Spyderco Positron

[bld522]

Handle is about 4" but usable is about 3.4"

Yep. That's what I was afraid of. And it's the kiss of death for me. I really need a handle length of at least 4" to get a secure grip on my folders and 4.25" is better. A usable handle length of 3.4" is simply a no-go for me.

 

[RamZar]

Yep. That's what I was afraid of. And it's the kiss of death for me. I really need a handle length of at least 4" to get a secure grip on my folders and 4.25" is better. A usable handle length of 3.4" is simply a no-go for me.

I mentioned in an earlier post that you can get a good grip even with 3.4 inches but you need to bunch up your fingers together tight. However, by holding it tight the clip digs into your palm unless you don't carry a clip.

Received my Positron just now. It's a real nice little EDC flipper. Not perfect with pluses and minuses.

On the plus side, it's thin, narrow, trim and light (2.61 ounces). The blade is sharp, centered, no blade play. With FFG and 0.114" thickness it should be a great slicer. Flipping action is great even with the low profile flipper tab. The real CF is really well done and affords very good traction.

On the minus side, it's a little difficult to disengage the lock since there's not much room or better cutout. Although the handle length is 3.96" there's only 3.4" room for a grip. You can get a good grip but you need to bunch up your fingers real tight. Also, the bottom of the clip where the screw is does create a hot spot when gripping it tight which you kind of need to. Hate to have to remove the clip.

I'll carry it all day tomorrow and see how it goes.

 

[hoimin]

How is everyone gripping their light EDC folders? Saber and hammer? And what is being cut that requires such a grip?

The Positron looks like it'll work just fine with a pointer finger on the nicely rounded spine, or a pinch grip.

 

[bld522]

For me, it's more about how much finagling I have to do to position the knife just right to open and close it easily. A knife with a sufficiently long handle tends to stay put better when I open and close it than one with a short handle. YMMV.

 

[FW JSB]

I've had mine now for several days now. It's grown on me a little from my initial impression. Ultimately I'll say I like the knife but I think it's a little over priced. At its price point, I would have expected a smoother flipping mechanism. It's not bad, it's just that it takes a strong flip to get it to come fully open and I would have expected less effort to get it to deploy.

I agree with your assessment. It's also difficult to close one-handed.

 

[AusLoX]

I don't have the same issues with size, flipping action, and operation of the liner lock as some of you do, but I'm not thrilled to be holding the knife either. The knife is good, I just don't have the same excitement as I do with some of the other spydercos I purchased recently. Who knows maybe it will grow on me.

 

[bld522]

If you wouldn't mind, put your index finger where it belongs in the cutout behind the guard, hold the knife in a hammer grip, and take another picture. I'd like to see whether the handle extends all the way through your palm and out the other side. It's hard to tell whether or not it does that based on the way you're holding the knife in your pictures.

Thanks.

 

[Spinny]

For anyone who needs a good handle comparison, think of a Mini Griptilian. It's a nearly identical handle length and shape, including the "usable" amount of handle. The only difference is that the Positron is a little wider.

 

[AusLoX]

If you wouldn't mind, put your index finger where it belongs in the cutout behind the guard, hold the knife in a hammer grip, and take another picture. I'd like to see whether the handle extends all the way through your palm and out the other side. It's hard to tell whether or not it does that based on the way you're holding the knife in your pictures.

Thanks.

I wear a medium to large glove depending on brand. I don't have the fat finger syndrome that my pops has but this is about as small as I can go with comfort.

 

[AusLoX]

Ok it's only been one day but I like it so far. I will be keeping this one

 

[hoimin]

Ok it's only been one day but I like it so far. I will be keeping this one

Thanks for the in-hand pictures!

 

[AusLoX]

Thanks for the in-hand pictures!

No problem! Hope that helps for size.

 

[bld522]

No problem! Hope that helps for size.

Yes. That answers my question. Thanks.

 

[hoimin]

Just received my Positron.

First impressions:
Excellent fit and finish as usual for a Taichung piece. Perfectly centered blade with zero play and a nicely smoothed spine (thanks to polish and light stonewash). Very clean flipping action, but as it is my first flipper, it took me about three tries to calibrate the force. Extremely light knife, but not flimsy feeling. The carbon fiber is smooth and cleanly sculpted with no exposed cf weave pockets.

I really like the handle shape for the way I hold my knife (pointer on blade) as there is plenty of room for three fingers and the blade spine has a subtle dip that seats the fingertip perfectly. The handle end tip is a very abrupt edge, but it does not cut. The flat of the handle butt seats nicely against the palm when positioned for flipping. Though it looked kind of chubby in the initial photos compared to the blade width, the handle overall is really quite svelte.

The liner lock cutout is usable for me, but it does take some focus to close the blade. The flipper tab is very close to the lock so you bump against the closing thumb almost immediately. You'll never cut yourself accidentally on closing, but I can see some people might get annoyed by that.

The trademark Spyderhole is decorative, but functions like a nailnick in two handed deployment. This can by Spydey-dropped open, but I have small hands so your mileage may vary. I cannot open it with my thumb at all, or middle finger flick as there is literally no room.

As seen in the photos posted earlier, the lock face is teeny tiny. The design is really space efficient. The cutout in the blade tang for the stop bar is the same cutout that the detention ball tab of the liner locks into. Lock up lines up the liner with the left edge of the tang.

I sort of sprung this purchase on my wife. When she confronted me with why I had to buy it, I said because it was way pretty. She grudgingly admitted that it definitely was that and proceeded to play with the flipper and opened a package of her own with it.

 

[hoimin]

It has been about 2 weeks since I received my Positron, so I have some new thoughts to add:

For the first week, my flipping finger and my thumb were sore. No big deal now.
Closing knife seems easier now than the first week. Lock up is the same, but I guess my thumb knows where to push to close most easily.

Cutting EDC stuff (tape, some cardboard, packaging) remains effortless.

 

[kingston73]

I'm still waiting for mine, reading through this thread seems a mixed bag but most of the negatives sound the same as my thoughts about my zt566, I really didn't like it the first month or so I had it but it smoothed up and broke in and became one of my favorites. I'm thinking this positron will be the same.

 

[Eodjuggernaut]

My positron has been great. Super light easy carry great blade shape and edge geometry. Fit and finish is what we have come to expect from Taiwan made Spydies. Excellent. Almost perfect EDC except the one complaint everyone seems to have. Closing! If I had the confidence to open up the scale I would do it. After three weeks I've got the hang of it but a relief would do great things for this knife.

 

[SAKsRCool]

Couple of weeks ago I cut the heck out of the tip of my thumb closing my small sebenza. So I stayed away from the locks that required my thumb to open/close.
I found that in the edge-down hold I could easily cant the Positron a little outboard, use my thinner index finger to release the lock, then close it like I do a midlock. Now that my thumb is better it's still much easier to use my index finger.

 

[sigltn]

Positron answers my need for a light weight super accessible EDC, the geometry is pleasing as well as efficient. As always, Taichung knives are flawless, you never read about centering, lock rock, like you do with other manufactures. This knife has replaced the mighty PM2 from my rotation. BRAVO!

 

[stkh22]

For the $ there are other knives that can fill this void, like I mentioned before, could have a been a great knife, but falls short in all the areas that are important to me. Lets see what 2016 Spyderco brings to the table as there a few that look promising.