Review of the Spyderco Stretch sprint run in Super Blue
- GoldenSpydie
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Review of the Spyderco Stretch sprint run in Super Blue
Hi everybody,
I took this series of pictures a while ago as a review of the SB Stretch, but I never got around to doing a write-up.
I figured that I should do write this review now, while several dealers still have them in stock. :)
In case you somehow don't know about the Stretch or about Super Blue steel, here is the description per Spyderco:
____________
"The Stretch is a purpose-designed folding hunting knife that is also ideal for a broad range of everyday chores.
This unique limited-edition version combines the proven design and ergonomics of this popular knife with the exceptional cutting performance of Super Blue steel. Produced by Hitachi Metals Ltd. of Japan, Aogami Super Blue steel combines the same high quality iron sand used in legendary Japanese swords with high-tech alloys to create a steel capable of extreme sharpness and edge retention. The blade of the Stretch Super Blue features a Super Blue core sandwiched between layers of 420J1 stainless steel.
Full flat ground for exceptional edge geometry, this knife is available in limited quantities and is sure to be one of the most coveted Stretch variants ever produced."
____________
Per Eric (or was it Sal?) Glesser, "the Stretch is a pretty tough Hombre."
____________
I decided to set out to test the limits of this special Spyder.
Here is what it looked like when new:
The knife came sharp, but the edge was much improved by stropping.
The handle uses a blue/gray color of FRN with the usual bi-directional texturing. The back spacer is also FRN.
The Stretch uses a back lock (0.115 inch thickness) to hold the blade open. It has a Boye dent to prevent accidental closing.
The clip is the standard "spoon" style and has a black coating. The knife has holes for 4 clip mounting options. It comes tip up on the right.
____________
Blade measurements:
Overall blade length: 3.53 inches
Sharpened length: 3.29 inches
Width at plunge line: 1.15 inches
Thickness of the spine at the plunge line: 0.12 inches
Thickness behind the edge: 0.028 inches
Other knife measurements:
Handle thickness: 0.44 inches
Widest point when folded: 1.63 inches
Length of handle: 4.57 inches
Total weight: ~3.25 ounces
____________
Before the test began, I sharpened it on a 203 Sharpmaker, going all the way to UF rods. I then stropped the blade on green compound. It was easily my sharpest knife at the time.
First: Bushcraft-type wood work. I batoned some small piece of Russian olive, an invasive tree that grows in CO. The Stretch handled this with no problems whatsoever.
(And yes, I know, batoning is bad for folding knives, but yes, I did it anyway. :rolleyes :)
Next, I tried it out on smaller wood--making feather sticks and carving points. As would be expected, the FFG excelled at this.
Abusive tip-tests are next. The Stretch has a fairly thin tip, but these tests proved that it is not fragile. I decided to drill a hole in a piece of pine. I stabbed it into the stump, and twisted until the tip had carved a hole about an inch deep and 3/4 of an inch wide.
(This would be useful for making a bow-drill for fire starting. Wrong type of wood, but that doesn't matter for this test.)
max 10 pics/post; cont. below
I took this series of pictures a while ago as a review of the SB Stretch, but I never got around to doing a write-up.
I figured that I should do write this review now, while several dealers still have them in stock. :)
In case you somehow don't know about the Stretch or about Super Blue steel, here is the description per Spyderco:
____________
"The Stretch is a purpose-designed folding hunting knife that is also ideal for a broad range of everyday chores.
This unique limited-edition version combines the proven design and ergonomics of this popular knife with the exceptional cutting performance of Super Blue steel. Produced by Hitachi Metals Ltd. of Japan, Aogami Super Blue steel combines the same high quality iron sand used in legendary Japanese swords with high-tech alloys to create a steel capable of extreme sharpness and edge retention. The blade of the Stretch Super Blue features a Super Blue core sandwiched between layers of 420J1 stainless steel.
Full flat ground for exceptional edge geometry, this knife is available in limited quantities and is sure to be one of the most coveted Stretch variants ever produced."
____________
Per Eric (or was it Sal?) Glesser, "the Stretch is a pretty tough Hombre."
____________
I decided to set out to test the limits of this special Spyder.
Here is what it looked like when new:
The knife came sharp, but the edge was much improved by stropping.
The handle uses a blue/gray color of FRN with the usual bi-directional texturing. The back spacer is also FRN.
