Looking at Endura, need guidance!

[realitycheck]

Alright guys I am looking at finally getting my first endura. I need help though, vg-10 or zdp-189??
I have three vg-10 spydies and two s30v spydies. I dont mind getting vg-10 its a good steel. I was just thinking of getting something new, I dont know much about zdp I just know alot of people like it. The only thing about the zdp is the british green handles. The green is just not for me. I know most of you guys like it. I just dont care for them. So what do I do, just suck it up and get the green handles or just stick with the vg-10??
Thanks guys.

[tonydahose]

an endura in vg-10 is just fine...zdp is nice but you can get vg10 just as sharp, you just will have to sharpen it a lil more often. the downside to zdp is that it takes some getting used to to sharpen it. if you dont like the green stick with the vg10.

[Fred Sanford]

I don't get real excited over the latest and greatest super steels so I think you to consider the standard VG-10 Endura. I would actually get a white sprint run model if I were you. I don't think that ZDP-189 is worth the extra coin. That's just me though.

[realitycheck]

Thanks so much for the help guys.
Tony I appreciate what you said about having to get used to sharpening zdp. I am still getting used to the vg-10. It likes to hang on to that burr for a little while. So I think i'll just stick with the black vg-10. Its cheaper too so thats a plus.

[uhiforgot]

Tony is spot-on about sharpening ZDP. I love it on my Caly Jr. (full flat grind) but on my old bluejeans Delica sharpening was a royal pain until I reprofiled it (which also took a long time).

On that note, if you're getting a serrated Endura then DEFINITELY go with VG10. ZDP seems to be "chippy" on serrated blades.

If it's gonna be a plain edge, toss a coin to decide and you'll get a great knife either way.

[SimpleIsGood229]

My first Spydie was a ZDP Endura. I'll cut to the chase by saying that I got so tired of sharpening that thick, ZDP edge, I sent it to Tom Krein for a full-flat grind with 0.015" edge. I love it, now! Sharpening is easy, since the edge is so much thinner. No durability issues, either.

Unless you get it FFG'd, don't even consider the ZDP E4. You could really spurge by getting the G-10 version. It comes FFG'd from the factory.

[ClockWork]

This is VERY Bad Advice... so please disregard immediately. :o

If your interested in the ZDP steel, and not the British Racing Green FRN.

It is possible to swap blades and handles.

The Endura4 is a fairly simple knife to disassemble. Its just a matter of removing the screws, the right side Plastic scale, and the right side Liner... the lock bar and spring will probably pop off. Dont worry about the Back-spacer or dysasymbling the rest.
Remove the blade, swap the blades....
The trickiest part is resetting the Lock-Bar and Lock spring. Once that's done... just put the liner back, put the scale back. Be careful not to let the lock-spring and bar get all out of whack.

Replace the screws... and presto! Black handle, ZDP blade!

Now, This will void the warranty on both knives. And you could potentially break or loose parts.
You should be dealing with 1 FRN scale, 1 Steel liner, 1 Pivot screw, 4 short screws, a small washer and 2 Bronze-Phosphorus washers

Some people say that you need to switch the Lock-Bar, and Lock-Spring with the Blade. So... the Lock and the Spring and the Blade go together.
I used to have 5 Enduras, and the ones I goofed with; i didnt have a proublem.

Again... Pay zero attention to what I just said.. its a Bad idea, and will Void your knives warranty. Do not do this.


-Clock


heres some disassemble pics of a very scratched up E4:







Do not disassemble your knife. :o

[Joe Talmadge]

A normal person would look at the performance of the VG-10 endura, realize it's the best bang for the buck going, and get that. But if you were normal, you wouldn't be on a knife company forum website interacting with a bunch of Knife OCD nutcases. Really, all your friends are looking at porn like normal guys, and you're here. I mean, right? ZDP-189 is great steel, with interesting characteristics. If you're a knife nut, the real question is, how can you live without it? If you don't have any ZDP knives in your collection and you're not likely to get one soon, you need, and deserve, the ZDP endura. Sic Sempre Carbidus!

[uhiforgot]

A normal person would look at the performance of the VG-10 endura, realize it's the best bang for the buck going, and get that. But if you were normal, you wouldn't be on a knife company forum website interacting with a bunch of Knife OCD nutcases. Really, all your friends are looking at porn like normal guys, and you're here. I mean, right?

ROTFLMAO :D :p

[realitycheck]

Clock I want to thank you for taking the time to write instructions on how to tear down the E4, and for the pics. I actually thought about doing this. I just dont have any other scales to sacrifice. And the wife wont let me buy two especially to just junk one. hehe.

Also I have to say I really like flat grind blades. But I dont want to pay for the knife and then have to pay to Tom Krein to redo it for me. I know he does excellent work I just dont want to have to pay more money for it. Unfortunately thats why I ultimately decided to not get a paramilitary or military. I just cant carry tip down. I know it can be redone. But I cant do that over and over, :)

Anyway I think i'm going to stick with the guys that are saying its to much hassle to sharpen the zdp when its not FFG. And just get the vg-10. That was the biggest deciding factor in my decision. I dont thinks there is many of us here that just love spending all of our time sharpening. I love my knives, I love careing for them, and carrying one everyday. But sharpening i'm to the point now I get it to shave hair very easy along the length of the blade and thats good enough for me till next time. So if getting the vg-10 will let me spend more time with my wife or out using the knife I have then I'll go with that.
Sorry I ranted for so long.

Joe I know what you mean. It is very tempting, especially since I dont have one. But I think the guys on here have given some really good advice.