Spyderco Forums

What are your experiences after carrying the Stretch2 for a longer time
as EDC?

for me, i prefer a delica/caly3 sized knife for edc because i work in NYC, and the larger blade may give me a problem if i get stopped by the cops.
i carry my stretch on the weekends

Great knife, I still prefer the looks of my STR customized VG-10 Stretch, but I've been switching back and forth between them since my Stretch II arrived and have no complaints about the new one. Fit and finish is top drawer, and just like the original one, the ergos are 100% perfect for me. In my opinion, it's a definite improvement over the stock version of the original Stretch, the extra thickness of the Stretch II's handle makes it feel better in my hand. And, just like the original, the new one has about the best blade to handle ratio of any Spyderco out there. Darn thing is just a hair bigger than a Delica when closed, but gives you an extra .5" of blade.

http://paulberetta.com/images/stretch/m ... delica.jpg

I just got my Stretch 2 about two weeks ago and it has quickly replaced my Delica 4 as my edc. I wear khakis to work everyday and I was worried it would be too big/heavy in my pocket. I was relieved when I carrried it to work the first day after I got it. It takes up no more room than the D4, the weight difference is negligible, and the extra blade lenth is nice to have. I have smallish hands and the ergonomics of the strech are perfect for me.

As an aside I recieved my first sebenza (small regular) at the same time I got my stretch. Don't get me wrong the fit and finish of the sebe is great, but I have to say the fit and finish of the stretch is just as good for half the price.

Great knife, I really like the lesser weight and flatter profile when carried, compared to the original Stretch. I've sharpened the edge to 40 degrees and it's getting boring to see how long a good working edge lasts. The blade's finish doesn't develop the pronounced patine as it did on my ZDP D4s, the finish is more polished. The finish on the CF handles is nice and smooth, easy on hands and pockets, it didn't get smoother from pocket carry, unlike regular G10 handles made in golden. I really like the bladelength, it's 'just right' for cutting everything, inlcuding food at a picnic or lunch (bagels, larger tomatoes etc...).

Wouter

I've EDC'd mine for a while and everything is great except the clip; The knife sticks a bit too much for discrete carry. A mate of mine and me or STR will work something out :D Either wire or titanium low-rider clip.

I'd love it if :spyder: made lower riding clips for the Stretch, Endura and Delica which I believe use the same clip now :cool:

Sverre

:spyder: :spyder: :cool: :spyder: :spyder: I've been carrying mine since the first day I got it, and it really kicks@$$ :eek: :eek: I have only sharpend it once, and to avoid staining, and or chipping, tarnish, and rust, I allways keep a thin coat of Militec on the blade; Also, after using for food prep, or hard use, around water, or moist places, I allways clean, and dry it right away! After all is said, and done, it is a great edc to use, and I am at work now, and still have it in my pocket :cool:

Is it true that the blade has the tendency to stain?

I've used mine, to cut, among other things: tomatoes, citrus fruit including oranges, lemons, and a grapefruit or two, and raw beef both plain and marinated in a witches brew of vingear, soy sauce, and spices. I never use any type of lubricant or rust inhibitor, and I've neither neglected the blade afterward, nor been in any rush to wash it. No signs of staining. That's no guarantee that another one would not. Have a couple VG-10 blades that have stained, and others that have been exposed to the same stuff without staining, so I think there's more involved here than just the steel. Could even be residual particles of "something else" embedded in the pores of the steel during grinding/polishing that are actually changing color, rather than the blade steel itself. Heck, even static electricity may come into play. That's pure speculation, with no scientific backing, but the coloring on the VG-10 ones I mentioned looks something like anodizing.

interesting observations, paul... would it be possible to share pictures of the mysterious staining patterns?

clovisc wrote:interesting observations, paul... would it be possible to share pictures of the mysterious staining patterns?

Ok, here are a couple of a Lava which was exposed to mustard...

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...it's been used since, but not for food prep, so it hasn't been cleaned with a souring pad at all, but it has toned down a bit over time.

Here's a couple shots of my lignum vitae Stretch. The stains on it were originally much like those on the Lava, but it's been cleaned with a scouring pad at least a hundred times since exposure, so they've faded considerably...

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...but you can still see some darker blotches on the blade. Finally, just to see what would happen, I stuck the ZDP Stretch blade into a jar of mustard this afternoon, let it sit dirty for a few minutes, then rinsed it off and dried it...

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...not really much different from the initial reaction of VG-10 to mustard, so don't think it's fair to label it as easily stained. Note that the stains are not rust, and are nothing like rust, they look more like heat discoloration, or a really poor job of cold bluing or color case hardening. Pretty easy to avoid though, have not found anything aside from mustard that will do it, at least not to that extent.

extremely interesting, and slightly disturbing... are these effects permanent?

i've noticed discoloration on some of my VG10 and ZDP blades, but it usually wipes away... not too sure exactly what is going on, but i'd love to know...

Old timers who used carbon steel folders considered that type of patina to be perfectly normal, and even somewhat desirable, as it tended to inhibit rust. Not permanent, the VG-10 Stretch looked about the same as the Lava right after being exposed to mustard. In the six months or so since then, it has been cleaned with a Scotchbrite scrubbie quite a few times and has lost a considerable amount of the discoloration. Never tried any type of metal cleaner on any of them though. Only thing I find mildy annoying is that it does not happen evenly, that would definitely look better.

Wow! Paul, what an experiment with that new Stretch!

[quote="bladese97"]

Dude - you may want to reconsider using Militec on a knife you use for food prep.

cornelis wrote:Wow! Paul, what an experiment with that new Stretch!

Was hardly new anymore, been using since it arrived. Besides, had a pretty good idea it would just discolor the blade, but do no real harm.

Anyway, I decided today to see how difficult the discoloration would be to remove from both the VG-10 Lava and the ZDP-189 Stretch. Figured the results might be of interest to some. Photo below shows both blades after twenty strokes each across a pad of damp cloth coated with toothpaste. It took most of the stain off both of them.

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After the photo shoot, I gave each side of each blade another twenty or so passes on the pad and they both now look as good as new.

So it seems both ZDP-189 and VG-10 will stain if exposed to certain things (I'd love to know what exactly it is in mustard that causes it). On both steels the stains are fairly resistant to everyday cleaning (dish detergent and water, "Scrunge" type scouring pad). But, on both steels, the staining can be removed with a mild abrasive and a bit of elbow grease.

Side note, knew someone would ask, so I did some "finger painting" with mustard on a C41 Native. S30V does not seem to be affected in the same way, at least not by brown mustard. :D

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Paul, i salivate everytime i see your lignumv. Stretch ... :cool:
I find a little mineral oil and a Q tip takes care of such stains very well

Paul , I think I read possibly in Blade where Mustard has been used by knifemakers to give the knife the old Patina look . Borax is also used in another manner . MG2

Just received my Stretch II...WOW--this thing is thinner than I expected! Thin handle, thin blade! What a slicer, really easy to carry. It probably will NOT displace my Caly III for EDC because the Caly is so much more concealable, but this will certainly be my first-place folder when it comes to slicing and food-prep chores.

Would like a low-rider clip on it.

That blade is pretty durn thin. I take it nobody has snapped a Stretch II blade yet?

Bolstermanic wrote:Just received my Stretch II...WOW--this thing is thinner than I expected! Thin handle, thin blade! What a slicer, really easy to carry.

Yep, same here.
Just received mine.
Great little knife
Super finish and yes I also expected it to be a little thicker,
but than again it is a slicing machine.
Won't see no further exercise here as it will be a safe queen
behind the glass with it's big brothers. :D