- Joined
- Apr 9, 2011
- Messages
- 156
Hi All,
I just finished up another video overview and detailed written review. Thanks for checking it out!
[video=youtube;eeK7nto1uMs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeK7nto1uMs&feature=player_embedded[/video]
The Spyderco Massad Ayoob is another interesting knife from Spyderco that is (again) a little different from their staple offerings and although designed in the U.S. looks as though it could have had some foreign influence. It also vaguely reminds me of a less animated Ansø design.
So far the Japanese Spydercos that I have looked at have been the poorest in their manufacturing when compared to American made and the immaculately manufactured Taiwanese models. Unfortunately this knife is no exception; well that is partly true.
The outside of the knife was surprisingly well constructed. The edges, holes and back-spacer has been finished very nicely, at a much higher standard than say the Carbon Fiber Lum I reviewed (also made in Japan) which had chipping around every hole drilled.
The problem on this knife however isnt as much cosmetic as it is mechanical. The mating surface between the liner and the blade tang is very poorly finished. This part of the knife looks as though it has been crudely ground on a low grit wheel and there doesnt appear to be any bushings visible between the liners and the blade. The result is a grinding and marking on the tang that is obvious when the knife is both open and closed. Something that is questionable on a knife that is marketed a collectors item and demanding a higher premium than other models. This construction could also be a bit problematic if the knife gets dirty. The handle, liner and spacer are held together with rivets making a total breakdown and cleaning out of the question. Add some dirt to the rough liner surface and you could have some operational problems
I find this a bit unfortunate as I really love the overall design of the knife. The forward leaning blade is well bellied and combined with the hollow grind is a born slasher. The narrow profile also lends itself well to thrust cutting. The grind has a short width and leaves a surprising amount of material toward the tip without compromising its sharpness. The high well jimped thumb ramp has a steep angle giving extra security and although blunt to the thumb is comfortable once the handle to blade angle is considered.
The handle itself is thicker and heavier than many other Spydercos due to the lock back mechanism and solid stainless back spacer giving it a good balanced feel. The handle is slightly over-sized and curved with light scalloping that provides excellent ergonomics. This knife can be held up at the forefinger groove or back farther for greater reach. The thumb ramp is effective in both positions. Aside the aforementioned grittiness in the pivot, the lock is smooth and has a comfortable amount of resistance. The lanyard hole is a functional diameter and the clip can be configured for left or right handed users, tip up only.
Over all I am satisfied with the Massad Ayoob as a design curiosity but would not recommend the knife beyond that. The rivet construction and finishing on both inner liners will very likely cause some problems for owners who want to subject this knife to daily use, especially tasks that involve grittiness. As a self defense knife, Im not convinced that it could be as reliably deployed under stress as a model with a liner or compression lock (lock backs have more resistance when opening) coupled with a larger diameter thumb hole or an assisted opener. With that being said I believe the geometry, once the knife is open, would perform as claimed.
There are more pictures, specs and other knife reviews on my site if you are interested:
http://www.edgeobserver.com
Thanks for taking the time to read!
~EO
I just finished up another video overview and detailed written review. Thanks for checking it out!
[video=youtube;eeK7nto1uMs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeK7nto1uMs&feature=player_embedded[/video]
The Spyderco Massad Ayoob is another interesting knife from Spyderco that is (again) a little different from their staple offerings and although designed in the U.S. looks as though it could have had some foreign influence. It also vaguely reminds me of a less animated Ansø design.
So far the Japanese Spydercos that I have looked at have been the poorest in their manufacturing when compared to American made and the immaculately manufactured Taiwanese models. Unfortunately this knife is no exception; well that is partly true.
The outside of the knife was surprisingly well constructed. The edges, holes and back-spacer has been finished very nicely, at a much higher standard than say the Carbon Fiber Lum I reviewed (also made in Japan) which had chipping around every hole drilled.
The problem on this knife however isnt as much cosmetic as it is mechanical. The mating surface between the liner and the blade tang is very poorly finished. This part of the knife looks as though it has been crudely ground on a low grit wheel and there doesnt appear to be any bushings visible between the liners and the blade. The result is a grinding and marking on the tang that is obvious when the knife is both open and closed. Something that is questionable on a knife that is marketed a collectors item and demanding a higher premium than other models. This construction could also be a bit problematic if the knife gets dirty. The handle, liner and spacer are held together with rivets making a total breakdown and cleaning out of the question. Add some dirt to the rough liner surface and you could have some operational problems
I find this a bit unfortunate as I really love the overall design of the knife. The forward leaning blade is well bellied and combined with the hollow grind is a born slasher. The narrow profile also lends itself well to thrust cutting. The grind has a short width and leaves a surprising amount of material toward the tip without compromising its sharpness. The high well jimped thumb ramp has a steep angle giving extra security and although blunt to the thumb is comfortable once the handle to blade angle is considered.
The handle itself is thicker and heavier than many other Spydercos due to the lock back mechanism and solid stainless back spacer giving it a good balanced feel. The handle is slightly over-sized and curved with light scalloping that provides excellent ergonomics. This knife can be held up at the forefinger groove or back farther for greater reach. The thumb ramp is effective in both positions. Aside the aforementioned grittiness in the pivot, the lock is smooth and has a comfortable amount of resistance. The lanyard hole is a functional diameter and the clip can be configured for left or right handed users, tip up only.
Over all I am satisfied with the Massad Ayoob as a design curiosity but would not recommend the knife beyond that. The rivet construction and finishing on both inner liners will very likely cause some problems for owners who want to subject this knife to daily use, especially tasks that involve grittiness. As a self defense knife, Im not convinced that it could be as reliably deployed under stress as a model with a liner or compression lock (lock backs have more resistance when opening) coupled with a larger diameter thumb hole or an assisted opener. With that being said I believe the geometry, once the knife is open, would perform as claimed.
There are more pictures, specs and other knife reviews on my site if you are interested:
http://www.edgeobserver.com
Thanks for taking the time to read!
~EO
