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Guy
So you get 160% improvement for 30 minutes of labor - for me, this is definitely worthwhile. I use my knifes bushcrafting/hiking so re-sharpening isn’t always as easily available. I also tend to favor harder steel that naturally keeps its edge longer by nature, it good to know that putting in that extra time upfront matters.

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my reply
Depends how you look at the math, and how you like to use knives to determine if there is a benefit. if you are bushcrafting you prob want a finer edge for woodwork anyway, but...
160% sounds great if you don't actually look at the numbers.
5min to do 600grit for 60ft, and 35min to do 8k for 98ft.
that's 12ft of work per minute of sharpening for 600grit, vs 2.8ft of work per min of sharpening of 8k. now if you were paying an employee to work, which would you think is the most beneficial? if you had an employee whose job involved 8hrs of knife work a day of this nature, do you want 12ft per min or 2.8ft per min?
apart from anything, it's unlikely during a day or an outing that each resharpening is going to required 5min on 600grit. typically it would be 30seconds to restore the edge at that level in the field on a pocket stone or small steel hone.. these are soft steels easy to restore.
if you are out for a multi day trip, then that 8k prob wont survive a weekend of work if it can only handle 98ft cutting. so you are going to need to resharpen anyway. in the middle of the dark in the forest, do you want 35min or 5 min to get an edge back.

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SpyderGrill
Hello Sal, I just want to say Spyderco is my favorite knife right now. I have 20 at this time, and more on my wish list.

I admire your time traveling in the bread truck to fairs etc., selling the portable hand and sharpeners and becoming one of the major knife brands.

I dont want to get to personal in your life, but I wonder how your day is at home. Big breakfast, lunch, grill a steak for dinner? How do you test a prototype knife around the house?

Do you have any other hobbies?

Thanks for all the great knives and keep up the good work!

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sal

Thanx Mike.

Hi SpyderGrill,

Thanx much for the kind words. Gail and I have always worked hard for the company. As you know, "the harder you work, the luckier you get".

We live on the high country in Colorado, about 10,000'. We have a few acres so getting out is not a problem. I can test indoors, opening mail and packages, breaking down boxes (we burn wood for heat) food prep, etc. Outdoors cutting branches, daily maintenance.

A lot of testing is carrying the model for convenience. Cutting easy and hard materials gives me insight into grip and control. Constant cutting gives me a close look at edges; geometry, edge retention, chipping, dulling, etc.

I try not to have big meals. Always working on the weight. Only eat fish and vegetables, no meat or chicken. Stopped eating meat in '68, added fish in '79.

As mentioned, I'm pretty busy even though we're semi-retired. Hobbies: knives and edges, Time with family, I'm a shooter, sailing, Geo-politics, designing, inventing, sports cars and driving. Gave up the "Crotch Rockets" when I turned 65. Now I'm almost 78.

sal