Stretch Brown G-10 ZDP test model

[FCM415]

+1 on brown FRN, I like color variety on my knives. Black is my favorite color and brown my second favorite and dark blues my third

It's weird, I really like brown FRN, I love natural micarta...but brown G10 (like the Southard) not as much. FRN Native looks so nice, I imagine it would look good on an FRN Stretch.

[FCM415]

The Stretch is my favorite Spyderco and I've been looking forward to a G10 version. I'm excited to see what Sal has in store for our knife and trust his judgement. Of course, I do have my preferences and while brown is ok, I hope to see dark blue, foliage green, grey and all sorts of CF down the road. Of course this will mean that the test model was a success if that happens... The enhanced choil, G10 format etc. will do that plus apparently everyone LOVES brown besides me, Sal, and Manixfan and like he said- variety is a good thing... Preferably brown would have been a sprint down the road though!

I'm all for the suggested CF of course.

Here's another I'd really like: I think that OLIVE DRAB CANVAS MICARTA would be the bees knees on a Stretch. Sal I know you have your reasons to not use micarta in production folders but I think it's a great match. This early on, I'm already thinking I may have someone make me these scales to replace the brown G10! Oddly enough, although brown G10 isn't my first option, Natural canvas micarta (brown) I think would be nice on the Stretch also.

[Laethageal]

I actually like the idea of a laminate ZDP, aince it would aid I. Resisting corrosion. I like the current blade configuration, and would be interested in G10 or a grippy CF.

Corrosion trouble with zdp? You must be the most uncaring knife owner to have it rust on you... I had my zdp endura cut in muddy water without wiping it clean of the day, I was all wet anyway it wouldn't have helped, and did so during almost 2 months. I wiped it on my wet clothes the best I could at the end of the day, and was only bringing it back home at weekend to dry/clean it a little bit. After that uncareful use it only had small rust spot after a weekend I forgot to bring it back home. At this point I realized my knife was still cutting while other fellow workers junked 3-4 Buck or the like knife (they didn't bother sharpening them, or didn't had the skill) and decided I should care more for this marvelous knife and steel. I cleaned it and then started to dry it after use in water (only using a dry clothing, no compressed air) and it was enough to never see a spot of rust again. Never even oiled the thing other then the one on my diamong lapping films.

Now, as much as I love ZDP, a great addition to the zdp knives lineup would be a matched backlock metal. I sent back my endura last week after 1.5 year of use to see if Spyderco could fix the knife closing easily (5-10lbs thumb pressure) and told me they couldn't. I was told it's not a warranty issue (honestly the knife as seen great use so I don't blame them) but I did open up the knife before sending it in to make sure it wasn't lint stuck somewhere in the blacklock mecanism and saw the premature wear of the backlock metal part (not the blade part). Having either wear resistant matched metal, or possibility to buy a replacement part for it would be great. I am now staying clear of ZDP until this small issue is fixed. Maybe it was only my knife that's faulty and that usually they wear evenly, I can't tell, but that's a chance I'm not willing to take. Reprofiling the saber grind to somewhere between saber and full flat for a mix of strength and better cutting geometry, was a pain in the... and would only do it on a knife I knew I could fix if the backlock issue happens again. I ordered a superblue stretch to replace it directly from Spyderco which should ship soon and a SB ladybug to go with it from S&R. Can't wait to try them out.

Sal, if you wanna see the knife, the case number was 70206. Awesome knife, crazy wear resistance metal which holded against hard cutting better then anyone could expect (sometimes even 12g solid copper wire). Fix the backlock issue or make replacement part available and I'm buying another!

[Ferris Wheels]

Sal I like the idea of a buffed CF as I am not a big fan of the peel ply CF. Peel ply is certainly functional but it might as well be black G10 because you don't get that beautiful carbon fiber look like on the Caly 3. As for brown G10, it works for me also. Like a couple others have mentioned I will be buying both if they are produced since the Stretch is at the top of my favorite knives to EDC list. It would be nice to see a G10 or CF Stretch become a cataloged item or an annual sprint item.

Has Spyderco looked into using some Thunderstorm Kevlar for scales yet?

[sal]

Hi Laethageal,

Thanx much for the input. We'll check into it.

Has Spyderco looked into using some Thunderstorm Kevlar for scales yet?

Hi Ferris,

We tried a kevlar carbon fiber combination a few years back and found the Kevlar was a b*tch to machine.

sal

[opusxpn]

Hi Ferris,

We tried a kevlar carbon fiber combination a few years back and found the Kevlar was a b*tch to machine.

sal

Hahaha :D

[Stuart Ackerman]

Each time Kevlar is exposed, a dab of superglue on the exposed ends will allow grinding and buffing, but in a production environment it would be difficult...

[Fred Sanford]

Assuming that, by buffed, you mean the semi matte look like the Caly 3, then CF isn't really all that exciting. It ups the cost and I'd probably end up replacing it. Crazy as it may sound coming from me, I'd rather see another color of G-10, evem black, with a VG-10 blade. Keeps the cost down and is no harder to replace than CF.

