The Wharncliffe style blade….Ronin 2 vs Yojimbo 2

[DrtyHarry]

I have been itching to get a Yojimbo 2 for a while now, but I keep holding off until an S110V version is available. I plan to use it as an EDC knife as well as a SD tool. Also, I think this would make for a great blade to have in the kitchen. I've also been looking at a few fixed blades as well. I believe I made up my mind and decided to go with a Bastinelli Assaaucalypse compact. It's a great knife, IMHO. Feels great in the hand and it looks like something satan himself would carry.

With that said, I still want a Wharncliffe style knife that I can also use in the kitchen. I am thinking that perhaps I should get the Ronin 2 that has CTS-BD1 steel….a steel I know absolutely nothing about, or get the Yojimbo 2 in CPM-S30V. I am familiar with this steel and I am a big fan of it. It sharpens very easy and it's easy to maintain a super sharp edge for a good amount of time with a Sharpmaker.

Can anyone tell me more about the CTS-BD1 steel? What are it's properties and what does it compare to? Also, is this a US made knife or is this one Spyderco's children born in Seki City? I decided to no longer by the Japanese variants of Spyderco's knives. A discussion for another time.

Also, how is the sheath on the Ronin 2? Looks rather nice. Think getting the Ronin 2 and holding off on the Yojimbo for an S110V is a good idea? But if the S110V is not going to happen….I may just go straight for the Yojimbo now. The Yojimbo 2 has a blade measuring 79mm, and the Ronin 2 has a blade with a much larger 105mm (3 1/8" vs 4.12")….almost a full inch difference.

So…you guys see my dilemma. Ordinarily, I would get both right now and when or if they make a S110V for the Yojimbo 2, I would pick one up when they are ready. BUT….I am waiting for the Millie in both 52100 and S110V to come out and have pre orders on those bad boys right now, so I have to be somewhat responsible because this is a habit that has broken my wallet one to many times.

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions, all are welcome. And for what it's worth…I don't have a fixed knife from Spyderco. Not sure if they ever made a Ronin 2 with a more "exotic" steel. I do plan on using the Ronin in the kitchen. Anyway….thanks for reading my rant.

Keep Cutting,

Harry

(one final thing….I know the Yojimbo 2 usually sells for around $120 and the Ronin 2 for just under $90….anyone having a current sale on the Ronin at the moment? Or does anyone have info if the Yojimbo is ever going to come out in S110V?) thanks...

[DrtyHarry]

One more thing…my hands are rather large. A Millie fits me perfectly, a PM2 is manageable so I fear the Yojimbo 2 might be a bit small for my hands. It's another reason why I am also considering the Ronin 2. But I would like to read more about the steel….and I do hope the Ronin is US made.

[DrtyHarry]

I would love to see a pic of a Ronin 2 and a Yojimbo 2 side by side if anyone has both??

[Michael Janich]

Dear DrtyHarry:

Thank you for your interest in the Ronin 2 and Yojimbo 2. Since I designed them, I thought I'd chime in and offer my thoughts.

The Yojimbo 2 does great in its standard format with CPM S30V. I've been carrying my original one for almost five years and, other than the smoothed-out texture of the pocket-worn G-10, it's still going strong.

I have no idea when to expect a Yo 2 in S110V, so if you're looking to scratch that itch anytime soon, the standard version might be a good idea.

The Ronin 2 literally started with my friend Mickey Yurco tracing around the Yo 2 on a piece of paper and making me a custom fixed blade. When Spyderco saw it, they put it in their prototype case and liked the positive response we got from the public. There was very little R&D involved in the development of it, other than me grinding off the "peak" at the top of the handle (where, on the folder, the handle and blade would meet) to make it Kydex-friendly.

The Ronin 2 is made in Taiwan, and its sheaths are made in the U.S. If you have an aversion to Japanese-made knives, you're clear. I chose CTS BD1 steel for it because it is very corrosion resistant, takes a good edge, is easy to maintain, and its low price kept the price of the Ronin 2 very affordable. As for the steel itself, it is a Carpenter steel made in the U.S. and shipped to Taiwan for use in our knives. Its alloy composition is almost identical to Spyderco's first steel--Gingami 1 (aka GIN-1, G-2)--which is a workhorse steel that was one of the first blankable steels (blades could be stamped in high-volume production) with a carbon content over 0.80%.

