Stretch XL discussion

[sal]

Hi Marous,

The design is worth the effort, sharpen it. I use 15 DPS and it has impressed. The Ser version i also nice. I use both.

sal

[Wartstein]

...

No, but this model would deserve a ton of variants imo...

May I suggest trying SE in the meantime?
VG10 is a top steel for teeth in my book and the XL offers great serrations...

.... I like the knife in general so I might go over my frustration and get the SE one but I need more close-up photos. Maybe one of you guys would be kind enough and post a few...

Hey Marius,

these are pics of the Stretch XL serrations (almost brand new, factory edge) compared to others I posted already.
A bit blurry, I can take more / better ones if you want.

Pic 1: Stretch XL SE vs Pac Salt 1 SE
Pic 2: Endela, Stretch XL, Pac Salt 1, Salt 2, Endura combo edge, Delica combo edge

[Wartstein]

Hi Marous,

The design is worth the effort, sharpen it. I use 15 DPS and it has impressed. The Ser version i also nice. I use both.

sal

Yep, it is an amazing knife! I practically don't carry anything else anymore.

Whoever designed this must be a genius...

[elena86]

...
[/quote
No, but this model would deserve a ton of variants imo...

May I suggest trying SE in the meantime?
VG10 is a top steel for teeth in my book and the XL offers great serrations...

.... I like the knife in general so I might go over my frustration and get the SE one but I need more close-up photos. Maybe one of you guys would be kind enough and post a few...

Hey Marius,

these are pics of the Stretch XL serrations (almost brand new, factory edge) compared to others I posted already.
A bit blurry, I can take more / better ones if you want.

Pic 1: Stretch XL SE vs Pac Salt 1 SE
Pic 2: Endela, Stretch XL, Pac Salt 1, Salt 2, Endura combo edge, Delica combo edge

Thank you mate. You are a good guy. Just ordered the SE one. Keep in touch.

[elena86]

Hi Marous,

The design is worth the effort, sharpen it. I use 15 DPS and it has impressed. The Ser version i also nice. I use both.

sal

Thank you for taking time to encourage me.Yes Sal, it’s one of your best designs. Probably the best after the Dfly2(still waiting for the XL Dfly). Unfortunately my Wicked Edge sharpener just broke so I won’t be able to reprofile the edge on the PE one anytime soon. I only wish I was located in US to be able to send it to Spyderco to fix it. Just ordered the one in spyderedge. I hope I shall have more luck with it. Waiting for the SPY27 Stretch XL ! I looove that steel. You did a great job when you designed it !

[cabfrank]

The Stretch serrations look fantastic. It must be one of the best cutting folders out there.

[Wartstein]

The Stretch serrations look fantastic. It must be one of the best cutting folders out there.

It is!!

I think the XL serrations are even better (for what I look for in SE) than the ones on my great Endela SE.
Combine this with the very well tapered pretty thin Stretch blade and you have a superb cutter.

Hope someone with "SE experience" (ideally folks like David or Vivi) will compare the Stretch XL serrations to the Carribean serrations, which I never tried but believe are pretty much perfect (too).

[cabfrank]

I bet you are still hoping for that Chap SE .

[cabfrank]

By the way, the Delica wharncliffe serrations are near perfect too.

[elena86]

By the way, the Delica wharncliffe serrations are near perfect too.

The Delica wharnie have pointy serrations… my kind of serrations.

[Manifestgtr]

Probably the best after the Dfly2(still waiting for the XL Dfly).

Holy moley, an xl dragonfly never crossed my mind. That would be incredible…

[Wartstein]

I bet you are still hoping for that Chap SE .

I do and actually there is more than just hope!
Sal said he is already testing a Chap SE...

[Wartstein]

Thank you mate. You are a good guy. Just ordered the SE one. Keep in touch.

Glad if the pics helped a bit..

I am really curious how you´ll like the Stretch XL serrations, especially since I have not forgotten your approach towards SE generally: That actually the "pronounced", "spiky" (I can´t think of better terms right now) ones are your favorite, but key is that the scallops are very well sharpened entirely (so over their whole length) - this will lead to them not "snagging" (but cutting). Hope I summarized that about right... ?

While the Stretch XL has the kind of "moderate" serrations I prefer - but my experience is limited, and I have to try yet to make sure that an SE knife is really sharpened "everywhere" like you recommend.

[Wartstein]

Also, and despite sounding like a broken record: Does no one else notice/feel the difference in the "cutting characteristic" between the over a long section totally straight Stretch edge (offers a bit of "wharnie power") and the continous curve in the Millie/PM2 shaped edges?

