Spyderco Forums

I have to apologize to all.
So I've been a G10, titanium and carbon fibre snob in the background for a bit now. Love those scales and have been true to them for years.
I just got a Para 3 magnacut salt in the mail today.
And yeah, it is amazing.
I get it now.
I think that most of the members on here will understand if I leave it at that.
And thank you spyderco for making such high quality products.

I like Spyderco’s G10, been my favorite of any brand. But FRN is cheaper lol

RustyIron wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 29, 2024 11:50 pm

IYKYK

"Those who know, carry Spyderco."

Para3 LW was a revelation when it came out. Perfectly executed lightweight engineering.

Yeah, I still don't get it. :) The FRN still just looks and feels cheap to me. I don't think I'll ever be a fan.

abbazaba wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 30, 2024 8:23 am

Para3 LW was a revelation when it came out. Perfectly executed lightweight engineering.

I have 5 G10 Para 3's and 4 Para 3 LWs. I rarely carry the G10s

Fine Swine wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 30, 2024 9:20 am

Yeah, I still don't get it. :) The FRN still just looks and feels cheap to me. I don't think I'll ever be a fan.

I'll assume you don't carry one of the many Poly framed pistols either

FRN isn't for everyone and that's ok. I have knives with all the different scale materials. I like and appreciate them all including the LWs with FRN/FRCP. It's great that Spyderco offers so many great choices. If something isn't your thing there's plenty of other choices

Actually, I do carry a Glock or a Ruger LCP. I've also owned, and liked, Benchmade Griptilians. It's not necessarily the plastic that I hate, it's Spyderco's particular FRN. There's something about the texture, and soft feeling, that I just cannot stand. I don't know how to explain it, really.

I like Spyderco's FRN (both Seki and Golden-made), but I personally have never been interested in the Para 3 LWT. I have two Para 3's, but they are in G10, and that's the way I like them. But to each their own. That's why variety is the spice of life!

Jim

I carry FRN almost exclusively, just prefer the grip/weight/durability/price/looks even, but admit that a good G10 spyderco usually has an amazing feel and action.

They both have definite time and place. I guess I never really thought I'd carry a LW model but really think it will fill a good spot in my carry rotation.

Sharp Guy wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 30, 2024 10:43 am

Fine Swine wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 30, 2024 9:20 am

Yeah, I still don't get it. :) The FRN still just looks and feels cheap to me. I don't think I'll ever be a fan.

I'll assume you don't carry one of the many Poly framed pistols either

This is how I look at them too. I always imagine if you went back in time 100 years with any lightweight Salt model I think the people of the time would call it a knife of the future. I think people today are so jaded by how amazing these knives are because they've grown up surrounded by amazing things. You really don't even have to go back 100 years, just go back to the '90s and show someone a knife that can be dropped into the ocean without rusting away and I think they'd say the same.

I get it, all right.





Now if only Spyderco could do something about the uneven washerless pivots that make all my Para 3 LWs off centered...

i carried my lw manix almost exclusively for a while. i hated the way the frcp looks until i got it in my hands. i definitely like it a lot for a lw knife, but now that i have modded heavyweights, i definitely carry them instead. once spyderco does a blackout manix salt, i imagine ill carry that a lot more often than my xhp lw.

DKRS1978 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 29, 2024 10:05 pm

I have to apologize to all.
So I've been a G10, titanium and carbon fibre snob in the background for a bit now. Love those scales and have been true to them for years.
I just got a Para 3 magnacut salt in the mail today.
And yeah, it is amazing.
I get it now.
I think that most of the members on here will understand if I leave it at that.
And thank you spyderco for making such high quality products.

Yes, you do kick on an open door in my case...

While I can get and respect when people prefer "heavier" or "classier" scales, what I don´t get is that "cheap plastic" sentiment some still have about FRN and especially linerless lightweight FRN Spydies.

- FRN is not "cheap plastic", imo it is a pretty high tech fibre glass compound material and even "stronger" than G10 in the aspects I find important (on this I always like to quote Michael Janich viewtopic.php?p=1532174#p1532174)

- Also, to me making light, but still way strong enough (linerless) FRN knives shows the "art and state" of knife making more than making a heavy, linered G10 knife. Don´t get me wrong, the latter can be of high quality and amazing pieces of workmanship, but it is comparably easier to make a strong, reliable knife when "just" combining heavy steel liners and heavy handle material.

- Your Para 3 LW actually is not my personal, favorite, lightweight FRN Spydie (it is not even that light, a Delica WITH liners weighs a tad less) - but how they implemented a comp.lock in almost linerless FRN and still keep the knife strong and rigid shows real skill

Now, to you "getting it now" and appreciating (also) FRN and light weight, another rabbit hole might open...

- If you want to try out REALLY light:
There is the Salt 2 ffg in LC200N: Similar size to your Para 3 (2.4 oz) , but weighing under 2 oz (1.9) and still a strong knife.
Or you go a lot bigger, but add just 0.3 oz in weight over your Para 3 with the Pacific Salt (2.7 oz for a 3.8" blade)

- "Classy" FRN
Chapparal FRN. Supersolid built, while being overall very thin (blade and handle) and slicey, and pretty good looking, grey Taichung FRN. Liners, but still lighter (2.1 oz) than your Para 3 (also smaller of course).

- FRCP and Manix 2 LW
FRCP feels very "frn-ish", perhaps a tad "harder". And to me the Manix LW is such a sturdy, strong, "big" knife (when it comes to the two, full and good grip options, not the cutting edge), while still weighing under 3 oz. Great, classic design.
Can´t see any folder task where the heavy G10 versions would be needed (they still can feel nicer to many folks, no doubt!)

-

I like FRN as done by Taichung, Seki and Golden, except on the Para 3 LW.

I got the DLT exclusive Para 3 LW, and was not impressed at all. To me it looked cheaply made compared to the FRN on my other knives. Hence, for the Para 3, I prefer G10, but for every other model, FRN is okay.

Never had a issue with FRN

Meh plastic is plastic, it’s acceptable for me in doses and depending on the knkfebut generally my attitude is keep the fossil-fuel-petroleum based materials outta my knife handles.

Tristan_david2001 wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 01, 2024 8:16 am

Meh plastic is plastic, it’s acceptable for me in doses and depending on the knkfebut generally my attitude is keep the fossil-fuel-petroleum based materials outta my knife handles.

I appreciate FRN, but prefer G10 and Micarta.

I will say however that G10 and Micarta are similarly plastic to FRN. All of them are composite polymer matrices.

You'll need to stick to wood, bone, antler and metal to avoid plastic handles.