PICS and Thoughts: Caly 3.5 Super Blue Steel and Chaparral

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
Post Reply
smikesmith3
Member
Posts: 266
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:31 pm
Contact:
Contact smikesmith3

PICS and Thoughts: Caly 3.5 Super Blue Steel and Chaparral

#1

Post by smikesmith3 »

Caly 3.5 Super Blue Steel

I have never had any previous experience with Super Blue Steel but from what I have read it looks like it should be a fun knife to play with. The color on the G10 handle is near identical to the Lum Tanto Sprint Run just released as well as the Para2 Gray. I'm not a huge fan of this color because it gets dirty quicker. Also the 'blue' in Super Blue would make you think the handle might be some sort of shade of blue. Other than the handle and steel the size is the same. I'm a fan of the 3.5 over 3 and glad they went the bigger route.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Chaparral

The Chaparral reminds me of a smaller Sage. Fit and Finish is spectacular. I would even consider taking off the wire clip and deep pocket carrying it as a gentlemen's folder. I'm a bit turned off by the price but I understand it. The woven carbon fiber can't be cheap and the look that you get is amazing. It reminds me of the carbon fiber on the Terzoula. If it was $15 cheaper I would buy it right away but now I'm going to save it for my Christmas/Birthday list. Also a bit small but if I wanted bigger I would go with the Carbon Fiber Sage.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"I wasn't a steel snob until I met CTS-XHP."
Spyderco Dealer
Top
User avatar
cosmo7809
Member
Posts: 1762
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:56 am
Location: New York City

#2

Post by cosmo7809 »

Ah, very nice!

Thanks for the pictures.


Just back home from vacation... I need to find some cash for that Chaparral.
Come Join Us Click Here
Top
smikesmith3
Member
Posts: 266
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:31 pm
Contact:
Contact smikesmith3

#3

Post by smikesmith3 »

cosmo7809 wrote:I need to find some cash for that Chaparral.
Just go to the nearest money tree!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"I wasn't a steel snob until I met CTS-XHP."
Spyderco Dealer
Top
User avatar
JayTeeEmEm
Member
Posts: 155
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:14 pm
Location: Perth, Western Australia, Earth.

#4

Post by JayTeeEmEm »

Thanks for the pics. Does the grind on the Caly under the :spyder: hole look a bit uneven to anyine else? Maybe just the angle of the pic. Also, who is going to force a patina on their Super Blue Caly? If I didn't have a Sage, I'd be getting one of the Chaparrals.
:spyder: Stretch ZDP Delica 4 FFG Cricket SS Persistence UKPK FRN Rescue and Blue DP Sage CF Pacific Salt Centofante 3 Spin Dragonfly SS Bill Moran DP Military CF Lum Ti Military H1 Ladybug Hawkbill Ladybug Para 2:spyder:

"Knives have great depth. History, geography, metalurgy, hi tech materials, design, interesting mechanisms, everyday function plus the beauty in the creation of each piece.

It's an addictive hobby though. Be careful."

sal
Top
User avatar
1623
Member
Posts: 810
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:38 am
Location: New Hampshire

#5

Post by 1623 »

JayTeeEmEm wrote:Thanks for the pics. Does the grind on the Caly under the :spyder: hole look a bit uneven to anyine else? Maybe just the angle of the pic. Also, who is going to force a patina on their Super Blue Caly? If I didn't have a Sage, I'd be getting one of the Chaparrals.
I noticed the grind as well.

My Dragonfly Salt had a similar issue but it was much more pronounced and got extremely thin as it went down toward the cutting edge of the blade. I would say over ground, so much so that I was fearful of chipping it at that spot. Factory re-grind took care of it beautifully.

I will let my Caly patina and progress sweetly on it's own. dbcad's Mule pic was all I needed to decide on that:

Image
-Jodi

It's not just in my head, it's in my heart.
Top
User avatar
iwolf81
Member
Posts: 524
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:15 pm
Location: Boston, MA

#6

Post by iwolf81 »

Great pics smikesmith3!

Could you please tell us how smooth is the opening/closing of the Chaparral? I've had an issue with several Spyderco backlocks where the locking bar does not contact the blade evenly through the entire opening motion, which leads to an inconsistent feeling.

Thanks!
Ira
D3 CE, FG D4 CE Krein'd, Blue D4 FFG, Pink D4, Caly3 SE, USN E4 CE, Pink E4 CE, E4 ZDP-189 SE, FG E4 CE, E4 G10 FFG, Tenacious SE, Para SE, Para D2, Millie D2, ATR SE, Orange Assist I, Blue Rescue 93, Khukuri, Barong, Meerkat, Ladybug H1 SE, Manix 2 XHP, Rock Salt, S90V Mule Krein'd, JD Smith Sprint, Brown Matriarch SE, Poliwog, Stretch CE, Millie M4/Ti, Rock Lobster, Zulu, Rescue 79, D'Allara Rescue, LadyHawk SE, Lum Tanto Sprint, Dragonfly G10, Chaparral, Sage I, Caspian, Gayle Bradley
Top
BAL
Member
Posts: 3463
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 4:58 am
Location: Middle Earth

#7

Post by BAL »

Thanks for the pics, love the looks of the Caly 3.5 blue. How does it compare to a Para.
Top
mongatu
Member
Posts: 619
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:26 pm
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

#8

Post by mongatu »

BAL wrote:Thanks for the pics, love the looks of the Caly 3.5 blue. How does it compare to a Para.
It's not as overall heavy duty as a Para 2, back lock is not as strong as compression lock and the compression lock allows for open back construction whereas the back lock does not. The Caly blade is ground thinner near the edge making it a better slicer, but more delicate. The liners on the Caly are not nested like the P2. The Caly uses pinned contruction, the P2 uses screwed. Aside from the thinner grind on the Caly, the blade shape on each knife is also quite different from the other.

