Moran Drop Point - Impressions?

[mmyron1]

So last summer I picked up a Moran Drop Point to replace a lost BM Griptilian. It served me well for the remainder of the hiking/camping/boating season (not salt water). The only question I have is how well I should expect this to hold up over the next few years of this type of general use?

I am sure there are people out there that love this design as I do and have put this knife through its paces more than I. For those of you out there that have used this model over a period of time, How has it held up?

I guess the thing that throws me off is the handle strength. I am not prying or cutting wood with the thing. I have other tools for that.

With so many other fixed blade options out there did I make a wise choice with this one or should I consider other alternatives.

[FIMS]

I was thinking of getting the drop point and regular bladed ones to use as kitchen knives. I think they are great knives, well built, and fit well in the hand.

[vampyrewolf]

I've been carrying and using an FB01 for 6 years now. First Gen (#ed, mirror polish, convex edge, leather sheath). Got a kydex sheath for it from O/ST.

Personally I love it. I don't pry or do any chopping with it. Used as an EDC for general cutting and food prep, same as a normal camp knife would get, it's great.

One thing to consider about the handle. Same style (1/3rd tang, injection molded around it and through it) is used on the fb04 perrin and fb05 temperance. Sal has said before that if someone can break one under normal conditions he'd come see it (I can dig up the thread if needed).

I carry either IWB/rear or inverted on my hip. No concerns about durability. If I want a tank I grab either my CKE or Gardener.

[yablanowitz]

I'm pretty sure the blade will break before the handle does. The grade of FRN Spyderco uses is very tough. As long as you keep it out of the campfire, it should outlast you and probably your kids, too.

[Marion David Poff]

Yeah, that knife is plenty strong...

I won't rant on...

But, I will say this.... It is nigh unto impossible to separate that handle, from that tang with hand pressure.

It would take mechanical pressure to remove that handle, or a torch, or maybe the shears that they dice cars up with...

Marion

[Peter1960]

I have been used my FB01 Bill Moran handle for two and a half year without any problem (same handle as FB02). Initially I thought the Kraton inlays are the weakest point but this wasn't so far. The Moran is a well built lightweight fixed with very good and ergonomic handle. It has my full recommendation.
Even my sons can't destroy their Morans and believe me, they are hard users!

PS: I prefer the old "holeless" Morans.

[mmyron1]

Thanks for the responses. It puts me at ease a little. This is mostly a light to moderate use knife when I go out. I guess u can say general use. I have never had any problems with it so this wasn't much of a question of whether I could break it but whether it would break over time and general use. Like I said I used it most of last summer after my other fixed blade took a bath in the river and I decided it wasn't worth swimming to find it. I am very pleased with how it performed just a question of the durability of the FRN handle. My other choice would have been the Aqua Salt.

Again thanks for the responses.

P.S. Mine is the holeless design too.

[Michael Janich]

Dear mmyron1:

I have a personal first gen Moran that I acquired long before I became formally associated with Spyderco and it has served me very well in normal use. As you wisely point out, there are much better tools for prying, so that's what smart people pry with.

Shortly after joining Spyderco back in September, I inherited a number of special military projects that had been "in the works" prior to my arrival. One of them was a project to provide a fixed-blade knife for the survival vest of the Air National Guard--the same vest issued to USAF air crews. Until recently, the issue knife--around which the vest was actually designed--was made by another company. They discontinued the knife and refused to honor ANG/USAF requests to manufacture more, so the ANG approached us.

After examining their needs, the specific requirements of the mounting system, and the feedback of theirsurvival instructors (who were not completely pleased with the original blade), I determined that the Moran drop-point was the best choice. I made a prototype mount and sent it and a Moran to them for testing. They LOVED it.

It's both a thrill and an honor to support our armed forces with projects like this. I hope it also serves as a significant "thumbs up" with regard to your choice of the Moran.

