from the scattered sage

Photo

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:36:21 -0700

"Hey, Buddy, Have you got...?" Let's talk EDC...

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:07:41 -0700

"Hey, Buddy, Have you got...?" Let's talk EDC...:

I might carry a bunch of this useful stuff. I’m not always around, so you should be prepared too! :) Being ready for life is a beautiful feeling.

Spyderco Sage 1 Review

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:34:31 -0700

The Spyderco Sage1 is a manual-action folding knife with a 3” S30V plain edge blade, a closed length of 4-3/16”, and an overall length of 7-1/8”. It weighs 3.2oz. All measurements are according to the Spyderco manufacturer’s website.

Like all of the Sage series, the blade is a fully flat-ground spear-point design made out of CPM-S30V stainless steel. Out of box, the Sage came absolutely hair-splitting sharp with nice even bevels on both sides. The blade stock is 3mm thick and tapers to a fine, but not needle-thin tip. So far, I have used my Sage to cut office paper, a thin cardboard hang pack containing a Leatherman Micra for my girlfriend, thicker cardboard IKEA boxes, and heavy plastic furniture shrinkwrap, all of which were an absolute breeze to cut through. As far as I can tell, the blade is every bit as sharp as it came from the box. Granted, this is not very hard use and isn’t a good gauge of edge retention, but reputation puts Spyderco’s S30V as among the best among production knife-makers, in terms of their heat treat and overall performance.

Like many Spyderco knives, the Sage has a 50/50 choil (half steel, half handle) between the handle and blade, in which the index finger is meant to rest during use. This facilitates “choking up”, allowing finer control over the blade during more precise cutting tasks. Behind the first choil is a narrow hump and fairly large handle cutout to access the liner lock release. When gripped, my middle finger and part of my ring finger fit into this cutout. Certainly usable, but not ideal for me and my hands. Behind that, the handle flares out slightly into the fairly blocky butt. The top of the handle is a basic arc shape.

The Sage’s overall ergonomics seem to be designed for users with larger hands, but is still fairly comfortable in my smaller hands. Compared to the UKPK/Caly3 (a comparably-sized Spyderco folder), the Sage’s choil is incrementally deeper and narrower, which makes it slightly more comfortable in larger hands. Nevertheless, I wear small/medium gloves, and the Sage’s choil and overall ergonomics are quite comfortable for me. I actually find the Sage’s blockier handle butt easier to grasp compared to the more tapered handle butt on the Caly3/UKPK.

The handles are made of twill-woven carbon fiber finished with some kind of epoxy-like resin, and have a slightly bumpy texture. I would consider the Sage1’s “grippiness” in-hand between smooth FRN and textured G-10. The carbon fiber handle slabs sit atop skeletonized full-length stainless steel liners, lending both strength and aesthetics to the design.

The Sage is absolutely the smoothest and most solid liner lock knife I’ve encountered. As the Sage1 is meant to be a tribute to Michael Walker and his invention of the liner lock mechanism, this makes a certain amount of sense. The ball-bearing detent holding the knife closed is perfectly tuned: the in-handle retention is outstanding, shaking the knife when closed failed to bring the blade out of the handle. However, when the user deliberately moves the blade out of the handle, the knife glides easily out of the detent position. Whether you prefer opening your Spydies with the pad of your thumb in the hole, “flicking” the blade open with your thumbnail, or the infamous Spyder-drop, all will open the Sage in short order. The knife just glides open and closed with the slightest pressure, but has just enough tension/friction so that the blade doesn’t swing freely on its pivot. It probably goes without saying, but the Sage locks up like a bank vault, with zero movement or play in any direction. Though liner lock mechanisms might be theoretically weaker and more susceptible to failure under stress, the liner lock on the Sage is absolutely solid, with the liner thickness taking up just under half of the blade’s locking surface.

The Sage comes with an inconspicuous wire pocket clip, fitted into two handle indentations and attached with a single mini-torx screw. It can be repositioned for right- or left-handed tip-up carry, or removed entirely. It might look delicate, but from what I’ve read, Spyderco heat-treats their wire pocket clips, and they are much more durable than they appear. When clipped to the pocket, the knife buries quite deeply, with less than 1/2 inch of the handle butt showing. The clip tension against the carbon fiber handles is perfect: tight enough to ensure the knife will not fall out inadvertently, but loose enough to easily withdraw the knife and not wear out the clothing material.

Like most Spydercos, the Sage’s closed width is somewhat wider than comparable knives from other makers, but the low-riding wire pocket clip helps compensate somewhat for this. I can fetch my keys from the same pocket my Sage is clipped to with minimal difficulty. When seated, the Sage is about the largest knife I’d like carrying in-pocket before getting uncomfortable. Your mileage (and attire and body shape) may vary though.

It’s also worth mentioning that the fit and finish of this knife is flawless. I have never seen a production knife with this level of build quality and construction, made anywhere. I’m starting to believe that the country of origin isn’t as relevant or accurate of a measure of quality. The manufacturer’s quality control is what really matters, and Spyderco’s is outstanding.

