Anything that can replace Chaparral?

[Wartstein]

If you say you don´t like the lock:
Do you mean you don´t like backlocks generally or specifically the lock of the Chap, which can be a bit harder/stiffer to operate? If it is the latter: There is an easy mod to solve that problem!

What's the mod? I sold my chap lw because I found the lock actually painful to disengage. Left a big dent in my finger every time. I always thought a boye dent could've helped, but I'm not skilled in the mod department.

Here you have it,just scroll down a bit! :)

viewtopic.php?t=80687

Thanks!

You are very welcome! Should you do the mod, I´d be really interested in your opinion on it if you like to share it.

[MichaelScott]

Yep. Move that lock bar spring and it will be like a new knife.

[JuPaul]

What's the mod? I sold my chap lw because I found the lock actually painful to disengage. Left a big dent in my finger every time. I always thought a boye dent could've helped, but I'm not skilled in the mod department.

Here you have it,just scroll down a bit! :)

viewtopic.php?t=80687

Thanks!

You are very welcome! Should you do the mod, I´d be really interested in your opinion on it if you like to share it.

Well I sold off that knife, but I've avoided getting any other chaps because of that issue. Knowing there's a simple way to address the issue - and that a lot of people got samples without this issue at all - will definitely make me more likely to try out another one in the future. I liked everything else about the chap.

[T_MAC686]

Should you do the mod, I´d be really interested in your opinion on it if you like to share it.

Move that lock bar spring and it will be like a new knife.

Hey Wartstein- I did this mod with my FRN Chaparral and I agree with MichaelScott, it really made it like a whole new knife for me that I thoroughly enjoy using! Wish there were more 2mm folders in production!

[Cambertree]

Yeah I also use the Urbans in that size range for office and warehouse work.

They replaced my beloved Dragonflies as discreet work knives, although I still use them a bit.

The K390 and AEB-L Urbans are a mighty duo. :D :spyder:

(I should add that I've had the CF Chap since it came out as well, so this is taking that model into account.)

[bbturbodad]

You really make me courious: Of course I know, that thinness behind the edge is not totally related to blade stock, but given that both the Chap and the Urban do have about the same blade height, are both ffg, but the Chap has 2mm stock, the Urban 3mm (that´s a 50 % increase!) and probably (but that I don´t know!) a quite similar factory sharpening angle, I really wonder if it can be that the Urban is thinner behind the edge (it´s not hollow grind, is it?)

The primary grind on the Urban is steeper than on the Chap so by the time you get to the cutting edge the BTE measurement is thinner on the Urban than the Chap.

ADDED:
My measurements from the BTE tbread:

I have these 2 to add...

Urban K390
.1075 Spine (in front of plunge line)
.013/.011/.012 BTE ~ .012

Chaparral LW - CQI
.0775 Spine
.016/.017/.016 BTE ~ .016

[vivi]

Not every FFG model is ground at the same angle through the primary grind.

[bbturbodad]

You really make me courious: Of course I know, that thinness behind the edge is not totally related to blade stock, but given that both the Chap and the Urban do have about the same blade height, are both ffg, but the Chap has 2mm stock, the Urban 3mm (that´s a 50 % increase!) and probably (but that I don´t know!) a quite similar factory sharpening angle, I really wonder if it can be that the Urban is thinner behind the edge (it´s not hollow grind, is it?)

The primary grind on the Urban is steeper than on the Chap so by the time you get to the cutting edge the BTE measurement is thinner on the Urban than the Chap.

ADDED:
My measurements from the BTE tbread:

I have these 2 to add...

Urban K390
.1075 Spine (in front of plunge line)
.013/.011/.012 BTE ~ .012

Chaparral LW - CQI
.0775 Spine
.016/.017/.016 BTE ~ .016

Out of curiosity, this morning I dug out an angle cube and measured the primary grinds on the Chap and Urban. It may not be the most accurate measurement but I think its good enough for our purpose.

