Let's get hyped for the Amalgam!

[TkoK83Spy]

I'm interested to hear what keithkevinken thinks. He seems to have quite a few knives pass through his hands.

Looking forward to seeing these drop in the US, should be really soon now (edit: just saw Extra's post about DLT, looks like they're available now!). Can't wait to read the feedback (for better or worse) and learn some more about what does and doesn't work :spyder:

Keithkevinken's first impressions video is up. I'd say he likes it :)

The guy likes every knife he touches, yet never uses them. Just rambles on and on about material's and how it flips open or feels in hand. Reviews like his are a dime a dozen. Any of us could do the same!

[shunsui]

Got mine today. Very nice design, but it has the weak detent Nick mentioned.

If you hold it and give it one good shake, the blade opens, swings around, and locks open.

Why bother with a flipper or a spyder-flick ?

Was going to send it back, but I think I'm going to invest in one of these tools and give it a try.

https://youtu.be/S5H96riLLS4

[ABX2011]

I wouldn't mess with the detent ball, personally. Report back if you do!

[curlyhairedboy]

My sliverax needed some detent adjustment and this one may need some too.

my go-to method is very gradual widening of the detent hole with a hand-held diamond bit. Test fit frequently, you can't put back what you're taking off.

[holeshot]

Mine came today and I love it! Put a Lynch long clip on it and I like how it looks. Shout out to Rivers Edege and USPS, it was mailed 1st class on the 29th and came today 12/01 amazing. :)

Oh yeah, I think I'm going do the EvilD mod on the flipper tab, worked well on my Sliverax and the little knob on my Shaman. With the large Spidie hole the flipper just gets in the way when closing the knife. :)

[shunsui]

I wouldn't mess with the detent ball, personally. Report back if you do!

I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone, but it looks like something I could do, and the advantage to doing it yourself is you can get the detent closer to what you want than someone else can.

Sort of like grinding on your Glock handle until it feels good to your hand.

[Brown_Recluse]

I got mine today too. Wow! It's just as glorious as I thought it would be.

Contrary to some accounts, the detent on mine isn't unacceptably loose. Yes, I can shake the blade out but it takes an abnormal amount of effort.

The only thing that kinda bugs me is the flipper tab going right through the compression lock area. It's hard to get the blade to fall into the closed position. It takes timing. It's not a deal breaker for me though. I can work around it/get used to it.

Great job Brian (aka gundamaniac) and Spyderco! It was well worth the wait!

[camvdcs]

Just came in the mail. I like everything but the detent. It's a little loose or not tight enough. Wondering if this is something Spyderco will correct if knife is sent in?

[holeshot]

I got mine today too. Wow! It's just as glorious as I thought it would be.

Contrary to some accounts, the detent on mine isn't unacceptably loose. Yes, I can shake the blade out but it takes an abnormal amount of effort.

The only thing that kinda bugs me is the flipper tab going right through the compression lock area. It's hard to get the blade to fall into the closed position. It takes timing. It's not a deal breaker for me though. I can work around it/get used to it.

Great job Brian (aka gundamaniac) and Spyderco! It was well worth the wait!

You might want do what I'm planing on doing, just grind down the flipper tab. Given the large Spidie hole to use for opening the tab seems superfluous to me. :)

[gundamaniac]

Thanks Brown_Recluse! A tip on swinging the blade closed - I just quickly fully depress the compression lock and immediately release the lock tab while simultaenously giving my wrist just the sliiiightest flick. Some pitfalls to avoid - 1) if you don't fully depress the lock tab, then the blade can get hung up by the detent ball not clearing the lock face; 2) if you don't release the lock tab immediately then of course your finger will still be in the way when the flipper tab swings by; and 3) if you flick the blade closed too hard then the blade bounces back off the stop pin instead of staying closed hence using just a slight flick of the wrist when swinging the blade closed. I already applied all these steps to my Paramilitary 2 to avoid having the blade bounce back open when swinging it closed, so it wasn't too much of an adjustment for me on Spyderco's compression lock flippers.

