Spyderco Forums

silver & black wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 10, 2026 5:35 am

All this love for FRN is going to make purchase a knife with it so I can see for myself...lol. Please, tell me it is nothing like the FRCP on my Manix 2 LW.

I can't say it's "nothing" like FRCP because they're both still a sort of plastic, but what I can say is Seki's FRN feels softer to the touch and I like it a heck of a lot more than FRCP. FRN "Feels" a lot less likely to crack. There's a softer tone when tapping your nail on it.

I voted before seeing that one could vote for up to 3 choices. FRN was my vote. I love a wood handle, but FRN is for me the most practical choice.

Edited to add: I went back and also voted for G10/Micarta and “other” meaning wood/horn/bone, those sorts of natural materials.

M_J87 wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 10, 2026 11:35 am

silver & black wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 10, 2026 5:35 am

All this love for FRN is going to make purchase a knife with it so I can see for myself...lol. Please, tell me it is nothing like the FRCP on my Manix 2 LW.

I can't say it's "nothing" like FRCP because they're both still a sort of plastic, but what I can say is Seki's FRN feels softer to the touch and I like it a heck of a lot more than FRCP. FRN "Feels" a lot less likely to crack. There's a softer tone when tapping your nail on it.

Thank you. I'll be purchasing a knife with this material on purpose, so I can see if I like it or not. I can say without a doubt that I do not like the FRCP.

I realize everybody thinks the Shaman Lightweight scales are "evil sandpaper", I disagree. Once it's carried and used for a month or two, they smooth out so nicely. They become tacky micarta. I think a Salt version with this type of FRN would be so great. First post, just saying.

silver & black wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 10, 2026 4:58 pm

M_J87 wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 10, 2026 11:35 am

silver & black wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 10, 2026 5:35 am

All this love for FRN is going to make purchase a knife with it so I can see for myself...lol. Please, tell me it is nothing like the FRCP on my Manix 2 LW.

I can't say it's "nothing" like FRCP because they're both still a sort of plastic, but what I can say is Seki's FRN feels softer to the touch and I like it a heck of a lot more than FRCP. FRN "Feels" a lot less likely to crack. There's a softer tone when tapping your nail on it.

Thank you. I'll be purchasing a knife with this material on purpose, so I can see if I like it or not. I can say without a doubt that I do not like the FRCP.

Good to hear. Seki lockbacks in FRN are without question my favorite style of knife any company offers. They're made to work. I'd highly suggest a stretch 2 XL, it kicked all other knives out my pocket coming on 3 years now. Endura, Endela, Delica and Police are all foundational to the company as well. Can't go wrong with any of the above.

Hi Dozermike,

Welcome to our forum.

I've go a couple of weeks on mine, serrated, and I agree. The texture works well.

sal

M_J87 wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 10, 2026 11:35 am

silver & black wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 10, 2026 5:35 am

All this love for FRN is going to make purchase a knife with it so I can see for myself...lol. Please, tell me it is nothing like the FRCP on my Manix 2 LW.

I can't say it's "nothing" like FRCP because they're both still a sort of plastic, but what I can say is Seki's FRN feels softer to the touch and I like it a heck of a lot more than FRCP. FRN "Feels" a lot less likely to crack. There's a softer tone when tapping your nail on it.

I agree. Even though they're both "plastic" FRN is so much nicer than the LEGO-like FRCP.

We are having good participation here,
but smooth G10 is not getting much love.

In spite of that,
I wonder if there would be enough interest
for a sprint run of smooth natural G10
in a popular model, such as a Native.

In my uneducated opinion
that baby would glow like yellow jade
and feel great to the touch.

Here is my Dodo in Natural rough G10 for example.



The Company built the business
on grippy FRN and G10
for which we are all grateful.
I've purchased 40 of them.

However, I really like my smooth G10 Yojimbo 2.
But I could be wrong.
I often am.

I don't have one, but I like natural g10 a lot and a Native in MagnaMax or 3V or ERA Magnacut would be super tempting.

That natural G10 looks great. How about a PM 2 with MagnaMax and natural G10?

One of my tests , main test for "gripppyness" is to hold the knife , blade closed , about mid way on the handle scales , long axis of handle straight up and down , between thumb and index finger (not like I am using it just holding it ) . See middle image below .
Then start to relax my grip .
Let the handle slip through my fingers a bit then stop it ; in some cases "try" to stop it .
If I can stop it once the scale texture is adequate .
If I can slip , stop , slip stop a few times then I am happier .

Goofy test but it can teach me / us things .

I was surprised to find that the Diamond Texture , like on this Case Bone handled knife . . . once it starts to slip it will sail right out of one's grip and hit the floor . . . gets your skin to ?rippling? just right and it some how fits between the "waves" .
I don't know .

Here are some "good " and "bad" knives to handle / grip .
And at this point I will interject another of my tests ; how easy is it to pinch grip pick up off a flat counter / work bench .

The top knife ( the paring knife ) is a night mare to pick up that way (ironically) ; it is thin and skinny and roundy and slick . Sure it can be done but I much prefer the Case Trappers with the second blade removed or the Spyderco Salt to pick up that way .
I have a paring knife that has a blocky larger handle and it is so much better for me to use .

