Spyderco Ikuchi Compression Lock Knife Carbon Fiber (3.26" Satin)

I like it very much...

Got an Ikuchi, which turned out to be made in Feb. 2019. So, first generation ? Anyway, no matter, as it is in perfect condition...and obviously brand new.

The action was a bit stiff, which is apparently the norm for these. However, it is breaking in very nicely...and now (after a few days of fidgeting with it) it drops shut beautifully. The stiffness upon opening has decreased… read more lots...so the knife is now quite pleasant to use.

The tip issue did exist with this one, but I fixed that in like 2 minutes.

Other details, such as blade centering, sharpness right out of the box, fit and finish, etc....were/ are first rate.

I must say, though, I am not a big fan of the "compression lock." Nothing whatever wrong with it...I just find it a bit awkward, when compared to a normal liner lock. Oh well, it's not a deal breaker, by any means and I am getting used to it.

Overall, I gave the knife 5 stars...because I do really like it. I had my eye on one of these for some time, but balked at getting one. Now, I am glad I did. The Ikuchi may not be for everyone (personal preferences vary, of course), but I certainly can recommend one, for those so inclined. A beautiful knife, in my opinion.

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Drop-shut action

Contacted BHQ and they assured me they had the CQI model, which is what I received. It is impossible to catch yourself on the tip and only if you have long fingernails, like my gf, will the blade nick your nail when it swings closed. Your finger will NOT get cut in the compression lock.

Action is excellent. The opening is easy and the lock-up is solid. Like other compression… read more locks, this one drops shut too. But I'll echo others: If you fidget too much, your finger is gonna get sore.

Also, might want to ditch the stock wire clip for a Lynch NW replacement wire clip. Before I replaced the clip, the stock clip and the smooth CF laminate sometimes caused the knife to "ride up" in some waistbands, like basketball shorts. Not worth taking a star off, though.

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Took a bit to break in

I agree with the general consensus for the difficulty with the detent opening at first. I stuck with it and it is breaking in well, getting better and smoother opening action. This is a very nice EDC knife. I must have received a newer one that does not have the problem with the blade tip exposure. I have a number of Spyderco knives and this is up there with the best of them.

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Unreal

I waited too long to buy this. It's my absolute favorite knife right now. Some things to note: it was significantly smaller than I expected, the detent was very still for the first ~200 opens (seems common issue on forums), the compression lock 'tab' is very very small, and it's even sexier in person. I tried adjusting the detent by disassembling and bending the lock bar slightly… read more but this wasn't the solution, ended up bending it back. It will just take repetition to loosen it up. I found that the best way to open it (if it's stiff like mine) is to use the inside of my middle digit of my index finger, instead of the tip like virtually any other flipper. Fingertips are sensitive and this caused bruising and pain, instead use the meatier part of your finger and it's easy. I know it sounds like negatives but they are minor to me in comparison to the upsides of this wicked little thing. It's such a thin blade that it slices like nobody's business. It's so slender that it disappears in the pocked and it weighs nothing. I honestly mean it when I say that it's my favorite knife, it's that damn good.

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The flipper that does not flip

I was so excited for this knife. And when I took it out of the box it seemed by excitement was justified. While it does not look ergonomic, it was more ergonomic in my hand than my para 3 LW or 940-1. As far as a locking device, I love a compression lock. Blade was perfectly centered and extremely slicey. However, I went to flip it using the wheel flipper and the detent was so strong… read more I could not get the blade to budge. I nearly tore my finger open trying to get it to open. The only way I could get the blade out was to use the compression lock or put on leather gloves to flip it which actually scarred the leather. It was a $140 flipper that did not flip. Anyway, I decided to give it another chance because everything else was perfect and I have sent it back and purchased another one. BladeHQ was great and gave me store credit so I used it for a replacement. I will update the review once I have the second knife and let you know how it goes. For now, the only reason it is not 1 star is the ergos, fit and finish, quality construction and customer service.

Edit:
The second knife had the same issue as the first. Extremely stiff detent that would tear skin off your finger if you open more than once or twice. This second one was a little less stiff, so it could be opened without gloves, but it remained problematic. Apparently, this is a generalized issue. The Ikuchi is unfortunately the first Spyderco I would not be able to recommend. Extremely disappointing, because otherwise this would probably have been my favorite knife in my EDC collection.

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Love this knife!

