Spyderco Forums

Would any of you spydie nuts be interested in a Para 3 in Rex121?

I'd be interested

bambam wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:13 pm

Would any of you spydie nuts be interested in a Para 3 in Rex121?

Did a quick search and would be interested in REX 121! :)

But: Please not yet another Para 3... Don´t get me wrong, it might very well be a really good knife and I know many do like it, but it has already gotten unbelievably many variants. And when I read through this forum there are also not too few who don´t really care too much about this model (yes, I am one of those).

In my humble opinion: If it has to be a small comp. lock knife, maybe the Sage 5 (LW) should get some variants now too. Just for the sake of some balance... (and believe me: If one of MY favorite small folders (Delica, Chaparral) would get all that variants and not some other models, I´d still certainly argue in the same way and for more balance in the "small knife arena"!)

Street Beat in Rex 121

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:49 pm

bambam wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:13 pm

Would any of you spydie nuts be interested in a Para 3 in Rex121?

Did a quick search and would be interested in REX 121! :)

But: Please not yet another Para 3... Don´t get me wrong, it might very well be a really good knife and I know many do like it, but it has already gotten unbelievably many variants. And when I read through this forum there are also not too few who don´t really care too much about this model (yes, I am one of those).

In my humble opinion: If it has to be a small comp. lock knife, maybe the Sage 5 (LW) should get some variants now too. Just for the sake of some balance... (and believe me: If one of MY favorite small folders (Delica, Chaparral) would get all that variants and not some other models, I´d still certainly argue in the same way and for more balance in the "small knife arena"!)

Years ago this comment would have been in the PM2 threads word for word as we watched the PM2 go through the same as the Para 3 is now.
(Don’t fight it, it’s just the way the PM2 went and the way the Para 3 is heading if not already there)

Must admit I’m more of a fan for this steel for a PM2, Para 3 than a Sage 5 light weight.

standy99 wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 22, 2020 1:48 am

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:49 pm

bambam wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:13 pm

Did a quick search and would be interested in REX 121! :)

But: Please not yet another Para 3... Don´t get me wrong, it might very well be a really good knife and I know many do like it, but it has already gotten unbelievably many variants. And when I read through this forum there are also not too few who don´t really care too much about this model (yes, I am one of those).

In my humble opinion: If it has to be a small comp. lock knife, maybe the Sage 5 (LW) should get some variants now too. Just for the sake of some balance... (and believe me: If one of MY favorite small folders (Delica, Chaparral) would get all that variants and not some other models, I´d still certainly argue in the same way and for more balance in the "small knife arena"!)

Years ago this comment would have been in the PM2 threads word for word as we watched the PM2 go through the same as the Para 3 is now.
(Don’t fight it, it’s just the way the PM2 went and the way the Para 3 is heading if not already there)

Must admit I’m more of a fan for this steel for a PM2, Para 3 than a Sage 5 light weight.

Thanks for your reply!

As said, I am well aware that many love the Para 3 and so it´s totally fine that it gets a lot of variants!!

But for me, there is just a TOO much and a real unbalance at some point... so just a bit alternation would be kind of nice...

The Sage 5 (LW or not) is not my absolute favorite small folder either, but if we stay in the realm of small comp. lock folders when it comes to getting all the variants and steels, I think it would be a good option for those who are not particularly fond of the Para 3..

Just so that at one time Para 3 folks would miss out on a special variant, at another time the Sage 5 folks. And many still would like BOTH models anyway! :)

I use Spyderco’s with thick blade stock (like the Para and Native lines) as hard use knives so I think it’s a bit silly to pair a high edge rentention/low toughness steel on a knife like the Para 3. With my uses I’d be dealing with a lot of chipping I imagine.

I think it makes a lot more sense to pair a low toughness/high edge retention steel with a lighter use knife featuring thin blade stock. Rex121 would be amazing on something like the Chaparral, UKPK, or Watu. It would be a cardboard/poly wrap slicing machine! I could even get on board with something a little bit thicker like the Sage LW or Delica Wharncliffe. I think I’d pass on the Para 3 though. Just my two cents.

No.
After trying K390, which is like two steps below REX121, I don't think I need such steel. K390 as a high carbide steel was a fun experience, but I come to conclusion that I don't really need that kind of edge retention.
What I would like to see more of are steels with less carbides but ground more thinly than usual, like 0.2 mm behind the edge.

After reading a bit about it, I think I'll pass. Not super interested in these super high hardness steels. They usually end up being far too brittle and prone to damage.

I have come to value toughness far more than edge retention. Roll>Chip, anyday.

Mule Team 29? Yes please :D

I'd like to see it as Mule first.

I have a REX 121 custom fixed blade (Creely Mako) and I honestly can't tell much difference in edge retention between it and my Maxamet Manix 2 LW.

Para 3 LW would be a decent platform for this steel, though. I think I'd rather see it in Lil Native (back lock), Dragonfly, or UKPK, though.

And given that Spyderco has experience working with Maxamet, I think I'd rather see the 'easy option' of running the Para 3 LW (or Lil Native, or Dragonfly, or _especially_ UKPK) in Maxamet.

Rex121? Sure, but only for reasons of curiosity, not a particular application, and therefore in a PM2 so I can compare it to my Maxamet, 10V, and S110V PM2s.

I must say, though, that I’m more than happy to sacrifice some edge-retention for sharpening response.

I would love anything in Rex121. Preferably a PM2 or Military. But I'll happily settle for a Mule if that's all we get.

I'm not a PM3 fan. I tend to think of the supersteels as good for knives that you would do a lot of cutting with so for me that means PM2 and Manix2. I don't think you can realize the benefit of the steels in a smaller knife.

I think S110V, M4 and cousins, and K390 and cousins are good in the PM2 and maybe we don't need to go any further. I would have to study where the toughness of Rex121 fits with respect to these. If it is more like Rex45 than I would like to see it in the PM2 or Manix2. I say go any further if there are tradeoffs in the steel. If Rex121 sacrifices any toughness over the ones listed above then I don't think I would want it in the PM2. I have gone back and forth with respect to Maxamet in the Manix2. I don't have one, I want one, but I'm not sure if I need one or not. I don't think I would want it in the PM2.

I’d definitely like to try one out.

The Rex steels are my favorite for a number of reasons, so a Rex121 knife would be at the top of my list as sort of a "Grail Knife."

Maybe a sprint run would be advantageous in terms of cost effectiveness?
In my opinion, any folder or a fixed blade like the Mule is certain to make a good knife.
It's fitting the "King" of knife steel hardness and edge retention shares its name with the "Tyrant Lizard King" I've chosen as my avatar, Tyrannosaurus rex.

I'm pretty sure Maxamet was the result of testing Rex 121 and deciding "nah", or something to that effect. This steel has been discussed many times and I'm pretty sure Sal mentioned something about testing it but going with Maxamet instead. I could be misremembering but I know there was talk of a mule and there was a reason it didn't happen.

No, no, NO! Not another Para 3 !!!

But a mule, now that would be great.

Not a pm3, if I am going with that size of knife I much prefer a Native 5, just my 2 cents.

I imagine a REX 121 PM2 would be exceedingly expensive, more than Maxamet. That is one reason why I get off the carbide train at s110v.