I finally managed to get my hands upon a yojimbo 15v , and honestly, I've been itching in order to see if that will "Big Red" steel lives to the reputation. If you follow the knife world at all, you know that whenever Spyderco falls something in CPM 15V, it's fundamentally an electronic riot. People scramble, sites crash, and within twenty minutes, they're just about all gone. But past the hype plus the secondary marketplace madness, I desired in order to know how this thing actually performs as a device. It's one point to have the collector's piece, but it's another to have a blade that actually earns its keep within your pocket.
The Yojimbo 2 has always already been a bit of a polarizing design anyway. It appears aggressive, it's built to get a specific purpose, plus it doesn't actually look like your average pocket knife. Including a super-high-vanadium steel like 15V to the mix just makes it a lot more of an outlier. After carrying it for a few weeks and putting it via the ringer, I've got some thoughts on whether this can be a "must-have" or just another sprint run that's fun to look at.
That CPM 15V Steel is Another thing
Let's discuss the elephant within the room first: the steel. If you're not a metal nerd, CPM 15V is actually a tool steel on steroids. It's got a massive quantity of vanadium, which translates to advantage retention that is, frankly, ridiculous. This particular specific run had been heat-treated using the protocol developed simply by Shawn Houston, better known as "Big Red" or Multiple B Optimized. He's basically the sorcerer of high-performance heat treats, and their goal using this 15V was to push the hardness and even wear resistance because far as they will could go with no making the cutting tool brittle.
In practice, the yojimbo 15v seems like it just doesn't want to obtain dull. I've used it to crack down a hill of cardboard that would have normally seen me reaching for a sharpener halfway through. Along with 15V, it just kept biting. It's got this intense, "toothy" edge that will feels like this really wants to keep trimming forever. However, there's a trade-off. This isn't a metal steel. In case you reside near the coastline or you're the person who leaves a sweaty knife in your wallet all day, you have to be careful. It will certainly patina, and if a person neglect it, it'll rust. I like the look of a well-used tool metal, but it's some thing to keep within mind if a person like your cutting blades looking pristine.
Why the Wharncliffe Shape Works
A lot associated with people look at the Yojimbo and think it's strictly a self-defense tool. Michael Janich designed it along with that in thoughts, sure, however the fact is that the Wharncliffe blade is definitely one of the particular most practical shapes for everyday tasks. Because the edge is perfectly straight, you get full get in touch with with whatever you're cutting from the heel all the particular way to the particular tip.
Whenever you're doing "pull cuts"—like opening the heavy bag of mulch or cutting through thick plastic material strapping—the yojimbo 15v shines. The particular tip is incredibly fine, which can make it an operative instrument for detail work, however you have got to be the bit careful. You aren't likely to end up being prying any crates open with this particular thing. It's an accuracy cutter, not really a crowbar. The way the particular blade tapers straight down to that period is stunning, however it definitely needs a bit of respect so you don't take it off.
Ergonomics as well as the Pocket Feel
Spyderco is known to make knives that look "funny" but feel "right" once a person actually grip all of them. The Yojimbo two is a prime instance. The handle offers these deep hand grooves that lock your odds into place. Whether you're holding it in a standard grip or even a reverse grip, it's not going anywhere. The weighing scales on this 15V version are that will distinctive brown G10 that Spyderco used for this entire "Big Red" collection. It's got the nice texture—grippy sufficient to be protected but not so rough that it'll shred your jeans.
Something I noticed is that it carries surprisingly properly for a "chunky" knife. It's got a nested liner design, so it stays fairly slim in typically the pocket. The data compresion lock is, because always, a joy to utilize. It's sharp, secure, and enables you to film the blade open up and shut with out ever putting your own fingers in the particular path of the edge. It's one particular of those cutlery that's just enjoyable to fidget along with, though you might obtain some weird looks if you're doing it in the particular breakroom at work.
Sharpening the Beast
Okay, let's be true: eventually, your yojimbo 15v is going to need an edge touch-up. And when that will day comes, you better have the particular right gear. In case you try in order to sharpen 15V upon standard Arkansas rocks and even some fundamental ceramics, you're going to be right now there for a quite, very long period. You really require diamond or cu boron nitride (CBN) abrasives to shift any metal on this steel.
I found that because the steel is so hard, this doesn't really develop a "burr" the same way much softer steels do. It's a different maintenance experience. It's even more about slowly refining that edge. The good news is definitely that as soon as you get it where a person want it, it remains there. I've discovered that the light stropping after a day of use is usually just about all it needs to stay hair-popping sharp. It's a bit associated with a high-maintenance romantic relationship, but the payoff is worth it.
Could it be an Useful EDC Choice?
This is where the controversy usually starts. A few people think the particular Yojimbo is "too tactical" to get an everyday carry. I take issue. While it was designed for personal protection, the utility of that straight advantage is hard to beat. Need in order to cut a line off your shirt? Simple. Need to slice a good apple? Well, it's a bit solid for that, and it might provide your fruit a metallic taste if you haven't cleaned out the blade, yet it'll do this.
The yojimbo 15v specifically seems like a specific tool for somebody who appreciates expensive metallurgy. It's not really the knife I'd give to our cousin who utilizes his pocket cutlery to scrape mechanical seals and stir color. This is for the person who wants to see simply how far advantage retention can go. It's a "enthusiast's blade. " It's a conversation starter, a heavy-duty cutter, and a piece of modern steel history all rolled straight into one.
The Value Proposition
Pricing on place be a bit all over the place now that they aren't within regular production. When you can find one at a decent price, I believe it's a solid investment. You aren't simply paying for the Spyderco name; you're paying for an extremely specific, high-end warmth treat on a metal that isn't easy to work with.
Is this "better" than the standard S30V or S45VN versions? With regards to real edge retention, yes—by a landslide. Yet you have in order to ask yourself if you're willing to trade the particular corrosion resistance associated with those steels with regard to the raw reducing power of 15V. For me, the answer is an unquestionable yes. There's something deeply satisfying regarding using a device that feels such as it's operating on a different level than the rest in your collection.
Final thoughts? The particular yojimbo 15v is really a beast associated with a knife. It's a weird, great combination of a highly specialized defensive style and some associated with the most advanced steel we've observed in the production entire world. It's not regarding everyone, and it's certainly not for that faint of center when it comes to sharpening, yet if you value what "Big Red" brought to the table with this heat treat, it's hard to discover whatever else that quite compares. Just keep an eye on that tip, keep just a little oil on the blade, plus it'll probably outlast most of the other gear in your pocket.