Spyderco Sage 2 Review

lava_lamp

lava_lamp

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Oct 5, 2006
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Spyderco Sage 2 Review - Part 1

I recently received a Sage 2 to review as part of the pass-around here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=722026

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Spyderco explains on its website that: “A Sage is someone wise in judgment and experience.” Spyderco’s new “Sage” series is designed to honor the “Sages” of the knife world, with yearly introductions of new models featuring designs that pay homage to noted knife makers.

The first Sage featured the Walker liner lock and twill-woven carbon fiber scales. http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=332

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The Sage 2 features titanium handles and the Reeve Integral Lock (RIL), known to many as the frame-lock. The MSRP on the Sage 2 is $264.95 and our favorite online retailers are currently selling it for about $175.00

Fit & Finish

The knife is made in Taiwan with a blade of CPM S30V. Like the other Taiwan made Spyderco knives I’ve owned (Gayle Bradley & Sage 1), the fit and finish is excellent.

The lock is bank vault tight with about 40% of the lockbar in contact with the tang. There is no blade play in any direction. The blade came centered and very, very sharp -- as sharp out of the box as any knife I’ve ever had. Some users might notice that blade grinds are ever so slightly uneven, but it doesn’t impact cutting performance. The screw holes in the titanium are nicely countersunk so that the screw heads are recessed. You don’t feel them and won’t get hotspots.

The back is an open design with fairly beefy steel spacers and an average sized stop pin. The clip is the newer wire design and this one is silver in color, rather than the bronze used in some models. It is left/right reversible, tip-up only.

Is it the Spyderco Sebenza?

The titanium handles, S30V blade, and frame lock used in the new Sage 2 have led many to wonder: “Is this the Spyderco version of the Chris Reeve Sebenza?” My answer is: “Maybe.” To paraphrase Sal Glesser, they are both good, just different.

Size and weight-wise, the Sage 2 is in between a Small Sebenza and a Large Sebenza. Although the fit and finish on the Taiwan made Sage 2 is excellent, the details are handled a little better on the USA made Sebenzas. They have better beveling around the edges of the titanium, a rounded spine on the blade, better polishing on the blade, and smoother opening and closing. Are those small improvements worth twice the price? Probably not.

For those shopping for a mid-sized titanium folder, the USA made Buck Mayo TNT might also be worth a look. It is about the same street price as the Sage 2 and is constructed from the same materials. The fit and finish is excellent, though I think the Sage 2 is a little better. The edges of the TNT handles aren't beveled at all and the scales are a touch thinner. The TNT comes off as more of a gentleman's knife for light duty, while the Sage is more of a utility knife.

The Spyderco Native might be a better comparison to the Sage. I’ll touch on that toward the end of this review.

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Size & Weight

This photo shows the CRK Lg Sebenza, Bradley Alias I, Spyderco Sage 2, CRK Sm Sebenza, Buck Mayo TNT, and Strider PT.

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When I weighed each knife, the Sage 2 was the third heaviest of the seven, but only .1 oz heavier than the carbon fiber Sage 1. As an EDC, the Sage 2 is heavy enough that I always knew it was there, but light enough that I still chose to carry it, rather than leave it at home.

CRK Lg Sebenza: 4.8 oz
Bradley Alias I: 4.2 oz
Sage 2: 3.4 oz
Sage 1: 3.3 oz
CRK Sm Sebenza: 2.8 oz
Buck Mayo TNT: 2.7 oz
Strider PT: 2.1 oz

The approximate overall length of the knives and their blade length is as follows. For blade length, I started the measurement where the sharp edge begins and stopped t the point. I didn’t follow the curve of of the blade, which would have produced longer cutting edges for blades with more belly like the Sage 2.:

CRK Lg Sebenza: 8.25” overall/3.5” blade
Bradley Alias: 8.25” overall/3.5” blade
Sage 2: 7.25” overall/2.75” blade
CRK Sm Sebenza: 7” overall/3” blade
Buck Mayo TNT: 7.25” overall/3” blade
Strider PT: 6.5” overall/2.25” blade

Ergonomics

I found the Sage 2 to fit my XL hand well. Of the seven knives I’ve mentioned here, it might have the best overall ergonomics. It has the widest and curviest handle (with similar width to the others.) The edges of the titanium slabs are beveled for comfort, but I noticed that the Sebenza edges have two bevels (as shown in the photo) which makes the Sebbie slighty smoother feeling.

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The Sage has a generous choil for controlled cutting and a comparatively broad blade with well-placed jimping. The top edges of the blade are cut square without any swedge or rounding. The back of the blade was effective in scraping off a sticker and seems plenty sharp enough to strike a fire steel.
 
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Opening & Closing

I’ve already mentioned that the lock is rock solid. The knife flicks open easily with no wrist movement required. It is slower than my Bradley Alias and quicker than my Sebenzas or Buck Mayo TNT. The action on the Sage 2 isn’t gritty, but it feels a little rougher than the Sebenzas or TNT. There is a slight metallic sound and the silky smoothness of the Sebbies is missing. Some of that might be because the knife is brand new, though.

I'm right-handed, but the Sage 2 seems very lefty-friendly. The Spyderhole is generously sized and easy to access from either side. The clip is reversible.

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Cutting Performance

I’ve already noted that the out-of-the-box edge on the Sage 2 was hair-popping sharp. Over the last week, it has handled everything I've asked of it (cardboard, styrofoam, tape, minor food prep, light prying of some plastic...) without a second thought -- sort of an extension of my hand. The cutting performance was typical Spyderco: ready and reliable. The leaf-shaped blade may be more suited to some utility tasks than the longer tapered blades of the Sebenzas and TNT.