Hey holeshot, nice clip! Is than an MXG? If so, which one? I think they come in various lengths right? I like that yours is long enough that the end of the clip ends up right where the stock clip does, looks like it doesn't affect the in hand ergos much. Post pics if you decide to do the flipper delete mod! I personally like having it so I have options for opening. Plus it serves as a safety in the very unlike event of a lock failure :D (although I suppose the finger choil could kind of serve the same function).

shunsui, camvdcs, I'm personally borderline on the detent; I would like it just a touch harder, but I think I can see what Spyderco intended with the detent. On my knife, the pivot action is so smooth and free than it takes almost no effort to move the blade between the open and closed positions. It's a little jarring transitioning to this effortless action after overcoming the detent when using the thumbhole for a smooth controlled open. A stiffer detent would just amplify this jarring sensation, so it's all about the right balance for thumbhole and flipper use. So I'm borderline - I would like a slightly stiffer detent for the flipper, but I'm also okay with the way it is now since I haven't yet missed a flip when I intended to open the knife and it still takes some effort to just shake the blade out (unlike, say, an earlier generation XM-18...talk about soft detents ...though granted, at the time the XM-18 was apparently meant to be able to be shaken open as an alternative opening method).

Side note, I haven't met a flipper yet that I couldn't defeat by not applying enough force to the flipper and instead intentionally applying just baaaaaarely enough force to break the detent - not any of my ZTs which are generally recognized to have good flipping action, not my later Gen4 XM-18 which had a super stiff detent, and not even the Koenig Ariuses I handled at Blade Show West which I've heard are among the best in terms of flipping action. This also happens every time I hand a non-knife person a manual flipper- they invariably miss at least the first flip, because they're applying enough force to break the detent but not to open the knife.

Edit: whoa, sorry for the wall of text guys :o

[holeshot]

Thanks Brown_Recluse! A tip on swinging the blade closed - I just quickly fully depress the compression lock and immediately release the lock tab while simultaenously giving my wrist just the sliiiightest flick. Some pitfalls to avoid - 1) if you don't fully depress the lock tab, then the blade can get hung up by the detent ball not clearing the lock face; 2) if you don't release the lock tab immediately then of course your finger will still be in the way when the flipper tab swings by; and 3) if you flick the blade closed too hard then the blade bounces back off the stop pin instead of staying closed hence using just a slight flick of the wrist when swinging the blade closed. I already applied all these steps to my Paramilitary 2 to avoid having the blade bounce back open when swinging it closed, so it wasn't too much of an adjustment for me on Spyderco's compression lock flippers.

Hey holeshot, nice clip! Is than an MXG? If so, which one? I think they come in various lengths right? I like that yours is long enough that the end of the clip ends up right where the stock clip does, looks like it doesn't affect the in hand ergos much. Post pics if you decide to do the flipper delete mod! I personally like having it so I have options for opening. Plus it serves as a safety in the very unlike event of a lock failure :D (although I suppose the finger choil could kind of serve the same function).

shunsui, camvdcs, I'm personally borderline on the detent; I would like it just a touch harder, but I think I can see what Spyderco intended with the detent. On my knife, the pivot action is so smooth and free than it takes almost no effort to move the blade between the open and closed positions. It's a little jarring transitioning to this effortless action after overcoming the detent when using the thumbhole for a smooth controlled open. A stiffer detent would just amplify this jarring sensation, so it's all about the right balance for thumbhole and flipper use. So I'm borderline - I would like a slightly stiffer detent for the flipper, but I'm also okay with the way it is now since I haven't yet missed a flip when I intended to open the knife and it still takes some effort to just shake the blade out (unlike, say, an earlier generation XM-18...talk about soft detents ...though granted, at the time the XM-18 was apparently meant to be able to be shaken open as an alternative opening method).

Side note, I haven't met a flipper yet that I couldn't defeat by not applying enough force to the flipper and instead intentionally applying just baaaaaarely enough force to break the detent - not any of my ZTs which are generally recognized to have good flipping action, not my later Gen4 XM-18 which had a super stiff detent, and not even the Koenig Ariuses I handled at Blade Show West which I've heard are among the best in terms of flipping action. This also happens every time I hand a non-knife person a manual flipper- they invariably miss at least the first flip, because they're applying enough force to break the detent but not to open the knife.

Edit: whoa, sorry for the wall of text guys :o

The clip on mine is a Casey Lynch long one with a sand wash finish. Also comes in black. Personally I don't have an issue with the detent on my knife.

