Spyderco Forums

Lately I've been reading about LC200N more and more and it seems its performance in plain edge is really good, and many people (here and on Facebook) has made the request for its use on the Salt line.

As far as I know all H1 Salt knives are made in Japan and LC200N isn't a Japanese steel, so this will most likely add production costs, but the end result would be epic!

I am willing to pay in advance for both an Aqua Salt and Salt 2 in PE LC200N :D
Who's with me for this petition to make all plain edged Salts in LC200N?

I think this is probably the logical choice for getting the most performance out of the salt line. I don't know how difficult/expensive it will be logistically to get the steel to Japan and to also make separate runs for the plain edge and serrated edge salts, but If it wouldn't cause a big price increase I believe the result would be well worth it. Then there would also be the consumer confusion to consider. ELU's wondering why some salts were one steel and some another. Helping spread that information would be our job I reckon.

I have a suggestion for a step in the right direction. There has been a lot of chatter about what steel to use in he next Japan frn sprint. Aren't we overdue for a Salt sprint? Why not make a sprint run of the pe frn salt knives in Lc200n. If the knives are well received (I feel quite certain they will be) then Spyderco will have more information on production costs and market when they consider changing steels on the regular production pe salt knives.

IMO if your actually using a salt knife near water your better off with serrations. Theres plenty of steel choices that are rust resistant for the occasional water bath and chances are your going to dry the knife off after. For food prep, field dressing, cleaning out a fish, river floating anything that you'll end up getting it wet. a rust proof knifes over kill. As long as your not using as carbon steel or total junk youll be fine.

lemonslush wrote:IMO if your actually using a salt knife near water your better off with serrations. Theres plenty of steel choices that are rust resistant for the occasional water bath and chances are your going to dry the knife off after. For food prep, field dressing, cleaning out a fish, river floating anything that you'll end up getting it wet. a rust proof knifes over kill. As long as your not using as carbon steel or total junk youll be fine.

You are quite off topic :confused: Some of us here love our SE Salts and find them quite useful

Marius

Why wouldn't they be able to make plain edged Salts in LC200N in the US? Can't see why these would need to be sourced out to Japan. I've been patiently waiting for an FRN handled plain edge Salt in LC200N. Come on Sal.

Bugs wrote:Why wouldn't they be able to make plain edged Salts in LC200N in the US? Can't see why these would need to be sourced out to Japan. I've been patiently waiting for an FRN handled plain edge Salt in LC200N. Come on Sal.

I would guess that since the tooling necessary to make the salt line (based on Endura, Delica 3 & 4, Dragonfly, etc.) are in Japan, and the models their based on will continue being made in Japan, it wouldn't be feasible to manufacture in the US. Perhaps the blades could be made here, sure, but even that is likely a location-specific manufacturing process to an extent.

I am all in for PE Salt knives in LC200N. Preferably standard production but I'll take sprint runs if standard production is not feasible. I have not tried LC200N yet but from what I have read in this forum and elsewhere, LC200N in PE seems to significantly outperform H-1 in PE.

I would love a Dragonfly 2 in LC200N PE with a Delica-blue handle or bright red handle.

Surfingringo wrote:I think this is probably the logical choice for getting the most performance out of the salt line. I don't know how difficult/expensive it will be logistically to get the steel to Japan and to also make separate runs for the plain edge and serrated edge salts, but If it wouldn't cause a big price increase I believe the result would be well worth it.

It could be that Japan doesn't want to use a non-Japanese steel in their production.

In that case, it might be a good idea to have two runs of PE Salts. Not that the Golden factory isn't busy, but... Isn't the Caly series moving to Golden? The UKPK (from the Caly series) was unlined, I wonder how much of a change it would be to get a lock in there.

Or the other logical choice would probably be the lock back Manix. That would take minimal hardware changes to make a Salt with LC200N. We could do the standard Native Lightweight, like that one exclusive.

I guess the question is, how tied are you to a straight spine on all Salts? :)

UKPK, LC200N and yellow frn.

