Customer Reviews

Spyderco Dragonfly G-10 Plain Edge Knife, Foliage Green

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this knife or my son who is taking wood carving at Boy Scout camp this summer. It is an awesome knife. For those wondering why the Foliage Green version cost so much more than the FRN version (Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon) let me tell you it is worth it.

#1 The ramp (spine cusp) and the choil both have jimping, which prevents the knife from slipping. FRN has no jimping
#2 The clip is metal and can be moved to either side. FRN has right side carry only FRN integrated clip that is not tight.
#3 The pivot is not pinned, it can be adjusted/unscrewed and the whole knife can be taken apart. FRN has fixed pins.
#4 the knife has full steel liners (Some like that and some don't, I do)

Why is this a great knife for whittling?

#1 It is made of VG-10 steel which is very good
#2 It comes razor sharp out of the box.
#3 The usable blade is less than 2 inches (Better for whittling control)
#4 With the jimping on the ramp and choil and the shape of the G-10 scales it fits a hand perfectly

The first Dragonfly--which came out in 1994--was the original "Little Big Knife". The idea is that it's a small knife that has a comfortably-sized grip. The rear portion of the blade is not sharpened and extends the handle (what Spyderco calls a 50/50 choil). To give you an idea of how well this works, the overall length is about 5.5", yet the usable handle length is longer than that on Benchmade's mini-Griptilian and should be enough for most people to get a full four-fingered grip. The choil also allows for a grip very close to the cutting edge, which gives greater control of the blade. The price you pay for that is reduced edge length, though on Spydercos you are likely to have a ricasso there anyway if there isn't a choil. With the exception of gentleman's blades, I won't buy a knife without a choil anymore.

This version of the Dragonfly has a detachable wire clip, a first for this model. It also has jimping (texturing) on the thumbramp and choil. The knife is so small, though, that I don't really think jimping is necessary, and it looks a bit ugly to me (not that it matters). The G10 is nice and grippy. Too grippy, perhaps? I had to sand down the area under the pocket clip to keep it from ripping up my pants. Speaking of which, I love Spyderco's wire clips. They are less obtrusive and carry deeper than stamped clips. Some people worry about their strength; that is, until they actually feel one. Fit and finish on my copy is perfect; looking at the back of the knife, it is difficult to see where the liners end and the backspacer begins. After breaking in, it is buttery smooth without any extra oil or lubrication added to the tang or pivot.

I don't think the steel liners were absolutely necessary for screw construction, but they do make it so only one screwdriver is enough to disassemble it. The knife should be relatively easy to take apart and put back together (compared to a Delica or Endura), but keep in mind that this will void your warranty. I am one that doesn't care for the liners; they are pretty beefy and the knife has a very tank-like and dense feel to it (though it's only 2oz). The Spyderco Urban is linerless G10 and certainly does not feel cheap (it also has full screw construction).

If you want something lighter, the new FRN (plastic) Dragonfly was just released today (11/22/10) and only weighs 1.2 oz. Like the G10 Dragonfly, it has screw construction, jimping on the thumb ramp and choil, and a two-way removable wire pocket clip. The FRN texture is the newer "bi-directional texturing" also used on the latest Delica and Ladybug.

One last thing: I see people complain occasionally that they don't know how to close a lockback one-handed. Probably this is due to experience with a Buck 110 or similar knife. Spyderco uses a Mar-MacBurnette "mid-lock", which is a vast improvement over the traditional back-lock. They have instructions on how to close the knife one-handed on their website (link in comments).

EDITED: The G-10 model vastly improves on the original FRN version in almost every way: the grip is more secure (scales and jimping), the lockup is tighter, and the clip is now ambidextrous. I've since learned the jimping and ambidextrous clip are duplicated on the FRN model. The only penalties are the price and the slightly higher weight.

There are only two ways this model could be improved:

1) Make the clip capable of 4-way positioning;

2) Make the next model an etched framelock like the Spin.

I've been searching all year for a replacement for my old (inside) EDC, an ancient two blade Case folder my first wife gave me about 30 years ago. Tried two Bucks, a Benchmade, and a Boker but they were not satisfactory as I mostly work inside these days and a large blade which draws little or no comment outside tends to FREAK office people out. I've only had this knife two weeks now, but it's my first choice at work or other inside/genteel situations. I love it.

This is one of the finest knives I have ever owned. It has a solid lock up, with no up-down or left-right play. Deployment seemed a little stiff at first, but some of that is likely because most of my other folders are in the 3-4 inch range and I'm used to it now. Useful jimping on the ramp and choil allow me to choke up on it for more control if needed. I love the full flat-ground leaf-shaped blade, which was extremely sharp out of the box. It may be small but this is no toy, you could easily lose a fingertip if you are careless. The wire pocket clip doesn't look like much, but is very strong. Did I mention that I love this knife? The blade is made in Seki City, Japan, and according to its website, Seki City was founded about 780 years back by a blade maker who wanted a safe place to carry out his trade. It seems to be the blade capital of Japan if not all of Asia. No wonder there.

Great small pocket knife. I removed the clip and carry this knife in the change pocket of my dress slacks. Works very well for office carry.Fit and finish are perfect.

This is an excellent knife. I'm extremely picky when it comes to knives and this one earned my approval. Strong lock....handle is durable and feels great in the hand....steel is top shelf. Some might say it's a bit pricey but you get what you pay for. Worth every penny.

I had an FRN Dragonfly original prior to purchasing this G-10 model. I liked the FRN model very much and used it daily. It is now in the capable hands of my 80 year old dad!

This knife is slightly heavier, but it is more rigid and solid. The G-10 scales provide a good grip. It is a very solid little knife. IMHO, the Dragonfly is a perfect EDC knife. It is lightweight and still large enough for nearly every regular task. There is effective jimping on the choil and top of the blade which really improves the grip for fine cutting-these were not present on the original FRN design. The clip is removable and reversible which I could not do on my original clipit FRN and I really appreciate it since I am a lefty.

This is an excellent knife. I have many Spyderco knives and this one is one of my favorites-right up there with my Bradley.

Another Spyderco homerun. I own Benchmades, Kershaws, Bucks,Bokers and many others, and not one Spyderco I've purchased has disappointed me. This G-10 Dragonfly was no exception. The VG10 bladesteel was razor sharp outta the box, and the Foliage Green G-10 handle has just the right amount of texturing for a solid grip. You can clip one of these knives and a Fenix PD20 in your pocket with little noticable weight, yet still handle most cutting and lighting tasks very capably. Lockup on this little jewel is solid as is the case on all Spyderco backlocks, and construction is flawless. Amazon had the lowest price around, with free shipping. Get one of these Dragonflies..you'll love it!

The Dragonfly is compact, elegant, and very well made. It fits perfectly in the fifth pocket of a pair of jeans. You'll never know it's there until you need it. (Also, stellar service from Amazon, like usual)

This knife is the perfect size, as far as I'm concerned, as an every day carry knife. Small enough to not intimidate "not knife" people, but big enough to handle just about any job. The quality of this knife is top notch, VERY tight lock (zero wiggle), VERY sharp out of the box, easy to handle and open one handed. I even have relatively small hands and I am very comfortable using this knife. Remove the belt clip for in pocket carry and you may forget it's in your pocket! G-10 is a no brainer for grip strength and resistance to moisture. Great knife.