The Sage 1 is the first knife in a very long time that I’ve been legitimately excited about. I spent months researching this knife, and in my eyes, the hype around the Sage is well deserved. It has supplanted my Benchmade 943 as my daily carry favorite, and is absolutely perfect for my regular day-to-day urban cutting tasks. I would carry something a bit more robust for hiking or camping (my saber-ground Delica comes out then), but if you’re looking for a solid, handsome urban carry knife, the Sage is an outstanding choice.

The Internet is Coming!!

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 08:25:59 -0700

The Internet is Coming!!:

Spyderco Dyad Jr.: On the way

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:36:00 -0700

New shiny on the way. I’m legitimately excited for this one.

Product Details: Spyderco Dyad Jr.

"We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold..."

Tue, 31 May 2011 13:10:00 -0700

“

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.

”

- Archbishop Oscar Romero

Knife Safety Tips from Buck Knives

Wed, 25 May 2011 14:11:00 -0700

No joke, people don’t know these. Good idea to follow these if you use sharp objects.

Cut away from your body, not toward it.
If you drop your knife, let it fall. Don’t attempt to catch it.
Never run with a knife.
Don’t throw a knife to anyone. Hand it to them, handle first.
Never point a knife at anyone.
Do not use a locking blade if the lock will not lock open. Make sure the lock is working before using it.
Keep your knife folded or sheathed when carrying or storing.
Use a sharpening stone, not a power grinder to sharpen your knife. A power grinder can make the edge brittle and will void the warranty.
Use the right tool for the job.
Don’t use a knife for prying. It can cause the tip to break, possibly causing injury.
Use in a well-lit area, so you can see what you’re doing.
Do not use a knife on “live” electrical items like appliances.
Keep your knife clean, particularly the locking mechanism.
Keep your knife oiled and sharp. A sharp knife is safer than a dull one.
Don’t try fixing a Buck knife yourself. It is dangerous and voids the warranty.
If you get cut, seek first-aid immediately.

Buck Knives - Knife Safety

lgbtlaughs: (Submitted by theplushfrog) Truly awesome. Thanks...

Fri, 20 May 2011 08:31:36 -0700

lgbtlaughs:

(Submitted by theplushfrog)

Truly awesome. Thanks Cliff for sharing! :)

CDC says to prepare for coming zombie apocalypse

Fri, 20 May 2011 08:11:00 -0700

From TEOTWAWKI Blog:

Conspicuously absent is any advice on how to actually deal with the undead once they rise. No mention of baseball bats, crowbars, cricket bats, chainsaws and certainly nothing about firearms. Guess the official spin is that zombies are people too—they just need to be loved.

http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies_blog.asp

Acoustic Alchemy - Ariane

Thu, 19 May 2011 23:21:07 -0700

A beautiful song that takes me back… =)

Why you should care about Planned Parenthood of Indiana

Thu, 12 May 2011 12:18:05 -0700

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels recently signed a bill into law that revokes all of that state’s funding for Planned Parenthood and imposes new restrictions on access to abortions. While many of us may not be connected to the Hoosier State, Feministe has a great article on why this action has much greater implications for reproductive rights and access to preventative reproductive healthcare (NOT just access to abortions) nationwide. As I’ve said before, this is not about opposing abortion; this is about supporting equal access to preventative and reproductive healthcare for everyone, regardless of ability to pay or health insurance status.

Feministe: Mitch Daniels Defunds Planned Parenthood of Indiana, and Why You Should Care

One. Last. Paper.

Thu, 12 May 2011 12:01:25 -0700

One. Last. Paper.

Jim Lehrer Stepping Away From Anchor Role On 'PBS NewsHour'

Thu, 12 May 2011 11:13:51 -0700

Jim Lehrer Stepping Away From Anchor Role On 'PBS NewsHour':

From the article: “In that statement, Lehrer, 76, says that ‘I have been laboring in the glories of daily journalism for 52 years … 36 of them here at the NewsHour and its earlier incarnations … and there comes a time to step aside from the daily process, and that time has arrived.’”

This is like the end of an era…

"Caminante, no hay puentes, se hace puentes al andar. (Voyager, there are no bridges, one builds them..."

Wed, 11 May 2011 23:35:00 -0700

““Caminante, no hay puentes, se hace puentes al andar.
(Voyager, there are no bridges, one builds them as one walks.) “”

- Gloria E. Anzaldúa

lotofgear: I often feel like I’m becoming that crazy, paranoid...

Wed, 11 May 2011 15:21:00 -0700

lotofgear:

I often feel like I’m becoming that crazy, paranoid guy with all my gear.

+1 agreed.

"If we want a beloved community, we must stand for justice, have recognition for difference without..."

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:20:39 -0700

““If we want a beloved community, we must stand for justice, have recognition for difference without attaching difference to privilege.”
—bell hooks”

Spyderco Dragonfly2 in H1 steel via KnifeCenter.com. I...

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:14:03 -0700

Spyderco Dragonfly2 in H1 steel via KnifeCenter.com. I want…

Aftershock: The Blast That Shook Psycho Platoon

Wed, 11 May 2011 09:44:00 -0700

Aftershock: The Blast That Shook Psycho Platoon:

How Traumatic Brain Injury combined with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is afflicting thousands of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and how the U.S. military is still trying to figure out how to best help them. Regardless of your political views or your position on U.S. foreign policy, this is definitely worth a read.