Which sub 0.5 oz knife: Spyderco ladybug or ?

[Yoyo]

What's the holy grail of pocketknives for UL backpackers? I know, I know…you are going to say "a razor blade." But if I were willing to "spend" about 0.5 oz to have something which can gut a trout with ease and perform other chores in a safer manner, what would you recommend?

My beloved Spyderco ladybug got lost a couple years ago whilst fishing for trout. If I recall correctly, it weighed in at 0.6 oz. But are there better alternatives these days that are affordable?

[Pete Staehling]

The Gerber Ultralight LST is a nice knife for the size/weight/cost.

The ultralight is 0.6 oz and if you wnt something bigger the biggest of the LST line is about 1.2 oz.

[USA Duane Hall]

I used my new to me Ladybug a week ago to clean some fish, worked great, even did a good job of slicing some Salami. Yum on both accounts.
Duane

[D G]

I like the spyderco Jester, which is basically a ladybug but the spine of the blade has a kind of reverse curve with serrations where you can rest your forefinger. It makes such a small knife much more usable.

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8180/delica4jesterladybug1meem6.jpg

You can see the difference in this pic. Jester is the second one, ladybug is the 3d one.

[Tuan Cao]

+1 Ladybug

[Mike M]

[Marko Botsaris]

I have this smaller (smallest) spyderco:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003788U9U/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

0.3 oz. I guess the listed 0.4 must be with packaging.

I've cleaned 1000's of fish in my time, and this should be plenty to do surgery on a trout. Wouldn't try to go through bone unless you like sharpening, but plenty. This one is small enough to hang around your neck and not notice. Around half the size of the one pictured above. I also have it attached next to my LED. :-)

Pretty cheap as well.

[Yoyo]

Does the "Bug" come in a serrated version by any chance? Wow, this one is half the weight of a ladybug.

[Dale Wambaugh]

Spyderco shows a 0.2oz difference between the FRN (plastic) handled Ladybug and the stainless handled Bug (0.6 vs 0.4 oz). I found some customized serrated Bugs, but not a production model.

I'd rather have the locking blade of the Ladybug and that extra bit of handle makes for much greater utility.

[Yoyo]

Dale

Where are you seeing the 0.2 oz weight difference? When I go to Spyderco's website, they are listing the polymer version as 0.6 oz. I was looking at the Ladybug 3, not sure if there's a difference between the iterations.

The cheapest I could find was WalMart:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Spyderco-Ladybug-Lightweight-SpyderEdge-Pocket-Knife/9856662

[Max Dilthey]

I'm in love with my Kershaw Chive.

[Curry]

Dale,

I just have to ask about the cute puppy in your avatar; is this your baby? If so, what breed, age, etc, if you don't mind me asking.
Thanks!
Susan

[Dale Wambaugh]

David asked, "Where are you seeing the 0.2 oz weight difference? When I go to Spyderco's website, they are listing the polymer version as 0.6 oz. I was looking at the Ladybug 3, not sure if there's a difference between the iterations."

FRN handled versions 0.6oz:
http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=262
http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=375

Spyderco does offer it in various steels. The ZDP-189 version is listed at 0.54oz/15g:
http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=651

The stainless handled model is 1.2oz:
http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=270

And the Bug is listed as 0.4oz/12g
http://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=374

So I see a 0.2oz difference between the Bug and the "standard" FRN Ladybug.

If I were going to carry a small non-locking knife the Victorinox Class is cheap and has a lot more to offer in tools.

[Max Dilthey]

Fine, Dale, but what about the dog!?

[Marko Botsaris]

I did measure the weight of the bug both alone, and also with a heavier object since sometimes I question the accuracy of my cheapo scale at the low end. Both ways it came out 0.3 oz on my scale. Also just measured it with in mks – 11 gm or ~ .388 oz plus or minus about %10 in error. So I guess 0.4 oz is as accurate as 0.3 for the knife.

[Author]

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