Spyderco Dice + MXG Gear Clip
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CZ9shooter
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Nice knife. I have it's big brother, the Domino.
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ugaarguy
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It's interesting. The pattern provides some texture, but textured G10 is grippier. It's roughly equivalent in grip to satin sanded finish G10 or Micarta, but with an interesting textured feel.
That's one of the more controversial aspects of this knife and it's bigger brother the Domino. When the Domino came out several reviewers said it looked like an ugly 80's sweater knit pattern. It kind of does, honestly, but I also think it simultaneously looks pretty nice in person. I think the pattern looks better in person than in photos or videos too.
It's actually somewhat large in the handle. I'll soon post some pics comparing it to other knives.
That actually sounds ideal, at least to me. G10 is too rough for a pocket knife, IMO, it tears up clothes. I love how it feels, but I don't like what it does to my pockets.
I also like that the right side is smooth so that the pocket clip and a rough texture on that side don't conspire to make it hard to clip and also to tear up the pocket edge.
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ugaarguy
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Original clip reinstalled for size comparison.
When clip was off, overlaid on ZT 0562 for grip size and contour comparison. 
Next to ZT 0562CF.
Next to Benchmade Griptilian.
Next to CRKT Pilar.
Next to Byrd Meadowlark for Delica sized folder comparison. 
Next to CRKT Squid for one more popular small folder comparison.
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ugaarguy
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Actual Review Content:
Background:
My purchase of the Dice is an evolution of wants from experience over several years.
First, several years ago, I started researching, buying, and using various folders with blades under 2 inches to meet legal requirements in places I frequently visited. One of the best of these folders was the now discontinued Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite. I've since purchased several other similarly sized frame locks trying to find something that would match the MTL, but give me smoother action and easier one hand opening. The CRKT Voxnaes Pilar is the closest I've come, but the Pilar is heavy and the tip is rather blunt.
Second, several years ago I also bought my first flipper opening knife to see what that craze was all about. A few knives later, I owned a ZT 0562CF that I've carried almost daily for nearly 3 years. I like the CF front scale, the titanium frame lock with hardened steel lock face insert, and the smooth action provided by the ball bearing washers in the pivot. But it's a big knife, and sometimes it draws more attention than I'd like. The heavy detent for optimal flipping action makes it a pain to open slowly with only one hand when I want to minimize the attention that big blade draws.
Here and Now:
I bought the Dice because I wanted something like the Pilar, but with premium materials, and a thinner, pointier blade. They're also discontinued, so the purchase time was now while a few dealers still have them, or risk paying a huge collector premium later. Based on the blade length and other dimensions, I thought the Dice would only be a little bigger than the Pilar. In reality, the Dice is quite a bit larger the Pilar, and much larger than the CS MTL that inspired the Pilar's purchase.
What I ended up with may very well be my Goldilocks knife. The Dice' 2.5 inch blade doesn't draw attention. The detent is a great balance between soft enough for easy opening with the blade hole, and heavy enough that it still pops open easily with the flipper tab. Flicking it open with my middle finger using the "Spyder Flick" is fun. Blade stock is a hair under .12. That sits nicely between the hair over .09 of the MTL, and the hair over .15 of the 0562 and hair under .15 of the Pilar.
As you can see in a couple of the pics above, when using the finger choil, the Dice has a near identical grip to the 0562, but it's nearly an inch shorter when closed. I did have to replace the factory pocket clip with the MXG Gear clip to get deep carry, but the MXG clip is also more functional in my use.
The materials on the Dice are also top notch. Blade steel is CTS-XHP. The lock side handle is titanium with a hardened steel lock face insert which also serves as an over-travel stop. Show side is a textured carbon fiber ply laminated over G10 making the scale that tops a fairly thick titanium liner. All hardware is fully recessed into the scale and frame, which is nice. The pivot is on ball bearings caged in synthetic washers. The bearing washers ride on thin steel washers. Some users have reported the washers getting dented or dished pretty easily from only slight over tightening of the pivot, and that binding up the action. A few have reported simply discarding the steel washers and letting the bearing washers ride directly on the Ti scale and frame: ZT does this, and I've yet to see any ill effects on their ball bearing pivot knives.
Fit is excellent, but there a couple of minor finish issues. All of the blade corners are sharp, and the interior edges of the frame and liner are also sharp. All three of those pieces could use some chamfering. The edges of the frame where the lock bar is cut out are even sharper, and are in even more needs of chamfering.
The other minor issue is that even though the knife is drilled and tapped for the clip to be mounted on either side, the screws are too short to mount the clip on the G10/CF scale side. I called Spyderco, who are aware of the issue and they promptly sent me a set of slightly longer screws. They even threw in a 0.017 oz / 0.5 ml tube of blue Loctite, and a neat little Para 3 sticker.
Background:
My purchase of the Dice is an evolution of wants from experience over several years.
First, several years ago, I started researching, buying, and using various folders with blades under 2 inches to meet legal requirements in places I frequently visited. One of the best of these folders was the now discontinued Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite. I've since purchased several other similarly sized frame locks trying to find something that would match the MTL, but give me smoother action and easier one hand opening. The CRKT Voxnaes Pilar is the closest I've come, but the Pilar is heavy and the tip is rather blunt.
