Spyderco "Salt 1" Knife
Field Report by André Corterier
Date: 2005-NOV-23
Personal Biographical Information:
Name: André Corterier
Gender: M
Age: 33
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight: 80 kg (175 lb)
Email: andreDOTcorterierATfreenetDOTde
Home: Bonn, Germany
Backpacking Background:
I began backpacking in my late teens using Europe’s "InterRail"-System – weight hardly mattered, as we were on
trains a lot. I recently rediscovered backpacking and have started out slowly – single-day 24 km (15 mi) jaunts
by myself or even shorter hikes in the company of my little daughter. I am getting started on longer
hikes, as a lightweight packer and hammock-camper. I’ve begun upgrading my old gear and am now shooting for a
dry FSO weight (everything carried From the Skin Out except food, fuel and water)
of about 10 kg (22 lb) for three-season camping. Not quite there yet.
Year of manufacture: 2005
Manufacturer: Spyderco, Inc.
URL: http://spyderco.com/
MSRP: 74.95 USD
Comparisons - scale accurate to 1 g (0.04 oz)
listed weight: 57 g (2 oz)
measured weight: 55 g (1.94 oz)
listed dimensions:
length overall 178 mm (7 in)
blade length 76 mm (3 in)
length closed 102 mm (4 in)
cutting edge 68 mm (2 11/16 in)
hole diameter 14 mm (9/16 in)
blade thickness 2.5 mm (3/32 in)
measured dimensions:
as above (all of them). Bravo!
Introduction:
This is a folding knife, a picture of which you can find on the manufacturer's site. This model's plastic grip is
bright yellow - the kind of yellow I remember seeing on TV specials dealing with divers and their equipment. The grip features a "pitted" look, the
manufacturer's "Volcano" grip texturing, which is meant to provide a secure grip. The blade is shiny steel. It features the engraving "Salt 1" along
its blade. At the bottom of the blade, it reads "SPYDERCO H-1" on one side and "SEKI-CITY JAPAN" on the other. The blade, of course, also features the
cutting edge. With this model, that's a serrated edge (known as "Spyderedge" with the manufacturer). It features three "teeth" separated by indentations
(the actual "serrations") roughly 2 mm (0.08 in) apart, followed by a longer indentation (6 mm - 1/4 in), in a repeating pattern (that's a "two-step
serration" among the cognoscenti). The blade's most prominent feature, however, is
the large (14 mm - 9/16 in) hole in it. This gives the blade a distinct look (it looks to me like an eye - of an alligator, maybe) and is meant to allow
the user to open it with the thumb.
More about my initial impressions of the knife is listed in my
Initial Report.
Trying Out:
Sliding the clip of this knife over the fabric of my pants' pocket has become a natural thing to do which I am now doing every day (as long as I'm wearing
a pullover or similar apparel). When I'm wearing something that tucks into my pants, I let the knife rest entirely inside my pants' pocket, where it is
much less showy (less even than the
knife
it replaced). I cannot yet affirmatively state that I have found scuff marks on the fabric where the clip slides over the fabric, but am also not convinced
it won't happen - we'll know once the Long Term Report has come about.
The clip continues to attach the knife solidly, it does not slide down. I took particular note of it the few days in which I was wearing a suit, as I would
not have wanted to show underneath the vest I was wearing. It did not.
Opening and closing the knife has also remained an easy thing to do. While the days are passed in which I kept playing with my new toy, I can still open
and close the blade with an easy motion.
Cutting things:
I've continued to cut all manner of objects with this knife, as I've been wearing it continually. This has ranged from
breakfast rolls, vegetables and fruit over cord and packaging (indoors) to little bits of kindling (in my first half-hearted - and failed -
attempt at making a little stick fire).
The knife remains very sharp and cuts these things without any problems. The serrated edges work particularly well
on tomatoes and similar, bouncy surfaces which I have found difficult to cut in the past, at least with a less than
perfectly sharp straight blade. The downside of the fully serrated blade seems to be that I find it difficult to cut
in a straight line. As I move the blade, I get a sawing action, which seems to throw off what I know from experience
would otherwise be a straight cut. This has been particularly pronounced when slicing limes, slicing open envelopes and
when trying to remove the bark from twigs or other whittling-type activity. While this may simply be
a result of my manual dexterity (or rather lack thereof) I sometimes wish the blade was only partially serrated. I
believe, however, that the knife is also available in a straight edge and a combination edge version.
I have found the ridges on the top of the blade (called the "back" of the blade, I believe) to be helpful when
cutting things which strongly resisted being cut. The ridges gave my thumb a secure place against which it could rest
and provide pressure.
Durability:
The knife still opens and closes with a smooth action, even though it has not been oiled. While it hasn't gotten wet
often, I have also not been careful to dry and/or oil it afterwards, yet it shows not a spot of rust. The locking
mechanism still closes as alertly as it used to and seems solid. The blade also does not show any lateral movement -
the grip handles still hold it very straight so that in its opened state it feels much like a fixed blade.
When I take a sharp look at the blade, particular the tips of the serration's "teeth", I note what appears to be a
slight dulling. This takes the form of an infinitesimal curvature of the blade's cross-section towards the blade's
tip, which I believe was not present in the knife's pristine state. I am not yet certain that this actually
means a loss of sharpness (which would not be terrible in the light of the amount of use the blade has seen, though
slightly disappointing). But I will watch this closely during the Long Term testing phase.
Findings So Far:
It cuts most things really well. So far, it resists rusting. The verdict on holding its edge is still out. The
locking mechanism works very well and is easy to use without injury. The assembly is sturdy. And as the knife
hasn't gained any weight, it's still very light for the size of blade it offers.
Pros/Cons:
Pros: Still light. Still sharp. Smooth action. Just the right size. Probably impossible to lose. Looks neat.
Cons: Impossible to overlook.
Read more reviews of Spyderco gear
Read more gear reviews by Andre Corterier
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