Stay safe,

Mike

[mmyron1]

Dear mmyron1:

I have a personal first gen Moran that I acquired long before I became formally associated with Spyderco and it has served me very well in normal use. As you wisely point out, there are much better tools for prying, so that's what smart people pry with.

Shortly after joining Spyderco back in September, I inherited a number of special military projects that had been "in the works" prior to my arrival. One of them was a project to provide a fixed-blade knife for the survival vest of the Air National Guard--the same vest issued to USAF air crews. Until recently, the issue knife--around which the vest was actually designed--was made by another company. They discontinued the knife and refused to honor ANG/USAF requests to manufacture more, so the ANG approached us.

After examining their needs, the specific requirements of the mounting system, and the feedback of theirsurvival instructors (who were not completely pleased with the original blade), I determined that the Moran drop-point was the best choice. I made a prototype mount and sent it and a Moran to them for testing. They LOVED it.

It's both a thrill and an honor to support our armed forces with projects like this. I hope it also serves as a significant "thumbs up" with regard to your choice of the Moran.

Stay safe,

Mike

Thank you very much for the reply and the amazing story. If it can stand up to that kind of use then it most definately can handle my use. Most of the people I go hiking with prefer Moras by Frost but I was never impressed by the design. I preferred the Spyderco Moran in size and comfort.

Again thank you so much for the info.

[mmyron1]

I would also like to say that this is yet another "this is why I love this forum" type of stories. I have been on plenty of forums and NEVER had a designer, or anyone connected to the product for that matter, respond to a post. Just another reason why Spyderco is top notch and my choice.

[Ookami]

IIRC, Fred Perrin promised to appear before anybody who would break the handle on the FB04 (which has basically the same constriction as the Moran) and offer a French Kiss. :eek:

Half tang in a FRN handle designs are plenty strong, IMO. Look at the punishment some people dish out to their Moras, which are also a half tang.

BTW, you can't spell Moran without Mora. :D


Ookami
________
Free porn videos

[mmyron1]

IIRC, Fred Perrin promised to appear before anybody who would break the handle on the FB04 (which has basically the same constriction as the Moran) and offer a French Kiss. :eek:

Half tang in a FRN handle designs are plenty strong, IMO. Look at the punishment some people dish out to their Moras, which are also a half tang.

BTW, you can't spell Moran without Mora. :D


Ookami

Another reason not to break it I guess. :eek:

As far as Moras go, I was just not a very big fan. Not based on performance. All the people I know that have them swear by them. They are a very nice knife and for the money... forget about it. I just always went to manufacturers I knew from my folders (Spyderco, Benchmade, Buck etc.). After the responses here I have no problem seeing now that unless I lose it, my Moran will outlast me.

[yablanowitz]

One more point to ponder. The handle construction of the Aqua Salt is pretty much the same as the Moran, but without the Kraton inserts. If you ever watch the Discovery show "Deadliest Catch", you might notice the crew of the Northwestern have been carrying Aqua Salts for deck knives the last couple of seasons. When they first got them, they were taking bets on when the handles would start breaking in the cold, the way their old knives did. Everybody lost the bet. The only one that has become unusable is the one that went over the side. :D

[sal]

Hi MMyron1,

Bill Moran approached us with this design. He said he had developed and refined this model over a lifetime. It was his daily carry and his daily user. All sorts of chores around his shop while making knives.

He said that he felt the design should see production as his custom models cost a great deal and were rarely used.

He said he really didn't trust any other company but Spyderco to "make it right". We were obligated to do Bill right. This model was used to introduce VG-10 to the production knife world.

sal

[edge-e]

Hi MMyron1,

Bill Moran approached us with this design. He said he had developed and refined this model over a lifetime. It was his daily carry and his daily user. All sorts of chores around his shop while making knives.

He said that he felt the design should see production as his custom models cost a great deal and were rarely used.

He said he really didn't trust any other company but Spyderco to "make it right". We were obligated to do Bill right. This model was used to introduce VG-10 to the production knife world.

sal

Good to know,thanks sal.

