Which bob design?

[NAKK77]

Hey all trying to decide between starmate and double bevel? Any thoughts on these? Pics are good too :)

[SpyderNut]

The Starmate is a fantastic design--one of my all-time favorite Spyderco designs, in fact. :) I have the older model (CPM-440V), but the newer model (VG-10) is basically the same design with a few changes/modifications. I've heard of a few issues with the newer VG-10 model (e.g. lanyard tube "rattling" in the handle), but the new Starmate I handled a few months ago was spot-on perfect in terms of fit and finish. If you get a chance, I would recommend handling a Starmate and Double-Bevel and see which one is more comfortable and/or would suit your needs better. The DB features a Tanto-style blade while the SM features a more standard drop-point/spear-point blade. I don't have a Double-Bevel (yet), but I'll see if can get some pics posted of the Startmate.

[NAKK77]

Helpful. Thx

[RadioactiveSpyder]

MatthewSB has a nice post on this here, with some awesome pics that I'm sure will quench your desire for comparison shots:

http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... vel-Review

Cheers, Radioactive :)

[Liquid Cobra]

I took some earlier today of my starmate. I'll post them here when I get home.

[Liquid Cobra]

First I apologize, I don't have a double bevel to compare my Starmate to. Secondly I apologize that these photos are in black in white. I made them that way in a silly attempt to improve their appearance as I was having an off day and nothing was going right behind the camera.

From a distance the Starmate is a very attractive knife. It also feels great in the hand. Once you get a little closer though, things get pretty strange.





First off there is the thing that always gets mentioned anytime anyone talks about the new Starmate. The nasty portion under the blade seen here:



It actually doesn't look too bad in this photo. It is much worse in person. I don't understand why it was released this way, but like many have said before me, it doesn't affect function. But it still bugs me. Many things don't affect function on a knife, but they are made to look nice anyway. So why not this?

If you look at the photo below just to the left of the spydie hole you notice some swirly type scratches. These scratches were there on every new Starmate I was able to inspect at my local shop. It was about 6 knives I believe. They all had marks similar to the scratch you see here. I guess they were a result of production or something? Shame. But again, no biggie.



When the knife is closed there is a weird design choice/mistake. Part of the blade sticks out just before the jimping. This messes up some of the nice lines of the Starmate. Biggie? Nope, but worth mentioning.





The G10 on the Starmate is very thin. Super thin. It is the thinnest G10 out of any of the Spyderco's I own. Here it is compared to my grey G10 Jester. The Jester's G10 is clearly thicker. The G10 is a small knife by the way...



Now at first I was kind of annoyed by this and it seemed like yet another error in manufacturing or a strange design choice. But When you take a minute to look at how thick the blade on the Starmate is, then take into account how thick the handle has to be to accommodate it, the thin G10 is actually a great idea. It helps keep the width down even by a little. It still helps.

Here you can see the Starmate lined up next to my Caly 3.5. Just look at the difference in blade widths! Many people including myself complained about the cost of the Starmate. After realizing just how much VG10 is in this knife it starts to make sense. Add to that the fact that Bob designed it (he's gotta get paid right?) it's actually a decent price in my opinion.



I thought I would throw in a comparison shot of the Starmate next to my Bob Lum Tanto since they are similar in design and the OP had asked for thoughts comparing the Starmate and the Double Bevel (again, which I don't have). They are pretty similar in size and they share many design features. That being said, I find the Lum to be far superior in blade shape, handle shape, comfort, fit and finish and on and on. I may be a bit biased as I am of the opinion that B.Lums tanto is the greatest looking Spydie of all time. But hey, thats just me.





A couple things I forgot to mention but I'm sure everyone knows by now is the shaky lanyard hole and the missing bug on the clip. Mine had the shaky lanyard so I simply removed it. I don't ever add lanyards to my knives so it was a no brainer. I thought it interesting when I removed the lanyard tube under closer inspection I could see all kinds of writing from the factory on it. Another negative thing to see. The lack of the bug on the clip is just weird.