I'm with Paul on this as well. While I do somewhat enjoy how CF looks, when it is smooth it looks less attractive and I would much rather just have smooth G10. I really liked the smooth green G10 that was on the original Lil' Temp folders. I think smooth G10 would be a nice alternative. I don't care what color it is honestly, just please not bright blue like the Dodo and the Sage 3.

I did read the entire thread but I may have missed this.... Will it be a laminate or solid ZDP? I love solid ZDP just because the outer layer of laminates seem to scratch up really easily.

[ManixFan]

I'm with Paul on this as well. While I do somewhat enjoy how CF looks, when it is smooth it looks less attractive and I would much rather just have smooth G10. I really liked the smooth green G10 that was on the original Lil' Temp folders. I think smooth G10 would be a nice alternative. I don't care what color it is honestly, just please not bright blue like the Dodo and the Sage 3.

I did read the entire thread but I may have missed this.... Will it be a laminate or solid ZDP? I love solid ZDP just because the outer layer of laminates seem to scratch up really easily.

I'm not sure which option to use to link to within the quotes as is normally done on the bombshell thread to link to the original post but if you look at post 25 in this thread Sal has indicated that it will be solid ZDP.

[ManixFan]

I can't say whether or not it will be production or sprint. I guess we'll make that decision soon. Last time we have a meeting on it, management was divided. The ZDP is solid, not cladded.

sal

Here we go.....I guess reply with quote does the trick......not sure how I would do it though to link from another thread (i.e., reply with quote from another thread). I believe the first part of the reply refers to the CF S110V Native 5 and the last part about the ZDP to the new Stretch since a couple of questions were posed to which Sal was responding.

[3rdGenRigger]

Hit "Reply With Quote", highlight what it brings up, and right click to copy (Or CTRL-C). Then go over to the Bombshell thread, and in the quick reply window right click and select Paste (Or CTRL-V).

[Ken44]

I would love to see one with natural Micarta(or any other Spyderco folder with Micarta), but a buffed CF would be great too.

[arty]

I have never had a ZDP blade rust, but I never used one around salt water...but I would like to.

[Fred Sanford]

Thanks ManixFan. I appreciate it. Good news.

[FCM415]

I would love to see one with natural Micarta(or any other Spyderco folder with Micarta), but a buffed CF would be great too.

Another would be OD green canvas micarta. Oh man those would be SWEET on the Stretch.

I have never had a ZDP blade rust, but I never used one around salt water...but I would like to.

I use ZDP plenty, my most used steel because of the Stretch and the Endura and all I'm missing is the Manbug from the entire BRG set. I treat it with Flitz like I do all my blades but IME it tends to spot and discolor readily when I use it on food and liquids. Some buffing gets them out so it's a non issue for me. One time, I had random fluid go uncleaned on my Endura right where the grind starts on the tang and it did rust but that was clearly neglect.

[ManixFan]

Hit "Reply With Quote", highlight what it brings up, and right click to copy (Or CTRL-C). Then go over to the Bombshell thread, and in the quick reply window right click and select Paste (Or CTRL-V).

Thanks for the info!

I was just looking at the CF ZDP Caly 3.5 some more on Youtube and if that is the "buffed CF" then that is actually nicer than I remembered. I think it was the laminate line on the ZDP Caly that turned me off when I saw it in the store. For Super Blue the laminate just makes sense and the contrast with the cladding SS looks really cool as well. Not so much with the laminated ZDP though. My ZDP hasn't really rusted it is more of darker haze that the steel gets on it but it doesn't really detract from the appearance in my opinion. I also got the same thing happening on my S90V Southfork after I inaugurated it with a bloody rare rib eye steak.

The wire clip on the ZDP CF Caly 3.5 was kind of intriguing as well. Wire or not wired, the deep carry clip is always welcome. I'm not sure if Spyderco uses any deep carry clips other that the wired version but deep pocket carry is always nice - especially on a knife that is Stretch sized as it wouldn't bottom out in your pocket but it would still keep it deeply buried there and less prone to slipping out.

Also the wire clips are a little more inconspicuous than the regular hourglass when contrasted against a pair of jeans or khaki's. I will be happy to carry any CF version that becomes available. Since Sal also doesn't appear to be a huge fan of the brown G10 as indicated in the first post of this thread then if his favoured CF is the buffed version then I would also be very happy to carry the same regardless of what clip is chosen.

I recently picked up 5 deep carry Ti clips from USAKnifemakers so I'm already good to go with any clip mods that I might want.

[JNewell]

Now, as much as I love ZDP, a great addition to the zdp knives lineup would be a matched backlock metal. I sent back my endura last week after 1.5 year of use to see if Spyderco could fix the knife closing easily (5-10lbs thumb pressure) and told me they couldn't. I was told it's not a warranty issue (honestly the knife as seen great use so I don't blame them)

Interesting feedback. I wonder whether the clad ZDP blades (like the Caly 3 and 3.5) would be less subject to this wear.

[sal]

Hey Stuart,

The problem was in trying to machine the pockets for nested liners.

sal

[NoFair]

Hey Stuart,

The problem was in trying to machine the pockets for nested liners.

sal

But nested liners are so sweet. Shame the Seki and Moki Spydercos rarely have them..

[Blackhawk30]

I'll buy one with brown G10.