Spyderco Forums

In a quite recent post Sal said this:

" I made the [Chaparral] FRN version because I felt there was a market for a less expensive utility version. This also offers opportunity for colors, exclusive variations and who knows what else. I'm currently testing a serrated version, which is performing well." (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=80989&p=1613137#p1613132)

I personally am really excited about the possibilities this might open.

(I don´t want to go into too much detail once more on why the Chap FRN is so special and unique to me, keywords would be:
- Just 2mm ffg blade (for comparison: Delica, Watu..2.5mm, Centofante 2mm, but sabre hollow), but still very strong
- Strongest Spyderco backlock I know of and completely blade play free
- Extremely thin carry, for that great ergos
- Bomb proof, hard use built quality)

+ The serrated version Sal is obviously testing must be an amazing cutter already - not only due the serrations in that thin blader, but also to the steeper inclusive angle that comes with the SE chisel grind

+ Now imagine a wharnie variant both in SE and PE - this would make the Chap a perfect blend of small general EDC and "utility" folder, lets say for a warehouse setting: Almost "not there" when in pocket, but must cut like crazy

+ And, yes: Though I personally am perfectly happy with XHP, a LC200N or Magnacut Salt version would certainly boost the popularity of that unique model

+ The Chap is also a perfect gentleman / "gentlewoman" folder (as Sal says in his post): In that capacity some color variations could be nice, as well as a high viz version, perhaps in a Chap Salt...

Any further thoughts and proposals? ...
(of course, mine would be, like always: An XL version of this model or a new larger model, featuring the main Chap properties)

Regular or Sprints.
Not exclusive again

PE Salt Yellow Magnacut or LC200N
Cruwear in blue

Ric wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 27, 2022 2:38 am

Regular or Sprints.
Not exclusive again

PE Salt Yellow Magnacut or LC200N
Cruwear in blue

Now that you say it: True, did not think of this myself.

S
A
L
T

I love the Chap, so much so that I have gifted 3 of them. It is a little too small for what I like to carry now. However, if I ever want a smaller model again, I would not think twice. I would get a Chap. I think there are still a lot of handle scales to implement on the design that we have not seen in the series. I'm surprised we haven't seen a Micarta version or titanium.

Now your idea on the XL or a similar design call it what you want with the same features would be an instant get. I still prefer the leaf shape blade for EDC. To have something maybe in the Manix or Caly length, but thinner blade stock with the same design features as the Chap would be great.

Tool steel. An earth tone FRN color.

Ric wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 27, 2022 2:38 am

Regular or Sprints.
Not exclusive again

PE Salt Yellow Magnacut or LC200N
Cruwear in blue

Curious why you prefer sprints over exclusives? Sprints are a one-and-done, if you missed it it's gone (probably) permanently. Exclusives can be re-ordered by the vendor if they sell well enough. Exclusives seem better to me because they're like semi-production knives.

For a more on-topic comment: I would love to see a Chap LW in the teal/s90v bladehq combo that already exists for the Para3LW and Native 5 LW. I feel like small/thin folders lend themselves well to the kind of tasks that favor edge holding over toughness. K390 with the blue/green would be great too.

metaphoricalsimile wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 27, 2022 11:37 am

Ric wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 27, 2022 2:38 am

Regular or Sprints.
Not exclusive again

PE Salt Yellow Magnacut or LC200N
Cruwear in blue

Curious why you prefer sprints over exclusives? Sprints are a one-and-done, if you missed it it's gone (probably) permanently. Exclusives can be re-ordered by the vendor if they sell well enough.

Exclusives you get at one dealer. 99% a US Dealer. In Europe we have to order online (if the seller does international shipping) tax will be included as well.

Sprints come to my offline real dealer.
In most cases every country should receive a few pieces.
I can order and hold in hand before the purchase.

My only wish is that Spyderco changes the description in their future catalogs to reflect the deviation of the platforms overall traditions and intentions.

I could use a wharncliffe in both PE and SE.

