Navigator question

[bk1]

I purchased my first Navigator 2 in 10/05 and a PE Nav2 sometime since than. I just ordered and received another PE yesterday (couldn't resist Sierra Special).

Question: were all this made in the same factory at the same time?
Reasons for question:

1)the handles on my first 2 Nav's measure about 1/8th inch thicker than the one I received yesterday-which also makes them a little heavier.
and

2) screws are wider on the knife I received yesterday.

I kind of like the thinner handles. Anyone else experienc this if you bought them at different times?
thanks,
Bill

[The CoPilot]

Here are a couple of differences I've noticed on the SE and PE Navigator 2s that I recently acquired from Sierra:

1) The fonts used to stamp the "Spyderco VG-10" on the blades are different. On the SE variety, the letter are more rounded. Also, the upper parts of the "D" and "R" are not fully formed. "Mr. Blonde" (Wouter) recently posted closeup photos of his SE Nav 2 and it has these same characteristics on the stamped letters.



Serrated edge:


Plain edge:



2) The Phillips-head screws used to hold the clips on the SE and PE Nav 2s are different sizes (smaller screw heads on the SE).


Serrated edge:


Plain edge:



3) The other difference I've noticed is that the steel handles on the SE have a greater overall thickness that on the PE versions. I would estimate the total thickness difference to be about 1/16" (not terribly easy to see but you can feel it if you put the knives side by side on a flat surface). My PE (the thinner-handed variety) was made in March 2007 as per the date code on the box. The SE version (thicker-handled variety) was made in February 2006.

On the left is the SE version with the thicker handle stock. There is a flat area on the edge before the radius begins. On the right is the PE variety with the thinner handle. Note that there is no flat area on the edge of the handle and that the entire edge thickness is radiused.


Could the handle thickness and blade stamping differences be because the knives came from different manufacturers in Seki City? Sal, can you shed any light on this???

[bk1]

Mine are similar to yours. But my older PE is the same thickness as my SE.
Fonts on the older SE and PE same--fonts on new PE same as shown on your pic.

No matter what font they used and even with the different thicknesses I love this model.
:)
B

[The Deacon]

Mine (PE and SE) were both made in '05. Both are of equal thickness, both have the rounded lettering with incomplete tops on the D and R. Both have the small clip screws. Clip screws are no surprise to me, I've seen both head types used on different specimens of the same model before.

Stamps wear out so the one used on the earlier knives was retired, and the lettering on the new one is slightly different. Again, not a major surprise.

From what I understand, Spyderco uses a number of makers in Seki City, but a given model is only made by one of them. So the varaiance in handle thickness is probably the result of a batch slightly thinner handle stock. Not sure if that would have been intentional, to save weight and/or control cost, a screw-up on the part of the vendor supplying the handle stock steel, or a question of the thicker stock being unavailable when that production run was sheduled. Whatever the reason, that difference is a bit more surprising than the others.

[Fred Sanford]

NativeAmerican,

Thanks for the awesome pics.

That explains why I love the pictures of Wouter's SE Nav II and it looks so wide. However the one I own is thin like the PE in your pictures. Mine also has the larger screws in the clip. To me the small ones look insanely small. :)

Hmmm...... I do wonder why such a big difference.