Spyderco Forums

What are folks favorite 3.5 inch 50/50 choil Spyderco?

I am really not good at favorites and i like a diversity of things and styles. I do tend to like 50/50 choil knives with a mid lock back in the size mentioned. Some of this has to do with hand size and wanting a hand-filling knife.

My favorite ~3.5 inch/ ~3 inch edge 50/50 choil :spyders: are the Stretch 2 and the Shaman.

I hesitate to compare the two as they are as different as they are similar. My pair are the V-Toku 2/ SUS 410 and Crucarta.
Cruwear and V-Toku are both awesome. I slightly prefer the Cruwear.

The Stretch is more nimble, lighter, slimmer in pocket and has thinner blade stock and better cutting geometry.

The Shaman is just a beautiful, comfortable, burlier knife.

Both knives fit my hand very well, but i might choose the Shaman for more extended use. I have a slight preference for the drop point of the Stretch, although i generally prefer a humpless design as on the Shaman with its leaf shaped spear blade. The hump on the Stretch just works for me with a bunch of different grips too.

The Stretch has a significantly more negative blade angle than the Shaman, which i generally prefer for non-kitchen knives.

I generally prefer mid lock backs to other lock types, but i do also like the compression lock on the Shaman. My Crucarta variant has a softer detent (shallower detent hole) than my G10 S30v model, which has a very nice detent tune. I still sometimes think about modding my knife, but not yet enough to by the right sized diamond bit. (As an aside: Anyone here tuned a Shaman detent hole? I am familiar with the mod from posts here and on BF. but would love more specific advice on detent ball/ hole size.) :D :cool:

What are folks most into? There is some rather stiff competition in this size category. Some that come immediately to mind are the Caly 3.5, PM2, Manix 2, Atlantic Salt SE (slightly bigger) and others. If we look in that size range but include knives without the choil, the Endela, Centofante 3, the SpydieChef and others come into play.

For me which i carry often comes down to application. For carpentry and construction work i will usually carry the Stretch since i have at least one fixed blade near by plus utility blades etc.
If i am out in the woods I often carry the Shaman.
For sportier water and mountain endeavors i take the Native Salt. (I fantasize about a Native Salt one size up (Shaman sized) but with a backlock. Something just between a Native 5 and a Chief.)

Who prefers what and why? let's hear about it? Pics encouraged!

I've pretty much moved away from choils where I can, but I really do love the Shaman, it's the best new knife design in a long time (excluding my beloved Caribbean). Ergonomically it's about as good as a 50/50 choil gets for me. I love the lack of thumb ramp too and the thick rounded scales seal the deal.

I also like the Manix 2, Caly 3/3.5, and Stretch.

Caly 3.5, hands down.

But David hit the nail on the head. The Caribbean has eliminated choils from my radar. The Caribbean can achieve the same forward control as a choil.

Evil D wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:19 pm

I've pretty much moved away from choils where I can, but I really do love the Shaman, it's the best new knife design in a long time (excluding my beloved Caribbean). Ergonomically it's about as good as a 50/50 choil gets for me. I love the lack of thumb ramp too and the thick rounded scales seal the deal.

I also like the Manix 2, Caly 3/3.5, and Stretch.

Sumdumguy wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:55 pm

Caly 3.5, hands down.

But David hit the nail on the head. The Caribbean has eliminated choils from my radar. The Caribbean can achieve the same forward control as a choil.

I have come quite close to getting one. I really like LC200N And wanna try it in SE on a Native or Caribbean.

Well, for me of course the great Stretch 1: A lot of actual edge in a very compact package, and differently to many others here I actually prefer the shorter, shallower choil of the Stretch 1 over the deeper one on the Stretch 2 (somehow in real use the Stretch 1 choil offers me a bit more control and leverage than the Stretch 2 choil, while gripped behind the choil I prefer the ergos of the "2")

Then the Shaman (which I don´t own (yet...) but could try): Ergonomical masterpiece.

The PM 2 also fits my hand very well. It´s like the dimensions of the actual handle were made for me, just 1mm less grip area and it would begin to feel cramped, but as it is: Perfect. Still I generally prefer the similar sized Stretch over the PM 2 for various reasons

The Manix 2 LW I had once deserves an honorable mention. I liked almost everything on it, just the rather short cutting edge for the overall package was not for me.

Generally often times I prefer a longer actual edge over a 50:50 choil. But backlock-knives (my favorites) very rarely come without choil or Ricasso.... looking forward to the Rock Jumper changing that ... :rolleyes:

The thread title describes the majority of my Spyderco folders.

UKPK/Urban/Caly 3/Caly 3.5/Calypso Jr/PM2/Manix2/Stretch 2/Chaparral/ Native 5...

The ergos just work for me. Of the above I'd only say I prefer the behind the choil grip on the Stretch and the Manix.

A choil isn't something I have to have though. I'm a huge fan of the Jess Horn III and Baby horn models, among other choiless knives.

Only my native and my titanium chaparral have finger choils. Beyond that I got rid of choils.

