Knives you want to like but somehow don't

yowzer · #1

For me, it's the Cricket. I like the size, how slim it is, how lightweight despite the steel construction, nice thin blade, a shape that I can picture being very useful.... and then when I carry it and use it, I only ever use the tip and that quarter inch of straight edge and find that the big convex belly part just goes unused... and thus I almost never carry it, in favor of assorted other LBKs. Yet it's a fairly popular model that sells well enough to have been around for many years. I'm curious to see if serrations would make it better (I have the PE etched handle variation), but not curious enough to buy one and find out.

What's your model that you want to like but just can't get into?

Blerv · #2

For me it's the Captain, Lava and Lum Chinese/Caly3 (I had the zdp-189 in both).

I tried as hard as possible to love them. The first two had blade shape problems for me personally (neither has much of a point). The latter two didn't fit my hand superbly an didnt have the width/traction to overlook this.

That's just me though. I prob committed forum heresy

.

Sequimite · #3

Blerv wrote:For me it's the Captain, Lava and Lum Chinese/Caly3 (I had the zdp-189 in both).
I prob committed forum heresy .

I think criticizing the Caly does put you into heresy territory.

The Volpe and the Rock Lobster are two that I really wanted to like but disliked more and more as I used them.

marknett · #4

For me it's the grasshopper . The knife has a cool shape but I don't really care for s.s. models because of the weight . Weight is not a problem with this knife , it's the size . I feel like i'm holding a toy . Small knives just don't feel right to me and yes that's just me . There's nothing wrong with the knife , it's a cool knife . Just can't deal with the size.

BHDKnifer · #5

A sprint run of Mr.Janick's very nice Endura. A 1/2 serrated ladybug 3. A sheepfoot (rescue) ladybug 3. A 1/2 serrated black blade manix II. A VG-10 black frn merlin. We have the stainless and carbon fiber harps and the H-1's, but no VG-10 frn merlin. The Goddard line-up is missing a frn burgandy plain blade, a full flat grind burgandy plain blade would sure be nice. And a yellow 1/2 serrated Goddard. Take care.

The Deacon · #6

The R and R2, love the way they look, but my thumb just isn't long enough to open them comfortably. Sage I and several other models with "wrong handed" locks as well. Don't expect to see left handed versions, but it sure would be nice.

Blerv · #7

Sequimite wrote:I think criticizing the Caly does put you into heresy territory.

Yea I figured.

I like knives with deep coils but the caly3 seems one of those knives that feels like a choil and a lanyard instead of a handle. It's not extremely comfortable to grip w/o choking up. The Sage feels more comfy for me as does the Caly Jr.

DeathBySnooSnoo · #8

Blerv wrote:Yea I figured. I like knives with deep coils but the caly3 seems one of those knives that feels like a choil and a lanyard instead of a handle. It's not extremely comfortable to grip w/o choking up. The Sage feels more comfy for me as does the Caly Jr.

I'm right there with you. I don't find the Caly3 to be very comfortable at all, and the thinness of the choil area I really dislike.

Fuglee · #9

I always liked my Lum Chinese but I could never get to the "love" stage, so I got rid of it. The Caly 3 and me just didn't get along well at all.

Oh, and the Gunting. I loathed my Gunting.

bammann45 · #10

The ZDP lum - I never found it to be comfortable for my hand and the scales are too slick - I occasionally use it as a dress up knife. The original para is a like but not love -- my hand is just too big for the handle and feels squished in.

The biggest surprise knife for me has been the Gayle Bradley. It is my far my favorite EDC -- which I would have never guessed given my initial reaction to seeing pics of it.

jldc · #11

Sage 3 and Balance. Also Caly 3, but that's more of a "I don't love it" than "I don't like it much at all."

Sage 3 is too heavy and wide and hard to close. Both the other Sages are far better, IMO. Especially the Sage 1.

The Balance is just too small to open easily one-handed. The Cricket does what the Balance is trying to do, but does it much better.

The Cricket is the opposite for me. I had low expectations and was very impressed.

DeathBySnooSnoo · #12

I'm not fond of my Phoenix...looks cool, but not really comfortable in my hand

Evil D · #13

The Manix 2, the Sage series, the Lums....all great knives and i wouldn't say i don't like them but i didn't like the first two enough to not trade them in for something else. When it came time to EDC something there was always something getting pocket time over those.

grg · #14

Believe it ,or not two the spyderco's I didn't warmup to ,were the delica,and endura,though I just got a flat ground delica maybe I'll warm up to that.I don't believe it could ever replace my calypso jr though.

jackburton9807 · #15

I have been married to the Delica for a long time. Currently I am dating a PE/FRN Endura. The jury is still out.

Jeff

DeathBySnooSnoo · #16

grg wrote:Believe it ,or not two the spyderco's I didn't warmup to ,were the delica,and endura,though I just got a flat ground delica maybe I'll warm up to that.I don't believe it could ever replace my calypso jr though.

Me neither. Not at all. I gave a FFG Delica a shot and it was totally wrong for me. But I got a Stretch, and love that thing. I am going to get a VG-10 version too.

Stephen · #17

Oh man, I'm definitely in blasphemy territory here.

I never could like the Military. I've had the SE S30V and the S90V versions. I just don't like the blade shape, it never suited my tastes. The S30V was given away and the S90V was ebayed. I don't miss them, it just wasn't a good fit.

mikerestivo · #18

Stephen wrote:Oh man, I'm definitely in blasphemy territory here.

I never could like the Military. I've had the SE S30V and the S90V versions. I just don't like the blade shape, it never suited my tastes. The S30V was given away and the S90V was ebayed. I don't miss them, it just wasn't a good fit.

I think the "it just wasn't a good fit" says it all on the knives that we don't like. I could not warm up to the Delica or Endura all that much. I like a more structred handle with a defined choil.

dbcad · #19

It's all a matter of personal taste and feel, and for some, especially newbies like me, that changes with experience and time. For me it was the Moran black and Orange, with the Mules I'm now using, it couldn't find a place in the lineup.

chuck_roxas45 · #20

It's the manix 2 for me and it's the "it just isn't a good fit" reason.