Note the second blade in the Trappers messes up this test / grip and is some of why I regularly remove the second blade .
See the laser etched Rose Pattern Case ; it is more of a fancy / collector knife for me and I couldn't bring my self to remove the second blade from it .
The laser Rose pattern passes the good grip test though ; slip , stop , slip stop a few times .

The two bottom knives are miles better than the others in grip .
Rubber gun grip film on the Trapper.
AND MY PREFERRED FRN PATTERN the Volcano Grip pattern ; is more omnidirectional . For me anyway .
It is just GREAT !

blueblur wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:31 pm

As coarse of a textured G10 as I can get. The Siren’s texture is a good starting point but I’m curious what an even coarser texture would be like.

So far, I prefer a uniform pattern over the striped Magnacut pattern.

My first thought was a material with the glass fibers sticking perpendicular to the surfaces of the handle .

That sounds crazy right ? I was being mostly fasciitis . . .

Then I remembered this handle .
I have a pile of these that I put various bits in pretty much permanently and then grab the one I need .
The green handle looks smooth even slick . But in reality it has microscopic fibers sticking out of it and is easy to grip well .

I just checked the big river where I got mine more than a decade ago and they are no longer available there .
I had to get this image off the internet .
I have moved on to a few other drivers that I use even more but this green handle material is interesting and innovative none the less and seems to hold up to daily use .

This is what I use the most now . The bit is long , replaceable , super quick adjustable for length ; mostly I use TORX and metric Allen bits .

Voted for FRN, especially Seki one. Second would be G10 but FRN is my favorite handle material if you combine it with some nice robust texture unlike in UKPK, Urban, Squeak line as that fine grid texture gets scuffed and damaged too easily.

Favorite FRN pattern - Volcano grip followed by bi directional texturing.

1. Linen Micarta
2. Wood
- Desert Ironwood
- Spalted Maple
- Osage Orange
3. Sandblasted TI

Mad Mac wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 11, 2026 1:05 pm

We are having good participation here,
but smooth G10 is not getting much love.

In spite of that,
I wonder if there would be enough interest
for a sprint run of smooth natural G10
in a popular model, such as a Native.

In my uneducated opinion
that baby would glow like yellow jade
and feel great to the touch.

Here is my Dodo in Natural rough G10 for example.



The Company built the business
on grippy FRN and G10
for which we are all grateful.
I've purchased 40 of them.

However, I really like my smooth G10 Yojimbo 2.
But I could be wrong.
I often am.

When te natural first came out I was not a fan to be honest . Over time I have begun to appreciate the color and a Native would be a great choice to revive the G10 platform. Nice choice Mac ! Dan

Why lump G10 and micarta together?
They look different, are differently made with different materials and require different maintenance.

Anyway, I choose G10 for feel and low maintenance. Aluminium also good so longs as it’s no freezing cold out.

My bad. I could not figure out a way to change the poll afterwards.

silver & black wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 10, 2026 5:35 am

All this love for FRN is going to make purchase a knife with it so I can see for myself...lol. Please, tell me it is nothing like the FRCP on my Manix 2 LW.

Just for the sake of conversation my favorite FRN Spyderco is the Salt 2 in Black
I like it because it is Delica like but the handle is a bit thicker . The Delica was designed to lean toward Women and people with smaller hands . The Salt 2 is more hand filling but still has all the other great characteristics such as major jimping on the spine of the handle which I like .
Mostly I am a plain edge guy but the LOOK of that Black on Black with Spidie Edge was just too much for me to resist.
The plain edge one . . . well . . . as so often happens in my shop , got too close to the belt sander and lost some weight / THICKNESS before I could resue it .

Part of an experiment of mine to see how ?TOUGH? H2 is . I mean if it is tough why not make it crazy thin ; blade and edge .
Turned out to be < 1.9 mm at the spine way up there next to the Spydie hole .
(((cuts good)))

Mad Mac wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 11, 2026 1:05 pm

We are having good participation here,
but smooth G10 is not getting much love.

In spite of that,
I wonder if there would be enough interest
for a sprint run of smooth natural G10
in a popular model, such as a Native.

In my uneducated opinion
that baby would glow like yellow jade
and feel great to the touch.

Here is my Dodo in Natural rough G10 for example.



The Company built the business
on grippy FRN and G10
for which we are all grateful.
I've purchased 40 of them.

However, I really like my smooth G10 Yojimbo 2.
But I could be wrong.
I often am.

It's not that I don't like smooth G-10 .
It is just that I start cutting slots and or jimpping into it and without a proper tiny mill for that it always looks less than . . . nice .
Don't even ask why I have so many Pattadeses . . . when a person falls in love they tend to do crazy things .

smooth G10 is not getting much love.

PS : you know how the civilized world recently went to h*ll . . . surely you've noticed . . .
well the very first but subtle sign of the coming of the great return to the dark ages was when the Vosteed Mini Nightshade knife was discontinued .


Good thing I stocked up when I did . The little knife around the perimeter in my last image.
PPS : couple of mods there ; straight spine and such .