There are also the soon to be released Caribbean models.

We already have the Salt series of knives and they obviously sell well.

A series of dedicated fishing knives made from LanceC200N would fill an existing void. I'd love to see a small, thin, narrow bladed, high quality bait type knife with kydex sheath. :)

Probably more chance of seeing LC200N versions of some of the past and present Golden models than similar versions of the models made in Japan.

We're working on that possibility.

sal

Bloke wrote:We already have the Salt series of knives and they obviously sell well.

A series of dedicated fishing knives made from LanceC200N would fill an existing void. I'd love to see a small, thin, narrow bladed, high quality bait type knife with kydex sheath. :)

"LanceC200N": One of the BEST comments I have ever read on here! :)

sal wrote:We're working on that possibility.

sal

Oh yeah! :cool:

I think H1 still should be in the line up. There is nothing else like it and it apparently performs better than most any other steel in edge retention plus toughness in serrated form. I am all for trying the LC200N in a Salt, but I say keep the H1 also.

Donut wrote:

Surfingringo wrote:I think this is probably the logical choice for getting the most performance out of the salt line. I don't know how difficult/expensive it will be logistically to get the steel to Japan and to also make separate runs for the plain edge and serrated edge salts, but If it wouldn't cause a big price increase I believe the result would be well worth it.

It could be that Japan doesn't want to use a non-Japanese steel in their production.

In that case, it might be a good idea to have two runs of PE Salts. Not that the Golden factory isn't busy, but... Isn't the Caly series moving to Golden? The UKPK (from the Caly series) was unlined, I wonder how much of a change it would be to get a lock in there.

Or the other logical choice would probably be the lock back Manix. That would take minimal hardware changes to make a Salt with LC200N. We could do the standard Native Lightweight, like that one exclusive.

I guess the question is, how tied are you to a straight spine on all Salts? :)

1) There are cultural issues moving a model away from a Japanese maker. Is a Salt in LC200N worth harming a relationship with a maker that Spyderco has had for, what, 30+ years?
2) The Japanese have trade laws and such that do affect the use of non-Japanese steels over there, and Japanese steels elsewhere. Spyderco did just get S30V over there, but how long have they been trying to do that? And how much convincing did it take on the maker to use a non-Japanese steel?
3) I'm pretty sure that the Caly series is not moving away from that maker ("Japan" on the blades, maker's name is Moki), which is a different maker than makes the Salts and most of the other Japanese models ("Seki City, Japan" on the blades, I can't remember the exact name of the maker residing in Seki City). There were (are?) some QC issues at Moki due to some unfortunate circumstances with the family that runs the maker, which is why the Caly 3 was cancelled, as well as the Kiwi. AFAIK the only model still in production at Moki is the Caly 3.5, with the addition of two sprint runs (Caly 3 HAP40, Baby Jess Horn).
4) I think that you are right about the Manix BL as the best platform for a sprint with LC200N. That might just push me over the edge to get that model...

Doc Dan wrote:I think H1 still should be in the line up. There is nothing else like it and it apparently performs better than most any other steel in edge retention plus toughness in serrated form. I am all for trying the LC200N in a Salt, but I say keep the H1 also.

Hey Dan, I don't think H1 is going anywhere regardless of what comes of this idea. I believe there is widespread agreement that serrated H1 is at the top of the food chain when it comes to rust proof steels. It's also generally accepted that pe H1 performance is less than stellar so the idea (possibly) would be to do the plain edge salts in the better pe steel and the serrated salts in the better se steel.

The Deacon wrote:Probably more chance of seeing LC200N versions of some of the past and present Golden models than similar versions of the models made in Japan.

This. Just make Salt versions of current or future Golden made knives. Give me a Manix 2 Lightweight in LC200N.

bearfacedkiller wrote:UKPK, LC200N and yellow frn.

I love this idea for a sprint!

Depending on price, I think Pacific Salt's and a Salt 1's with FFG LC200N, in assorted colours, could have the potential to replace standard Endura's and Delica's....