Yojimbo vs. Dodo

[karnigy]

Considering EDC value, and maybe SD, is the yojimbo or the dodo the better buy? Why? Thanks.

[JD Spydo]

In my most humble opinion the PE Dodo is man's best friend. No dogs now take second place. Like me I have named a lot of my knives like I would have named a good dog. Mr. Dodo comes out of my mouth quite often. The serrated version is Mrs. Dodo. The girls are a little meaner you know. I am not taking anything away from the Yojimbo. I have one myself and would not trade it. But the Dodo is the most useful blade I have been blessed with in quite a while. I carry 2 to 3 knives everyday ( all Spydies) but I am using the Dodo about 70 to 80 percent of the time. But also factor in why you are buying the knife in the first place. Long Live The DODO :cool: :spyder:

[Mr Blonde]

The Yojimbo is utility wise, somewhat of an enlarged flat ground Kiwi. The Wharncliffe blade shape is IMO the best choice for utility around the house and office. It’s best in my experience for opening stuff, slicing food and sharpening pencils and such. Sharpening is a breeze. The wide flat ground blade make it cut like a much bigger knife. The fine tip of the Yojimbo, however, won’t make it into the Manix-type-class of heavy field-type utility use. On top of that it’s a first rate MBC knife, much better than the Manix in my opinion. But I can’t stress this enough, don’t use your MBC knife for anything else but MBC!! The edge should be kept as sharp as possible. And if you really have to use your MBC folder for utility use, then get a serrated edge. It stays functional longer, and those spikes protect the sharp scallops from potential wristwatch bands and buttons for example.

The Dodo is a much more PC type folder to pull out. Many people find the reverse-S shape to be great for their utility chores. I would too, if I could keep the tip sharp on my sharpmaker. I can’t so my reverse-S blades don’t see much utility use. For MBC the Dodo is aimed at gross motor skills, grip it and maintain the grip. The blade shape instinctively directs you to cutting and ripping techniques. The blade lenght is perfect for those ‘let-go-n-run-techniques’. But that ultra secure grip design makes me use it, in training, for all regular blocking, passing and cutting techniques I use with a larger knife. The tail on both Dodo and Yojimbo are suitable for use as improvised palm sticks. And you can get the Dodo with a serrated edge, which in my opinion is mandatory if you really have to use one folder for both utility and MBC.

The fine tip designs on both make them great for fine cutting chores, but a delica is a much better allround utility knife that is more than adequate for MBC use. Plus, you can get a trainer. Between the two, I would pick a serrated Dodo. It does –utility-wise- best what you mostly encounter in the real world, opening stuff. It carries a lot easier, and with no stabbing point and small blade it’s a little easier on the eyes of those who do not appreciate knives. In the end, I consider both to be MBC designs, which is reflected in my reviews of both:

Yojimbo

Dodo


Let us know how you decide!

Wouter

[wotanson]

I don't own a Yojimbo (YET!) but I've decided The Dodo is the perfect EDC for me. Great ergonomics, great blade steel, cuts anything ya need for a light-medium duty knife. I have one in SE and one PE, no lock failure, rock solid lock up, no blade play what so ever. It is a little more of a challenge to sharpen the reverse s shaped blade so I let the professionals handle it (I mangled my SE badly so it's at the Spyderanch for some R&R). Now I do intend to get me one of them Yojimbo some day so my opinion might change :D . Cheers, Rob

[denn]

well, i'm probably the only one who doesn't like both of these :spyder: 's, and although i don't like to bash knives too much, in this case i feel the urge to sum up some of the weaknesses of these recent popular and strangely appealing knives: i dislike the dodo because of its awkward reverse-s blade and fiddly ball-bearing lock. i dislike the yojimbo because it's basically an exakto-blade ("modified wharncliffe" my behind, it's more of a "reverse tanto stanley-blade"...)with a long pointy handle on it, it has a fiddly compression-lock like the para-mili and, as the dodo, clips to your pants in tip-up mode only.

i really don't see the point of these knives other than "cool-factor" and don't like to talk on forums about whether it's good for 'SD'/'MBC' either, cause i think talk like that gives knives a bad name, which is no good to us knife-nuts.

