The Deacon
01-12-03, 11:28 PM
I already posted this on the Spyderco forum, but am taking the liberty of posting it here too for the benfit on anyone who does not visit that forum...
Checked the mailbox about an hour ago. It was the third time I'd checked it today and I'd just about given up hope. Considering I only purchased it with an eBay BIN on Thanksgiving Day it really was a stretch to even think it might get here today. But, thanks to super fast shipping by Sawyers, and excellent service by my local Post Office, I now hold in my hands a new Ed Shempp Persian. Well ok, had to put it down to type this, I type slow enough as it is working with two hands, but you know what I mean.
First impressions:
This knife is awesome. Fit and finish are excellent. Ed's reference to it as "this vault of a knife" was no exaggeration, the blade is 1/8" thick, and the spine remains this thickness for all but the last inch of its 3 1/2" length. It is sandwiched between a pair of steel liners each about 3/64" thick. Add in the lockbar, back-strap, and those beautiful stainless bolsters, and you have an super solid framework to hang the matte finish black micarta scales on. In size it is similar to the Ayoob, the Shabaria, and the JD Smith, but weighs considerably more than any of them. I'd almost swear it weighs as much as any two of them together.
In my smallish hands the fit is perfect, my four fingers settle in with room to spare and the matte finish micarta give me confidence it will stay where I put it. Hole placement is excellent, the blade opens smoothly and easily with no feeling of over-reaching, although IMHO the hole could be bigger for easier operation with gloved hands. Lockup is typical of Spyderco front-lock folders - solid as a rock.
Forward grip is a bit scary though, the combination of a relatively shallow choil, no kick, and that wickedly sharp VG10 blade make some rather vivid images pop into my mind. Ok, I'll admit, I'm a bit paranoid to begin with, and the Native has me kind of spoiled in this regard, as it has to be about the ultimate "security blanket" for safe forward grip.
Personally, I fell that the black clip is more attractive on this knife than the shiny steel one on the prototype, as it does not compete for attention with the lines of the handle and blade. I do wish Sal would make a lefty clip for it, as this is one knife I would actually consider carrying clipped in my front pocket.
Checked the mailbox about an hour ago. It was the third time I'd checked it today and I'd just about given up hope. Considering I only purchased it with an eBay BIN on Thanksgiving Day it really was a stretch to even think it might get here today. But, thanks to super fast shipping by Sawyers, and excellent service by my local Post Office, I now hold in my hands a new Ed Shempp Persian. Well ok, had to put it down to type this, I type slow enough as it is working with two hands, but you know what I mean.
First impressions:
This knife is awesome. Fit and finish are excellent. Ed's reference to it as "this vault of a knife" was no exaggeration, the blade is 1/8" thick, and the spine remains this thickness for all but the last inch of its 3 1/2" length. It is sandwiched between a pair of steel liners each about 3/64" thick. Add in the lockbar, back-strap, and those beautiful stainless bolsters, and you have an super solid framework to hang the matte finish black micarta scales on. In size it is similar to the Ayoob, the Shabaria, and the JD Smith, but weighs considerably more than any of them. I'd almost swear it weighs as much as any two of them together.
In my smallish hands the fit is perfect, my four fingers settle in with room to spare and the matte finish micarta give me confidence it will stay where I put it. Hole placement is excellent, the blade opens smoothly and easily with no feeling of over-reaching, although IMHO the hole could be bigger for easier operation with gloved hands. Lockup is typical of Spyderco front-lock folders - solid as a rock.
Forward grip is a bit scary though, the combination of a relatively shallow choil, no kick, and that wickedly sharp VG10 blade make some rather vivid images pop into my mind. Ok, I'll admit, I'm a bit paranoid to begin with, and the Native has me kind of spoiled in this regard, as it has to be about the ultimate "security blanket" for safe forward grip.
Personally, I fell that the black clip is more attractive on this knife than the shiny steel one on the prototype, as it does not compete for attention with the lines of the handle and blade. I do wish Sal would make a lefty clip for it, as this is one knife I would actually consider carrying clipped in my front pocket.