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Other Alternatives

Before the Sage 2 and its comparisons to the Sebenza, the comparisons on the Sage 1 were often to the Native. As you can see in the photo below, the blades on the Sage 1, Sage 2, Native 4 (carbon fiber) and the full flat ground Spyderco Forum Native are very similar. The Native blade profiles are a little narrower and pointier, and the Native 4 has a small swedge. The Native handle is a little more square than the Sage and features a lockback, rather than a liner lock or frame lock.

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Final Conclusions

The Sage 2 is a well-built knife from a great company. It's a great knife. As backed by Spyderco's warranty, it should last a lifetime. It is a great size for EDC -- not too small and not too big. It also strikes a nice balance between slicing ability and all-around utility. At it's price point, I don't think you can find a better knife for the money.

From a design standpoint, Spyderco did a good job in following another maker's inspiration, but still making their own knife. That said, I'm not sure the Sage 2 stands on its own a "classic" Spyderco design. It still feels a little like a Sebenza copy, at least to me.

Thanks again to Frank K., BladeForums, and Spyderco for letting me evaluate the Sage 2.
 
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Nice review there. I'm on the upcoming passaround for a Sage 2, and appreciate your detailed descriptions. They will help me look at some of the more subtle aspects of the knife.

Well done.
 
Your last pic doesn't show.
Review is great though, I've been eyeballing the Sage like mad.. :D
 
Thanks for another outstanding review!


The Sage 2 has a Cris Reeve Integral lock and Ti handles, but it is no question that it is a Spyderco design in all other ways and not a copy of the Sebenza at all.

I have been amazed at the quality of the Taiwan made Spydercos, such as the Sages and the Gayle Bradley. I think they are as well made as any Spyderco knives made in Golden Colorado and Seki City Japan.


Frank
 
Thanks. The last Native is one that was offered to members of the Spyderco.com forum. A limited number (500?) were offered to registered members and sold there. I bought it second-hand from a member.

Spyderco makes one knife a year for the forum, generally with unusual handle colors and special features. The 2009 Forum Knife has purple FRN and a full flat ground blade on the Native, that is a little different from the Native 4, plus etching on the blade.

There are a few www.bladeforums.com special edition Spydies out there, but I don't think there has been a new one for a while.
 
Thanks for the review, I was looking for a new EDC to add to my current rotation and was having trouble pulling the trigger on the Sage 2 since I already have the Native but today after reading this I went ahead and bought the Sage 2. It should be here in a couple days and I look forward to trying it out and I'm sure I'll like it just like I have every other Spyderco I've ever bought.
 
As I measure it, the blade on my Sage CF is more than 3 inches (3.25 from the front of the handle.)

Is the Sage 2 blade really that much smaller, at 2.75 inch?
 
The SageII is the same as the S one :)

length overall 7 1/8 in. (181 mm) blade length 3 in. (76 mm) blade steel CPM S30V
length closed 4 3/16 in. (106 mm) cutting edge 2 5/8 in. (67 mm) weight 3.5 oz. (99 g)
hole diameter 1/2 in. (13 mm) blade thickness 1/8 in. (3 mm) handle material Titanium
 
flash900 said:
As I measure it, the blade on my Sage CF is more than 3 inches (3.25 from the front of the handle.)

Is the Sage 2 blade really that much smaller, at 2.75 inch?
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The blades on both Sage knives are the same. I measured from the ridge past the choil where the sharpened edge starts to the point in a diagonal straight line using a ruler and came up with 2.75. It would be more if I followed the curve of the blade or projected straight out, but I felt that was a better comparison of all the knives. (I also could have measured wrong. I'll check tomorrow.)
 
The Sage I is great.....That said, I would love to have a slightly smaller Sage, more like the 2.75 inch blade on the Caly Jr.
 
I measured the Sage 1 blade again, as shown. I don't have the Sage 2 anymore, but the blades were identical. The total blade length is approx. 3". Point to start of choil is 2.75". Point from start of sharpening is 2.6" or so.

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Great review lava_lamp. I've got a Sage II and love it. Its got a leaf shaped FFG blade thats useful for different kinds of cutting. The handle has Spyderco's 50/50 choil that allows for various grips. I like the deep pocket wire clip. he fit & finish are excellent. The Sage II came out of the box extremely sharp. As you mentioned the opening is'nt as smooth as it could be and its not because your's is new. I've had mine a few months and its still got that slight "gritty" feel when opening & closing. All around this is a great EDC, solid RIL(Reeve intregal lock), nice shape blade, comfortable handle, deep pocket wire clip.
BTW you also mentioned the Buck TNT. Its also a fine intregal lock folder. They both are similar in size and materials. The TNT has a different shape blade as your picture shows. My TNT was even sharper than the Sage II. The TNT has maybe .5" more cutting edge even though the blade is only slightly longer. This is because of the Sage's large choil. The TNT is smoother opening but the Sage is easier to open because of the large SpyderHole. The pocket clip on the TNT was extremely tight when I 1st got it. I had to bend it back to get it to fit in my pocket. Both are great EDC knives. :thumbup:
 
Hi Flash,

Funny you should ask. We've been working on just such a model. The pattern is finished. Now we're trying to decide what kind of lock to use, or make it a non-locker?

sal
 
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