[mmyron1]

Hi MMyron1,

Bill Moran approached us with this design. He said he had developed and refined this model over a lifetime. It was his daily carry and his daily user. All sorts of chores around his shop while making knives.

He said that he felt the design should see production as his custom models cost a great deal and were rarely used.

He said he really didn't trust any other company but Spyderco to "make it right". We were obligated to do Bill right. This model was used to introduce VG-10 to the production knife world.

sal

Again... why I love this forum.
Thank you Sal for the info. I had a chance to handle a custom made by Bill at a show some years ago. All I can remember about the experience was saying "who would use this thing in the field." I believe the price the owner said he paid for it was in the neighborhood of $5k. I could be mistaken.

My Spyderco Moran has not left my pack since I purchased it last summer (I think in July). That is it hadn't left until yesterday when I posted this thread. I took it out when I was going through my pack to put some new items in and take some old stuff out. I wiped down the blade again and just got to thinking about how I never hear anything about this model on any forum all that much. This thread has made me really think I made the right decision last summer.

[ChapmanPreferred]

I have used a Spyderco FB01 for the past 3 hunting seasons, and have had the opportunity to use it on a Whitetail deer. Last year I sent it to Tom Krein to have him do a full Convex grind (from spine to edge) and he put a very small micro convexed edge bevel as well. When I shot the deer this year, I misjudged the distance a bit and hit the deer higher than I would prefer. It dropped immediately, but was not bleeding out very quickly, so I used my recently convexed Moran FB01 and nearly took it's head off with one slice. The deer expired very quickly with that help and no extra meat was lost. The Moran handled the rest of the knife work without even needing a touch up for the edge. I also had a FB02 full convexed by Tom which will go with me on my next hunt to try out the drop point. I also have a factory fresh pre-need (term made famous from Yabs) replacement for both Morans.

[tipoc]

For some time I've had an older FB01 with one of the leather sheaths. Excellent knife and a useful sheath and both rapidly became favorites of mine for it's size, weight, balance and overall utility. So I recently ordered and received an FB02 with the higher visibility orange handle and the looking to be useful kydex sheath. It also has a hole drilled in the blade.

I have a couple of questions.

One; when was this blade introduced? What year?

Two; why was a small hole drilled in the blade of the later ones and when did this start? If a fella wanted a place for a bit of dirt, fish gut or stray mammal DNA to accumalate I can see the utility of the hole but aside from that I'm not sure why it is there.

Three; I assume it's possible to get an extra kydex sheath but what about another leather?

Thanks for any answers.

tipoc

[yowzer]

Two; why was a small hole drilled in the blade of the later ones and when did this start? If a fella wanted a place for a bit of dirt, fish gut or stray mammal DNA to accumalate I can see the utility of the hole but aside from that I'm not sure why it is there.

It's a trademark and brand identity thing. All Spyderco knives have the Spyderco round hole, including all the currently-produced fixed ones.

[vampyrewolf]

I have a couple of questions.

One; when was this blade introduced? What year?

Two; why was a small hole drilled in the blade of the later ones and when did this start? If a fella wanted a place for a bit of dirt, fish gut or stray mammal DNA to accumalate I can see the utility of the hole but aside from that I'm not sure why it is there.

Three; I assume it's possible to get an extra kydex sheath but what about another leather?

Thanks for any answers.

tipoc

Welcome aboard!

#1: Introduced in 95, with the leather sheath, mirror finish, and convex "appleseed" edge. I have #638. IIRC ~98 they came with a kydex sheath and a normal edge.

#2: around 3-4 years ago, the hole was added on the fixed blades for trademark purposes.

#3: kydex is easy, there are a few ppl on here that do it well (I've got a sheath for 2 millies coming back this week). As far as a leather sheath, you'd have to ask around to see which sheathmaker has an fb01 (or send yours in to one) or ask around to see who wants to sell thier factory sheath. I know I would send my fb01 in to vadim grynko (http://vessleatherworks.com/) and let him work his magic. Have a few of his pieces and they're holding up great.