Knife suggestions for a gift for my Dad...

[patriot 7,197]

CRKT makes some decent lockblades for the money. Also hard to go wrong with Cold Steel.

https://www.google.com/search?q=cold+steel+lock+blade+knife&client=firefox-a&hs=Ty3&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=aLv5UYX7CJLU8wTNuYGABw&ved=0CIYBELAE&biw=1280&bih=826#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=_8LEO39jhBPBiM%3A%3BnSuGnIXbwI1f4M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nationalknives.com%252Fcatalog%252FCold_Steel_Mackinac_Hunter_Lock_Back_Folding_Knife_Nail_Nick_54FBN.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nationalknives.com%252Fservlet%252Fthe-928%252Fcold-steel-mackinaw-hunter%252FDetail%3B500%3B500

CRKT is Chinese made now.

 

If he's a tool guy, I'd go for the Leatherman Wave in a nice belt pouch.

Edited August 2, 2013 by patriot

[DrThunder88 912]

If he's not using it hard, what about a folding utility knife? It's not classy, but instead of sharpening it, he can pop in a new blade insert.

 

I'm a Benchmade fan, but it's hard to argue with Spyderco.

[YOT 3,743]

I've been carrying an "Old Timer" since High School. That's 35+ years, now. It doesn't match your criteria, but there is nothing I have found that I wouldn't hesitate to use it for... pocketknife wise.

[thebuns1 4,323]

I always try to re-enforce the logic of a strop as well. They work wonders on a blade that has been used, and running them across a stone isnt always necessary. I love these threads, and I always like to see the different suggestions from the other members.

 

 

 

 

I'm a Benchmade fan, but it's hard to argue with Spyderco.

 

 

Benchmade makes a damn nice blade, and a quality one to boot, set at a reasonable price. I gave my brother a 710 as a gift on the day he got married this past June, and he has totally fell in love with the blade. I feel its hard to go wrong with either.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

Sorry no video yet. I just wasted a bunch of time talking to a camera which stopped recording. Probably just as well it was in danger of turning into a nutnfancy parody. I'll work on getting the script tight and trying again.

 

It's cool. You already sold me anyhow. I just enjoy your videos and always learn something from them. So, whenever you get the chance, if you still care to make one, I'll enjoy watching it!

 

 

Ya' know, I hate to point to the thing that's right in yer face, but our local ranch/home suplly joint sells pocket knives for around $6 to $10 at the register display. Typically they have the combo 2.5 inch Serrated/strait edge blade. I use 'em all the time and they last for years...a least 3 (when I usually lose 'em) so just fuckin go get 10 of those little fuckers and keep the extras in a box. Give him a new one anytime you think his needs replacement. You'll have years and years worth of a gift for him for that $100. Your Dad seems like he's not the kind of fella that would want a $100 knife. Just make him happy, lots of folks aren't being cheap, they just aren't wasteful. He may appreciate your "Thrifty" thinking.

 

I had that thought, and personally, that's probably what I would do.. However, my Dad is the cheapest man alive (nothing to do with wastefulness, he just can't part with anything) and will carry that 1 $5 knife for the next 20 years instead of tossing it and getting another new one out... So he'll still be walking around with a hyper dull knife that will get him hurt.

 

As GF pointed out, I should really just buy the proper tools to correctly sharpen a knife. With that thought in mind, the more durable knife seems like a better investment.

 

 

I always try to re-enforce the logic of a strop as well. They work wonders on a blade that has been used, and running them across a stone isnt always necessary. I love these threads, and I always like to see the different suggestions from the other members.

 

Me too! Lots of great advice out there... Now I'm just sorta bummed because that little airplane looks like so much fun! He may get an early Christmas too...

[gunfun 3,931]

I've been carrying an "Old Timer" since High School. That's 35+ years, now. It doesn't match your criteria, but there is nothing I have found that I wouldn't hesitate to use it for... pocketknife wise.