Very nice blade shape and action. Love the compression lock as it gives it it's fidget factor. I love hearing the blade when it closes. Gave it a 4 stars because my index finger hurt for a couple of days from opening it.

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Slim, stylish, and fun to use

you kind of have to get this knife to like it. and I like that about it, it feels like the knife that somebody wanted to make, not a knife designed by an AI to be the most functional knife ever. it's not the bugout.

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Opening mechanism flawed

I love the overall design of the knife but the flipper device is too difficult to use. I did not return the knife only because I want it for my collection, if this was going to be my EDC it would rate a zero star for the ability to deploy the blade. I can easily open the knife around 1 out of 50 times IF I hit the sweet spot so it's often easier to press the compression lock to… read more release the detent. I will take knife apart to see if I can make the knife easier to deploy.

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Finger Saver: Open (CQI)

Instead of usingTIP of index finger place !st joint of finger on ball for leverage. Opens with ease. Almost returned till I discovered.

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Wonderfully Unique Knife

Now that I have this knife in my possession, I really enjoy it's quirky looks and smooth operation. I didn't know how I would like the wheel flipper but find it very positive in use. Absolutely falls shut when the compression lock is released. Fit and finish are fantastic. The knife is light enough to not pull at my scrubs pockets. I highly recommend this knife.

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No Issues

Just received from bladehq-initial examination showed none of the issues previously reported.You CANNOT cut yourself on the tip,it is now ressesed into the handke far enough to fix that,NO side to side,or up or down blade play-rock solid.Blade is perfectly centered.Literally razor sharp.The flipper requires some pressure,but once you clear the detent,it opens with authority-in fact,I… read more would rate the opening as VERY good.The blade falls free,once you disengage the compression lock on closing.My first spydee from their Taiwan factory,and as far as I can see,their reputation is well deserved,(however,I have had no issues with the Golden Co,or the Japan knives either
Update-after having this knife for about a year,I've actually edc'd it very little because if your finger has the least bit of moisture on it,it is impossible to open,and having to use that hand sanitizer all the time....I highly recomend this knife anyway,I uae it all the time around the house

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Very Sharp, Hard To Open

A little hard to get used to the opening operation, but once open its an extremely sharp and versatile blade.

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IKUCHI FIRST USE

The method of deployment can be rough on the thumb or index finger (tough skin recommended) and once mastered it has a lightning fast deployment. I cut through a few cardboard shipping boxes and it performed like a razor sharp filet knife, proceed with caution as the blade is a painless slicer. Yes I experienced a few nicks. Para 3 is still my EDC but it was cool to change it up… read more with this sleek blade.

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Tough to open

No issues with getting stuck with the knife like others, but it is difficult to get it open. The wheel was very tough and my finger was already thoroughly scratched by the time I had opened it properly for the first time. If I can manage to get it open consistently it will certainly be one of my favorites.

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Wouldn't recommend

The deployment method isn't consistent. It was difficult for me to deploy the knife and the gear-like wheel would wear on my thumb. A short flipper or similar would've been much better.

Otherwise, the scales and size were both great. I enjoy the grippy feeling of the CF and the shiny look. Having the blade flush with the handle when closed is a beautiful design, but too bad… read more the tip could poke you if you rubbed it.

BladeHQ helped me with the return after a quick phone call. Great company but can't say the same about the knife.

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CQI Version improved but has problems

This is one sexy knife. Quality and blade is spot on as everyone has mentioned. However there are some design quirks which I believe could have been solved from the onset.
1- I have the CQI version where they fixed the problem of the blade tip catching/cutting when closed. They fixed this by recessing the blade deeper/angled it in more, so that if you run your finger across the… read more liner part where the blade tip is when closed, you will not get cut.

2- As this new CQI version has angled the blade to sit deeper / recessed more, and as it is a compression lock, you actually cut yourself when pressing down the compression lock and doing a swing shut!

Lovely looking knife, but tolerances need to be adjusted so you don't cut yourself. Overall a no recommendation from me.

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Love it!

The issue with being able to touch the blade, well it exists but it's so minor. I'd have to press really hard to lightly scratch my finger. These are awesome

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Worrying....

Positives. Fit and finish are excellent, it's unpolished CF scales give it a nice grip texture that doesn't feel like it will slip. The grind on the blade is something I've not seen from SpyderCo before and I like it. Compression lock is almost always a win in my book, it's elegant, unobtrusive and while not the strongest, more than sufficient. The knife is light, no extra weight… read more here.