both knives don't have very utilitarian blades either, in that they seriously lack 'belly' on the blade and their bladeshapes are unhandy at the least. ok, so far for bashing these 2. i could go on, and add the karambit too, but what's the point?.....

if you're really looking for something versatile and useful i'd advice to take a look at some of these instead: delica, scorpius, manix, military, police, endura, native, stretch.......to name a few. these knives are far better in every aspect IMHO.

for all those who DO like the dodo and yojimbo, please don't feel offended, it's just my highly subjective opinion which i wanted to share. i recently purchased a karambit, and within an hour it got tossed in the "can't-use-this"-department of my knife-cabinet, and i'm fairly certain it's no coincidence that the karambit, the dodo and the yojimbo are all on the same page of the spyderco-catalogue together............

just my 2 cts :o

[Matt Studabaker]

Denn,
Have you tried either one? As Mr. Blonde stated, both blades are great for around the home and office. True, a bit more belly can be useful, such as skinning, but I have knives for that, and I don't generally come across animals to skin during my day-to-day activities...if I go hunting, then I take a knife with me that is dedicated to that purpose. For a "true" all-purpose knife, I believe you're correct, a bit more belly is useful to handle all tasks. But, having evaluated what I personally use an EDC knife for, both blades suit my needs perfectly. Curvature to the edge isn't necessary to make a blade utilitarian. An X-acto knife or a box cutter are utility knives...Yojimbo blade shape...coincidence? :D I'm sticking with mine...great knives, and not "unhandy" in the least. To each his own.

-Matt

[Qship]

"But I can’t stress this enough, don’t use your MBC knife for anything else but MBC!! The edge should be kept as sharp as possible. And if you really have to use your MBC folder for utility use, then get a serrated edge. It stays functional longer, and those spikes protect the sharp scallops from potential wristwatch bands and buttons for example."

I carry a couple of Yojimbos for EDC. I feel the more you use a knife, the better you are with it. Every cutting task is practice. If you only use a knife three times a day, that's a thousand well spaced repetitions a year.

While I would be reluctant to carry a knife I could not use for MBC, which suggests a knife with a point that can thrust, I am primarily carrying a tool.

I expect to sharpen a knife from time to time, but with today's steels, an edge lasts. If I were cutting a lot of rope, or if I was worried about going down on the door of a chopper, and thought I might have to saw through the skin of the aircraft, I would certainly opt for a serrated edge. But, I am more likely to peel an apple, something a serrated edge does not do well.

Different strokes for different folks.

Qship

[donutsrule]

I have both the Dodo and the Yojimbo. I like them both, but the Dodo gets carried the most.

- I like the ball bearing lock:
There is NOTHING "fiddly" about it. I can open and close the knife 5 times in 10 seconds with one hand (either hand!) without swinging, flicking, using gravity or inertia, or using my leg or other object to push the spine when closing. The Yojimbo's compression lock works well enough when I hold the knife in my right hand, but in my left it still gives me fits. The news that the upcoming Pickle (pakal) Knife will also have a ball lock pleases me greatly.

- I like the wire clip:
It's very inconspicuous, and the exposed blue tip of the Dodo is also very inconspicuous. The wire clip was too strong out of the box, so I sanded the G10 where the clip rests on it to make drawing the knife out of my pocket easier. I have had no problems with the Yojimbo's stamped clip other than the bottom 90-degree sharp edge gouging the leather of my car's steering wheel when I get in the car. My Chinook II has done the same thing, and I plan to round off all those edges with a grinder ... some day. :rolleyes:

-I like the blade:
It's very easy to use for what I typically need a blade for, like opening bubblepacks, boxes and cutting cardboard. If I was using it more for food (say slicing open a hotdog bun), poking holes in things, or maybe whittling, the Yojimbo would probably be better, though. There is no "better" here for everyone. It will depend on what you use the knife for.

I carry both when I can. :D

[Jimd]

Of these two, I only have experience with the Dodo. Now I'm not a reverse-s blade fan by nature. And I hate wharncliffe blades.