Chap LW & Raffir Noble 1.5° per side - 3° inclusive
Urban K390 3.0° per side - 6° inclusive
Urban AEB-L 2.5° show side 3° clip side - 5.5° inclusive

[Edward_Scissorhands]

Just got one of these, and it's a nice knife, but I agree about the lock. It's just a pain to disengage. I just did the mod, and it helps a little. I guess that's the price to pay for such a small, thin knife. I also thought it'd feel lighter than it does. I don't have a scale, but just holding it in the hand, it actually feels about the same as my Para 3 LW. TB, the lock on the Dragonfly is much better, and the compression locks on my Para knives are my favorite so far.

[Notsurewhy]

Just got one of these, and it's a nice knife, but I agree about the lock. It's just a pain to disengage. I just did the mod, and it helps a little. I guess that's the price to pay for such a small, thin knife. I also thought it'd feel lighter than it does. I don't have a scale, but just holding it in the hand, it actually feels about the same as my Para 3 LW. TB, the lock on the Dragonfly is much better, and the compression locks on my Para knives are my favorite so far.

The chap is lighter than the para 3 lw but only by .3 oz due to the chaparral having liners and the para 3 having like half of one liner(just enough for the comp lock leaf). If the para 3 didn't have silly thick blade stock for a 3in blade it would probably be lighter.

[Wartstein]

Just got one of these, and it's a nice knife, but I agree about the lock. It's just a pain to disengage. I just did the mod, and it helps a little. I guess that's the price to pay for such a small, thin knife. I also thought it'd feel lighter than it does. I don't have a scale, but just holding it in the hand, it actually feels about the same as my Para 3 LW. TB, the lock on the Dragonfly is much better, and the compression locks on my Para knives are my favorite so far.

The chap is lighter than the para 3 lw but only by .3 oz due to the chaparral having liners and the para 3 having like half of one liner(just enough for the comp lock leaf). If the para 3 didn't have silly thick blade stock for a 3in blade it would probably be lighter.

I think the Chap just has to have liners, otherwise it could not be constructed so amazingly thin in the handle (the scales alone would be way to flimsy probably due to their thinness) - imho the Chap is almost defined by its overall thinness, and not by light weight.
And I actually like the relatively "heavy", solid "quality" feel and the balance of the Chap in hand (and as you said, it is still lighter than almost any other Spyderco other than the really small ones like DFly and so on).

And I am with you: I don´t get the thick blade stock of the really short Para 3 blade. 20 % thicker than lets say a Sage 5, and the 3mm of the Sage obviously are still way thick enough to offer enough interface for a reliable comp.lock.

[ugaarguy]

Just got one of these, and it's a nice knife, but I agree about the lock. It's just a pain to disengage. I just did the mod, and it helps a little. I guess that's the price to pay for such a small, thin knife. I also thought it'd feel lighter than it does. I don't have a scale, but just holding it in the hand, it actually feels about the same as my Para 3 LW. TB, the lock on the Dragonfly is much better, and the compression locks on my Para knives are my favorite so far.

The chap is lighter than the para 3 lw but only by .3 oz due to the chaparral having liners and the para 3 having like half of one liner(just enough for the comp lock leaf). If the para 3 didn't have silly thick blade stock for a 3in blade it would probably be lighter.

I think the Chap just has to have liners, otherwise it could not be constructed so amazingly thin in the handle (the scales alone would be way to flimsy probably due to their thinness) - imho the Chap is almost defined by its overall thinness, and not by light weight.
And I actually like the relatively "heavy", solid "quality" feel and the balance of the Chap in hand (and as you said, it is still lighter than almost any other Spyderco other than the really small ones like DFly and so on).

And I am with you: I don´t get the thick blade stock of the really short Para 3 blade. 20 % thicker than lets say a Sage 5, and the 3mm of the Sage obviously are still way thick enough to offer enough interface for a reliable comp.lock.

Do the titanium scale Chaps have liners? I'm genuinely curious.

[Wartstein]

I think the Chap just has to have liners, otherwise it could not be constructed so amazingly thin in the handle (the scales alone would be way to flimsy probably due to their thinness) - imho the Chap is almost defined by its overall thinness, and not by light weight.
And I actually like the relatively "heavy", solid "quality" feel and the balance of the Chap in hand (and as you said, it is still lighter than almost any other Spyderco other than the really small ones like DFly and so on).