I would love a K390 variant for its edge stability. 13 degrees per side on a Chaparral ...

Mushroom wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 27, 2022 12:04 pm

My only wish is that Spyderco changes the description in their future catalogs to reflect the deviation of the platforms overall traditions and intentions.

We´ve discussed this, and just so you know: I can really understand you!

It has something to it indeed that the Chaparral is/was the dedicated "display different handle materials in a classy and high end manner" - model - and JUST that!

Perhaps Spyderco could "split up" the Chaparral line in itself and even name it slightly differently:

1.) "The Spyderco Chaparral": True to the initial intention and tradition

2.) Something called like "the UTILITY Chap" - an FRN "Outlier", that focuses on the unique practical and very utilitarian aspects of that model, and that for different scenarios: Salt for humid outdoor use; wharnie for warehouse setting...

I personally would not be really interested in neither SE, nor wharncliffe. To put serrations on a blade seems to come with a higher thickness behind the edge what would defy a bit the thin blade the knife now has.

I would like to see some nice FRN color (burgundy, racing green, etc) and maybe steel like S90V or Magnacut/Vanax (as a yellow salty version - though that would of course mean to update all metal parts, not just the blade).

I don't think we are going to get it as a production, but I would much prefer a Sprint over an Exclusive release.

Yeah, pretty much anything that isn't an exclusive (sprint are not cheap, but at least EU aficionados would have the option to buy anyway).

If anything, I'd like to join Matus on the S90V proposition. A simple steel variation would already be an instant buy for me.

Matus wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:01 am

....To put serrations on a blade seems to come with a higher thickness behind the edge what would defy a bit the thin blade the knife now has.
...

Why do you think this?

Admittedly I never checked if "putting serrations on a blade comes with a higher thickness behind the edge", but it certainly does not FEEL like that, rather the opposite...

Technically you could be right though, since when the scallops of SE go higher up the blade than the edge of a PE version, the blade naturally is already thicker indeed where the scallops end.

Anyway, one of the reasons why SE cuts better for me than PE is the much more acute general edge angle that comes with the chisel grind SE has. And I think this must be amazing ESPECIALLY in such a thin blade as the Chap has.

Just my 2c. Hope David will chime in, he (and others like Vivi) know a lot more about serrations than I do.

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:30 am

Matus wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:01 am

....To put serrations on a blade seems to come with a higher thickness behind the edge what would defy a bit the thin blade the knife now has.
...

Why do you think this?

It is indeed just a (naive) assumption of mine, but I am going to try to describe:

Most spyderco knives don't have super thin edges and are flat ground from 3+ mm thick stock. We have seen (mentioned on this forum - not my first hand experince) that grinding angles of the serrations of FFG blades tend to be large than on the hollow ground ones - and I am can well imagine, that the reason is simply edge/blade stability.

Looking at existing Salt models like UKPK or Salt 2 and compering (photos online, I don't have these knives at home) the width of the edge bevel (at the tip) is always larger on PE than SE blades - what I ASSUME is mainly related to somewhat larger thickness behind the edge.

With that as a baseline - looking at the Chaparral - the knife appears to be ground thinner at the edge PLUS it is ground from a thinner stock. I can well imagine that just grinding the serrations into existing geometry could lead to a blade that could take damage more easily and one potential way to counteract that would be leaving the blade thicker behind the edge. All that would not be 'wrong' in any - I am only wondering whether it would simply make sens on Chaparral.

Just my opinion and MANY assumptions. I may well be wrong on more than one count.

A Chaparral wharncliffe is my number one wish.

Barring that…. 4V run hard. I would be giddy over a 4V, red/black St. Nick’s exclusive Chaparral.

I’d like to see more knives in XHP.

Racing green needs to return as an FRN color with a non-zdp189 steel.

S90V and a neutral color FRN.
Given the Chaps thin blade stock S90V would provide enormous performance to size/weight ratio.

Well... some ideas for a sprint run already... (or go all the way and make it regular production?! A man can dream... )