I got tired of sharpening into the “guard” where the steel is thicker, I got tired of the guard getting in my way with round things.

Anything bigger than my native 5 no longer has a finger choil. If I need to “choke ip” that much I will use a hobby knife or a smaller knife. I would much rather have more cutting surface.

Correction, I still have a para2 in M390 and titanium and it has a finger choil.

But do I use the para2? Maybe I carry it to show someone but hardly at all for use. It is rare. Look at the usability of the ZT and Gayle Bradley2!!! The cutting edge is far longer and the guard doesn’t make sharpening awkward and get in the way of a lot of cuts. Don’t get me wrong my chaparral and native 5 knives for light er and smaller use can have a choil as I do not ask much of them by comparison.

Correction, I still have a para2 in M390 and titanium and it has a finger choil.

But do I use the para2? Maybe I carry it to show someone but hardly at all for use. It is rare. Look at the usability of the ZT and Gayle Bradley2!!! The cutting edge is far longer and the guard doesn’t make sharpening awkward and get in the way of a lot of cuts.B760B625-8900-4365-AD4C-006D1AFC9203.jpeg

Don’t get me wrong my chaparral and native 5 knives for lighter and smaller use can have a choil as I do not ask much of them by comparison.

*****Correction, I added a sharpening choil to the Gayle Bradley2 as I didn’t like how it widened and worked like a finger guard choil guard. I got out the dremmel and created a sharpening choil****

The R, all day, every day. THE most underrated Spyderco that unfortunately only ever came out in limited runs. 25% of the time people ask for a design to be different, they don't know it, but they're asking for the R.



As for the "why?" For me the choil is great, it's deep and it locks your hand in despite the smooth scales. I like the coarse "gear-like" jimping. And the handle is smooth so the draw from the pocket is easy. After all these years still my favorite spyderco design.

tvenuto wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 15, 2020 3:30 pm

The R, all day, every day. THE most underrated Spyderco that unfortunately only ever came out in limited runs. 25% of the time people ask for a design to be different, they don't know it, but they're asking for the R.

.....

I never had a "R" and I always keep forgetting about it.

But I think you are totally right.
So many people ask for an Endura / Delica with a choil, the R very much is that (in Endela size)
Some people don´t like the looks of the exposed "heel" of the Endura/Endela blade when the knife is closed, the R has a much more "smooth" design

And, what I did not know till now, but really like to see: It obviously comes in ffg SE... :)

tvenuto wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 15, 2020 3:30 pm

I love that Nishijin R :cool:

tvenuto wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 15, 2020 3:30 pm

The R, all day, every day. THE most underrated Spyderco that unfortunately only ever came out in limited runs. 25% of the time people ask for a design to be different, they don't know it, but they're asking for the R.

[img]https://spydercollector.files.wordpress ... ection.jpg

As for the "why?" For me the choil is great, it's deep and it locks your hand in despite the smooth scales. I like the coarse "gear-like" jimping. And the handle is smooth so the draw from the pocket is easy. After all these years still my favorite spyderco design.

Right, yes the R! I've never had the chance to handle one.

I am curious about the model, but I generally try to stay forward looking and not go hunting for older discontinued models. I have been sorely tempted a few times, but so far have stuck to currently available models.

Would maybe try it if there was a reissue. Love my Stretch and curious if the R could compete with it for my preference.

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 14, 2020 5:48 pm

Well, for me of course the great Stretch 1: A lot of actual edge in a very compact package, and differently to many others here I actually prefer the shorter, shallower choil of the Stretch 1 over the deeper one on the Stretch 2 (somehow in real use the Stretch 1 choil offers me a bit more control and leverage than the Stretch 2 choil, while gripped behind the choil I prefer the ergos of the "2")

You're not alone! The Stretch 1 is one of my all time favorite knife designs. The 2 is... meh. I don't like any of the changes.

Nate wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 14, 2020 6:56 pm

The thread title describes the majority of my Spyderco folders.

UKPK/Urban/Caly 3/Caly 3.5/Calypso Jr/PM2/Manix2/Stretch 2/Chaparral/ Native 5...

The ergos just work for me. Of the above I'd only say I prefer the behind the choil grip on the Stretch and the Manix.

This. Except I like the Native and Chaparral better than the Stretch.

My first choices would be in the order Manix - Chaparral - Native.

it’s hard to beat these two. really, my dream knife would be a manix 2 salt in lc200n. i also thoroughly enjoy my dragonfly salt.

TomAiello wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:01 pm

This. Except I like the Native and Chaparral better than the Stretch.

My first choices would be in the order Manix - Chaparral - Native.

My list was in no particular order, but clearly you have impeccable taste. :)

Love all five of these but, if push came to shove, my favorite among them is still the second from the right because it's the most compact of the lot.

Going going, back back, to CALY CALY!

Seriously, the caly 3 and 3.5 are perfect all around knives. Especially in Hap40 like I carry most days.

The Deacon wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:03 pm

Love all five of these but, if push came to shove, my favorite among them is still the second from the right because it's the most compact of the lot.

Your woodie Stretches always make me drooly.