Next super steel purchase. Tempted by a benchmade, are there comparable spydercos?

[bakergh]

"However, among the tool steels, the discontinued D2 Para Military doesn't interest me now that the PM2 is here; and the O1 Bushcraft doesn't interest me because, while I love the thumbhole on a folder, I want no hole on a fixed blade."

How about a Cru-Wear Military?

Looks like there's a Cru-Wear Military BNIB on bladeforums for $195... Should I pounce on it?

[Surfingringo]

Looks like there's a Cru-Wear Military BNIB on bladeforums for $195... Should I pounce on it?

Most of them I see tend to list around $175

[Janfrederik]

It was enough to get me to look elsewhere, and, what do you know, I found what I think is a better design.

Fair enough. I was thinking you weren't even considering it because of the hole.

[bakergh]

Well, I just pulled the trigger on the M390 810... after spending a couple of days looking at other options online it might be the best steel/package for the money right now, especially considering that it isn't that much more than the benchmade mandated prices for the standard production run 810... Anyway, for my next acquisition I'm feeling like I need a PM2. Maybe it'll be available in an exotic steel by the time my knife purchase fund fills back up

[jackknifeh]

I didn't read all the posts so I may be repeating someone. I am waiting for the SB drgonfly2 to be relased. It is on pre-order and hopefully will be available this month. I like the D'fly and one in SB will make me happy. Also it is a sprint run knife. My first SB knife.

If you want a great steel in your collection you will want to pick up something with CPM-M4. I have the Gayle Bradley (Bradley Folder now) and it is a GREAT knife and M4 is a really great blade steel.

Jack

[wrdwrght]

Fair enough. I was thinking you weren't even considering it because of the hole.

As a matter of principle, I want no unnecessary hole in a fixed blade that might need to perforn as a prybar in an emergency. Does the Spyderhole carried over to a fixed blade weaken that blade. I don't know, but I suspect it might and I don't want to invite catastrophic failure into a survival situation for the sake of a trademark.

ETA: If I'm in the woods, or if I need to bug out from my house, I will carry at least one fixed blade (along with my normal EDC) in case survival becomes the concern.

[wrdwrght]

How about a Cru-Wear Military?

I'm hoping Cru-Wear will appear in models I prefer.

[Blerv]

As a matter of principle, I want no unnecessary hole in a fixed blade that might need to perforn as a prybar in an emergency. Does the Spyderhole carried over to a fixed blade weaken that blade. I don't know, but I suspect it might and I don't want to invite catastrophic failure into a survival situation for the sake of a trademark.

I don't know what you would have to pry with a huge chunk of O-1 to break the blade in half. Literally any other knife would snap at this point unless you are comparing it to a mild-steel sharpened pry bar like the E.O.D. Breacher Bar from County Comm.

At extreme ranges of performance there is ALWAYS a compromise. The trademarked hole, IMO, says the handle is designed to be comfortable, the steel was chosen and properly processed to perform well. Often those are harder to find than that last ounce of structural integrity, for the money.

[wrdwrght]

I don't know what you would have to pry with a huge chunk of O-1 to break the blade in half. Literally any other knife would snap at this point unless you are comparing it to a mild-steel sharpened pry bar like the E.O.D. Breacher Bar from County Comm.

At extreme ranges of performance there is ALWAYS a compromise. The trademarked hole, IMO, says the handle is designed to be comfortable, the steel was chosen and properly processed to perform well. Often those are harder to find than that last ounce of structural integrity, for the money.

I have no data, just the intuition that a hole in a structure weakens that structure, so you won't get much of an argument from me (like you, I do have some faith in the Spyderco brand, but faith is all it is). I do accept there are countless counter-intuitive things in life, and holes in fixed blades may be one of them. I'm here to learn, so let the metallurgists chime in, or better yet, let's have some side-by-side stress tests of knives roughly the same, except for the hole, to see what breaks first....