[Brown_Recluse]

Thanks Brown_Recluse! A tip on swinging the blade closed - I just quickly fully depress the compression lock and immediately release the lock tab while simultaenously giving my wrist just the sliiiightest flick. Some pitfalls to avoid - 1) if you don't fully depress the lock tab, then the blade can get hung up by the detent ball not clearing the lock face; 2) if you don't release the lock tab immediately then of course your finger will still be in the way when the flipper tab swings by; and 3) if you flick the blade closed too hard then the blade bounces back off the stop pin instead of staying closed hence using just a slight flick of the wrist when swinging the blade closed. I already applied all these steps to my Paramilitary 2 to avoid having the blade bounce back open when swinging it closed, so it wasn't too much of an adjustment for me on Spyderco's compression lock flippers.

I've figured out how I like to close it.

I press the comp. lock and let the blade fall until the flipper tab hits my finger and then I let go of the lock tab and let the blade fall home.

Almost like how to close a super smooth framelock but instead of the flipper tab coming into contact with my thumb on the front of the knife it hits my index finger on the back. It's very satisfying to let go and have the blade effortlessly fall.

I can't get enough of this knife!

[Crux]

I'd buy one in a lefty version. I can't do right-handed compression locks.

My friend is a lefty and there is only one (I think) left hand compression knife and it the s30v PM2 and he loves it. But, he is frustrated that's all. Especially when he sees the variety of PM2s out there.

[curlyhairedboy]

mine should arrive today!

[buferoe]

Hi Brian,

Nice meeting you in Nijmegen at the NXP plant.
Great design you have there with the Amalgam.

greetz,

Werner

[gundamaniac]

Hi Werner,

It was a real pleasure meeting you too! Thanks for the compliment. I would love to see more of your collection some time :)

Cheers,
Brian

[fanglekai]

I'd buy one in a lefty version. I can't do right-handed compression locks.

My friend is a lefty and there is only one (I think) left hand compression knife and it the s30v PM2 and he loves it. But, he is frustrated that's all. Especially when he sees the variety of PM2s out there.

I own that one and it gets carried frequently. I guess the lack of lefty compression locks is saving me money.

[curlyhairedboy]

Brian,

Now that I have this in hand, it definitely lives up to the hype!

Took it apart to tweak lockbar tension and tune the detent and I noticed the additional 'strap' across the liner, linking it and strengthening the locking geometry. I believe this is the first Spyderco to feature this.

Was it part of your design?

I'm absolutely loving this. Can you say 0562 challenger?

[sal]

Hi Brian,

I'd like to welcome you to our forum and thank you for your participation. I'd also like to congratulate you on the success so far. I Didn't mean to be late to the party, I've been watching the thread. It's been a great thread. I've watched the entire process and have had many discussions with Eric and I think that he, and you, did a really great job in the entire project.

Also, your involvement really means a lot. The folks that hang here are really deeper than most in their knife interest and desire to know the design and mfg concepts. You've done a really good job of explaining the why's and the what's of the design. Now that it's finally in production, you ( and we ) will be able to get feedback from users, which is always valuable.

sal

[gundamaniac]

holeshot,
That black clip looks great! I typically like bare metal clips because I feel they wear better, but considering that deep carry is all about subtlety, that black Lynch clip looks really good.

curlyhairedboy,
Thanks for the compliments and thanks again for starting this thread! I'm glad that you're enjoying the knife now that you actually have it in hand :)
Unfortunately, I can't take credit for the "strap" that is reinforcing the stop pin as it was not part of my original design. That was 100% Spyderco. I noticed it when I took my own knife apart to polish the detent track (something I do on all my flipper knives regardless of maker), and I was very impressed at the level of thought and engineering Spyderco put into reinforcing the metal there without making any changes visible externally.

Hi Sal!
Thanks for the welcome and the kind words! And thank you for everything you and Spyderco have done for the knife industry. I really admire the way Spyderco operates, with the drive for continual improvement and the commitment to integrity in everything you do. It means a lot to me to have been given the opportunity to collaborate with Spyderco on this project. I have been looking forward to getting feedback and perspectives from other users to learn more about what does and doesn't work for them. As a knife enthusiast and Spyderco fan myself, I have always appreciated the way Spyderco interacts with and listens to its community.

Apologies again for another wall-of-text post :D