The Stretch uses a back lock (0.115 inch thickness) to hold the blade open. It has a Boye dent to prevent accidental closing.
The clip is the standard "spoon" style and has a black coating. The knife has holes for 4 clip mounting options. It comes tip up on the right.
____________
Blade measurements:
Overall blade length: 3.53 inches
Sharpened length: 3.29 inches
Width at plunge line: 1.15 inches
Thickness of the spine at the plunge line: 0.12 inches
Thickness behind the edge: 0.028 inches
Other knife measurements:
Handle thickness: 0.44 inches
Widest point when folded: 1.63 inches
Length of handle: 4.57 inches
Total weight: ~3.25 ounces
____________
Before the test began, I sharpened it on a 203 Sharpmaker, going all the way to UF rods. I then stropped the blade on green compound. It was easily my sharpest knife at the time.
First: Bushcraft-type wood work. I batoned some small piece of Russian olive, an invasive tree that grows in CO. The Stretch handled this with no problems whatsoever.
(And yes, I know, batoning is bad for folding knives, but yes, I did it anyway. :rolleyes :)
Next, I tried it out on smaller wood--making feather sticks and carving points. As would be expected, the FFG excelled at this.
Abusive tip-tests are next. The Stretch has a fairly thin tip, but these tests proved that it is not fragile. I decided to drill a hole in a piece of pine. I stabbed it into the stump, and twisted until the tip had carved a hole about an inch deep and 3/4 of an inch wide.
(This would be useful for making a bow-drill for fire starting. Wrong type of wood, but that doesn't matter for this test.)
max 10 pics/post; cont. below
- GoldenSpydie
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- Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2014 8:56 am
- Location: CO and WY
^ cont. from above ^
That was not a problem for the SB Stretch at all! What about metal? :eek: I stuck it about 1/4 of an inch into an old rain gutter. This dulled the tip significantly, but everything stayed intact and it penetrated the metal easily.
(The knife was not designed for this in the least sense of the term, but it proves that the tip is quite strong.)
And now, it's off to the kitchen! At this point, it could have used a sharpening. But I decided to wait in order to see how the edge performed on food after being dulled somewhat by wood and metal.
(And yes, I washed it first.)
It easily sliced the vegtables, but the raw chicken proved to be a challenge for the dull blade. However, it was able to eventually complete the task. No doubt had it been sharp, it would have easily sliced the meat. Here is the SB Stretch with the dinner that if cut up.
____________
Well, that concludes my testing. It did more than I thought it was capable of, and even if stabbing gutters is not one of your EDC tasks, I am sure that this Sprint Run blade will please you. :)
Here are a few more shots:
Thanks for reading, and I will do a review on the Manix 2 Cruwear soon.
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... post961771
That was not a problem for the SB Stretch at all! What about metal? :eek: I stuck it about 1/4 of an inch into an old rain gutter. This dulled the tip significantly, but everything stayed intact and it penetrated the metal easily.
(The knife was not designed for this in the least sense of the term, but it proves that the tip is quite strong.)
And now, it's off to the kitchen! At this point, it could have used a sharpening. But I decided to wait in order to see how the edge performed on food after being dulled somewhat by wood and metal.
(And yes, I washed it first.)
It easily sliced the vegtables, but the raw chicken proved to be a challenge for the dull blade. However, it was able to eventually complete the task. No doubt had it been sharp, it would have easily sliced the meat. Here is the SB Stretch with the dinner that if cut up.
____________
Well, that concludes my testing. It did more than I thought it was capable of, and even if stabbing gutters is not one of your EDC tasks, I am sure that this Sprint Run blade will please you. :)
Here are a few more shots:
Thanks for reading, and I will do a review on the Manix 2 Cruwear soon.
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... post961771
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- Liquid Cobra
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Great review! Really great to see the knife put through it's paces. It would be nice to hear how sharpening went after your test. Maybe some shots of what it looked like after all those beatings.
Most recently acquired: Military 2, Paramilitary 2 Tanto x2, YoJUMBO, Swayback, Siren, DLC Yojimbo 2, Native Chief, Shaman S90V, Para 3 LW, Ikuchi, UKPK, Smock, SUBVERT, Amalgam, Para 3 CTS-XHP, Kapara, Paramilitary 2 M390
Grail Paramilitary 2 M390 X 2! ACHIEVED!!