But I like my Dodo a lot. It serves very well for utility. It's large handle and stout blade make an excellent defensive blade, even though I very, very rarely carry blades that aren't capable of thrusting for self-d. The Dodo, is, in fact, the only knife that I'd consider for self-d. in a pinch that isn't capable of inflicting stabs.

Were I to use the Dodo for defending myself, I'd hold it in an icepick grip and simply use jab punches with the blade jutting out the bottom of my fist. As such, I believe it would have a decent amount of defensive value. NOT the best, but for it's tiny size, it's value would be good.

The best defensive blades will allow for stabbing, since this is a very important part of stopping someone who is attacking you with lethal force.

[disorder]

Mr Blond hits the nail in the head.
And jim -as usual- added valuable infos.
i have both and i can say that the D. (blue handle ,SE) is really "friendly" for people that doesnt know knives, plus is great for edc tasks and for sd (but for a non-trained person, you cant thrust with it, instead you can slash and rip, same concept than Spot ) plus its shorter blade make it more "justified" ..
the Y (black handle) rise more suspicious looks, maybe also because i added two little plastic band (dont remember the name, the one used by electricians ) to make it open in a "wave-like" style (really really fast)..
i practice in Scrima (italian knife technique) and the Y fits the bill, the D. not (for the reasons above mentioned) but both are good for non-lethal control techniques.

anyway, the choose depends on several factors, not last the environment you would use your knife.

as a spidienut, i had to have them both ,i think they are two great pieces of industrial design, where form follows function and reach somethin' new and innovative.
but i can understand that not everybody like them.

bye all ,and sorry for my wroten english - not that my spoken would be better.. :)

[Mr Blonde]

Qship, I agree that the first order of things is to practice extensively with your tool of choice. Keeping it sharp is something I learned to appreciate when I did some cutting tests with a Military I carried primarily for utility and secondary for MBC. It was embarrassing to see that the dulled edge left a nice ‘fold-here-line’ on the roll of newspapers. Since then, I keep different knives for different purposes. I also practice extensively in the dojo and privately –it’s fun- and keep the defensive edge as sharp as possible. I usually have two versions for my MBC folders, one to cut with and one for carry, and a trainer.

Most people I know who carry pockt knives, don’t even have a sharpening device, let alone actually and regularly sharpen their knives. For those, it I would certainly not recommend them to use a single folder for both duties. Just like in training, things will never go entirely as planned and for me that means keeping one edge as sharp as possible.

MBC is a great hobby, but I wish more people interested in the subject actually buy and use trainers first and back-ups of their folders second, to practice cutting with it. Then again, I come from an Iaido background, where we have to practice with the wooden Bokken for a long time before we even get to see an Iaito (Katana drone), let alone a sharp katana. This is what further influences my feelings on the subject.

Denn, I agree with you that both Yojimbo and Dodo are best suited for MBC. But the connoisseur would certainly appreciate these fine tips and ultra-ergonomic handles for their utility value around the house and office. Both knives are ‘lethal’ to newspaper clippings, tape on boxes, envelopes and apples. But for the uninitiated knife user, a delica is indeed the better choice as an allround pocket knife, as I suggested.

I’m not even going to get into you opinion on talking about MBC and knife collecting, something tells me I will never be able to change your mind. I’m just happy that the Spyderco forums and company offer plenty room for all knife-enthusiasts.

Cheers,

Wouter

[karnigy]

the dodo is sounding pretty good, but how would I sharpen it? I have a hard enough time sharpening clip point blades as it is. Also, is the dodo really that much better for utility than the yojimbo? thanks.

[RLR]

S blades, reverse s, recurves, whatever you call them, they are more difficult to sharpen. Now, on the opposite side of the scale is the Wharncliff - easiest to sharpen. Unless you are cutting mostly zip ties, nets, taught ropes and likes, the Yo would be better. Don't worry about the tip. I carry mine all the time and USE it. No problems at all. And then there's the lock. Ball vs compression. I played with a Dodo and hated the lock. The compression is solid, tight and reliable. I just have a problem with the weak detente, but that's just me. All in all, the YO is awesome - buy it and love it.