The thread in which Kirk Squeaks

[kirk13]

Since Tuesday I've been carrying a Spyderco Squeak,thanks to Aloha007. I've kind of fancied one of these since they came out,but Spydies in the UK are over priced,and I've been a bit ambivalent about the few I've had.

It's usually this time of year that the idea of a Squeak starts appealing. After the usual look at Heinnies,the use of explicit language,I took a look at Amazon in the US. A Squeak in the UK is £50-55. Turns out that I could get a pink( ) one for $29! Aloha kindly acted as delivery address and forwarder.

I'm impressed,so I'm going to run a thread to see how I get on with the little Spydie in the real world...

[jekostas]

They're lovely little knives with great steel.  Also, about the most non-threatening Spyderco in existence.

[kirk13]

Mini review:

The Squeak is a slip joint,designed for carry in non knife friendly environments...presumably like toy shops . It features one handed opening,and a pocket clip,which can be fitted to the left or right hand sides,but is not reversible.

The Squeak is about 80mm closed,the blade around 52mm including the tang. Lengthwise,it's in the same realm as a Small Tinker or a Wenger SAK. It's breadth when closed is about 35mm,which to my mind gives it a bit of an unbalanced appearance. Open,the Squeak is about 153mm long.

The other oho slipits I've had have been disappointing. The UKPK Rescue knife I had was very easy opening,but the back spring felt very soft,and the knife had tried closing on me a couple of times. Never a big problem because of the finger coil. The flip side is the Grasshopers etc always felt too thin in the hand,and are Devils to oho,but the back springs are so stiff you'd know that they wouldn't close on you.

The Squeak on the other had is bang on the money. There's a half stop at 90 degrees,there's a pleasing amount of resistance in opening. Lock is very positive. To close the blade,the resistance is similar to a SAK. Just right in other words.

The pocket clip is pretty good. It's very positive on the pocket of my jeans,but the cargos I wear at work the clip tends to difficult to get over the zips etc. Not a problem,just an observation.

I'll go into the specifics of use in later posts,but as a few general observations,I'd say the following:
It's nice and sharp,and the design of the grip is very good. Sits well in the hand,very controllable. The finger choil inspires confidence,and the ribbing on the thumb position is great. Per longed use of the Spyder hole can become irritating on the thumb though.

The FRN scales a nice and grippy,but somehow not emotionally pleasing in the hand.

I wasn't looking forward to having a pink knife( Tony,my shooting partner wanted to know if I was going to get the matching pink stock for my BSA ). On paper,at least,pink should be a lot less threatening than black,but don't believe that. By the look of the Spanish and Romanian guys I work with, the whole oho thing just cancels any calming value of the colour of the scales. That and the wide belly of the blade still conspire to give it a vaguely sinister look. Ironically,the pink isn't that grating

The biggest drawback in use for me is that the Squeak is designed for general purpose use,and is done very well. For box cutting its not perfect. To bring the tip into use,you kinda need to change the grip you use,defeating the whole idea of the design of the scales. It did work very well for kitchen work though.


Pros:
Good design
Great fit and finish

Cons:
Not as people friendly as Spyderco would have you believe
Far too expensive for what it is at UK prices
FRN scales not the most pleasing things to the touch.

[jacktrades]

 

[kirk13]

I agree,and you can take that up with Apple and their so-called software updates. I'll post some via my netbook later

[jacktrades]

Still, a very nice write up on the Squeak 

[kirk13]

Still, a very nice write up on the Squeak 

Cheers 

[cbl51]

I know some countries are strict on knives, as well as NYC and Boston. The need for a UK and NYC legal knife is real. But I guess I don't understand the knives like the squeak. If you are going to a UK style country, why not just carry a SAK or some slip joint pocket knife?

The squeak, like most of the Spyderco stuff, seems very over priced for a knife with one little blade and a plastic handle. If Victorinox, Case, Buck, Boker, and others make a viable pocket knife with two and tree blades that is UK legal, I don't understand the one hand opening synthetic handle knife. Heck, a number 5 or 6 Opinel is like 12 dollars, and if you pop off the locking ring in the number 6, it's UK legal. At the cost of a few beers at the pub.

I don't understand the single blade thing.

[kirk13]

I know some countries are strict on knives, as well as NYC and Boston. The need for a UK and NYC legal knife is real. But I guess I don't understand the knives like the squeak. If you are going to a UK style country, why not just carry a SAK or some slip joint pocket knife?

The squeak, like most of the Spyderco stuff, seems very over priced for a knife with one little blade and a plastic handle. If Victorinox, Case, Buck, Boker, and others make a viable pocket knife with two and tree blades that is UK legal, I don't understand the one hand opening synthetic handle knife. Heck, a number 5 or 6 Opinel is like 12 dollars, and if you pop off the locking ring in the number 6, it's UK legal. At the cost of a few beers at the pub.

I don't understand the single blade thing.

Oddly enough,I agree with nearly everything you've said.

I carry a SAK on a daily basis,and have a few Cases and Bucks. TBH, if you have a SAK you really don't NEED anything else as you well know. I tend to go for a clean knife/dirty knife set up. The clean is always a SAK

On the other,I drink very little, and don't really have a woman in my life,so you gotta spend on something . There are times when oho is very handy(and also with pliers). I also agree about what you say about Spydercos in general,but every now and again you gotta try something new

[Corwyn]

By the look of the Spanish and Romanian guys I work with, the whole oho thing just cancels any calming value of the colour of the scales.