 

My grandfather gave me an old carbon steel old timer folder that had belonged to his brother in law. It was a very good knife. Sadly I loaned it to my dad who is like the OP's dad. Anyway, I've still got the belt sheath for it.

 

That and a couple other experiences taught me that when I work with my father I carry 2 knives + a super tool. One knife for me to do pocket knife things and the other for my father to destroy.

 

 

Cobra- I don't like giving Cold Steel my money. The company really made it big while I was in high school and the absolutly BS claims that they made about their knives soured me on them. Plus I blame them for the popularity of that stupid "tanto point".

[YOT 3,743]

 

I've been carrying an "Old Timer" since High School. That's 35+ years, now. It doesn't match your criteria, but there is nothing I have found that I wouldn't hesitate to use it for... pocketknife wise.

 

My grandfather gave me an old carbon steel old timer folder that had belonged to his brother in law. It was a very good knife. Sadly I loaned it to my dad who is like the OP's dad. Anyway, I've still got the belt sheath for it.

 

That and a couple other experiences taught me that when I work with my father I carry 2 knives + a super tool. One knife for me to do pocket knife things and the other for my father to destroy.

 

 

LOL.... Your post reminds me of the original multi tool, that I learned how to use very laboriously from my Grandfather.

[gunfun 3,931]

After having two nice knives get arc burns or holes in them from my father using them to scrape corrosion off of live 12v wires... and seeing him use that antique old timer to clean rust out of bolt threads I eventually learned. Not fast enough to still have the old timer though.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

After having two nice knives get arc burns or holes in them from my father using them to scrape corrosion off of live 12v wires... and seeing him use that antique old timer to clean rust out of bolt threads I eventually learned. Not fast enough to still have the old timer though.

 

Fortunately my Dad isn't that bad! I confess that I do stuff like that with my leatherman if that's all I have around. The leatherman warranty has been good as gold for me and anyone else I've ever talked to, so I don't mind it so much there... I had my XE6 replaced about a year ago without so much as a phone call. Hard to beat that. I was just cutting down some 2" trees with it yesterday!

 

----

 

Got the Spyderco in the mail today and the blade is highly impressive out of the box. Being an almost dead novice to "real" knives, it's the only one I've ever played with that shaved my arm hair, in 1 very gentle pass, with NO stubble (took more than I intended in fact... about the size of a US quarter). It works better than a Mach 3 razor does on my face... If it holds half that edge for 12 months of his use, and the other half for another 12 months, it will still be a razor compared to what he's used to.

 

I also didn't realize that Spyderco did the $5 sharpening deal. So if he likes the knife, after my estimated 24 month time frame, I'll buy him a new one, trade him for his dull one, and send it in to be sharpened. Every 2 years, wash-rinse-repeat and I get to have one too!

 

Thanks again for all the feedback guys! I'll let you know what Dad thinks of it. I accidentally ordered the OD green one, so that's going to turn him off. He saw enough ODG in Vietnam for a lifetime! I may have to speed up my 24 month concept and get him a black one to trade for his green.

[gunfun 3,931]

Good deal. Did you get the VG10 or ZDP version? Both are easily shave sharp outa the box, and will stay that way for a month or so of light use. It should hold up to what most people will consider to be sharp for a few months like that but 24 months of real use will dull any knife. Like most knife guys, I would rather spend a minute or two to get that finest edge back when I start my day, but I've found these will stay sharp enough to cut well for a month or two of fairly heavy work use for a month or two.(I had a surprise job that lasted longer than expected and didn't take my sharpeners. I have a keychain sharpener in my car now.) I hope I haven't given you unreasonable expectations about how long it will stay sharp. I definitely think they are exceptional, but they are not adamantium.

 

 

What kind of sharpeners do you have? I highly reccomend eze-lap sharpeners. Preferably a broad flat bench stone in medium to fine. They will be faster than a course whet stone. I have several grades, but most people would be happy with just the medium-fine version maybe 2x6. knifecenter .com generally has the best deals on that sort of thing.

