Stretch 2 CF

[Reeper22]

TD wha kind of strokes did you do with the sandpaper?

Also what's a could place online to buy the sandpaper? Is this the stuff http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... ku=1599985 ?

[dsmegst]

Nice work on the scales.

I actually prefer the rough finish on the CF for better grip. For me, it's functionality first and aesthetics second. I have a Superhawk and a Millie with the same CF scales and I love 'em.

Now if I had 2 Stretches, I may polish up one of them. I didn't realize what was hiding underneath those scales. :)

As for the OP's question, I think the CF Stretch is one of the best Spyderco made folders you can buy. It's one of the knives I will never sell.

[LowTEC]

For those of you who don't like the look of the stock CF, it's a quick fix w/ some 320 grit paper...

looks really nice, finally can feel the CF was worth paid for. Do you mine to have a few close up macro shoots so we all can learn how smooth the surface we should expect.

[Reeper22]

TD22057,

Can you please explain exactly how you sandpapered the scales? What motions-circular, up and down, or left to right? How much force did you apply? How long did it take?

I want to do this to mien when it comes but don't want to mess it up.

[MCM]

D'oh! They did the same thing on the original Manix!






Wet sanding works on the Millie too......
I used 3M 320 grit on a piece of glass. Just keep it wet.

[tenman]

I picked up a CF Stretch a while back and really like it, carried it today. Can't really add anything to the positive comments above, it was not a knife that immediately jumped out at me, kind of stumbled across it. Gave it a look and it's a keeper, really grown on me. All that said if the FRN ZDP version had been out I'd have probably been fine with it. Plan on taking some 320 to the CF as noted above, looks nice TD .

[Dagon]

£I have the CF Stretch and it is one of my most versatile pocket knives. It's not the most beautiful but it grows on you.
I must say I am not such a fan of ZDP. Mine got a very slight patina and I found it difficult and time consuming to touch up - VG10 is good enough for me.
Hence I was wondering, if I buy the FFG VG10 stretch, would it be easy to exchange the blades - not introducing play and so on?

[The Deacon]

£I have the CF Stretch and it is one of my most versatile pocket knives. It's not the most beautiful but it grows on you.
I must say I am not such a fan of ZDP. Mine got a very slight patina and I found it difficult and time consuming to touch up - VG10 is good enough for me.
Hence I was wondering, if I buy the FFG VG10 stretch, would it be easy to exchange the blades - not introducing play and so on?

It's one of those things that can't be guaranteed, but assuming you have the mechanical ability to disassemble and reassemble them and you swap both the blade and lockbar as a unit, there's an excellent chance both knives will still work properly.

[Bolster]

So...lockbars are individually fitted? Did not know that.

[The Deacon]

So...lockbars are individually fitted? Did not know that.

I'm not sure if they are, or not. Question would be, why take a chance? And, even if not individually fitted, there's no way to know if the same lockbar is used for both VG-10 and ZDP-189 blades or whether the hardness of the bar needs to match the hardness of the blade. So again, why take a chance.

[Dagon]

Thanks for your feedback. Indeed, it makes sense to swap blade and lockbar together to minimise risk of play.

[Bolster]

Finally sharpened my Stretch 2 ZDP...the point of no return. Took about 2 hours of handwork with diamond stones (I don't like to use machines on my Spyders) to set the backbevel to 12 degrees, then about 2 minutes to put on the 15 degree (per side) edge with the Sharpmaker using fine and UF stones.

Easily slices free hanging bond paper, does reasonably good slicing free hanging newspaper, but doesn't shave hair very well...a couple here and there. That's typical ZDP for me. I can reliably get VG-10 sharper. If I needed to shave with my knife I'd stick with VG-10. Given this will be a hard work knife, I don't mind the more durable edge.

This knife is growing on me. It's very handy to have a little more blade, particularly when doing yard and garden work. I don't worry so much running the blade into the soil, it's so hard.

Sure, I'd like a deeper choil, but 3-1/2 of ZDP is a formidable amount of hard steel. And its slicing ability has improved considerably with that 12 degree back bevel. I think it was about 15-18 previously (my Stretch was not ground symmetrically, and the edge still isn't entirely centered on the blade).

So far, so good...

[LowTEC]

You probably need to practice a little more on ZDP (not that I'm saying you are new to sharpening), and should try it on a strop. My ZDP blades can split hair into 3 easily after some stropping, and the edge can be so fine. ZDP can keep a sharp edge easily twice as long with an even steeper angle than a VG-10