CalyIII vs. UKPK

[Zdenek]

I think I "need" a smaller knife, :spyder: , of course :) , but cannot decide which one. Could you tell me about advantages/disadvantages of the two title knives if any? Is the UKPK satisfactorily safe to use having no lock? Thanks.

[spyderknut]

I have both as well as a CF Caly III and various FRN Caly Jrs.

My favorite is the UKPK. Plenty secure and a lot lighter than the Caly III.

[JohnyKwst]

The UKPK also has full screw construction, although I still prefer the Caly 3 due to the UKPK's lack of a lock.

[The Deacon]

Very similiar size an shape. Assuming you don't live somewhere which restricts the carry of locking knives, then it comes down to whether you feel saving 17 grams / .6 ounce of weight is worth giving up the smoother opening and closing action and the extra security a lock adds. For someone like me, with a bit of arthritis, the difference in ease of opening becomes a major factor. The 'notch joint' on the UKPK makes it considerably more difficult to open, and to close intentionally, than the Caly 3. That can become a safety issue when closing, since the amount of force required to overcome the notch joint encourages you to grip the handle securely by wrapping your fingers around it, putting them in the path of the closing blade when it does release.

[Peter1960]

Lock or no lock that't the main question you can only answer for yourself. None of both knifes have bitten me, but of course that's a matter how to handle a knife My EDC is a Caly3 G-10 as in Austria we don't have law restrictions for locking knives.

That's the way I see it:

UKPK:
+ a bit cheaper
+ more "elegance"
+/- a bit lighter in weight
+/- full screw construction
+/- CPM S30V (I prefer VG-10)
- no liners

Caly3:
+ two skeletonized liners
+ available in plain and serrated edge
+ easier to open and close
+/- pin construction (except the main pivot pin)
+/- VG 10
- a bit more expensive (or a lot in case of the Caly3 carbon with laminated ZDP-189)

[Zdenek]

Lock or no lock that't the main question you can only answer for yourself. None of both knifes have bitten me, but of course that's a matter how to handle a knife ]in Austria [/color]we don't have law restrictions for locking knives.

That's the way I see it:

UKPK:
+ a bit cheaper
+ more "elegance"
+/- a bit lighter in weight
+/- full screw construction
+/- CPM S30V (I prefer VG-10)
- no liners

Caly3:
+ two skeletonized liners
+ available in plain and serrated edge
+ easier to open and close
+/- pin construction (except the main pivot pin)
+/- VG 10
- a bit more expensive (or a lot in case of the Caly3 carbon with laminated ZDP-189)

In Czech Rep., as far as I know, we have not a law restrictions, too.
As to the Caly3 carbon with laminated ZPD-189, is this knife in regular offer of Spyderco, or is it a limited run? BTW, where can I learn about limited production Spydies, and how get them in Europe? Spyderco limited editions and sprint runs are a mystery to me. Could you teach me in this matter?

[bh49]

As to the Caly3 carbon with laminated ZPD-189, is this knife in regular offer of Spyderco, or is it a limited run? BTW, where can I learn about limited production Spydies, and how get them in Europe? Spyderco limited editions and sprint runs are a mystery to me. Could you teach me in this matter?

1.CF Caly3 is regular production, but it depends on market how many lots will be made.
2. The best bet to learn about limited runs is this forum or Spyderco section on BladeForums
3 You can get these knives from NGK, sometimes you need to pre-order. They ship to Europe.
http://www.newgraham.com/
Probably our European members will help more.

[Peter1960]

As bh49 said :)

And here is a link to a German source: http://www.wolfster.de/index.php?disp=s ... earch=caly

[Bolster]

I just received my first UKPK. Comparing it to my G-10 Caly 3, the forumites above did a good job of comparing differences. The UKPK is a little lighter and more elegant looking with screw construction. Yes the UKPK takes a little more effort to open than the C3, but comparing the UKPK to a traditional slipjoint, it's much easier to open...it's the easiest opening slipjoint I own, by far. And in open position, it is held there very firmly by the spring...accidental closings would probably be rare, and caught by the half stop if they happened. So it's a darned safe slippie.

The UKPK has a slightly deeper blade, a larger spyder hole, and a steeper ramp that could theoretically make the insertion into pocket a little more difficult. The larger hole makes the blade pretty easy to open by thumb. Whether you prefer S30V or VG10 is your call...I like S30V.

The UKPK can travel with you and will be legal in more places (such as England and probably New York), which is why I bought one.

Edit to add: The UKPK is 2.4 oz and the G-10 C3 is 3 oz. Also, the UKPK has a more pronounced, deeper 50/50 choil that is very comfortable, and serves the purpose of using your index finger as a "backup" block to the blade closing accidentally. I tried it--it squeezes your finger rather gently and seems to be a thoughtful safety addition.