Second, several years ago I also bought my first flipper opening knife to see what that craze was all about. A few knives later, I owned a ZT 0562CF that I've carried almost daily for nearly 3 years. I like the CF front scale, the titanium frame lock with hardened steel lock face insert, and the smooth action provided by the ball bearing washers in the pivot. But it's a big knife, and sometimes it draws more attention than I'd like. The heavy detent for optimal flipping action makes it a pain to open slowly with only one hand when I want to minimize the attention that big blade draws.
Here and Now:
I bought the Dice because I wanted something like the Pilar, but with premium materials, and a thinner, pointier blade. They're also discontinued, so the purchase time was now while a few dealers still have them, or risk paying a huge collector premium later. Based on the blade length and other dimensions, I thought the Dice would only be a little bigger than the Pilar. In reality, the Dice is quite a bit larger the Pilar, and much larger than the CS MTL that inspired the Pilar's purchase.
What I ended up with may very well be my Goldilocks knife. The Dice' 2.5 inch blade doesn't draw attention. The detent is a great balance between soft enough for easy opening with the blade hole, and heavy enough that it still pops open easily with the flipper tab. Flicking it open with my middle finger using the "Spyder Flick" is fun. Blade stock is a hair under .12. That sits nicely between the hair over .09 of the MTL, and the hair over .15 of the 0562 and hair under .15 of the Pilar.
As you can see in a couple of the pics above, when using the finger choil, the Dice has a near identical grip to the 0562, but it's nearly an inch shorter when closed. I did have to replace the factory pocket clip with the MXG Gear clip to get deep carry, but the MXG clip is also more functional in my use.
The materials on the Dice are also top notch. Blade steel is CTS-XHP. The lock side handle is titanium with a hardened steel lock face insert which also serves as an over-travel stop. Show side is a textured carbon fiber ply laminated over G10 making the scale that tops a fairly thick titanium liner. All hardware is fully recessed into the scale and frame, which is nice. The pivot is on ball bearings caged in synthetic washers. The bearing washers ride on thin steel washers. Some users have reported the washers getting dented or dished pretty easily from only slight over tightening of the pivot, and that binding up the action. A few have reported simply discarding the steel washers and letting the bearing washers ride directly on the Ti scale and frame: ZT does this, and I've yet to see any ill effects on their ball bearing pivot knives.
Fit is excellent, but there a couple of minor finish issues. All of the blade corners are sharp, and the interior edges of the frame and liner are also sharp. All three of those pieces could use some chamfering. The edges of the frame where the lock bar is cut out are even sharper, and are in even more needs of chamfering.
The other minor issue is that even though the knife is drilled and tapped for the clip to be mounted on either side, the screws are too short to mount the clip on the G10/CF scale side. I called Spyderco, who are aware of the issue and they promptly sent me a set of slightly longer screws. They even threw in a 0.017 oz / 0.5 ml tube of blue Loctite, and a neat little Para 3 sticker.
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ugaarguy
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Well, it's still wearing the factory edge, which isn't close to what I've learned to do with my KME sharpener on other knives. And I still have lots of room to improve my technique on the KME. Likewise, I haven't cut enough with it to know about edge retention. The blade geometry is promising, and other peoples' testing of CTS-XHP steel leads me to believe it should have at least very good edge retention.
As seen in the pictures, it has a relatively thin stock that tapers to a quite thin cross section behind the edge since the blade is so tall and has a full flat grind. But it's also a short blade length wise. It's too tall and short to be much of a food prep knife, other than perhaps peeling veggies. It's likewise too tall and short to cut an apple or pear in half, but it'll probably shave slices off of them all day. Once I put a better edge on the blade, I fully expect the size / shape / stock thinness / grind to result in a knife that'll be great on cardboard and smaller diameter rope and cord. With my forefinger in the choil I can get my thumb on top of the spine almost to the blade tip: I think that will be a great grip for stripping bark and whittling twigs.
My project for tomorrow / later today will be taking the factory edge up to a 1500 grit diamond plate finish on the KME.
Good review.
Keep us informed how it does over time.
Keep us informed how it does over time.
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ugaarguy
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Sharpening pics. I used the sharpie trick to make sure I was following the factory bevel, and even it out rather than doing a full reprofile. The factory bevel is pretty ugly at the back of the blade by the finger choil. Notice how even the bevel is everywhere else on the blade.
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ugaarguy
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Now that I'm off the smartphone (best macro camera I currently have) a few more observations. I had to set the KME at its 25 degree mark to match the factory bevel. That's pretty steep, but, as can be seen in the pics, is needed so that the edge bevel doesn't come all the way up the long, shallow, primary grind.
Cutting performance is very good: It's bordering on scary sharp on the arm hair test. On cardboard, draw cuts are best. Push cuts tend to result in the tallest part of the blade wedging in cut channel. On para-cord it's easier to make draw cuts, but push cuts are far from difficult.
It's actually a very good, if not great little slicer. It's just hard to get excited about it, because it's meeting my expectations outlined in earlier posts.
Cutting performance is very good: It's bordering on scary sharp on the arm hair test. On cardboard, draw cuts are best. Push cuts tend to result in the tallest part of the blade wedging in cut channel. On para-cord it's easier to make draw cuts, but push cuts are far from difficult.
It's actually a very good, if not great little slicer. It's just hard to get excited about it, because it's meeting my expectations outlined in earlier posts.
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