Spyderco Jester first impressions

G

Griffon

Joined
Mar 25, 1999
Messages
514
This is a really small and light weight knife, but it's still quite usable.



It's more a 2 and a half fingers than a three fingers knife, but in general I get a good enough grip on it compared to the kind of tasks it's suitable for.

In order to get it small, there have been some compromises made. I think this is natural and since it'll be carried much more than actually used it's not something I have a problem with. But I'd like to mention them anyway: The opening hole is a bit on the small side. I think that the thumb placed on the ramp behind the hole goes a bit too far forward, or maybe rather that the first finger is too far from the blade. This makes for a less than optimal grip.

Near the tip is an area where you can place either your thumb(?) to get more cutting pressure or more likely the first finger, in order to guide the blade for a more accurate cut. Obviously, you can't then make deep cuts, but it's a bit more likely you'll use this knife for cutting out magazine articles and the like.

The handle cross section makes this tiny knife easier to keep oriented right than small round handled knives. I very much like the blade shape as it's quite functional.

Weight: 17 g
Blade length: 48 mm
Blade thickness: 2.0 mm
Overall length: 64 mm, closed
Overall thickness: 8-8.5 mm
Balance point: 5 mm in front of the first finger
Steel: AUS-6


Spyderco
 
Gotta love the Jester!

You're right about the ramp on the tip, the purpose is so that you can lay your index finger down the spine and get very precise control. Works great in situations where you don't have a scissors.
 
Those extremely small Spydies like the Jester or the Ladybug don't seem to be very useful to me - I'd rather go with a slightly larger folder like the Dragonfly. If space is so restricted that it has to be smaller than the latter, I think one gets more use out of a mini-SAK at a remarkably lower price.
 
I have Jester and I use it a great deal. It is the one knife i own that I don't mind whipping out anywhere that i can carry a knife. That's because the Jester is so small that even the average knife hater sees it as cute instead of threatening. That's not to say that someone wouldn't make a dumb remark, but I can simply point out that i could stab much deeper with my ballpoint pen or #2 pencil that I could with a Jester or Ladybug.
 
Jazzman - the ladybug has nice pointy tip, but there is not way that I can one-hand open the blade.

On the Jester, I can easily open the blade with one hand. Plus, I do like the little dish on the top of the Jester blade. I really have come to prefer the Jester overall.
 
Originally posted by Quiet Storm
Those extremely small Spydies like the Jester or the Ladybug don't seem to be very useful to me - I'd rather go with a slightly larger folder like the Dragonfly. If space is so restricted that it has to be smaller than the latter, I think one gets more use out of a mini-SAK at a remarkably lower price.
Click to expand...
The smaller Spydies work very well for me. IMHO, the Jester has a much more useful blade than an SAK Classic or Rambler. The Jester handle is also more ergonomic than the smallest SAKs. Rather than just being a down-sized version of a larger knife, it was designed from the start to be small, while still being comfortable and secure. I also like the Ladybug II, because it provides a serrated sheepsfoot blade than cuts hard plastic or fibrous materials pretty well.

On the other hand, I do like the scissors on the Rambler and find that the small screwdrivers are useful sometimes too. The best thing about the knives in this category is that they are small enough to carry them all at the same time...;)
 
Originally posted by tarsier
The smaller Spydies work very well for me. IMHO, the Jester has a much more useful blade than an SAK Classic or Rambler. The Jester handle is also more ergonomic than the smallest SAKs. Rather than just being a down-sized version of a larger knife, it was designed from the start to be small, while still being comfortable and secure. I also like the Ladybug II, because it provides a serrated sheepsfoot blade than cuts hard plastic or fibrous materials pretty well.

On the other hand, I do like the scissors on the Rambler and find that the small screwdrivers are useful sometimes too.
Click to expand...

Since I normally carry a larger blade anyway, the SAK's extra features (besides the knife blade) are more useful to me in addition to the primary knife than the - compared with the mini-SAK's admittedly superior - blade of a Ladybug/Jester/whatever alone as a back-up knife.