[Blerv]

Get a cheap knife and try to break the blade in half (with safety gear). If it's easy then your concern has been validated. If not, you are limiting yourself based on an unlikely expectation. My hunch is if a bunch of Bushcrafters have broken the knives, it would have had the hole removed or changed by now.

Same concept as 9/10 diesel super duty trucks. People generally don't push them to mechanical failure. Typically though the customers will try to tow a boat with a Toyota Camry and complain about the tranny when it melts.

@OP: did you consider the Gayle Bradley? M390 and M4 are both pretty great steels :) .

[wrdwrght]

@OP: did you consider the Gayle Bradley? M390 and M4 are both pretty great steels :) .

No doubts, here!

[hunterseeker5]

If you dont have the Gayle Bradley that needs to be your next purchase!

^what this man said.

[All-R-Crazy]

So I've got zdp, s90v and most of the non "super" steels represented in my collection. I don't know why I've been drawn to collecting different steels but that seems to drive my knife lust at the moment.

I'm tempted by the M390 Contego run at knifeworks, but I would be down for anything in s110v, super blue, elmax etc, though m390 is particularly interesting. Even though my first couple "good" knives were benchmades I prefer spyderco and I'd like to know if anyone can point me in the right direction to acquire something interesting for under $200. A super blue endura would be awesome but looks like they are all gone. Anyhow what should I look for so I can add to my Spyderco collection?

Try national knives for a super blue endura for 89.99 and I love my super blue delica so go for it. :)

[ManixFan]

Well, I just pulled the trigger on the M390 810... after spending a couple of days looking at other options online it might be the best steel/package for the money right now, especially considering that it isn't that much more than the benchmade mandated prices for the standard production run 810... Anyway, for my next acquisition I'm feeling like I need a PM2. Maybe it'll be available in an exotic steel by the time my knife purchase fund fills back up

You won't regret the M390 Contego. I only own two Benchmade's and they are the M390 710 (710-2) and M390 Contego (KW Exclusive). I'm not really interested in any of the other ones - perhaps maybe the 470 Emissary if it came in a super steel and the new S90V CF 940 just doesn't interest me because I'm just not enthralled with a much weaker version of the Contego (even though the 940 came first - I think). I was lucky enough to get one of the brighter blue versions rather than the more black variation. It has a long strong blade with powerful tip and great opening action and is priced very well for what you are getting in the 4mm thick M390.

I picked up mine from KW at the same time (order) that I picked up the S90V Manix 2 XL and the blue weave CF Domino. Of the three knives, I thought that the S90V Manix 2 XL would be it but when they arrived I just fell in love with the Domino - extremely fun to open with the flipper! The speed and the "snikt" sound that it opens with is amazing and the ergo's are incredible for a locked in tight fisted grip in forward and reverse grips and is perfect for choking up on the choil. I will end up buying every version of the Domino that comes out - as long as Spyderco offers a scale that is different from the original hideous black version. Some people might think the blue weave is too flashy but I think it strikes the perfect balance of a little flash without going to the extent of a Nishijin scale - which while beautiful is too attention grabbing for EDC (IMO).

I'm also really enjoying the Stretch - which although not as fun to deploy (at least in the FRN versions I have) as they can't be flicked out quickly - but the blade ergo's are incredible. I don't know of any other knife that allows you to mold your thumb across the top of the blade while also using the choil to put an evenly distributed force right behind the full length of the blade. Now that I'm hearing of a new Sprint run of the Stretch in CF with an improved choil - I am getting excited about that one quite a bit.

I'm still a bit on the fence about the Nishijin Stretch though because although it is very pretty I am a little concerned with how the materials hold up (as well as the slickness of the Nishijin).

Has anyone used a Nishijin blade hard or the VG-10 Damascus and can provide their opinion on how well it holds up? It's not like I would use it in a very challenging environment anyways but I would at least like to know that the Damascus blade or Nishijin won't look all noticeably scratched up with regular medium duty EDC usage.