New member Salts questions

Grif · #1

I'm looking into buying a pacific salt black blade pe as my first spyderco and also another salt (maybe dragonfly 2salt) for the second salt what should I get and what blade pe or se
Finally where should I buy it smkw or Amazon (cheap in budget more)

Thanks guys

Minibear453 · #2

Definitely SE. H1 is a work hardened steel, and while plain edge is at around 60 rc, the serrated versions are supposed to be at around 68 rc. Not sure about the exact figures, but serrated edge is a lot harder than plain, which equals more edge retention. On the other hand, I personally prefer plain edge for use, just because it's what I'm used to. However, if I were to get a knife in H1, I'd get it serrated because of the extra hardness.

Grif · #3

Can someone help me out here

xceptnl · #4

I would recommend the Dragonfly 2 or the Spyderhawk (recently discontinued). I can personally vouch for each of them and am planning to get a third H-1 blade. I have both in PE and it seems much more practical for me and most of my EDC chores. I have also been considering a Tasman in SE to keep in the tackle box for the emergency fishing needs. As far as finding one on the cheap, I would suggest Cutlery Shoppe or maybe Howe's (both offer free shipping). New Graham Knives and National Knives both have a great price-point as well. Welcome to the forum and happy hunting. Be sure to post back with pics when you make your selection and purchase.

MsbS · #5

If I were you, I'd get a SpyderEdge Dragonfly - much smaller than the Atlantic Salt, so much easier to always have around. Ladybug is tiny, while Salt I does not have that many advantages if you already have Pacific Salt.

KardinalSyn · #6

I find the Dragonfly 2 Salt plain edge (PE) practical enough for routine chores like opening letters and cutting cord that tie up bundles and bundles of paper being sent to my office. It retains an edge for a long time and I just only sharpened mine yesterday for the second time after receiving it.

If I had to cut more rope etc, then I would have gone for the serrated edge blade (SE). But I don't have much of that to do.

I have been looking at the Pacific Salt SE blade now for some time. Never had the cash to pull the trigger. Not in a hurry since it will mainly be used once a week when I go to the beach. Till then I carry a Military (PE) with me.

KardinalSyn · #7

Sorry, I prefer Cutlery Shoppe and Howes Knife Shop myself. The former has lower pricing and both of them are great folks to buy stuff from. They know their blades.

eitenbuffalo34 · #8

I have a SE pacific salt and I absolutely love it! It EDC's alongside my PM2. I would recommend SE, I am definitely a PE guy but the H1 being a work hardened steel it pays off to get the SE and try it out.

Pockets · #9

I must say, SE H1 is fantastic. SE isn't just for rope, it also excels in cutting other fibrous materials, such as thick cloth. Another benefit of SE is that it will still cut when dull.

Once, I tried to cut through a bike tire with my Dragonfly Salt SE. There was a thick metal wire running through the rubber on each side of the tire. I hit the metal with my knife accidentally, but the wire caught on one of the teeth and stopped the knife. If it had been PE, the wire would have dulled the entire edge.

Grif · #10

Thanks guys looks like the pacific salt pe and dragonfly 2 se. but where should i buy cheap

Blerv · #11

Grif wrote:Thanks guys looks like the pacific salt pe and dragonfly 2 se. but where should i buy cheap

You might check Cutlery Shoppe, Howes Knife Shop, or some of the other dealers out there. Sometimes a quick Google "Shopping" search and sorting by price pulls up a good deal. Poor_Fish on eBay has some cheap Buy-it-now's as well.

Can't really go wrong.

Grif · #12

What do you guys think the best water/ saltwater folder is (spyderco or not) ?

xceptnl · #13

I think so. Less than 2 weeks ago I spent an entire week with one of the H-1 spydies clipped into my suit while boogie boarding and enjoying the beautiful surf. After a full week, they still function smooth and look new. If they make something better.... I would like to know so I can order one.

Grif · #14

:spyder: Which did u use :confused:

Mud Shrimp Moe · #15

The Dragonfly Salt is a popular choice and is almost unnoticeable in the pocket. However, I find the Salt 1 to be almost unnoticeable as well. And I appreciate the larger size handle in my large sized hands. And the price difference between a Salt 1 compared to a Dragonfly Salt is negligible. I own a Pacific Salt and Spyderhawk, by the way, and while I love the knives for a lot of uses, they are both a little large for comfortable carry in swim trunks. I still do it from time to time, but find the Salt 1 size to be better for that sort of thing.

Grif · #16

what do u guys use ur salts for (what tasks)?

Grif · #17

what do u guys use ur salts for (what tasks)?

DCDesigns · #18

Minibear453 wrote:Definitely SE. H1 is a work hardened steel, and while plain edge is at around 60 rc, the serrated versions are supposed to be at around 68 rc. Not sure about the exact figures, but serrated edge is a lot harder than plain, which equals more edge retention. On the other hand, I personally prefer plain edge for use, just because it's what I'm used to. However, if I were to get a knife in H1, I'd get it serrated because of the extra hardness.

I thought I saw it was around 58 for PE, 60 sounds a lil high...

Blerv · #19

Taking into account hardness is only one factor of edge retention/toughness, like horsepower being one part of speed, this seems a relevant quote.

http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... light=Salt

TazKristi wrote:H1 is a precipitation-hardened alloy. And yes, it is also work-hardened. Meaning that anything that you do that causes heat through friction will harden the steel further; it’s also important to note that tests have shown that it does not become brittle. The work-hardened properties of H1 have been proven by analysis independently performed by Crucible Specialty Metals. It is this that explains why an H1 blade with a SpyderEdge has better edge retention than it's PlainEdge counterpart. In the end, the analysis from Crucible found the Rc at the spine was 58, however at the edge it had increased in both the PlainEdge (to 65 Rc) and the SpyderEdge (to 68 Rc).

The Salt Series knives are being made and promoted to a market where corrosion resistance is important.

So, is H1 possibly just another flavor-of-the-month? Possibly, but hype can only go so far.

Kristi

rodloos · #20

Grif wrote:what do u guys use ur salts for (what tasks)?

It depends on which salt -- I use a serrated hawkbill such as my SpyderHawk and Tasman for yard work cutting weeds, and carry with me when kayaking in case I need to cut rope, a tangle, etc. My Pacific and Aqua salts get used fishing, cutting up fish for bait, cutting food when camping, anything I need a knife for. I got my Caspian specifically for kayaking, and I love the finger hole in it, but I'll admit I don't often take the time to strap it on (I haven't been kayaking much lately, and I already have a Gerber River Shorty attached to my pfd).

My Dragonfly salt gets used for cutting a bad spot out of a banana, trimming loose threads, opening mail...

My PE Tasman is perfect for cutting stuck thread and hair out of the roller brush on my vacuum cleaner (my daughter sheds long hair worse than our pet cats/dogs! :) )

Just because the salts are rustproof doesn't mean they can *only* be used in salt water :) when working in the yard I sweat a lot in the Texas heat, it's nice to know that won't bother my salts.