Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Spyderco Salt I Review



The Spyderco Salt I folding pocket knife comes with a plastic grip with a volcano texturing for added grip in slippery situations. The blade is Japanese steel with some branding courtesy of Spyderco engraved on the blade. The blade has a curved serrated edge with its signature Spyder edge with two serrated points about 2 mm apart and the third being 6 mm apart providing an edge that destroys normal cutting materials. The most prominent feature of this pocket knife is the opening device, a hole in the middle large enough for bulky thumbs and can also act as a blood groove.
Cutting with this knife is a dream through normal cutting materials and the steel blade stays sharp through heavy use. I have used this blade around the house and the blade performed well even when whittling plastic, which can really put a bind on cutting power. The knife additionally performed well in the field when used to open a steel can of condensed milk. While folding knives usually feel like just that, this blade has the feeling of a fixed blade even when piercing the can. The Spyderco Salt I performed remarkably in the cutting portion of field testing.
The knife fits the hand well with an ergonomic natural feel and opening and closing the knife feels equally natural even with extended use. The raised angled backside of the blade gives extra support especially when shaving wood or other materials with a secure area to rest my thumb and direct the blade. There is one concession for this blade that I must discuss although this problem seems to be indicative of a serrated blade and that is making a smooth cut. The serrated edge leaves different indentions in materials so a straight blade is needed for these instances.
Durability with the Spyderco Salt I is exceptional. After three months of excessive use the knife continues to open and close correctly and the blade is still true. It passed the dishwasher test and came out clean as a whistle. After applying a little oil it went straight back into my pocket. The serrated edges have come down in height some and sharpening serrated blades changes the cut dramatically but this is another setback of serrated blades. The knives cutting ability has depreciated over time but still performs well. I recommend this knife to anyone looking for a basic pocket knife for daily use.
The Spyderco Salt I knife is a durable, lightweight knife ideal for every day use. It is actually lighter than most others in its class and consistently performs well in spite of this. Other than the normal setbacks of serrated blades there are not many complaints from my end and I am still amazed at the folding mechanism.

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