The Ronin 2 makes a really good kitchen knife. Its edge is low and close to the knuckles, making it suitable for use on cutting boards without a lot of knuckle bashing. I usually use mine with the tip in contact with the board for drawing cuts, rather than trying to get the edge flat against the board like a cleaver. The blade is wide on purpose, so it slices extremely well. It is too wide for paring.

The sheath for the Ronin 2 is also very well made. The only down side to the pair (knife and sheath) is that the grind plunge for the bevels on the knife is too much of a right angle and occasionally can catch on the mouth of the sheath during sheathing. Mickey Yurco's custom has a gradual plunge that acts like a ramp when the knife is sheathed. The action of his sheaths is, to borrow a phrase from an old friend, "slicker than snot on a doorknob." I couldn't get our Taiwanese maker to replicate that, but the Ronin 2 is nevertheless one of my favorite factory-made knife designs and I would trust my life to it.

I hope this helps.

Stay safe,

Mike

[DrtyHarry]

Thank you so much for all the detailed information. I never thought steel would be shipped overseas to be made into knives, than shipped back to the US. That's really interesting. I was just not that impressed with the last Spyderco knives I got that were not made here in the US. The last US made one I got was a PM2 (S110V) and it was perfect in every way. Not to mention it was probably the sharpest knife I ever got from Spyderco.

I think I'm going to go ahead and pick up a Ronin 2. Tell me, is there anyway the sheath can be affixed for IWB carry? I hard rumor of the Yo 2 coming out in S110V…if I don't see them anytime soon, I'll just grab the S30V. I like S30V, but was VERY impressed with the S110V on the PM2 that I got not long ago. As I mentioned before, I would grab both the Ronin and Yo 2 now, but I have my name down for two Millies (52100 & S110V) that are supposed to be here this month….but they keep getting pushed back. I passed on the KnifeWorks Millie that just came out because I have 2 others on order.

Both the Ronin and Yo 2 are very nice knives…I studied the Ronin 2 well and could tell that it would be great for the kitchen. I'm glad to know that the Ronin 2 does in fact use a good quality steel since I do plan on using it in the kitchen and in the outdoors for food prep and what not. Not to mention that I have been looking for a compact fixed blade for SD as well….I think the Ronin will fit the bill for that. Like I said, I am waiting on a Bastinelli Assaaucalypse compact as well, but that is a much heavier and bigger knife and with that blade style, it won't work as well in the kitchen as the Ronin. Please LMK if the Ronin's sheath can be used IWB.

Again, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions and concerns. I will most definitely will be purchasing both at some point….the Ronin will probably come first, and after the Millie 52100 and the S110V land, I'll pick up the Yo 2….hopefully there will be a S110V version by that time. If not, I'm sure I will be happy with the S30V. I couldn't have got better answers to my questions. Thank you….and again, job well done designing these beautiful knives! :)



Harry

[Evil D]

The only problem with using the Ronin 2 as a kitchen knife is that the guard extends down lower than the edge, so you won't be able to get the edge flat on a cutting board unless you hang it off the edge of the board. The Yojimbo 2 doesn't have this problem and I have used it in the kitchen some, but the fat/lowish hollow grind doesn't really make for a great food slicer. It chops small things like green onions ok though. It works, but it wouldn't be my top pick for kitchen use.

[DrtyHarry]

Seeing as the only food I'm allowed to eat is MEAT, if I were to use it in the kitchen, it would only be to carve and slice meat. With that said, the Yo 2 doesn't have as long as a blade as the Ronin 2. I see what you are saying about the guard getting in the way on a slicing board and it makes sense. I might very well just stick to one as a SD blade and find something else that I can use in the kitchen. Thanks for the heads up on this! More "food" for thought…lol.


Harry

[Evil D]

Well, it wouldn't take much to grind that guard down a bit do the blade would cut flush on a cutting board, and it would still be usable in other ways.

[twinboysdad]

Seeing as the only food I'm allowed to eat is MEAT, if I were to use it in the kitchen, it would only be to carve and slice meat. With that said, the Yo 2 doesn't have as long as a blade as the Ronin 2. I see what you are saying about the guard getting in the way on a slicing board and it makes sense. I might very well just stick to one as a SD blade and find something else that I can use in the kitchen. Thanks for the heads up on this! More "food" for thought…lol.


Harry

I for one found the Ronin 2 too big! Was hoping for smaller and I would grab the new Spyderco cook's knife for food work. I am not big on folders for kitchen work when I am in my own home and have wickedly sharp Henkles to abuse