I know all of this comes across for the most part as negative, but I actually really like the knife. I plan on keeping it and getting many years of enjoyment out of it. I've learned in the last little while to not get hung up on the appearance of my knives as they are tools and I like to put them to work. They are going to get scratched, they are going to need resharpening. But it still sucks when they don't come out of the box looking new. I think thats why I could never pull the trigger on purchasing a Starmate. I got this one in a trade. It is my first used Spyderco and I'm very happy with it. If you can overlook what I have pointed out here you will find it to be a perfectly functional knife that will serve you well.

[wrdwrght]

I've been reluctant to get the new Starmate because of rumored F&F issues. Thanks for the indication of what these issues might be, Liquid Cobra.

[RadioactiveSpyder]

Liking the B&W pics LC, especially the one with the Lum! Together they strike an interesting pose together in your pic. :)

[Liquid Cobra]

Thanks guys. Re-reading my post it's mostly negative lol. It is a good knife, just not Spyderco's finest.

[gbelleh]

I have the Starmate, but not the Double Bevel (still on the fence about it). I like the Starmate a lot, and the small F&F flaws don't bother me at all (I generally don't look at the ricassos on my knives, and I couldn't care less if there's a bug on my clip or not). Mine doesn't have any weird scratches on the blade or uneven grinds, etc. The thin G-10 is also a plus to me. It makes it carry more easily in the pocket. The G-10 slabs are just scales anyway, and don't affect the strength of the handle, so unless you have an ergonomic issue with the handle width, I wouldn't worry about it.

The one actually important negative thing about (my) Starmate is the closed blade retention. The closed detent is very weak. This is not some picky cosmetic gripe, but a functional problem that could lead to unintentional opening especially if one chooses to carry tip down with the spine not against the pocket seam. This is the main reason the Starmate hasn't been in my pocket much more.

MatthewSB reports excellent F&F on the Double Bevel. I hope that's the norm for that model. It is a shame, and a little odd that the Starmate wasn't crafted with the usual care and pride that Japanese Spydercos usually exhibit. But I wouldn't call any of those cosmetic issues deal breakers.

[RanCoWeAla]

I think the Starmate is a much more practical design and you would a lot more use out of it. I don't buy anything with a tanto point or serrated edge because they are not practical for a wide range of uses

[Liquid Cobra]

Mine also has extremely weak blade retention. I took it apart and bent the liner lock a bit to try and increase the retention. It went from dismal to kinda acceptable. My Lum tanto actually had the same issue. I wonder if it's because of the combination of liner lock and big slab of heavy steel (blade).

[MatthewSB]

MatthewSB has a nice post on this here, with some awesome pics...

Thanks :)

I use the Starmate, usually. I have some Kali training and appreciate the straight design (handle inline with blade) and the perfect balance. I believe that the blade is around 0.20" thick making it on the heavy side.

I like the Double Bevel, but it feels very small in spite of it's 3.5"ish blade. I intend to wear it with a suit, the DB is very clean looking and just big enough for my intended use. The fit and finish of the Double Bevel is among the best I've seen in a production knife.

The liner locks on both are very thick and inspire confidence. They're perfectly tuned from the factory so that there is very little "stick" and lockup is just right at 25-30%.

If you like Terzuola designed knives, I'm not sure how you could not have both. Here they are for comparrison. The Starmate is much bigger and heavier than the Double Bevel.



Edited to Add:

I've been reluctant to get the new Starmate because of rumored F&F issues.

I bought one of the first newly released Starmates and it had the crumby ricasso, rattling lanyard, poor retention, etc. I returned it. I bought the one I currently use a month or so ago and while it still has the unfinished ricasso (actually not anymore, I used a fine file over the course of several hours to smooth it out) the retension is excellent, lanyard hole is tight, and everything else is great.

I would buy a newer Starmate with confidence. The design is too good to pass up over superficial cosmetic issues.