Spyderco Forums

Blnd wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 27, 2020 12:11 pm

I carried my brand new FRN chaparral.

I am an unrepentant Dragonfly fan (I EDC one 98% of the time), and have been for the last 10 years.

My other Spyderco knives sit in the closet.

Every once in a while a get a wild hair and decide to pick up a new knife (that will inevitably end up back in the closet).

I’m not so sure that the chaparral will share the same fate. First - it’s a big knife - it’s the absolute top end of what I’d want to carry for EDC. Second, I don’t think this is a dragonfly competitor at all - I was initially drawn to the chaparral because of the name (given my line of work), size, and reviews suggesting it compared favorably to the DF2 in size. It doesn’t, it’s much closer to my Delica and much bigger in the hand. Luckily it fits in MOST of my pants 5th pockets (I won’t carry a knife if it isn’t a 5th pocket carry) so I decided to give it a shot.

The heft (compared to a DF2) gives it a real sense of quality. The lockup is THE MOST solid of any backlock I’ve ever handled, and oh boy does this thin blade slice.

I thought that comments about the stiff lock bar were ridiculous - until I got mine. Depending on the way I press down it’s either very easy and smooth or “please atlas give me strength.”

The CTS XHP remains out for review (no need to sharpen it yet) but if the S30V comparisons are close then I will be a much happier camper over the VG10 offering in my DF2. I am very happy to be able to carry a knife with US-based steel.

I’m happy - I took a chance and I found a big knife that I can (mostly) 5th pocket carry.

It won’t unseat my DF2 as my go-to EDC or my hiking/outdoors choice, but I can see myself carrying it regularly.

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 29, 2020 2:18 am

Blnd wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 27, 2020 12:11 pm

I carried my brand new FRN chaparral.

I am an unrepentant Dragonfly fan (I EDC one 98% of the time), and have been for the last 10 years.

My other Spyderco knives sit in the closet.

Every once in a while a get a wild hair and decide to pick up a new knife (that will inevitably end up back in the closet).

I’m not so sure that the chaparral will share the same fate. First - it’s a big knife - it’s the absolute top end of what I’d want to carry for EDC. Second, I don’t think this is a dragonfly competitor at all - I was initially drawn to the chaparral because of the name (given my line of work), size, and reviews suggesting it compared favorably to the DF2 in size. It doesn’t, it’s much closer to my Delica and much bigger in the hand. Luckily it fits in MOST of my pants 5th pockets (I won’t carry a knife if it isn’t a 5th pocket carry) so I decided to give it a shot.

The heft (compared to a DF2) gives it a real sense of quality. The lockup is THE MOST solid of any backlock I’ve ever handled, and oh boy does this thin blade slice.

I thought that comments about the stiff lock bar were ridiculous - until I got mine. Depending on the way I press down it’s either very easy and smooth or “please atlas give me strength.”

The CTS XHP remains out for review (no need to sharpen it yet) but if the S30V comparisons are close then I will be a much happier camper over the VG10 offering in my DF2. I am very happy to be able to carry a knife with US-based steel.

I’m happy - I took a chance and I found a big knife that I can (mostly) 5th pocket carry.

It won’t unseat my DF2 as my go-to EDC or my hiking/outdoors choice, but I can see myself carrying it regularly.

)

Chaparral-fan here :

- You are aware of the easy mod that makes the lock less stiff? If not, see here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=80687#p1253309 - though it will break in anyway
- The Chap certainly is a bigger knife than the DFly, but imho it is still closer to the DFly than to the Delica? (Closed length Dfly: 3.313 " (84mm), Closed length Chap: 3.60" (91mm), Closed length Delica: 4.25" (108mm) and as far as I can recall the Chap is not really wider at the widest point than the DFly?) - where the Chap is really "big" compared to the DFly is in blade length (2.80" (71mm) vs 2.25 " (57mm)) - the difference in blade length is twice the difference in handle / closed length..

- Regardless, enjoy both knives!! :) The DFly is a very cool model either and unbeatably light!

Blnd wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:39 pm

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 29, 2020 2:18 am

Blnd wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 27, 2020 12:11 pm

)

Chaparral-fan here :

- You are aware of the easy mod that makes the lock less stiff? If not, see here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=80687#p1253309 - though it will break in anyway
- The Chap certainly is a bigger knife than the DFly, but imho it is still closer to the DFly than to the Delica? (Closed length Dfly: 3.313 " (84mm), Closed length Chap: 3.60" (91mm), Closed length Delica: 4.25" (108mm) and as far as I can recall the Chap is not really wider at the widest point than the DFly?) - where the Chap is really "big" compared to the DFly is in blade length (2.80" (71mm) vs 2.25 " (57mm)) - the difference in blade length is twice the difference in handle / closed length..

- Regardless, enjoy both knives!! :) The DFly is a very cool model either and unbeatably light!

I agree that closed-dimension wise the chaparral is closer to a DF2, but the feel in the hand is much closer to a delica. Same with pocket space for carry - the chaparral just carries a lot bigger than the DF2 (much closer to the delica in that regard. The clip spacing has a lot to do with it, but handle shape is the biggest contributor. That’s why I mention the feel in the hand (for me) is more delica than DF2.

I’ve seen the spring mod - not sure I want to go that route just yet.