Too nice to use?

[carrot]

I love the Caly3. It looks and feels great, and cuts as well if not better than it looks. But I find myself using it very lightly, cutting envelopes and tape and boxes, resorting to my serrated Cricket for blister packaging (I'm quite afraid of breaking the pointy tip of the Caly3) and the D4 for cutting on surfaces that may damage the edge and light prying.

Thus I have an EDC dilemma. I'd rather not be carrying three knives, no matter how great each is... I also love carrying the Caly3 but I don't want to subject the Caly3 to hard use because the blade seems very delicate... any suggested solutions?

[spyderking]

I don't know much, but if I were in your position I would buy another Caly 3.. keep the new one safe, carry and use the current Caly 3! That's what I'd do err am going to do. :spyder: ;) :spyder:

[dialex]

Spyderco knives are meant to be used. You'll be amazed how tough those little ones are.
However, I understand your point. If I were you, I'd get myself a ZDP Delica as a beater ;)

[Medic]

just bought a caly 3! hope i dont have that problem ;)

[carrot]

I don't know much, but if I were in your position I would buy another Caly 3.. keep the new one safe, carry and use the current Caly 3! That's what I'd do err am going to do. :spyder: ;) :spyder:
I like that idea! But what's the point of having a safe queen as backup if you don't want to use it? So I'm thinking... two more Caly3's...

[spyderking]

I like that idea! But what's the point of having a safe queen as backup if you don't want to use it? So I'm thinking... two more Caly3's...

Did I say ONE..?? What I meant to say was TWO. Yes, get TWO more Caly 3's, for a total of THREE!!! :D You can never have too many spydies.. and besides, it's a :spyder: .

[NoFair]

Carrot: Buy a ZDP Caly 3 or a ZDP Lum as a light use or safe queen and use your normal Caly without remorse:D

I use mine quite hard and I don't think there is much danger of breaking it.

If you want a hard use folder in addition to it get a SE Delica/Salt1 or a Native.

[Peter1960]

...blister packaging (I'm quite afraid of breaking the pointy tip of the Caly3) ...
Hmmh, the Caly3 is my most used EDC and I often use it for opening blister packagings - there was never a problem with cutting or penetration.

Just now I don't have a Cricket with me, but I can't imaginge that the tip of the Cricket is stronger.

My piece of advice: trust in you Caly3, it's build as user. :)

[eastr]

i have had my caly3 for about for a awhile pretty much senece it's release can never bring my self to use it. it is the only knife that dosn't rotate in my edc all my other spydies get a break maybe not all day but at least a few hours a day.that lnife is just perect and can't bring my self to sractch the pretty blade. geuss i need to buy anther so i have one to us and one to look at.:spyder: rocks:cool:

[The Deacon]

Couple thoughts. The combination of a 3mm thick blade, full flat grind, and no swedge/bevel grind on the spine should, in theory, make the Caly 3 tip the sturdiest of the three. And, although prying with any knife involves some risk, it should be the least succeptible to damage from mild abuse in that manner. Finally, assuming the D4 and Cricket are both VG-10 versions, steel type is not a factor.

So, if the Caly 3 and the Delica are the same edge type, I'd call carrying both at the same time redundant. That's not always a bad thing, but the probability of needing a "backup unit" and the consequences of not having one instantly available have to be weighed against the logistics of carrying it.

The Cricket is a different story. Its reverse S blade shape makes it better for some uses and its size is an advantage at those moments when "PC" is more important than efficiency.

[bh49]

Caly3 is one of my favorite EDCs. I love this knife since March 6, 2006 when Ted posted pictures of the prototype. It was long six and half months waiting to get it. I carry it every day and cut everything what need to be cut. I do not abuse my knives or use them for prying; also I think Caly3 is stronger than Delica and it great for lunch, cardboard boxes, plastic, wood, branches. I would hate to break a tip, but if knife is getting dull or little chip on the edge; I can fix this with Sharpmaker or/and coarse DMT stone. I do not have backup unit, I do not see much sense, because it is production knife, and available. I would get second Caly3, only if I see some extremely good deal.

