Something a bit different...
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:14 am
pardon the long post, but I've been feeling the urge to work on something, and I'm kinda at a standstill in the yardwork department until it gets a bit nicer outside. I've had a bit of a bug lately for non-traditional type folders ("modern folders") and I didn't want to buy something I couldn't customize, after all, where's the fun in that. Despite it's non-US manufacture (I really did pause on that. If I'm gonna buy me some knives, I want American cutlers to be employed. it's hard times out there right now) I ended up buying a Spyderco Kopa.
Before I get to into what I did, let me say, this really does prove the adage that you get what you pay for. as far as imports go, spyderco's are generally not cheap, and from what I've read, Sal Glesser is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to standards. I've rarely seen a knife as well put together as this little thing. the tolerances are spot on, lockup is solid, absolutely no play in anything whatsoever, and I will come right out and say it, I have never, ever ever seen a factory edge like this in my life. I have some knives that I've sharpened to scary levels of sharp, and this edge is on par with those, right out of the box. VG-10 is a pretty acceptable steel as well. similar to BG42 but with less Vanadium and moly, but with almost 1% cobalt added for some additional hardness and carbide stability. If they ever start making the Kopa model in Colorado, like with some of the other spyderco models, I will be revisiting this again, I assure you.
Anywho, on with the show. The version of the Kopa I had was with Jigged bone scales, of a rather unpleasant orange color. I was not impressed by the quality of the bone, and/or it's finish, as just running a fingernail across the jigging generated "flakes" of color that would come off. No matter, I didn't exactly plan on leaving the bone there long anyways
A bit stubborn to break down, I eventually got everything apart and started to work. Stabilized blackwood for handles, some filework on the short little lockbar and spring holder, and because I really didn't see the point in the lanyard hole, what with the clip there, I decided to plug it up with a brass slug. I didn't have stainless of the right size, but I think now, I like the look of the brass there, it's.....different. I've gotten some feedback from some non-knifers at work, they seem to agree with me there. It's growing on me, for sure. What I might do is drill a hole in that, then slot a smaller steel pin inside, go for the birds-eye look
who knows. Took a few more, better pictures tonight for this post:
feedback appreciated, as always
Before I get to into what I did, let me say, this really does prove the adage that you get what you pay for. as far as imports go, spyderco's are generally not cheap, and from what I've read, Sal Glesser is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to standards. I've rarely seen a knife as well put together as this little thing. the tolerances are spot on, lockup is solid, absolutely no play in anything whatsoever, and I will come right out and say it, I have never, ever ever seen a factory edge like this in my life. I have some knives that I've sharpened to scary levels of sharp, and this edge is on par with those, right out of the box. VG-10 is a pretty acceptable steel as well. similar to BG42 but with less Vanadium and moly, but with almost 1% cobalt added for some additional hardness and carbide stability. If they ever start making the Kopa model in Colorado, like with some of the other spyderco models, I will be revisiting this again, I assure you.
Anywho, on with the show. The version of the Kopa I had was with Jigged bone scales, of a rather unpleasant orange color. I was not impressed by the quality of the bone, and/or it's finish, as just running a fingernail across the jigging generated "flakes" of color that would come off. No matter, I didn't exactly plan on leaving the bone there long anyways
A bit stubborn to break down, I eventually got everything apart and started to work. Stabilized blackwood for handles, some filework on the short little lockbar and spring holder, and because I really didn't see the point in the lanyard hole, what with the clip there, I decided to plug it up with a brass slug. I didn't have stainless of the right size, but I think now, I like the look of the brass there, it's.....different. I've gotten some feedback from some non-knifers at work, they seem to agree with me there. It's growing on me, for sure. What I might do is drill a hole in that, then slot a smaller steel pin inside, go for the birds-eye look
who knows. Took a few more, better pictures tonight for this post:feedback appreciated, as always