 

Another tip is to go through his house and confiscate every "quick sharpener" those things are horrible and will quickly ruin any knife. I declare jihad against them. the worst offenders have two pieces of carbide arranged in a V. Some are a little yellow square, some are bench mount and some have a sort of saber grip. They are all the devil.

 

Leatherman has treated me very well too. I am a huge fan of the super tools. I'm always keeping an eye out for something better, but IMO for actual use as a tool that model still wins. I had an original super tool very shortly after they came out. My friend borrowed it and used the fine screwdriver to try to spread a hardened steel spline coupler. He also was sawing with it bending the blade about 90* The screwderiver tip broke. My mom worked a few blocks or so from the leatherman facility at the time, so she dropped it off during her lunch break and picked it up on the way back. They replaced all the blades the pliers, and buffed the handles, no questions asked. I was very impressed. I had scratched my initials on the inside of the handles so I know they didn't just give me a whole new one.

Edited August 5, 2013 by GunFun

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

Good deal. Did you get the VG10 or ZDP version? Both are easily shave sharp outa the box, and will stay that way for a month or so of light use.

 

ZDP.. It seemed like the better option if I read correctly and it was in my budget.

 

 

 

What kind of sharpeners do you have? I highly reccomend eze-lap sharpeners. Preferably a broad flat bench stone in medium to fine. They will be faster than a course whet stone. I have several grades, but most people would be happy with just the medium-fine version maybe 2x6. knifecenter .com generally has the best deals on that sort of thing.

 

 

 

I personally don't even own a knife sharpener. I do my mower blades with an angle grinder and a file. My Dad has dusty ones... He ain't gonna sharpen it.... No doubt in my mind. I should get some sharpening tools for myself because I probably would use them.. The $5 deal is pretty hard to pass up in this exact case though.

 

 

 

Another tip is to go through his house and confiscate every "quick sharpener" those things are horrible and will quickly ruin any knife. I declare jihad against them. the worst offenders have two pieces of carbide arranged in a V. Some are a little yellow square, some are bench mount and some have a sort of saber grip. They are all the devil.

 

 

 

Again, no reason... He'll never sharpen it. I've only ever seen 2 knife sharpeners in their house... 1 was in the back of a 70s can opener and went unused, ever. The other is a twin ceramic rod deal that puts the rods at a V angle in a block of wood. I tried it a few times but it took FOREVER to get any result out of it.

 

 

 

Leatherman has treated me very well too. I am a huge fan of the super tools. I'm always keeping an eye out for something better, but IMO for actual use as a tool that model still wins. I had an original super tool very shortly after they came out. My friend borrowed it and used the fine screwdriver to try to spread a hardened steel spline coupler. He also was sawing with it bending the blade about 90* The screwderiver tip broke. My mom worked a few blocks or so from the leatherman facility at the time, so she dropped it off during her lunch break and picked it up on the way back. They replaced all the blades the pliers, and buffed the handles, no questions asked. I was very impressed. I had scratched my initials on the inside of the handles so I know they didn't just give me a whole new one.

 

 

 

I'm a big fan of Leatherman and especially my little Juice. It's *just* small enough (not by most people's standards, but I'm good with it) to key chain carry it (If nothing else, it makes for a nice heavy weight to sock someone with when I have my keys in my hand in a parking lot). I know if I had a larger tool I would get tired of the weight or simply forget it at home. I've done things with that XE6 that you wouldn't believe. It's cut 0000 copper wire, cut down a 4" tree (longer than it's blade), tightened temple screws on glasses, changed mill tools, stripped thousands of wires, pulled 2D nails clean out of 2x4s, etc, etc (for awhile it was my only wine opener too... she used to work all day and play all night!)... Things it should have never been doing and it wasn't the right tool any of those times. But... It was the tool I had in my pocket and it got the job done! My original was BEAT and completely down to bare patina with a badly distorted case and pliers that wouldn't close anymore. I was happy to see a brand new one come back to me. If I didn't think the weight would bug him, I would have gotten Dad one in a heart beat. In fact, that option is going to be on the table when I give the knife to him. If he would prefer my Juice (which easily weighs twice as much), I'll get him one and keep the knife (see...? I'm trying to do anything possible to keep the knife!)..