Negatives. As with other reviews, SpyderCo left the top edge of the blade in direct line with the frame, this is typically a bad practice as it allows for any material or body-part that flows along that edge to be grabbed by the tip of the blade and get poked/cut. This is a serious concern and a tenured company like SpyderCo should know better. A slight change to the curve of the blade or the frame could have completely remedied this issue. Additionally, the knife is ridiculously hard to open "new". I haven't had a chance to break mine in yet, I'm hoping the lock softens up because as it stands I have to use my finger nail to grab the compression lock to release tension enough to get the knife to open. Not a bad, bad thing, but certainly tiresome. The wheel doesn't provide enough grip or purchase to actuate the knife and can leave one with a real pain in the finger. I'll probably keep the knife, but I'm not sure I want to given the negatives.

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CQI Version

I got a chance to check out the newly released CQI version with a bushing pivot and a more recessed blade that won't catch your finger in the closed position.
The blade does sit slightly lower in the frame so that issue was fixed.
Out of the box the pivot was not fully tightened and the blade would free drop.
Tighten the non clip side pivot screw all the way down and the… read more action tightens but there is still a slight amount of side to side play detectable with blade open and lock disengaged.
I may be nitpicking but I really don't like side to side blade play. The bushing pivot prevents the elimination of this play.
I don't think the action is noticeably different than the original version. I wish they would have used a bearing pivot to achieve a really slick action. It's a wonderful design but let down by the action.

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Slim Profile Compression Lock

The Ikuchi is a very slim knife, that utilizes the compression lock, a feat in itself, with a incredibly designed wheel flipper. The slim profile / wire clip combination is a home run. I am not a fan of the carbon fiber layered G10. I would much rather have the textured G10 or actual carbon fiber. Lastly, because of the slim profile, manipulating the compression lock closed, is… read more slightly more difficult that you'd find on the Para series and Shaman.

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Truly unique and special

In an industry where new, never before seen designs make appearances on the daily, the Ikuchi still manages to boldly stand out and deliver a refreshingly different experience that will likely justify its place in your collection even long after the honeymoon phase has gone and passed. It is also incredibly deceptive in its size as well as practicality. Folded it takes up about… read more half the space of a Delica, but it wields a blade that is as long as the PM2, with even more cutting edge and about 0.5in. less handle. The needle like tip along with scalpel like blade can just about maneuver into any task at hand and the carry characteristics are top notch. You will want to bring this everywhere with you. Users who are not experienced in handling very slim knives will get cut, especially with the novel opening mechanism, just a part of the learning process is all it is.

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Watch your fingers!

I have to agree with reviewer Ron on this one. I sent mine back the day after I received it because the blade tip took a nip at me when it was fully closed! How an experienced company like Spyderco can produce a product without noticing a major safety issue is beyond me. Very disappointing because I really liked the knife.

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Beautiful but a beta

As will become known, the owners will get pig-stuck by the tip of this blade as its point is exactly at the level of its retraction within the scales. By necessity the knife will be recalled by Spyderco, as they could not do otherwise. One Mersa exposure and it'
s all over. In all other respects it is a champion. I re-profiled my tip by a millimeter or so and the problem is solved.
CQI,… read more mes frères. It is beautiful, though. Sublime: I adjusted mine and it is drop -shutty, borrowing a phrase.

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Love it

No blade play. Perfect centering. Smooth action out the box. Love the zippo flipper on it, fast like a flipper but doesn’t chip away at other stuff in your pocket

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If you dont own many high quality blades, you will love it

Great size, good texture on scales, fit and finish are great too. blade wont cut ur finger during closing compression lock which has good access. it fits really well in hand. Get a benchmade fact, ultratech, or 940-2. If your dead set on Spyderco then change your thinking.
Makes a perfect knife for basketball shorts or second edc knife. I wouldnt rely on it solo to do much besides… read more brag about it and impress women that do not know knives. My neice (4) called it cute. That should sum it up

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Great EDC with class

Fantastic EDC! Great balance. The opening mechanism is smooth and easy to use. The handle grip is excellent. Came out of the box sharp as a razor. Ergos are spot on. It has all of this AND it is just a classy looking knife. It has style. Sure a sedan can get you where you are driving to, but why not drive a sportscar???

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