The Ronin 2 is based on the Yojimbo 2. It offers more blade length in a slimmer package, and surprisingly it manages to be a bit lighter.
The knife is an excellent fit for my XXL hands. It offers just enough handle for a secure, four finger grip, without being so stubby my pinky feels like it wants to slip off.
It feels light and agile in the hand. I tried a variety of grips and I'm pleased with the versatility of the handle. Sabre grip, reverse, pikal....all felt great. Doing precision cuts choked up on the handle with my index finger along the spine, the Ronin 2 offers superb control.
The blade came incredibly sharp, one of the best edges I've seen on a production knife. Easily popped hairs off without contacting my skin.
The blade shape was the main draw for me. I think wharncliffes are unparalleled for general utility work. I also appreciate that it comes from the factory with a pointy tip, unlike the sheepsfoot models Spyderco favors over wharncliffes. I think the length is perfect for my uses too.
Using the knife to cut a few things, the performance is very good. I sliced up some boxes for recycling, quartered an apple, trimmed some loose threads off some new clothes and carved some feather sticks for a fire. One of the things I appreciate about the Ronin 2 is how the cutting edge comes right up to my grip, giving me incredible leverage when whittling. The tip also showed excellent penetration ability when I stabbed it into those boxes :D
The factory edge showed nice penetration into the different materials I cut. Normally I'm grinding a thinner edge on my new knives day 1, but this one cuts well enough I'm going to use it for a while first. It is pretty thin behind the edge bevel, so once I take it down to ~10DPS it will have truly exceptional cutting ability.
Fit and finish on the knife is immaculate aside from one minor nitpick. The spyderhole has a pretty rough texture on the inside, to the point I'm worried it could build up rust over time. I'm going to polish it up a bit.
The sheath is a little larger than I expected. I feel like the edges could be trimmed up a bit, and will probably take my dremel to it at some point. It works very well. It has an incredibly secure hold on the knife....I would have no issues carrying this inverted on a pack during a strenuous hike. It comes with a standard G clip, which was oriented for right hand on the belt carry from factory. There are multiple holes for lashing paracord etc., in addition to the two drilled for the g clip.
The knife carries very well. I had mild concerns it could be a bit longer than I'd want in an EDC but after trying it on I can say the size is no issue for me. YMMV. Sitting down in a car with it on my belt behind my right hip it was perfectly comfortable. The handle scales are rounded on the edges, and the G10 texture is much less abrasive against skin than the FRN bi-directional texturing of my Aqua Salt.
One last nitpick.
This is how the Yojimbo and Ronin are designed to be held. The part of the design that escapes me is the hump over the spyderhole. I think the Yojimbo and Ronin would be much better without this hump here.
That hump, on both the Yojimbo 2 and Ronin 2, is precisely where I want to put my thumb during utility use.
One thing I've realized is the angle of my thumb makes a dramatic different in comfort. If you look at the second joint back from my thumbnail, observe the angle. It is close to zero degrees. Knives that have prominent thumb ramps and small handles put that joint at a 55-75 degree angle. My Police 3, my favorite folder, puts it at a 40 degree angle, which feels perfect for me.
You can find photos of people who have modified their Yojimbo 2 to have a flat spine, such as this one, so I know I am not the only one to feel this way. The Yojimbo 1 also had this issue for me, and it's the reason I sold mine.
All in all I am very happy with the Ronin 2, and have no hesitation recommending it to anyone interested in the model. I see myself getting years of use out of this fantastic design.