 

Anyhow.. If I had ordered it for me, I'd be happy with it.

[thebuns1 4,323]

Congrats. Its hard to go wrong with Spyderco products. If you strop the blade a few times a week, you shouldnt have to sharpen it as often. But I forgot to mention the 5 dollar resharpening option they offer.

 

You should try the Military or the Manix next.

[gunfun 3,931]

+1 for getting something for yourself too. Those aren't my favorite models, but they are good. If you want to try other brands, I really like the benchmade axis lock, but not usually the price that goes with it.

 

OP- Given how long you are trying to stretch out the maintanence, that steel choice was probably the best for you. You might consider having it sharpened about 3 times in that 24 month period, or spend about 510 minutes each time you visit. (My mom always complains if I forget to bring my sharpeners when I visit, so last christmas I got her a sharpener that I use when I stop by. All of her mixed quality kitchen cutlery usually takes me about 25 minutes to get decent.)

 

As for your dad's sharpeners, sounds like he has a lansky system. They are fine, but extremely slow as you mentioned. There is a very simple reason for that: with those small diameter rods, there is very little abrasive in contact with your blade. And it is a pretty smooth grit too. IMO something like that is better suited to touching up a knife that is already pretty sharp. I also think the guides are a real nuisance. I can hold my hand steady and prefer to choose a more acute angle generally, although this may vary depending on the knife.

 

This is a pretty good sharpener for getting a quick "work sharp" http://www.amazon.com/EZE-LAP-4-Inch-Diamond-Sharpener-Handle/dp/B000UVNT8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375749813&sr=8-1&keywords=eze-lap Most people will be happy stopping there and calling it good.

 

This is more like what I prefer to use. I have a course and a medium-fine. If I could only have one, it would be either medium fine or fine. My dad picked them up in the 80s and they are still as good as new. Much more uniform than a wallowed out whet stone and faster and finer simultaneusly. http://www.amazon.com/EZE-LAP-81F-Fine-Diamond-Stone/dp/B002RL843U/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1375749813&sr=8-5&keywords=eze-lap

 

Don't even think of getting cheapo diamond sharpeners like DMT. They spread out bigger chunks of diamond sparsely, which makes them slow and also kinda scratches up your edge. Most any cheap ceramic with a broad flat area will do ok but they tend to be on the fine end of the spectrum, so they will be inefficient at getting a blunt knife to an edge. They work well for a final pass after a good diamond stone, or for regularly maintaining a knife that already has an acceptable edge.

 

As a former knife salseman, and obvious geek, I've run into a lot of people who were sick of crappy knives and then got something decent like Henckels classic for the kitchen, or other comparable products. (Excellent value on good lifetime knives BTW) They didn't know anything about sharpening and so they try to sharpen a very dull knife with the chef's steel that comes with the set. Obviously they will spend a lot of time and get no-where. Then the poor suckers will give up on their excellent but neglected knives and get some crap like ginsu (or any similar miniserrated junk even from formerly trustworthy brands like Henckels) or worse will get scammed with cutco. Sad deal when the right sharpener would have got their knives up to snuff in 5-10 minutes each at the worst.

 

If you are worried about scratching up your knives while sharpenign, put some packing tape on the blade everywhere but the edge. Run a sharpie down the edge before sharpening and you will get a really good visual check for where you are removing metal. It also makes machining inconsistencies stand out.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

Congrats. Its hard to go wrong with Spyderco products. If you strop the blade a few times a week, you shouldnt have to sharpen it as often. But I forgot to mention the 5 dollar resharpening option they offer.

