1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Earlier this week I picked up a new SpyOpera. I like it!
The linen used in the Micarta has very fine threads, so it has a very smooth texture. All the ones I looked at are more of a ruddy, rust brown compared to the pix on the Spyderco website. I’m sure they’ll darken with age.
The blade and lock bar have a satin, brushed finish. The back spacer is a bit different with a tumbled or media blasted finish. The spine of the blade and the lock bar are radiused. (see photo below)
The blade, when it pivots, is light and silky smooth. When locked open there’s no wobble or rocking up and down. The blade will swing freely if you press in on the lock bar to close it. A word of caution, there is no ricasso to speak of so the rear part blade’s edge will bite you if your finger is too far back on the handle when letting gravity drop the blade. (Don’t ask how I know. :rolleyes: ) See the photo below.
The lock bar does stick when pressing it in to close the blade. I tried others and they all did it. I’m sure with time the lock bar will wear in and it will smooth out.
The edge grind is even on both sides and looks to have been finished with a fine grit. The edge feels slightly serrated, but that can be smoothed out using the brown Tri-Angles on the SharpMaker.
With the satin finish on the steel and smooth brown Micarta there were quite a few, “Wow, that’s nice,” comments from co-workers; even from a few non-carriers.
The lock bar and tang of the blade on mine are lubed with a black grease. It tends to get on your fingers and “migrate.” I wiped it off where there was an abundance of it.
This won’t be the last one I get.
The linen used in the Micarta has very fine threads, so it has a very smooth texture. All the ones I looked at are more of a ruddy, rust brown compared to the pix on the Spyderco website. I’m sure they’ll darken with age.
The blade and lock bar have a satin, brushed finish. The back spacer is a bit different with a tumbled or media blasted finish. The spine of the blade and the lock bar are radiused. (see photo below)
The blade, when it pivots, is light and silky smooth. When locked open there’s no wobble or rocking up and down. The blade will swing freely if you press in on the lock bar to close it. A word of caution, there is no ricasso to speak of so the rear part blade’s edge will bite you if your finger is too far back on the handle when letting gravity drop the blade. (Don’t ask how I know. :rolleyes: ) See the photo below.
The lock bar does stick when pressing it in to close the blade. I tried others and they all did it. I’m sure with time the lock bar will wear in and it will smooth out.
The edge grind is even on both sides and looks to have been finished with a fine grit. The edge feels slightly serrated, but that can be smoothed out using the brown Tri-Angles on the SharpMaker.
With the satin finish on the steel and smooth brown Micarta there were quite a few, “Wow, that’s nice,” comments from co-workers; even from a few non-carriers.
The lock bar and tang of the blade on mine are lubed with a black grease. It tends to get on your fingers and “migrate.” I wiped it off where there was an abundance of it.
This won’t be the last one I get.
Last edited by Pokey on Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Thanks for this! Definitely not much wiggle room if you drop the blade closed onto your finger as I do. I'll have to be careful.
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Thanks for the review. Do you have a Native 5 you could take a picture of with the SpyOpera for a side by side comparison?
Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
It looks a bit bigger than I imagined it.
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Sure, here ya go.
Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Patently waiting for my pre-order through BHQ to go through. Hope they get them soon! Excited to get it in my hand. Thanks for your initial impressions @Pokey
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
I love the grind, I love the scale material, I love the maker, however I cannot warm up to the design. Hopefully it sells really well so we see more from Spyderco and Lion Steel.
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Thanks for the review! I'm still trying to decide if I'll get one. We'll see
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Does little for me. Looks kind of awkward and the small ricasso with a falling blade, spells “ouch” to me.
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
That is a real interesting looking knife. I need to try one. I'll see if anyone has it in stock for me to handle. I really like the scales. I also like that it is a back lock.
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- steelcity16
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Same. I like that this is a production knife and I will have some time to mull it over, watch the reviews come in, see user photo, hear of any issues, etc. I'll likely end up with one down the road.
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
I'm in your camp, especially regarding performance of an M390 that Spyderco seems not to have treated...steelcity16 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:23 am
Same. I like that this is a production knife and I will have some time to mull it over, watch the reviews come in, see user photo, hear of any issues, etc. I'll likely end up with one down the road.
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
I really like how smooth the micarta was while still having great grip. I thought the blade pivot was smooth and I'm kicking myself for not making the purchase
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- curlyhairedboy
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Eager to see how HRC testing goes with these.
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Fixed Blades: Proficient, Magnacut Mule
Special and Sentimental: Southard, Squarehead LW, Ouroboros, Calendar Para 3 LW, 40th Anniversary Native, Ti Native, Calendar Watu, Tanto PM2
Would like to own again: CQI Caribbean Sheepsfoot PE, Watu
Wishlist: Magnacut, Shaman Sprints!
Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Thank you for that spine shot! The first I’ve seen of it from that angle, and I like what I see. Can’t wait for my pre-order to be fulfilled.
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Sure is pretty, dang, this and the Gayle Bradley
Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
Thanks for the review!
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Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
great to see it in the wild! I'm excited to see how Lionsteel's m390 holds up.
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Current spydie collection: Watu, Rhino, UKPK Salt G10 bladeswap, Yojimbo 2 Smooth G10 Cru-Wear, Manix lw “mystic” 20cv, SmallFly 2, Waterway, Ladybug k390, Caribbean
Current favorite steels: sg2/R2, lc200n/Z-FiNit, 3v
Current spydie collection: Watu, Rhino, UKPK Salt G10 bladeswap, Yojimbo 2 Smooth G10 Cru-Wear, Manix lw “mystic” 20cv, SmallFly 2, Waterway, Ladybug k390, Caribbean
Current favorite steels: sg2/R2, lc200n/Z-FiNit, 3v
Re: 1st Impressions Of The New SpyOpera
The only way I'd have to tell just how hard this M390 is right now is by sharpening it. (verses using it) I've been using the brown Tri-Angles on the Sharpmaker to match the angle of the grind and remove the original grind pattern. After sharpening AEB-L, S30V, and BD1N lately, in the same manner, it's going slow with the M390; which is what you'd expect. I'm just beginning to see the new scratch pattern left by the Tri-Angle, so it's not taking a lot off.Abyss_Fish wrote: ↑Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:33 amgreat to see it in the wild! I'm excited to see how Lionsteel's m390 holds up.