If the intended use is light duty urban everyday cutting then either will serve ok.
mcplb.....Just had a thought that might help you...You say you'd like a two knife set up and I suggested
a two calypso pair. With the Large calypso so hard to get have a look at the recently discontinued
Wayne Goddard model for your larger knife. They can be found still yet at a good price in FRN/ats-55.
I just bought one and it's darn nice knife that with the calypso jr.ltw. will give you an really good
selection of blade shape & edge geometry that will cover a lot of uses. Now here's the neat part...
Because both knives are in FRN handels with great steel in the blades they will be much more affordable.
Also you will have both a flat & hollow ground blade to use as they design to be used...strength &
cutting.
a two calypso pair. With the Large calypso so hard to get have a look at the recently discontinued
Wayne Goddard model for your larger knife. They can be found still yet at a good price in FRN/ats-55.
I just bought one and it's darn nice knife that with the calypso jr.ltw. will give you an really good
selection of blade shape & edge geometry that will cover a lot of uses. Now here's the neat part...
Because both knives are in FRN handels with great steel in the blades they will be much more affordable.
Also you will have both a flat & hollow ground blade to use as they design to be used...strength &
cutting.
Thanks for the comments. Right now I am leaning toward either a Military or Wegner for the large, and a Calypso Jr for the small. Unfortunately, the nearest knife shop to me does not carry the Wegner, so I will really only have the opinions of my fellow forumites to balance against actually holding the Military in my hand.
How many of you use the Military as your EDC? What are the reactions of others when you use this in public?
I've only got my experiences with a large Sebenza to guide me on that last point :-) I generally did not have any sheeple problems when using that knife (3.5 inch blade)...
Enough rambling. I've got to do some field testing! Will report more later...
Matthew
How many of you use the Military as your EDC? What are the reactions of others when you use this in public?
I've only got my experiences with a large Sebenza to guide me on that last point :-) I generally did not have any sheeple problems when using that knife (3.5 inch blade)...
Enough rambling. I've got to do some field testing! Will report more later...
Matthew
Ugh. The shop only had a Starmate to try out, as well as some Delica and Enduras. And all of them felt very stiff and hard to open. Probably been sitting in the case for a good long while....
Would some of the Military owners chime in here? I've heard lots of great things about the Wegner, but very few things about the Military. What is this knife's strong points and weak points? Does the added length over the Wegner make a big difference? Is it basically a larger Endura?
Thanks all,
Matthew
Would some of the Military owners chime in here? I've heard lots of great things about the Wegner, but very few things about the Military. What is this knife's strong points and weak points? Does the added length over the Wegner make a big difference? Is it basically a larger Endura?
Thanks all,
Matthew
mpclb - The Military is a work of art. The Endura's closest brother is the Police model, which the Endura appears to be a slightly "plainer" version of.
Look to past posts for the last year or so, (here and at Bladeforums Spyderco forum) as I have been doing, to see the volumes of rampant praise about the virtues of the Military model. I think you'll be convinced, I know I am. Jeff/1911.
Look to past posts for the last year or so, (here and at Bladeforums Spyderco forum) as I have been doing, to see the volumes of rampant praise about the virtues of the Military model. I think you'll be convinced, I know I am. Jeff/1911.