For me, it is more about the belly towards the tip to get that Wharnie kinda feel. So the Endura with less belly almost achieves that feel with a slight belly to make it more versatile than a Wharnie. Personally I don't prefer the extra belly even though it is probably more versatile overall. As far as belly at the tip, think Manix. All belly but not a hugh curve, so you almost get the same cutting ability at the tip as a Wharnie.

Now if you are cutting down boxes with the back of the blade, then I can see how the straight edge would feel similar. Even then I like to cut with a little angle. I wouldn't cut at a 90 degree angle.

Fortunately, belly or no belly, most of Spydercos core designs have that negative blade angle. So they all cut excellently.

Yes, I guess what makes a wharnie a wharnie is probably more the totally straight edge towards the TIP and not the totally straight edge section starting at the heel of the blade.

For me though the Stretch blades (1, 2 and XL) do somehow represent the "best of both worlds":

- There IS a belly towards the tip, nice to have imo.
- But the long, totally straight section at in the first part of the edge (starting from the heel) still gives you what Michael Janich explaings in his great wharncliff vid (https://youtu.be/hnPhVIFZTb0?t=750 starting at about 12:30) (quote): "the straighter the cutting edge, the more that you can transfer that power along the entire length of the edge"


If anyone likes to try out what I mean:

- Take a Spydie with a continuosly curved edge (a Manix would be good!) and a Stretch (no matter what version)
- Then just whittle away on some hard wood stick, starting at the heel of the blade: I think you will feel that the curved Manix edge will have more of a tendency to glance off than the straight Stretch egde (though of course one can adapt their technique to compensate for that and of course a "curved" edge like the Manix´s has other pros!)

Actually I did realize early on that the Stretch 1 cuts more powerfully with the first (starting from the heel of the blade) part of the edge than Manix or PM2 in quite some tasks.
But I did not know WHY this is, till some forum member wiser than me (can´ recall who it was) pointed me towards that "straight edge" thing.

[elena86]

Thank you mate. You are a good guy. Just ordered the SE one. Keep in touch.

Glad if the pics helped a bit..

I am really curious how you´ll like the Stretch XL serrations, especially since I have not forgotten your approach towards SE generally:

Well, I must say I like the XL’s serrations just because the tips are slightly pointier than those on the Endela and it seems to be ground thinner behind the edge. Now I must find a way to fix the “all over the way” edge of my PE XL or just get rid of it. For now, I enjoy the SE one which is perfection.

[Buddafucco]

The PlainEdge is at Heinnie if anybody across the pond is interested... https://heinnie.com/spyderco-stretch-2-xl-lightweight/

[Wartstein]

Thank you mate. You are a good guy. Just ordered the SE one. Keep in touch.

Glad if the pics helped a bit..

I am really curious how you´ll like the Stretch XL serrations, especially since I have not forgotten your approach towards SE generally:

Well, I must say I like the XL’s serrations just because the tips are slightly pointier than those on the Endela and it seems to be ground thinner behind the edge. Now I must find a way to fix the “all over the way” edge of my PE XL or just get rid of it. For now, I enjoy the SE one which is perfection.

So you actually have the SE already?
... It IS perfection indeed.
And I do think people who want to wait for another steel than VG10 for their PE Stretch XL should consider trying just the VG10 SE instead. This version imo really highlights why Spydercos serrations are so good.

[TheGiant80]

So you actually have the SE already?
... It IS perfection indeed.
And I do think people who want to wait for another steel than VG10 for their PE Stretch XL should consider trying just the VG10 SE instead. This version imo really highlights why Spydercos serrations are so good.

I recently picked up a new Pac Salt 2 as a backup knife, but the way you sing the praises of the Stretch XL....I'm going to go see if my local shop has them available and get one in-hand. It can't be that good can it?

[vivi]

So you actually have the SE already?
... It IS perfection indeed.
And I do think people who want to wait for another steel than VG10 for their PE Stretch XL should consider trying just the VG10 SE instead. This version imo really highlights why Spydercos serrations are so good.

I recently picked up a new Pac Salt 2 as a backup knife, but the way you sing the praises of the Stretch XL....I'm going to go see if my local shop has them available and get one in-hand. It can't be that good can it?

It's an instant classic for sure, but I give the Pacific 2 an edge. When / if they make a Stretch XL Salt I'll have to reconsider.

[elena86]

I wish they release serrations in more balanced stainless steels with good edge retention and good toughness such as CTS-XHP or Elmax. I really hope that Stretch XL will become a classic and make his way into the Delica/Endura family so that we might enjoy one in SPY27 as soon as possible. As far as I remember Sal promised that the Delica family will be released in SPY27. Fingers crossed.