 

You should try the Military or the Manix next.

 

Fear not! He ain't gonna do shit to it, this I promise... Strapping, lapping, honing, or humping.... That bitch is gonna go back to Spyderco every 12-24 months for a $5 sharpening. I've already talked myself into dropping a $20 in the knife box to assure its first round trip (see... Don't you guys wish you had a son like me??? ...trust me... you don't).

 

I certainly am intrigued with their products now that I've got one in my sweaty palms. The next knife investment I'm gonna make (who knows when?.... Sorry C) is gonna be some bayonet work for my Yugo from Cobra. My toy funds have runnith low, and have been pillaged extra hard by an irresistible amplifier sale (see my upcoming post update, with pictures... 73lbs of them) so I don't know when it can happen. What I can tell ya is that old C really did go the extra mile to get my business through countless PMs. He's probably already invested 3-4 hours in a no-sale. That's not cool with me... So... My next blade is gonna be a $12 yugo bayonet with... well... an appreciable investment made into making it sharp spend with a business I believe can make it happen. If it comes out as good as this Spyderco I might stick my tongue in his ear and make him feel all weird inside.

 

When it comes to gifts I try not to get too cheap since I want people to really enjoy durable products. I have a separate budget for that. I figured a C-note would net a decent pocket knife. So far, no disappointments. My personal toy fund, which has much higher objectives, is a different matter.

 

 

+1 for getting something for yourself too. Those aren't my favorite models, but they are good. If you want to try other brands, I really like the benchmade axis lock, but not usually the price that goes with it.

 

OP- Given how long you are trying to stretch out the maintanence, that steel choice was probably the best for you. You might consider having it sharpened about 3 times in that 24 month period, or spend about 510 minutes each time you visit. (My mom always complains if I forget to bring my sharpeners when I visit, so last christmas I got her a sharpener that I use when I stop by. All of her mixed quality kitchen cutlery usually takes me about 25 minutes to get decent.)

 

As for your dad's sharpeners, sounds like he has a lansky system. They are fine, but extremely slow as you mentioned. There is a very simple reason for that: with those small diameter rods, there is very little abrasive in contact with your blade. And it is a pretty smooth grit too. IMO something like that is better suited to touching up a knife that is already pretty sharp. I also think the guides are a real nuisance. I can hold my hand steady and prefer to choose a more acute angle generally, although this may vary depending on the knife.

 

This is a pretty good sharpener for getting a quick "work sharp" http://www.amazon.com/EZE-LAP-4-Inch-Diamond-Sharpener-Handle/dp/B000UVNT8Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375749813&sr=8-1&keywords=eze-lap Most people will be happy stopping there and calling it good.

 

This is more like what I prefer to use. I have a course and a medium-fine. If I could only have one, it would be either medium fine or fine. My dad picked them up in the 80s and they are still as good as new. Much more uniform than a wallowed out whet stone and faster and finer simultaneusly. http://www.amazon.com/EZE-LAP-81F-Fine-Diamond-Stone/dp/B002RL843U/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1375749813&sr=8-5&keywords=eze-lap

 

Don't even think of getting cheapo diamond sharpeners like DMT. They spread out bigger chunks of diamond sparsely, which makes them slow and also kinda scratches up your edge. Most any cheap ceramic with a broad flat area will do ok but they tend to be on the fine end of the spectrum, so they will be inefficient at getting a blunt knife to an edge. They work well for a final pass after a good diamond stone, or for regularly maintaining a knife that already has an acceptable edge.

 

As a former knife salseman, and obvious geek, I've run into a lot of people who were sick of crappy knives and then got something decent like Henckels classic for the kitchen, or other comparable products. (Excellent value on good lifetime knives BTW) They didn't know anything about sharpening and so they try to sharpen a very dull knife with the chef's steel that comes with the set. Obviously they will spend a lot of time and get no-where. Then the poor suckers will give up on their excellent but neglected knives and get some crap like ginsu (or any similar miniserrated junk even from formerly trustworthy brands like Henckels) or worse will get scammed with cutco. Sad deal when the right sharpener would have got their knives up to snuff in 5-10 minutes each at the worst.

