No Love For The ATR?

[vivi]

And, last but not least, it's not a front lock and, even worse is what I consider to be a wrong-handed handed lock. So for me, the ATR gets very low marks for both esthetics and usability.

Deacon, how do you typically close your front lock Spydercos?

[The Deacon]

Deacon, how do you typically close your front lock Spydercos?

Open my left hand a bit, press the lockbar with the side of my thumb closest to the web, give the knife a light shake to disengage the blade if necessary, then I either rotate it in my hand and close the blade the rest of the way with my thumb, or use my right hand to do so.

What's your point? I'm 63 years old, and know what I consider easy and natural for myself. There are a lot of things in "can" do but see no earthly reason why I should bother. The fact that I "can" close any Spyderco folder I've ever held with my left hand is totally irrelevant. Dealing with handed locks and other locks that are more difficult for me to operate due to arthritis and reduced feeling in my hands falls into that later category.

As for the handedness issue itself. If you don't believe the compression lock is handed, go back an read some of the comments right handed people made regarding the Gunting, the only case where Spyderco ever mounted it on the opposite side.

On the other hand, Spyderco makes a raft of front lock models and, while some of those do not appeal to me for other reasons, enough of them do that I never have to get desperate enough to consider carrying anything else. The Stretch, for example, offers everything I find the least bit positive about the ATR and, in my eyes, is far superior to it in any number of ways. Those range from some I find critically important like the lock and choil, to some that are just nice little bonuses.

If that were not enough, there's also the simple fact that, at least to date, there has never been a compression lock model that I've felt "deprived" by not being a front lock.

[catamount]

I still can't figure out why so many right-handed people like the compression lock :confused:

I am left-handed. The way Spyderco implements the CL (on every model except the Gunting), it is much easier to close one-handed with my left hand than my right. I consider it a left-handed lock.

[Fred Sanford]

I really like the ATR. I however only had one in SE and at the time the lock (when opened) engaged all the way over to the other side and was touching the right side scale. I wanted a PE and was surprised at the lockup. I could have sent it in to Spyderco but I just didn't feel like it. It did have a nice thick compression lock though. :)

[vivi]

I put this together to show some of the ways I close it with either hand. I never found any difficulty in manipulating the compression lock with either hand. Sorry about the complete lack of editing, maybe if I was using a functional computer......

http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=11jrddd&s=5

EDIT: Hopefully the video isn't 25% as choppy for you guys as it is when I view it from my POS. Sigh.

[bladese97]

:spyder: :spyder: :cool: :spyder: :spyder:I've LOVED the ATR since it first debuted<hope I spelled it right lol>, and over time I was fortunite to be able to buy 4! I have 2 ss(1 black se & 1 reg. se), and 2 Ti's(1 se & 1 pe), and it's been my top favorite full size Spyderco :eek: The ATR demands attention, begs for abuse, and scares it's prey into submission, letting them know, they will not win, no matter how tough they are!!!!!! Allthough there are Spyderco's such as the Para, Caly3, and UKPK, the Atr still is a TRUE WORKHORSE!!! If you don't have one, you should get one...You will simpley be AMAZED :)

[DMgangl]

I loved this knife more for its little brother the Jester. I absolutely loved the jester. IMO the jester was at the top of the little big knives. I used to have 2 of them and wish I could find one.

After carring my Jester for awhile I wanted a bigger version of the blade that I found so useful, but I couldn't afford an ATR at the time. I always wish I could of gotten one on a deal.


DM

[TazKristi]

Of course there is LOVE for the ATR!

It's right up there with Chocolate :D .

I would elaborate, but I think I'm completely biased.

Taz

[Echo63]

I love mine
i have an TI PE
it seems to fit my and perfectly, and i really like the S30v
laws on knives make it a bit hard to EDC here, but if i could i would
i could be biased though
my wife (girlfriend at the time) did go and hunt it down specially for me

[vivi]

The Ti has S30V? Now I want one even more. Too bad they're so rare these days.

[Bluntrauma]

Of course there is LOVE for the ATR!

It's right up there with Chocolate :D .

I would elaborate, but I think I'm completely biased.

Taz

:eek: Nothing wrong with biased.

So, I got mine yesterday. What a great knife. Solid as a rock. I love the blade and the shape. It does look like a big Jester. I would have never thought of that. The blade is in perfect shape. Handles have some pocket wear on them.

This is a good thing for me since I have a real issue with the honeymoon phase of my knives. This one is already broken in so I don't feel bad throwing it in my pocket. As heavy as it is, it is very well balanced. The end of the blade is amazingly thin. I would assume it's a very good slicer.

Funny how some knives make it and some don't. This one is a really well designed knife. This is the second knife I have bought in a month that has a compression lock and I am really liking them. They feel strong. And as a lefty it doesn't feel awkward at all. Really glad I got this one.

If I could find one thing wrong with the knife, I'm not too crazy about the clip but that's the only thing I can find that I dislike at all about this knife.