To me the main difference though is the overall size. The Caly packs a blade that is essentially the same length as the Para 2 in a much slimmer and shorter handle. It seems a more elegant knife but is still quite sturdy. But the P2 is much more heavy duty overall. I like them both a lot and usually carry both, but if I could only have one, it would be the Para 2 20CP sprint.
Peter - My :spyder:'s:
Caly~3.5 (VG-10 & S. Blue); Para2~(20CP~M390~S30v); Military~(M390~S30v); Endura & Delica~4~FFG; Native~(S30v); Caly~Jr.~(ZDP); Manix~2~(M4); Ladybug~3~(VG-10. SE); Mules~(M390).
Top
datoudaw
Member
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 1:02 am

#9

Post by datoudaw »

Image
Cutting off a DLC coated MT Super Blue
Image
replacing the blade of an existing folder
Image
Image
my poorman's Super Blue folder
Image
The handle is an inexpensive Gerber.Image
Top
User avatar
SecSpyral
Member
Posts: 705
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:12 pm

#10

Post by SecSpyral »

I want that caly soooo bad
Top
datoudaw
Member
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 1:02 am

#11

Post by datoudaw »

Image
cutting off a DLC coated MT Super Blue

Image
fitting the blade on a Gerber folder
Image
Image

My poorman's Super Blue folder
Image


Enlage the hole to 6mm on an existing 3/16" hole is not an easy task. I use a ball nose carbide bit from Micro 100 to finish the job. I tried with other brands and failed to cut the material.
Top
User avatar
eloreno
Member
Posts: 253
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 4:21 pm
Location: In the Adirondacks

#12

Post by eloreno »

Thanks for the early pics as usual smikesmith!
Top
User avatar
Evil D
Member
Posts: 28431
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:48 pm
Location: Northern KY

#13

Post by Evil D »

datoudaw wrote:Image
cutting off a DLC coated MT Super Blue

Image
fitting the blade on a Gerber folder
Image
Image

My poorman's Super Blue folder
Image


Enlage the hole to 6mm on an existing 3/16" hole is not an easy task. I use a ball nose carbide bit from Micro 100 to finish the job. I tried with other brands and failed to cut the material.
I had thoughts of doing something similar for my multi tool if i ever come across a Spydie that i would't mind butchering.
~David
Top
User avatar
Donut
Member
Posts: 9614
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 5:47 pm
Location: Virginia Beach, VA, USA

#14

Post by Donut »

What, no side by side?

I have been wondering the overall size of the Chaparral.
-Brian
A distinguished lurker.
Waiting on a Squeak and Pingo with a Split Spring!
Top
User avatar
The Deacon
Member
Posts: 25717
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
Location: Upstate SC, USA
Contact:
Contact The Deacon

#15

Post by The Deacon »

Donut wrote:What, no side by side?

I have been wondering the overall size of the Chaparral.
Since your a Delica owner, these might give you a decent idea of the Chaparral's size...

[CENTER]Image

Image
[/CENTER]
Paul
My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Spydiewiki
Deplorable :p
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
Top
Stasis
Member
Posts: 105
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:28 pm

#16

Post by Stasis »

Wow! I didn't expect the Chaparral to be so small. It can definitely be difficult to tell size from pictures without a frame of reference. It's almost... cute. :D
Top
User avatar
Evil D
Member
Posts: 28431
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:48 pm
Location: Northern KY

#17

Post by Evil D »

Wow, i LOVE the handle to blade ratio on that knife. I may have to give that one a second look.
~David
Top
WalzAaronFFG
Member
Posts: 521
Joined: Fri May 06, 2011 11:29 pm
Location: WI, USA, Earth

#18

Post by WalzAaronFFG »

Can I get a spine shot of that Chaparral? Love the backlock spines :) A steel/CF sandwich.
:spyder:Current Spydies:spyder:
Blue Delica 4, Jigged Bone Delica-Orange, G10 Delica, ZDP-189 Delica 4, Tenacious, Caly3 CF, Manix 2 DLC, Para2 Digicam, Sage 3, Sage 1, G-10 Dragonfly, Etched Cricket, Salt, Ladybug ZDP-189, Ladybug White SE, Ladybug Hawkbill Salt, Mule Team 11 - M390 w/ custom kydex sheath

:spyder:En Route:spyder:
Spyderco Navaja
Top
User avatar
The Deacon
Member
Posts: 25717
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
Location: Upstate SC, USA
Contact:
Contact The Deacon

#19

Post by The Deacon »

WalzAaronFFG wrote:Can I get a spine shot of that Chaparral? Love the backlock spines :) A steel/CF sandwich.
There's a rather nice one in the first post of this thread.
Paul
My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Spydiewiki
Deplorable :p
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
Top
User avatar
dj moonbat
Member
Posts: 1513
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:58 am
Location: Sunny SoCal

#20

Post by dj moonbat »

Wow. The Chaparral hardly gives up any overall edge length to the Delica.

Darn. Are there any places shipping it free yet?
"If you can't annoy somebody, there's little point in writing." — Kingsley Amis
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Spyderco General Discussion”