For more of my pictures see my Instagram account.
@liquid_cobra
Grail Paramilitary 2 M390 X 2! ACHIEVED!!
For more of my pictures see my Instagram account.
@liquid_cobra
- PayneTrain
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- Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:30 pm
- Location: CT
Awesome thread! Thanks for sharing. I bought this knife a few days ago and I'm having a very hard time warming up to the ergo. I think I'll give it another week and then if it hasn't made it's way I to my rotation it may be part of my upcoming sale thread :rolleyes:
-Spencer
Rotation:
Gayle Bradley 2 | Mantra 1 | Watu | Chaparral 1 | Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
Rotation:
Gayle Bradley 2 | Mantra 1 | Watu | Chaparral 1 | Dragonfly 2 Salt SE
- GoldenSpydie
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- Johnnie1801
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Just a few pics of my SB Stretch. I have been EDC'ing this knife just about every day since I got it. It is really a fantastic slicing knife and pretty easy to maintain. The knife is actually smaller than a PM2 yet the blade and cutting edge is longer. The patina on the knife has developed naturally from cutting apples and other fruits, in the beginning it was fun to watch it developing, now it has dulled down but I still like it, kind of quirky. On the minus side, I do find the ergo's a little uncomfortable. I have large hands and when holding the knife in a saber grip my fingers are squeezed into the handle also the choil could be a bit deeper (mute point as this has been addressed in Sal's new prototype). When new the paint on the clip seemed to be better than on my Delica however recently it has started to come off on the edges. I don't think there will ever be a knife that is 100% perfect but I really enjoy using this knife and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a light EDC blade.
Currently enjoying Spyderco's in - S30V, VG10, Super Blue, Cruwear x4, CTS XHP, S110V x2, M4 x3, S35VN, CTS 204P x2, S90V, HAP 40, K390, RWL34, MAXAMET, ZDP 189, REX 45
Jon
Jon
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- Johnnie1801
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The blades on the Manbug, Ladybug, Dragonfly, Delica, Endura and Stretch are laminated. They have Super Blue steel on the inside and 420J on the outside. The hidden parts are therefore protected by 420J. The dark areas on my first and last pic (along the edge and on the spine) are the only areas where the SB is exposed. The patina will develop naturally when you cut food (e.g fruit or meat) however some people like to force a patina by leaving the blade in lemon juice or something. Each patina is unique and it can be fun to see how it develops. If you live in a very humid area then rust might be a problem but if you look after your knife, wipe it after use and oil it occasionally then I think it will be ok.kaysa wrote:Thanks for a good and informative review, I am still hesitate to get non-stainless steel,
I heard patina can help prevent rusting of steels, but I wonder how it work,
how to "apply" patina to knives, and how about the hidden parts?
like inside the pivots, and the liners...
If you haven't got a blade in SB yet then all I can say is try one, you won't regret it. I just wish I had got the Caly 3 in full SB, it's a fantastic steel.
Currently enjoying Spyderco's in - S30V, VG10, Super Blue, Cruwear x4, CTS XHP, S110V x2, M4 x3, S35VN, CTS 204P x2, S90V, HAP 40, K390, RWL34, MAXAMET, ZDP 189, REX 45
Jon
Jon
- GoldenSpydie
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^ Kaysa, what Johnnie said is correct. ^Johnnie1801 wrote:The blades on the Manbug, Ladybug, Dragonfly, Delica, Endura and Stretch are laminated. They have Super Blue steel on the inside and 420J on the outside. The hidden parts are therefore protected by 420J. The dark areas on my first and last pic (along the edge and on the spine) are the only areas where the SB is exposed. The patina will develop naturally when you cut food (e.g fruit or meat) however some people like to force a patina by leaving the blade in lemon juice or something. Each patina is unique and it can be fun to see how it develops. If you live in a very humid area then rust might be a problem but if you look after your knife, wipe it after use and oil it occasionally then I think it will be ok.
If you haven't got a blade in SB yet then all I can say is try one, you won't regret it. I just wish I had got the Caly 3 in full SB, it's a fantastic steel.
The only Super Blue part on the Stretch is the approx. 1/4 inch on each side at the edge. All of the hardware is stainless.
____________
Here is a picture with several other Spyders for size comparison:
And here are two pictures of the knife as it is today:
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- klug932000
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- GoldenSpydie
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