Originally posted by tarsier
The best thing about the knives in this category is that they are small enough to carry them all at the same time...;)
Click to expand...

I certainly agree on that. :)
 
Use a tie down strap on the hole opening of the ladybug or jester. It works similar to a thumb stud and helps a lot when opening!
 
I prefer a Jester with a plain edge, and have one in SS. Nice little knife that I'm not too concerned about scratching up - holds an edge reasonably well and is pretty sharp - use it for miscellaneous food and utlity uses and just rinse with water and wipe clean with a cloth.
 
Jazzman said:
I like the Jester but I still prefer the Ladybug.
Click to expand...
There's a third option: the new Spyderco/Byrd Starling. I checked one out on a lark (Byrd? Starling? Lark? I crack myself up!) recently, and it seems to offer the best of the other two. The handle is the exact same profile as the Jester, but with a "feather" texture on the sides; the opening hoel is even bigger than on the Jester, for easier opening; and the blade is a leaf shape, with a point more like the Ladybug. And since it's a Chinese-manufactured Byrd, it has an MSRP about half the other two. The only downsides I see are A) the black handle and blade finishes aren't as sheeple-friendly as a brightly-colored Jester or Ladybug; and of course, B) buying any Chinese-made knife helps support a totalitarian regime.
 
Gryffin said:
There's a third option: the new Spyderco/Byrd Starling. I checked one out on a lark (Byrd? Starling? Lark? I crack myself up!) recently, and it seems to offer the best of the other two. The handle is the exact same profile as the Jester, but with a "feather" texture on the sides; the opening hoel is even bigger than on the Jester, for easier opening; and the blade is a leaf shape, with a point more like the Ladybug. And since it's a Chinese-manufactured Byrd, it has an MSRP about half the other two. The only downsides I see are A) the black handle and blade finishes aren't as sheeple-friendly as a brightly-colored Jester or Ladybug; and of course, B) buying any Chinese-made knife helps support a totalitarian regime.
Click to expand...

By the way, the steel of Starling is also better. It has the Rc hardness of 61 ( I read it before in the forum from other byrd product). It should have about 440c kind of edge retention. I also want to get one, but still cannot find anyone on the internet selling.
 
tarsier said:
...On the other hand, I do like the scissors on the Rambler and find that the small screwdrivers are useful sometimes too. The best thing about the knives in this category is that they are small enough to carry them all at the same time.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I love my Midnite MiniChamp II. I carry it every day.
 
Quiet Storm said:
Those extremely small Spydies like the Jester or the Ladybug don't seem to be very useful to me - I'd rather go with a slightly larger folder like the Dragonfly.
Click to expand...

I need a knife that's smaller than the Dragonfly, so the Jester (or Ladybug) suits me just fine.

My reason? We were breaking down some large heavy-duty cardboard boxes at work. One of the guys was hacking away with a pair of scissors. Another was using a dull knife from the kitchenette. You get the picture.

I pull out my Dragonfly and make short work of one of the boxes. One of the other, younger, guys sees me and in an excited voice asks me rather loudly from across the room, "Hey, can you KILL someone with that?!"

Wonderful.

The boss was nearby but was preoccupied. I never used my Dragonfly in the office again. I received a Jester soon afterward as a gift, and that became my new EDC.
 
Whoa...a three-year-old thread dredged up from the bowels of the forum.

I guess my opinions are about the same still, with the Ladybug II really impressing me the most over time. I vote this knife the most-cut-per-unit-weight world champ...:thumbup: :cool:
 
Both Jester and Ladybug are useful little knives but due to a nasty tendancy I have of accidently cutting myself with small knives I no longer carry anything smaller than a Delica.
 
Spydiefan04 said:
...due to a nasty tendancy I have of accidently cutting myself with small knives...
Click to expand...

Me, too, but I guess I got used to it.

I learned to bleed well, or not at all. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top