Almite Navigator musings

Kapow · #1

Spyderco got this right when the handle shape was made. This knife is a great example of a little big knife. Even with my big hands, I can lock my pinky around the tail of this knife, and bare down with my thumb on the back of the blade to exert some real force while heavy duty cutting. I don't beleive that any of the recently released small-ish Spyderco knives have anything in the handle shape department that rivals the Navigator. I didn't get the Stainless Steel Sprint run, I'm hoping that someday a G-10 or Carbon Fiber scale will be released to fulfill my Navigator dreams. In the mean time, the Navigator has displaced my Dragonfly and Cricket as my go-to knife.

The Deacon · #2

It's a neat little knife, although the Almite version is a bit slick for my tastes since it wants to slide around in my hand. CF or G-10 Sprint would be nice. FWIW, the original G-10 ones do show up on eBay once in a blue moon.

dialex · #3

I would love a rerun of the first generation Navigator (with a couple updates): unlinered G10 handles, low ride wire clip, VG-10 blade in FFG. :D

dj moonbat · #4

dialex wrote:I would love a rerun of the first generation Navigator (with a couple updates): unlinered G10 handles, low ride wire clip, VG-10 blade in FFG. :D

Has Spyderco made unlined G-10 backlocks?

The Deacon · #5

dj moonbat wrote:Has Spyderco made unlined G-10 backlocks?

All, or at least nearly all, the early ones were unlined, among them the Standard, Police, and Harpy. That changed when people started complaining that the clips tore out or the threads in the G-10 for the clip screws stripped. "Second generation" of them had a single liner on the clip side.

dj moonbat · #6

Interesting. With the wire clips, that particular problem is gone. It would be cool to see some unlined G-10 models come back.

JLS · #7

I happily carried a G-10 Navigator for years. The stainless Navigator was nice, but not the same. The weight, or lack thereof, of the G-10 original was wonderful, though the higher grind on the Navigator 2 is better for most things.

I eventually gave the G-10 Navigator to my BIL and he still carries it daily.

Pneumothorax · #8

Kapow wrote:Spyderco got this right when the handle shape was made. This knife is a great example of a little big knife. Even with my big hands, I can lock my pinky around the tail of this knife, and bare down with my thumb on the back of the blade to exert some real force while heavy duty cutting. I don't beleive that any of the recently released small-ish Spyderco knives have anything in the handle shape department that rivals the Navigator. I didn't get the Stainless Steel Sprint run, I'm hoping that someday a G-10 or Carbon Fiber scale will be released to fulfill my Navigator dreams. In the mean time, the Navigator has displaced my Dragonfly and Cricket as my go-to knife.

I agree with you 120%!!! I've posted this thought before. The handle is more ergonomic than the venerable Dfly. I think the Navigator handle fills your hand better. I've got a blue almite one and a stainless Navi II. Like the blade shape and grind on the stainless one better! But I do not like the weight to size ratio of stainless in general. Would love to see a G10 sprint. That would be final perfection.

Kapow · #9

I agree, a G10 scaled Sprint Navigator would be perfection. I'm liking the light weight as well as the handle shape of the Almite version. When I was a Spyderco "Rookie", I liked the looks of the Stainless Steel scales. Many years ago I bought a Co-Pilot with Stainless slabs, it immediately broke me of the visual allure of Stainless. I couldn't get good hand to handle traction while using this knife. Yeah...G10 scale Navigator...a man can dream...

buddy54ck · #10

:spyder: :spyder:
Hey All,

My vote is in for the G-10 or CF, or even alemite version. I would also LOVE to see the Cricket in G-10, Alamite, Cf, or even FRN come back, especially with a wire clip and as a back lock.

We Can Dream,
Charlie
:spyder: :spyder: