Lost Endura, ordered FRN UK Penknife and tenacious...

[conw]

I lost my Endura recently. I definitely got my money's worth out of it and it is probably around the house (was last seen cutting open boxes after my move, about 3 days ago).

Moving on, today I decided why get another of the same knife (although the FFG, Colored FRN enduras were tempting) when I could get practically two knives - so I got the maroon FRN lightweight UK Penknife from spyderco...



...and the tenacious, which doesn't really require a pic.

I was originally going to hold out another week for the ffg leaf shaped FRN UKPK, but I thought, why not grab a tenacious with the FFG leaf blade and enjoy the upswept drop point (a la Stretch) of the UKPK.

I will post some thoughts/reviews when they come, but I'm gradually coming to terms with the idea of having a pocket knife with a blade under 4 inches. Tactically ideal, no, but to be honest with my bodybuilding hobby (about 215lb or so) I don't have as much maneuvering room in the car, around other people, etc, as I used to. A 7" overall length knife vs a 9" OAL knife is a big difference when I'm sitting in the car opening a package, or in the kitchen trying to open mail with people milling about. I think the UKPK and Tenacious will divide the labor up just right - gym short/general carry/travel to NPEs (for those not familiar with it, it's a stiff-springed slipjoint with one handed opening and pocket clip, slightly under 3" blade) with UKPK, and harder use/abuse/"what if carry" etc with the Tenacious.

Thoughts? Anyone else pick up a UKPK, either FRN or G10, yet? I'm excited

(PS, got both from YourCornerStore, shipped priority mail, for $67! Not a bad deal. Would have gotten blue FRN but the Maroon was all they had, so whatever)

 

[The Highlander]

Forget the pen knife, edc that Tenacious!


edit: I kinda dig the maroon. Also what's the UKPK made out of? S30V?

 

[conw]

GIN-1. Old school Spyderco steel, apparently comparable to 440C and very easy to sharpen. I'm more about the heat treat quality anyway and I definitely trust S-co for that.

The non-lightweight (G10) UKPK has CPM-S30V. It's also 2.5-3x the cost of the $33 Lightweight UKPK.

The UKPK does have its niche but I could see it kind of alienating some traditionalists who already dislike the hole and clip, and causing guys from non-restrictive jurisdictions to say what's the point. However, I like the light weight, gentleman's folder concept, and it will be neat to have when I travel.

PS, I found my Endura today... oops...

Edit: It also comes in a nice (IMO) blue color (sky blue almost) and grey (boring I think):

 

[hso]

I'm opposed to non-locking folder and consider the "pen" knives from Spyderco to be an unsafe concession to restrictive and silly knife laws. If you have the option of using a locking blade I'd always recommend doing so.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Lost Endura

PS, I found my Endura today... oops...

Off topic, but I found my lost Endura about a week ago. It looks so..."oudated" I guess is a good word. I might lose it again and replace it with something with a colorful handle like you did. Of course my Delica is still good to go.

Spyderco Endura...no spider on the blade

 

[conw]

Wow that's very different looking, is that an endura 2 or what? Mine has more rounded scales toward the butt portion, and a much, much shorter primary bevel/hollow grind. Wow yours doesn't even have the volcano pattern - different clip, too. Still...if it works...isn't that why we buy high quality knives, to keep on using them?

 

[conw]

Interesting perspective hso, I can see where you are coming from but I think unsafe may be a little too strong a word. I don't see the harm in using a non locking knife for light slicing tasks.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Wow that's very different looking, is that an endura 2 or what? Mine has more rounded scales toward the butt portion, and a much, much shorter primary bevel/hollow grind. Wow yours doesn't even have the volcano pattern - different clip, too.

I still have the box...never have lost it. The box end flap says, ENDURA Lightweight C10PBK 4/02/02 PG. If that last part is a date, I guess its not too old.

 

[The Highlander]

I'm with HSO on this one. For light cutting tasks it should be fine, I just like having the blade in a rigid, fixed position.

And I didn't realize Spyderco still used GIN-1. And that older Endura handle looks like the one on my Tasman Salt.

 

[hso]

conwict,

I don't think it's too strong a word and I'm pretty specific about it's use since I'm a safety engineer and safety manager for a largish company. They are unsafe because there is no safety device to keep them from folding while in use. Such knives have been involved in a few employee injuries in my company and many more people in the consumer market. Spyderco only created them for the euro markets banning the safety feature of a locking blade and Spyderco has made a lot of effort into secure locking systems and offers as many, if not more, than any company in existence.

