Spydiebenza 25

[JJ_Colt45]

He's not the only one that's had to fix the thumbstud issue

View attachment 1096109

I'm not saying that there has never been a CRK with any thumbstud problem ... I said I must be very lucky I've never handle any that had any trouble opening.

Several post they feel it's too hard to open ... so I would guess some must be.

But just as some see a Hinderer XM-18 with a tight detent as a bad thing ... I much prefer that ... it allows for the blade to fire open as a flipper should.

Everyone is different ... nothing malice in my post ... sorry if you took it as such.

 

[GermanyChris]

I'm not saying that there has never been a CRK with any thumbstud problem ... I said I must be very lucky I've never handle any that had ant trouble opening.

Several post they feel it's too hard to open ... so I would guess some must be.

But just as some see a Hinderer XM-18 with a tight detent as a bad thing ... I much prefer that ... it allows for the blade to fire open as a flipper should.

Everyone us different ... nothing malice in my post ... sorry if you took it as such.

The CRK thumstud has been talked about quite a bit my problem with it is I cut the tip of my right thumb off about a couple decades ago so it's just uncomfortable. Neither my wife nor my father can open on handed with wet or greasy hands. The good part about it is it's unobtrusive and if it was knurled I think few would replace it..

It's just one of those things

 

[patrickguignot]

I'm no engineer but the ol' mkI eyeball tells me that would weaken the blade considerably. Spydercos have the broad leaf or hump-back blade shapes to compensate. CRK didn't design the blade with a huge hole in mind and I wouldn't be comfortable using it for anything other than standing around flicking.

I'm no engineer either but I see at least 3 reasons why it's not a real issue.

1) Not all Spydercos have the hump-back blade shape. Look at the Nirvana or the Native for example. And somehow there is no toughness issue with these models.
2) The mod on my Sebenza 25 let a good deal of metal above and below the hole.
3) It's obvious this mod, because of the metal removal, must decrease the torsional toughness of the blade. But you shouldn't use a folding knife as a pry bar so the torsional toughness it's not really important. If I need to seriously abuse a knife I have plenty of other models capable to resist this ordeal.

 

[sgt1372]

I'm no engineer either but I see at least 3 reasons why it's not a real issue.

1) Not all Spydercos have the hump-back blade shape. Look at the Nirvana or the Native for example. And somehow there is no toughness issue with these models.
2) The mod on my Sebenza 25 let a good deal of metal above and below the hole.
3) It's obvious this mod, because of the metal removal, must decrease the torsional toughness of the blade. But you shouldn't use a folding knife as a pry bar so the torsional toughness it's not really important. If I need to seriously abuse a knife I have plenty of other models capable to resist this ordeal.

Probably so but the hole just looks too big too me.

Not the 1st time I've seen a SpydieHole on "other" knives. BM has already ripped off the SpydieHole and I'm not sure if they've paid a licensing fee to Spyderco for it or if Spyderco just doesn't think it's important enough to sue to enforce their trademark (assuming that the SpydieHole is actually trademarked; don't know if it is or not).

For me, if I want a knife w/a SpydieHole, I'll buy another Spyderco to add to the over 100 that I already own, rather than buy a ripoff of the idea on a knife from another company (or bother "custom" drilling such a hole in an already desirable knife like a CRK.

 

[sliceofaloha]

Really like the new look of my Sebenza 25 with a spydie hole.
I always thought the CRK thumbstuds are too slippery and now I have a shiny new spydie hole to open the knife. And also less weight due to the metal removal

Why CRK don't offer this option? They can put a slightly oval hole if they fear the (stupid) Spyderco copyright.

The mod was made by cml_knifeworks.
Thanks to him.

I like it.

I feel that it's A-OK to protect one's intellectual property rights. I'd prefer additional opening options (including other than conical studs) available from CRK and I'd pay an additional amount for CRK to then pay Spyderco if that hole was available.

 

[Hackenslash]

I'm no engineer but the ol' mkI eyeball tells me that would weaken the blade considerably. Spydercos have the broad leaf or hump-back blade shapes to compensate. CRK didn't design the blade with a huge hole in mind and I wouldn't be comfortable using it for anything other than standing around flicking.

I'm no engineer either but I see at least 3 reasons why it's not a real issue.

1) Not all Spydercos have the hump-back blade shape. Look at the Nirvana or the Native for example. And somehow there is no toughness issue with these models.
2) The mod on my Sebenza 25 let a good deal of metal above and below the hole.
3) It's obvious this mod, because of the metal removal, must decrease the torsional toughness of the blade. But you shouldn't use a folding knife as a pry bar so the torsional toughness it's not really important. If I need to seriously abuse a knife I have plenty of other models capable to resist this ordeal.

Here's another with about the same amount of steel in the blade that seemed to do OK...

 

[GronK]

I'm no engineer either but I see at least 3 reasons why it's not a real issue.

1) Not all Spydercos have the hump-back blade shape. Look at the Nirvana or the Native for example. And somehow there is no toughness issue with these models.
2) The mod on my Sebenza 25 let a good deal of metal above and below the hole.
3) It's obvious this mod, because of the metal removal, must decrease the torsional toughness of the blade. But you shouldn't use a folding knife as a pry bar so the torsional toughness it's not really important. If I need to seriously abuse a knife I have plenty of other models capable to resist this ordeal.

