Since its introduction in 2011, Spyderco’s Chapparal has been one of the brand’s primary vessels for showcasing unusual handle scale materials. Now, this gentleman’s knife continues that trend with a popular material the brand has only employed once before.
Called the Spyderco Chaparral Red Fatcarbon, this upcoming release is slated to be a big hit with the fans and a major success for the brand.
Do you know the way to … Lithuania?
Over the last few years, “Fatcarbon” has become a pretty ubiquitous term in the EDC and knifemaking worlds. This stable, durable, lightweight, non-metallic, carbon fiber-based handle scale material comes in more colorways than you can shake your fist at. Not bad for a small outfit out of Lithuania.
While this isn’t the first time Spyderco has employed the material — it was once applied to a limited-edition PM2 (the precursor to the Para 3) — this version of the Chaparral is the first standard catalog knife to get the treatment. It’s also decidedly more EDC-friendly and minimalist than the more hefty, tactical PM2.
For the uninitiated, Fatcarbon is made with a combination of recycled carbon fiber, epoxy resin and natural pigments forged together under high pressure. The result is a material that’s as strong and durable as it is stunning.