If they were dangerous I would have used that word and would be working to get them banned or sale.

I hate anything that needlessly puts a user at risk when a commonly available mechanism could be used to mitigate that risk. Folding knives should have locks.

 

[conw]

Thanks for the thoughts hso. I really do appreciate your perspective. And I guess I kind of thought you meant "dangerous" when you said "unsafe" - in that specific sense though I suppose I can agree with your assessment of "unsafe." I was aware you worked in that capacity but failed to relate it to you specifically assessing the knife here...again, interesting, and thank you.

 

[conw]

So I got them in today, woohoo!

I already typed a reply and for some reason Lazarus form recovery isn't working properly and didn't recover it when I lost it... anyhow:

In a nutshell I love the blade shape and jimping and OOB sharpness on the UKPK, as well as the FRN pattern, which is unreal - seems just like G10. It's actually more G10ish than the G10 on the tenacious. I've carried it around and used it for a few tasks and for the repertoire of intended tasks I really do think the built in finger choil safety mechanism works OK. As HSO said it isn't safe compared to a lockback or liner lock but it works for me. And the other attributes are worth having in a $30 knife..IMO. 2 oz and low rider wire clip makes it fill a certain niche perfectly for me

Haven't carried the tenacious yet but I do like it a lot. I just did some light paper cutting tests (it was disappointingly dull for a Spydie out of the box but that's OK) and repositioned the clip for tip up carry. Anyway it is sure a lot of knife for $29. They both are...

I would definitely recommend the UKPK with the caveat mentioned above, and that it's simply not a piercing/stabbing knife. I do think it wouldn't close on a careful user w/o a full strength or erratic piercing motion. And I think the cool FRN pattern, the cool blade shape (reminiscent of the stretch but shorter), and the light weight and cheap price make it a keeper.

 

[TimboKhan]

If used unsafely, they are unsafe. If used with a modicum of care, not much can go wrong, at least in my opinion. I EDC a Case Trapper on a fairly regular basis, and it doesn't lock. I actually have some interest in the UKPK, if only because they are kind of cool looking.

On the other hand, I don't and wouldn't particularly want to use a non-locking folder in an industrial/tactical environment. I also wouldn't want to use a non-locker for defense, though in a pinch I guess I would (and that would be a pretty awful pinch). Obviously, for quite some time in the past people have used non-locking folders successfully in those environments, but there just isn't any particularly good reason to do so anymore. For general day-to-day stuff, which for me is pretty light usage, I just can't see how they would be particularly unsafe to use IF used correctly, but if it were heavy usage? For me, it would be a locker all the way.

Of course, my other EDC knives are all lockers, and if I had to pick just one knife to carry and own, it would be an Endura, so it's not like I have any particular dog in this fight.

 

[conw]

if I had to pick just one knife to carry and own, it would be an Endura, so it's not like I have any particular dog in this fight.

Same here! I think my next victim (wait, am I the victim or is the knife?) of choice is a full flat ground Endura w/ a blue handle.

I may give the UKPK to my dad. It is super cool looking and I really love the light weight of it but it also feels really good to give someone a knife, too! And he lost his Chive I gave him a few years ago...this is more of a knife IMO. (Wanna talk about unsafe? If you don't use the "safety" that thing will come open in your pocket. To me a safety kinda defeats the purpose of assisted opening...)

PS: Timbo, if you ever do feel a need to make good on your threats to just carry and own one knife (I hope you would only carry a knife you own - anything else would be a bit dishonest - hey, did you take my dad's Chive by any chance?) you know where to send your surplus

 

[TimboKhan]

I just realized that I really, really used the word "Particular" a lot in that post. I am particularly proud of that.

 

[conw]

Just another thought on the tenacious for anyone who owns or is considering one. It seems to be the most fumble proof knife I've ever had. As much as I like my endura there is a certain degree of fumble-bility between the draw from pocket and the thumbhole deployment motion. Maybe it's just that my fingers are a little short for my palms, but even with a fair amount of practice I don't feel 100% secure that I won't fumble and drop the knife as I change my grip from the "draw" grip to the "deploy the blade" grip.

The tenacious seems to really address this issue at least for me. The width of the G10 handle and the ergonomics and clip placement are just right so that when I draw, my thumb is only about 1/4" from where it needs to be.

Is this just me? I'm not saying it's a deal breaker on other knives, or makes the tenacious the best knife ever, but it's cool to have a knife now that addresses an issue I've had on nearly all knives. Has anyone else found a knife that is more fumble proof than any other?