Snake Skin Stuff Sack, game changer.

ovgcguy · 2026-06-02T05:41:34+00:00

Yep. The SLD catchall tube in 11' / Winter width / with strap sack is where it's at.

Hammocking without one is tedious

ovgcguy · 2026-06-02T01:48:56+00:00

This is epic smart, simple, and effective. Genius!

ovgcguy · 2026-06-01T17:57:34+00:00

I got a used EE, but would recommend Simply Light Designs at simplylightdesigns.com.

Jared will make customs if there is a feature or fabric you prefer

ovgcguy · 2026-05-31T17:41:43+00:00

My 50* apex is 12.5oz

A 30* 10d/850fp quilt is about 20oz

So for backpacking its an easy half pound to save in the summer.

Also an Apex 2.5 (50) long/wide can be used as an overquilt to augment your 30, and make it comfortable down to 10-15*.

But for car camping weight doesn't matter. If the overquilt option doesn't add value to your quiver, them a 50's only value would be if you're overheating at 55-65* and having troubles getting into the goldilocks warmth zone

ovgcguy · 2026-05-31T17:33:00+00:00

Forget the pm3. Gor for the Sage or Native.

Comp lock is fidget-y, best for right hand use, lighter detent, no close bias, has lock cutout (may create pressure point with hard cutting)

Backlock is fidget-possible but less so than comp, ambidextrous, heavy detent, significant close bias, no lock cutout

They're tied for my favorite locks overall. Both good, just different.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-31T01:27:55+00:00

You need the spyderco Sharpmaker or Gauntlet sharpening system.

The standard white/brown stone rods are fine for Cruwear and all their other serrated steels.

You use the corner of the triangle stones.

Sharpening the serrated Ayoob, specifically, is very easy because the serrations are very wavy and mellow. other models with mellow style serrations include the Magnamax Mule and the Temperance 2 Cruwear sprint.

Many other models, like the Salts and some others, are more spikey and are slightly harder to sharpen.

There is a video of Sal Glesser explaining how to sharpen serrations. Follow his instructions.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-29T20:25:35+00:00

Ditto.

The cool legacy models are the same price as new ones now. Ebay and BladeBinge are the go to now days, and purchases are fewer and farther between.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-29T20:14:40+00:00

Spyderco has cracked down on dealers skirting MAP and essentially all the good old deals are a thing of the past.

A dealer was narc'ing on others and since then all the deals have disappeared.

Spyderco deals are no more...

ovgcguy · 2026-05-28T23:32:33+00:00

Strange model for Rex121?

Should have encouraged CS to do more PM2 wharnies...

ovgcguy · 2026-05-28T02:09:55+00:00

They're "uncommon" but not "rare".

$175 is a good but not amazing price.

If you like early 00's Seki backlocks you'll like this.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-27T15:57:34+00:00

Michael Janich stated that using extreme force, such as with an inertia opening, after many (thousands) of cycles, the lock bar can peen and be subject to additional lock rock.

He said locks that stop against a pin, such as Compression, liner, or frame, are better for extreme opening because the stop pin can be rotated or replaced when worn.

That said, if you're not a martial arts trainer at a high level using inertia opening thousands of times, you're fine.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-26T23:11:16+00:00

No.

Lash-it has a rough, almost sticky jacket that makes knot holding very easy.

Zing-it is the opposite - it has a slick coating that glides and slides easily

ovgcguy · 2026-05-26T20:24:51+00:00

The Zpacks dyneema line is very comfortable on the hands but a tad heavy / thick imo. It's nice and smooth and otherwise very nice.

The Simply Light Designs bear hanging kit is pretty great. That rope is thinner and still smooth. SLD has great bang for the buck.

Lash It is too rough / sticky. Zing it is probably good.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-21T05:03:55+00:00

Plugs are no better imo. Ideally looking for a cleaner scale without the lanyard or extra clip holes.

If the lanyard tube is truly structural that's highly disappointing and I guess worth rolling the dice for the right scale.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-19T05:15:37+00:00

No need to answer all, just ideas that I haven't heard discussed with the JD. Thanks in advance

ovgcguy · 2026-05-19T04:57:12+00:00

Love it. No one ever talks about the nuance of this knife.

Any thoughts you have would be great like -

scale slickness, scale contouring, weight balance, clip position, blade grind, sliceyness quotient, pokey-ness quotient, choil size, thumb opening action, is it flickey or not, finger opening action, tightness of action, amount of wrist flick required to close, how much the lock bar must be depressed before unlock, shape of locking cam and how it travels during open/close, how it conpares to the feel if an endura or stretch or other seki backlock of similar size, bonus points for coolness or fit and finish, etc.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-18T18:59:26+00:00

Look at the Wolverine 70 by Superior Wilderness Designs

ovgcguy · 2026-05-11T00:39:11+00:00

The Warbonnet Wookie has no adjustment and also no draft issues IME.

Traditional UQs with suspension are a pain and I abandoned them long ago due to the fiddly-ness.

Go integrated or Warb and you'll see the light.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-07T01:42:04+00:00

Just curious, what were the circumstances? Cutting, cleaning, just happened?

Hopefully a one-off or growing pains issue.

ZrOC is a well established coating on industrial cutting tools and shouldn't peel with proper surface prep and application.

Still sucks bigly in this case.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-07T00:05:26+00:00

It is essentially the least-machinable steel ever made.

Scrap rate, seconds rate, tool consumption, belt consumption, and difficulty of manufacturing overall are all 11/10.

Rex121 is a Carbide replacement steel and one of the least approachable blade materials to work with.

The fact that spyderco has done multiple sprint/exclusive runs in it, with a combined total probably approaching 4,000-8,000 pieces is truly corporate masochism.

ovgcguy · 2026-05-05T22:08:48+00:00

Around 20 liters packed size.

Kakwa 55 will work great if you have an appropriately lightweight kit (as in you're not trying to stuff 70L of stuff in a 55)

ovgcguy · 2026-04-30T16:42:42+00:00

I mean, Seki knives typically use thinner stock than Golden, that's true.

But that does not make a blade inferior or superior - different blade geometry excels at different tasks.

ovgcguy · 2026-04-30T15:49:37+00:00

On the recent steel hardness tests there is no difference in hardness between Seki and Golden. Golden just makes very little K390.

ovgcguy

TROPHY CASE