I know... thought Romanian people would be more at ease with knives...
I tried to post a shiny red Victorinox Classic on Monday and when I took it out in the post office to put it in a package everybody backed away and told me they won't ship weapons... srsly... it was a red Classic and they reacted like I had taken out an AK47....

[jacktrades]

The vic classic may just be the ak47 of small knives 

[jacktrades]

Make that keychain knives.

[kirk13]

[cbl51]

Holy Crapola, I'd have to paint that thing!!!!

[zoidberg]

Holy Crapola, I'd have to paint that thing!!!!

Agreed.    Nothing against the knife, just the colour.

[enki_ck]

Holy Crapola, I'd have to paint that thing!!!!

Agreed.    Nothing against the knife, just the colour.

Well if you work in a toy store, the color would be a PLUS. Especially if you'd have to use it in front of customers.

Can't be more people friendly than pink.

Looking forward to updates to this.

[Megan]

Oh my goodness that is cute.
I really love the look of Spyderco knives.

[kirk13]

Holy Crapola, I'd have to paint that thing!!!!

Agreed.    Nothing against the knife, just the colour.

Well if you work in a toy store, the color would be a PLUS. Especially if you'd have to use it in front of customers.

Can't be more people friendly than pink.

Looking forward to updates to this.

Keep having to remind myself,don't oho on the shop floor,don't oho on the shop floor,really don't oho in the store managers office!

[captain spaulding]

Oh my goodness that is cute.
I really love the look of Spyderco knives.

Oh goodie. You need one now for sure. 

[lowtech]

Nice little knife! For the intended purpose, I´d stay with pink. And i seem to remember that Wenger in the background.
Maybe you could open the spyder hole to create an Emerson Wave - No more OHO on the shop floor...

[kirk13]

Well,it was an early start this morning,as U.S. a pallet of assorted cars and motorbikes arrive in.

The Squeak performed flawlessly( but,for fear of doing a Sheldon,this supplier uses good quality cardboard for their packing cases,unlike some I could mention). My boss did give the Squeak an odd look,whether it was because of the shape of the blade,or its colour,I'm not sure. It was fun watching her stop in her tracks

[AimlessWanderer]

She was probably thinking "I didn't know Kirky was that way inclined" 

[pfrsantos]

Well,it was an early start this morning,as U.S. a pallet of assorted cars and motorbikes arrive in.

The Squeak performed flawlessly( but,for fear of doing a Sheldon,this supplier uses good quality cardboard for their packing cases,unlike some I could mention). My boss did give the Squeak an odd look,whether it was because of the shape of the blade,or its colour,I'm not sure. It was fun watching her stop in her tracks

Give her a pink Squeaky for Xmas. Bet she'll love it.

[ducttapetech]

Well,it was an early start this morning,as U.S. a pallet of assorted cars and motorbikes arrive in.

The Squeak performed flawlessly( but,for fear of doing a Sheldon,this supplier uses good quality cardboard for their packing cases,unlike some I could mention). My boss did give the Squeak an odd look,whether it was because of the shape of the blade,or its colour,I'm not sure. It was fun watching her stop in her tracks

Give her a pink Squeaky for Xmas. Bet she'll love it.

Man, I got to get my mind out of the gutter.

[pfrsantos]

Well,it was an early start this morning,as U.S. a pallet of assorted cars and motorbikes arrive in.

The Squeak performed flawlessly( but,for fear of doing a Sheldon,this supplier uses good quality cardboard for their packing cases,unlike some I could mention). My boss did give the Squeak an odd look,whether it was because of the shape of the blade,or its colour,I'm not sure. It was fun watching her stop in her tracks

Give her a pink Squeaky for Xmas. Bet she'll love it.

Man, I got to get my mind out of the gutter.

Get mine, while you're there. I was thinking the same as I wrote it...
 

[Aloha]

She was probably thinking "I didn't know Kirky was that way inclined" 

 

My daughter also uses a squeak to open merchandise at her store.  The blade on this knife is razor sharp and unlike a box cutter more fun to use ( as I am told by her ). 

I'm sure the knife can be dyed since the color is so light.  I'd personally keep it pink and enjoy the stares you might get from those watching you use it. 

[kirk13]

Quiet day for the Squeak,despite a visit to our buying office.

The one thing I'd say is that the pocket clip can be a bit over grippy though

[captain spaulding]

Quiet day for the Squeak,despite a visit to our buying office.

The one thing I'd say is that the pocket clip can be a bit over grippy though

In my opinion this is a huge advantage and exactly what I want.

[kirk13]

Quiet day for the Squeak,despite a visit to our buying office.

The one thing I'd say is that the pocket clip can be a bit over grippy though

In my opinion this is a huge advantage and exactly what I want.

Yeah,I can see where your coming from. Flip side is,the Squeak is riding in my pocket ATM with the Kirkyclip. The LM pocket clip allows a fast easy draw,with only a slight chance of falling out. The Spydie clip just bites,and on occasion has needed two hands to remove. Bit ironic for an oho

[kirk13]

Random pic with 85mm Delemont

Hopefully