[Harry White]

"luckily" my caly3 arrived with the blade scratched up a little. i got a really good deal from ebay so i could either return it for a refund and pay a lot more for a replacement or keep it as is.

i kept it, and it was the right decision for me. now, no worries about scratching the blade from use, cause its already scratched! sorta like buying a new car and being paranoid about getting that first "ding" -- but after a few months (and a few dings) you don't worry anymore.

buy one, use one, and wear any scars with pride. its a spyderco!

[bowarrow2000]

To each his own but no more Safe Queens for me and that includes firearms.
I have a number of knives and handguns just sitting in the safe. What good are they if you don't use them? The Caly III is a great EDC knife, so use it up and when it is used up get another one or two.

[gordonk]

Couple thoughts. The combination of a 3mm thick blade, full flat grind, and no swedge/bevel grind on the spine should, in theory, make the Caly 3 tip the sturdiest of the three. And, although prying with any knife involves some risk, it should be the least succeptible to damage from mild abuse in that manner. Finally, assuming the D4 and Cricket are both VG-10 versions, steel type is not a factor.

So, if the Caly 3 and the Delica are the same edge type, I'd call carrying both at the same time redundant. That's not always a bad thing, but the probability of needing a "backup unit" and the consequences of not having one instantly available have to be weighed against the logistics of carrying it.

The Cricket is a different story. Its reverse S blade shape makes it better for some uses and its size is an advantage at those moments when "PC" is more important than efficiency.

Agreed - but there are so many blades, so little time:D I'm still babying my Caly 3 a bit compared to my VG-10/D4's and still haven't used my ZDP Delica that hard either. I am getting better at it though:) I think it's just developing a bit of confidence in the cost/performance arena for me. The first bullet was the Police I modded:) For me, I think I have to very deliberately shed a bunch of folders that I carry for a while and simply use one (maybe two.....:) ). I carry my Rescue 93mm for the same reason as the cricket - there are certain tasks that an SE/different shaped blade simply does better. I never did work my Gray Caly Jr that hard because I felt that it was a little flimsy - it likely wouldn't have blinked in reality.

- gord

[spyderking]

I'd say carry the Caly 3... I think if anything terrible were to happen to it Spyderco would gladly take care of you. I haven't carried a Caly 3, though I want to. I worked in a shipping dept. for a good year or so and used a Manix for all types of cutting. That knife held up great. A bit big and now that I think about it.. the Mini-Manix would be even better. I highly doubt you'll run into problems with the Caly 3..

[Mr Blonde]

I actually used my Caly III PE quite a few times over Christmas, getting those blister packs of the presents for my nephew. I pierced carefully only to make sure I didn't cut the toys, no tip damage on my sample.

Wouter

[Knifewing]

The Caly 3 was the first Spyderco I've bought expressly as a user and I haven't been disappointed. It's awesome in every way--kind of disappears when clipped to my pocket, is comfortable in hand, feels very secure with the G-10 handle, and locks up very tightly. And if I needed further illustration of all these positives, it came one day recently in a gas station where some poor guy had begged a container of gas for the car that he lived in and was trying to create a funnel to use in filling his tank. He came up to me with a plastic bottle and asked if I had a pocket knife. I pulled out my Caly and was absolutely amazed at the ease of slicing off the end of the bottle--almost no effort at all. The guy went, "Whoa! That is one scary sharp knife..." But it was just the edge it had coming out of the box. I love my D-4 and my Lava, which is still my favorite carry at night. But for EDC, with the accent on the "D," the Caly is the best so far.

[Thalestin]

whether you use it as a safe queen or use it as a edc, the important thing is that you enjoy the knife. Personally, the knives i love most are the ones i use. Sure they may not be perfect anymore, but they have character. :D

[David Lowry]

In my opinion, no knife is ever too nice to use. It's job is to be used and to cut things.

Use the crap out of it. :)

[mikebandw186]

i've had mine for quite a while, and i have never felt it might break on me. if i was gonna worry about any knife i have, it would be the zdp 189 jess horn. but i have put that through a lot too.

in general, these knives are designed to be used, and used hard. i don't safequeen anything (except the forum lava). and the spyders have been the best hard use knives i have.

that's probably why i only buy :spyder: now!

and don't worry about carrying too many knives. that is something most of us do. and i personally don't see a problem with carrying 8 knives...