 

If you are worried about scratching up your knives while sharpenign, put some packing tape on the blade everywhere but the edge. Run a sharpie down the edge before sharpening and you will get a really good visual check for where you are removing metal. It also makes machining inconsistencies stand out.

 

Yep... I think so too... I'm not a knife pro like many here, but I am an ME and understand the Rockwell hardness scale. Harder blade should equal longer life of edge... It's also going to be more brittle, but, that's a risk I'm willing to take. It's a knife, not a screw driver or pry bar. If pops makes that mistake, then I guess nice knives aren't for him and I'll get him the 20 pack of total junk that was mentioned previously.

 

Scratching knives? LOL!!! Isn't this an *AK* forum? I'd be mad if there wasn't blood or tree sap dripping out of it!! Sadly, the more likely contaminant is packing tape goo. Opening "general shit" up is what most of us use pocket knives for anyhow.

 

Baaa! When I visit it's all about our new toys, Dad's favorite new CDs (Dad is an audiophile from the '60s, which is the reason I am cursed today), and the pool table. We ain't sharpening knives... (Although... Like a loving son *cough*cough*sucker*cough*cough* I did just sign myself up to help him move his '67 Bonneville 'vert to his new digs and a full weekend of tree trimming w/dual pole-saws).... Honestly, in this isolated case, I'm gonna pay the $5, plus $5 to get it there, and let the factory handle it. The factory edge is remarkable to my unseasoned senses and will certainly knock Dad's socks off.

 

In regard to my own knives that I may be more inclined to spend time with my own blades (super-someday-super-awesome-Cobra-Custom-bayo?). Please explain how the system you suggested offers more surface area than what I described. It looks like a round bar of, well... something? It is still going to make tangential contact to the blade just like the garbage sharpener my Dad already has. Does it have a more aggressive grit that will clean up nasty edges more quickly?

 

As an "obvious geek", my disappointment over the lack of a video espousing the virtues of Spyderco and (since you've brought it up plenty) how to properly sharpen said blade, is growing.

 

------------

 

Also... Is this gift being partially motivated by this wrong of me?

 

Edited August 6, 2013 by Maxwelhse

[gunfun 3,931]

The rod type sharpeners only contact at the tangent of the circumferance. Just like how small tires have small contact patches. A broad flat stone even with a slightly curved blade goes much quicker, because a lot more of the blade is in contact with the abrasive surface at any given time. It also helps to steady out your stroke.

 

As for why the eze lap products beat the cheapies: way more diamonds per inch. The diamonds are also much more uniform in size and spread out more evenly with a uniform plane. Cheapies tend to have high and low bits of diamond grit gouging away. They work slowly because there aren't very many in contact with the material often.

 

Video forthcoming, if I can overcome the frustrations of a small memory card that cuts out without warning.

 

The brag of the steel you got is largely that they can get it very hard before it becomes brittle, and very fine grain structure. It is a powder steel. It work hardens and becomes very slick, so it is a poor candidate for bulk machining and is normally only used in custom knives.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

 

The rod type sharpeners only contact at the tangent of the circumferance. Just like how small tires have small contact patches. A broad flat stone even with a slightly curved blade goes much quicker, because a lot more of the blade is in contact with the abrasive surface at any given time. It also helps to steady out your stroke.

 

As for why the eze lap products beat the cheapies: way more diamonds per inch. The diamonds are also much more uniform in size and spread out more evenly with a uniform plane. Cheapies tend to have high and low bits of diamond grit gouging away. They work slowly because there aren't very many in contact with the material often.