[The Deacon]

The ti version is most definitely a well built, high quality knife. It's just not my cup of tea. On the other hand there's the Stretch. I consider it a more evolved version of the ATR. In that it gives me everything I consider desirable about the ATR, in a package I find more compact, more attractive, easier to operate, and without any of the ATR features I dislike.

I'm not a fan of the cobra hood. Perhaps because I can't recall ever needing to open a folder while wearing thick gloves. Then again, the way I carry my knives just retrieving one from my back pocket while wearing gloves thick enough to make using the Stretch's 14mm Spyderhole problematic would be **** difficult, if not impossible.

I find ATR's the upturned tip, a feature which serves as a very uesful finger rest on the Jester, a mere gimmick since it's too far away to be used that way unless one has a forefinger like ET. Perhaps both it and the cobra hood might come in handy if one was into batonning folders, but I'm not.

I dislike swedge grinds for both esthetic and practical reasons, they make pressing on the spine of the blade with the palm of your other hand more uncomfortable.

[CENTER]


[/CENTER]

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad others like it, if for no other reason than, when I finally decide to thin out my collection, there will be a market for mine. :p

[sal]

The ATR handle was has in fact a design base for the Srretch2.

The original ATR was designed to be a "Glock" knife. We had begun early communications with Glock in the USA and felt positive about the direction. In the end, Gaston Glock decided he didn't want to get involved with more knives.

We completed the design, gave it a new name and built it.

The Titan version was disco'd because of vendor issues. We just couldn't get them,.

The Stainless version was very nice, bt didn't sell well (until we disco'd it :rolleyes :) .

We believe resistance was to the: clip, cobra-hood and blade shape. We have considered making a "2" version. What would you change? What would you keep?

sal

[yablanowitz]

My issues with the ATR are:

1) Metal handles. I don't like them, which pretty much makes the other issues irrelevant.

2) The clip is overly aggresive for me. It's great when a clip is secure enough to prevent losing the knife. It is less great when said clip gives you a wedgie when you try to get the knife out of your pocket.

3) Tip up only. Not my preferred carry, and I personally don't feel the compression lock has enough closing bias to be comfortable with carrying one tip up.

4) The nose horn. If I actually carried my ATR I would have ground that sucker off by now. Kind of like I ground off the nose hump on my Stretch II.

5) The Cobra Hood. If the knife had more closing bias, this would be great. As it is, inadvertant wave openings are a reality, not just a possibility. Wave openings are okay if you expect it, but can get expensive when you don't. Especially if you happen to be seated in a car with leather upholstery.

[flyguy]

No hood, maybe a non-metal handle. I like the look and lock though.

[The Deacon]

The ATR handle was has in fact a design base for the Srretch2.

We believe resistance was to the: clip, cobra-hood and blade shape. We have considered making a "2" version. What would you change? What would you keep?

sal

For my money, you already made the model that kept the only desirable features of the ATR when you made the Stretch. All that you'd need to do to make the Stretch III :D 100% perfect would be to ditch the Boye dent and replace the ramp jimping with some to match the choil. :o

[El Tigre]

New ATR :)

_ G-10 handles with full liners and compression lock.
_ No cobra hood.
_ Solid clip please, I hate wire clips.
_ Blade shape it's ok for me.

"El Tigre"

[Bluntrauma]

New ATR :)

_ G-10 handles with full liners and compression lock.
_ No cobra hood.
_ Solid clip please, I hate wire clips.
_ Blade shape it's ok for me.

"El Tigre"

That is pretty much the same changes I would make except I like the cobra hood.

The Stainless version was very nice, bt didn't sell well (until we disco'd it ).

I think that is very common w/ discontinued items. Either people grab them because they think they might accrue a higher value or as is with human nature we never realize how much we like something until it is gone.

Deacon you make some very valid points as to why it's not the knife for you. I have a few Spyderco's that just don't grab me. The Captain and some others. I have to say though, that Ti ATR in your pic is beautiful.

I agree with you on the stretch. It looks all around like a perfect knife. I haven't even seen one up close so I can do is go off of what I have seen. It's a stunning design though.

[vivi]

Interesting info on the ATR Mr. Glesser. Always told me friend the ATR looked like a "tactical stretch 2" in a way.

Things to keep:

-Cobra Hood (No other current models have it that I'm aware of, and I've always liked the way it felt while using the knife for harder tasks)
-Integral compression lock (Something else that is rare to see in the current production line. It's my favorite lock I've used, for it's strength, simplicity and ease of use.)
-Tip up carry option

Things to change:

-Pointier tip
-Get some G10 on the handles
-I'd like a less flashy clip and one not set quite as tight from factory, but the current clip does function well enough for me to still carry the knife frequently
-Full flat grind. The hollow saber grind is well done on the original, offering good cutting ability, but in thicker media I prefer the way a FFG cuts.
-To me the grip feels like it would fit me better if the handle were shrunk a mm or two, but then it might not be as easy for people with larger handles to use, or times when you're wearing a glove.

[MCM]

"We believe resistance was to the: clip, cobra-hood and blade shape. We have considered making a "2" version. What would you change? What would you keep?"

The name... How about "Salsa"

(Just kidding)