And I am with you: I don´t get the thick blade stock of the really short Para 3 blade. 20 % thicker than lets say a Sage 5, and the 3mm of the Sage obviously are still way thick enough to offer enough interface for a reliable comp.lock.

Do the titanium scale Chaps have liners? I'm genuinely curious.

That's a good question, and I'd really like to know the answer too..

Anyway, I should have been more precisely: "The Chap LW] just has to have liners" (most likely)

[ugaarguy]

I think the Chap just has to have liners, otherwise it could not be constructed so amazingly thin in the handle (the scales alone would be way to flimsy probably due to their thinness) - imho the Chap is almost defined by its overall thinness, and not by light weight.
And I actually like the relatively "heavy", solid "quality" feel and the balance of the Chap in hand (and as you said, it is still lighter than almost any other Spyderco other than the really small ones like DFly and so on).

And I am with you: I don´t get the thick blade stock of the really short Para 3 blade. 20 % thicker than lets say a Sage 5, and the 3mm of the Sage obviously are still way thick enough to offer enough interface for a reliable comp.lock.

Do the titanium scale Chaps have liners? I'm genuinely curious.

That's a good question, and I'd really like to know the answer too..

Anyway, I should have been more precisely: "The Chap LW] just has to have liners" (most likely)

That actually makes me wonder how thin G10 can be taken before it needs liners.

[Mattysc42]

My stepped titanium chap doesn’t have liners. My raffir noble one does.

[Wartstein]

My stepped titanium chap doesn’t have liners. My raffir noble one does.

Thanks!! :)

[Sumdumguy]

Any suggestions, or Chaparral is still the best?

P.S. I also like the price point of Chaparral FRN.

You should give the Baby Horn a try while they are still available. I love mine!

I removed the clip and toss it in my pocket. It has a huge blade for how small it is. It's cutting edge is longer than the Chap, in a blade that is .11" shorter.

[Wartstein]

Any suggestions, or Chaparral is still the best?

P.S. I also like the price point of Chaparral FRN.

You should give the Baby Horn a try while they are still available. I love mine!

I removed the clip and toss it in my pocket. It has a huge blade for how small it is. It's cutting edge is longer than the Chap, in a blade that is .11" shorter.

That´s great, I like a good edge - to closed length ratio a lot! (And also the baby horns blade stock, weight and backlock)

Never handled a baby horn though, so let me ask: Does it still offer a good four finger grip? I tend to think it rather doesn´t? For its handle is even shorter as the Chaps handle (closed lenght 0.20" shorter on the baby horn than on the Chap) and is has no choil... for my handsize the Chap has to have a choil in order to get a good four finger grip.

[Sumdumguy]

Any suggestions, or Chaparral is still the best?

P.S. I also like the price point of Chaparral FRN.

You should give the Baby Horn a try while they are still available. I love mine!

I removed the clip and toss it in my pocket. It has a huge blade for how small it is. It's cutting edge is longer than the Chap, in a blade that is .11" shorter.

That´s great, I like a good edge - to closed length ratio a lot! (And also the baby horns blade stock, weight and backlock)

Never handled a baby horn though, so let me ask: Does it still offer a good four finger grip? I tend to think it rather doesn´t? For its handle is even shorter as the Chaps handle (closed lenght 0.20" shorter on the baby horn than on the Chap) and is has no choil... for my handsize the Chap has to have a choil in order to get a good four finger grip.

It's very close to four fingers, I'd say 3.5.

It's my father's favorite knife and he's a even larger than I am. We are short and stout like Mountain Dwarves, haha.

It's never been an issue for me on this particular knife.

[Edward_Scissorhands]

Quick question about the Chap LW: I recently got one, and disengaging the lock was very difficult. I read about the mod where you move the spring a little bit in it's slot. I did this, but noticed that the other end of the spring gets very close to the blade when it's closed (possibly even touches it). So, I snipped a very tiny amount off that end of the spring (maybe like 2mm), and I also have the spring displaced in its slot. The lock is MUCH better now. However, I'm just wondering if modifying this spring could have any detrimental effects in the long term? Seems fine so far.