 

 

 

That all makes perfect sense, but the first item you suggested is a rod type sharpener based on its picture. That is why I'm confused.... Are they for different applications?

 

 

 

Video forthcoming, if I can overcome the frustrations of a small memory card that cuts out without warning.

 

 

 

How big of a card do you need? They're pretty cheap... I could be inclined to invest a couple of bucks toward the greater good.... You make good videos! We may not always agree about every this-and-that, but I do always learn something from them.

 

 

 

The brag of the steel you got is largely that they can get it very hard before it becomes brittle, and very fine grain structure. It is a powder steel. It work hardens and becomes very slick, so it is a poor candidate for bulk machining and is normally only use

 

 

 

I'm familiar with powdered metal construction and know what it can do (ex. The connecting rods in supercharged Ford Lightening pick-ups and multiple GM LS-X parts)... However, there is a limit to everything. Just about any alloy at Rockwell 64C is going to going to be on the brittle side, especially with something so thin where its most likely not to be a case harden. Most tooling is case hardened to around that point, then annealed to back it off a touch to make sure the core has a little give.

 

It doesn't hurt my feelings at all that you are, yet again, re-validating my investment. Within my budget, I have a good feeling that this blade is about the best I could do. The crap knife he has been carrying for 20 years will probably turn screws without snapping... I'm not so sure this blade will. That's ok, since it's not a screw driver. If my Dad's application require a junk knife, I'll get him a box of them and happily pay Spyderco the $20 to fix the damaged blade. This is gonna be a bit of a paradigm shift for him, but I think once he sees what a decent knife can do, if not abused, he'll be cool with it.

[gunfun 3,931]

Oh. That one is a rod, but it is a portable rod a little bigger around. It is faster than the lanskys and other ceramics just because it is a diamond sharpener, but not as fast a flat stone. It is just a good one size fits all sharpener for general use. A smaller version is actually pretty handy for serrated knives.

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

Oh. That one is a rod, but it is a portable rod a little bigger around. It is faster than the lanskys and other ceramics just because it is a diamond sharpener, but not as fast a flat stone. It is just a good one size fits all sharpener for general use. A smaller version is actually pretty handy for serrated knives.

 

Ok, I can see that. Makes good sense, especially for serrated stuff.

 

Let me know about that memory card... Drop me a PM sometime.

[Sdustin 578]

What model Spyderco did you get?

[Maxwelhse 1,285]

What model Spyderco did you get?

 

"Spyderco Delica 4 Green ZDP-189 Folding Knife"

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CO0224/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[gunfun 3,931]

OK, so 5th time's the charm. Ok well not charming either, but it's all you get.

 

I also feel like I am leaving out 3/5 of what there is to say about it.

 

 

• I didn't even mention incremental improvements and slight downgrades over previous generations!
• I didn't talk about my original spyderedge first gen one that I had for 8 years with it's hideous looks too thick steel for the saber grind they chose or how the Aus-8 steel was sub-par, but the ergonomics and balance were ideal.
• I didn't talk about how the owner makes a point of putting high end exotic steels in his cheapest products or how he makes first runs of most of his knives come in slippery materials like stainless as a proof of concept, so that when a grippy texture is finally available it is in a shape that is naturally secure as well.
• I completely ignored the intermediate generations like 1.5, 2 and 3 (with excellent but not as good steel, and a movable pocket clip that tended to come loose, but absolutely smooth opening balance)
• I didn't compare to other products like Benchmade Ascent series, or rail against the corny marketing and snake oil that cold steel pushes,
• I didn't mention even a little that the standar 4th gen spyderco clipit models were awful, because they got "nurburgring-ed to death"
• I didn't even mention how the main model is essentially the good handle from the awful 4th gen married to the blade of my limited run overpriced G10 handled version.
• I didn't mention the nicer blade shape than the police and military models that are marketed as a better model.

 

Count yourselves lucky for missing out on all of that.

 

 

Enjoy! - Or at least the suffering will be short.