[The Deacon]

The UKPK can travel with you and will be legal in more places (such as England and probably New York), which is why I bought one.

For the record, NYC law does not differentiate between locking and non-locking foliders. If you carry either the Caly 3 or the UKPK clipped to your pocket so that any portion of it is visible, then you are in violation of the law. On the other hand, either one carried fully concealed is perfectly legal as they are both well under the 4" blade limit.

[Bolster]

For the record, NYC law does not differentiate between locking and non-locking foliders. If you carry either the Caly 3 or the UKPK clipped to your pocket so that any portion of it is visible, then you are in violation of the law. On the other hand, either one carried fully concealed is perfectly legal as they are both well under the 4" blade limit.

Sorry. Thanks for clarifying that, and I'm out of my league when it comes to legal carry, so I shouldn't be making recommendations on that topic. The other issue is "inertia" opening, is it not? I just tested my UKPK to see if it was "spyderdroppable" (what some LEOs consider "inertia" opening or "flicking") and the UKPK is "spyderdroppable" after many tries (it gets hung up at the half stop). So, given Garageboy's recent incident in NY, I should not promote the UKPK as "the ideal choice" for NY if your intent is to stay far into the "unambiguously legal" area. Again, just my opinion from reading previous threads...I'm not a legal expert.

[Zdenek]

Thank you all for comprehensive comparing both knives. Despite of this it is still hard to make a particular decision... so I am going to order them both :) :D :) :D .

[GarageBoy]

Sorry. Thanks for clarifying that, and I'm out of my league when it comes to legal carry, so I shouldn't be making recommendations on that topic. The other issue is "inertia" opening, is it not? I just tested my UKPK to see if it was "spyderdroppable" (what some LEOs consider "inertia" opening or "flicking") and the UKPK is "spyderdroppable" after many tries (it gets hung up at the half stop). So, given Garageboy's recent incident in NY, I should not promote the UKPK as "the ideal choice" for NY if your intent is to stay far into the "unambiguously legal" area. Again, just my opinion from reading previous threads...I'm not a legal expert.

The thing is, the knife has to lock to call it a gravity knife.

[Bolster]

So, does that mean that NY *does* differentiate between locking and non-locking folders? Does this mean a UKPK carried in the pocket (not visible) would be a pretty good choice for NY, then?

[GarageBoy]

I'd hope so

[carrot]

Of course a slipjoint would be the "safest" option to carry in the city, but I really like my locks... so my own Para has stayed in my EDC. I am, however, more aware of my knife placement and visibility than before.

[jag-engr]

I have had a UKPK for almost a month. I got a Caly3 last week.

Because of the lock, the Caly3 is definitely my choice for EDC, but...

I think the UKPK is constructed better!

1) The fit and finish all seems a little finer on the UKPK, probably due to being constructed in Golden.

2) Having seen both S30V and VG-10 in essentially the same configuration, I definitely prefer S30V.

3) The finger choil is deeper on the UKPK, which I think is better. The UKPK has a better grip. The jimping of the Caly3 helps, but doesn't entirely make up for this loss.

The Caly3 is still my favorite knife, ever, and I'm by no means criticizing Spyderco. I know that everyone wants to be a knife designer, but there are only a few who've consistently done it well enough to make a career of it. I'm just glad that Mr. Glesser lets us all weigh in with ideas.

[PSU]

1) The fit and finish all seems a little finer on the UKPK, probably due to being constructed in Golden.

2) Having seen both S30V and VG-10 in essentially the same configuration, I definitely prefer S30V.

3) The finger choil is deeper on the UKPK, which I think is better. The UKPK has a better grip. The jimping of the Caly3 helps, but doesn't entirely make up for this loss.

I think that you are spot on with your assessment. When I first handled a Caly 3 my biggest disappointment was its shallow finger choil. I was accustomed to the deeper choil of the UKPK, which feels very secure in the hand. From what I can tell, the more shallow choil of the Caly was necessitated by its use as the kicker of the front lock.

Secondary issues for me are the fit-and-finish and blade steel differences. The fit-and-finish of the Golden UKPK seems more refined than that of the Seki Caly. For instance, the rounded edges of my UKPK's handle are much cleaner than that of my Caly. Plus, the UKPK has all screw construction! I much prefer S30V over VG-10 but it would not have too much of an impact on my preference for one knife over another.

Having stated all this...I rarely carry my UKPK anymore because the Caly's lock & its smooth opening make up for all of its shortcomings. Additionally, the CF ZDP Caly 3 tops them all :cool: :D