1) Spyderco designed both of these and all others with the hole being a consideration right from the start, engineered to provide the necessary strength.
2) One man's "good deal of metal" is another's, "looks iffy at best!" Neither is exactly scientific or proven.
3) As I said, for fiddling with or maybe opening envelopes it will probably do. It may even be up to the stresses of normal use. But it for sure wasn't engineered to "work" with that much material removed.

 

[GronK]

Here's another with about the same amount of steel in the blade that seemed to do OK...

As well it should. It was designed to be exactly how it is, by folks that have been holing blades for years. Guess I'm a bit conservative on this type of thing (pretty ironic, if you knew me!) I own or have owned and used several of both brands. I decide what to carry on every given day according to what I think my needs might be. If I decide I need or just want to use the hole opener I grab a Spyderco.

 

[GermanyChris]

In the end if it breaks the OP can send his knife and $160 to CRK and it'll be good as new and the lesson will be learned

 

[dirc]

$75.

why would you spend that much on a 15 or 20 minute dremmel job?? honestly curious

(also, personally I'd make it a bit smaller, and might not actually make a hole all the way thru, as that is not needed to give you purchase)

 

[patrickguignot]

why would you spend that much on a 15 or 20 minute dremmel job?? honestly curious

Because I heard it's a risky mod (with horror stories about messed up blades). So I selected someone experienced in this game.

(also, personally I'd make it a bit smaller, and might not actually make a hole all the way thru, as that is not needed to give you purchase)

I specifically asked cml_knifeworks to prioritize making it easy to deploy even if it means a bigger hole than what was strictly necessary.

 

[cchu518]

The pointy CRK thumbstud is just miserable. To think they could stuff a zaan thumbstud on everything but don't...

 

[dirc]

I'm a bit curious about the horror stories, tbh ; ) ... it seems fairly straightforward home-mod

 

[marrenmiller]

I'm no engineer but the ol' mkI eyeball tells me that would weaken the blade considerably. Spydercos have the broad leaf or hump-back blade shapes to compensate. CRK didn't design the blade with a huge hole in mind and I wouldn't be comfortable using it for anything other than standing around flicking.

It would weaken it, but it's not like it needed that strength to begin with. Who is applying large side loads to their sebenzas? It doesn't matter if it was "engineered" to be this way or not; all that matters is the amount of material left and how well you take care to prevent stress concentrations.

Plus, last time I checked the PM2 and Endura have very little material below the opening holes and I don't think I've ever seen someone snap those at the hole.

I did this to my ZT 0920 and love how it works for flipping and thumb opening. So many knives benefit from this mod.

 

[marrenmiller]

why would you spend that much on a 15 or 20 minute dremmel job?? honestly curious

(also, personally I'd make it a bit smaller, and might not actually make a hole all the way thru, as that is not needed to give you purchase)

Lol, it's not an easy mod and would be awful to do with a Dremel. I've done it before with a drill press and a carbide bit and can tell you that $75 is a good price considering.

 

[GB940Rookie]

The hole looks a little large but I like it. Great job.

 

[GronK]

It would weaken it, but it's not like it needed that strength to begin with. Who is applying large side loads to their sebenzas? It doesn't matter if it was "engineered" to be this way or not; all that matters is the amount of material left and how well you take care to prevent stress concentrations.

Plus, last time I checked the PM2 and Endura have very little material below the opening holes and I don't think I've ever seen someone snap those at the hole.

I did this to my ZT 0920 and love how it works for flipping and thumb opening. So many knives benefit from this mod.

The hole is actually the point of fracture in many blade breaks, whether huge add-on holes, Spyderco holes, or little stud mounting holes. Spyderco did a free exchange when one version of the Mule some years back was improperly heat treated and broke at the hole. I've seen pics of a Strider fixed blade that was dropped and busted in half at the hole. My point is that placing a hole needs considerable design to keep it safe. Just drilling a huge hole in an existing blade and calling it good. . . . . isn't.

 

[marrenmiller]

The hole is actually the point of fracture in many blade breaks, whether huge add-on holes, Spyderco holes, or little stud mounting holes. Spyderco did a free exchange when one version of the Mule some years back was improperly heat treated and broke at the hole. I've seen pics of a Strider fixed blade that was dropped and busted in half at the hole. My point is that placing a hole needs considerable design to keep it safe. Just drilling a huge hole in an existing blade and calling it good. . . . . isn't.

I don't know what you think they're doing different than this hole mod. Suitable care looks to have been taken for this mod and generally is for most Spyderco knives. I would be waaay more worried about sharp corners and edges on their plunge grinds acting as a stress concentration than a large hole. There's nothing magical about designing with a spyderhole. That being said, Spyderco is almost certainly doing these holes pre-heat treat, which will reduce complications a bit in production.

Plus, it seems to ignore the fact that the any knife with a thumb stud is going to have a drilled and possibly tapped screw hole in it, acting as a breakage point anyway.

Source: professional mechanical engineer

 

[marrenmiller]

I'm a bit curious about the horror stories, tbh ; ) ... it seems fairly straightforward home-mod

On the one I did, the carbide bit blew jagged pieces out of the back of the hole when I was drilling. I had to stop, flip it over, and complete the hole from the backside to not absolutely destroy my 0920 blade. I can easily see it destroying a blade by accident.

 

[Lapedog]

Here's another with about the same amount of steel in the blade that seemed to do OK...

The Southard has a super thick spine to help compensate for that. Actually on the Southard blade seems like it is the internal stop pin track that is most likely to produce weakness.