Resilience with Upgraded Steel?

**larry1096** · 09-23-2012, 08:12 AM

I have been liking my plain edged Resilience more and more; it just carries well, cuts well, fits my hand well. I had originally bought it as a 'rough work' knife, but find myself carrying it over my USA Spydies, Benchmades and even my Microtechs.

Being a knife snob, of course, this is perplexing. I was wondering if there was a possibility of a Resilience run with some expensive, rare uber-steel so I could pay a lot for one and not feel weird about carrying a cheap knife?

Seriously, an SV30 or Elmax Resilience is just about my idea of a perfect pocketknife-any chance?

Larry

**Sal Glesser** · 09-23-2012, 08:48 AM

Hi Larry,

Glad you are enjoying your Resilience. It's not likely that you will see exotic steels in China, at least for a while anyway. Carpenter is in the process of teaching their makers to use CTS BD1. I've heard they're using VG-10, but having had an opportunity to test the results.

sal

**larry1096** · 09-23-2012, 08:56 AM

Sal,

Thanks for the reply! How about a made in USA upgrade, then? Same pattern, same/higher quality (it's really a nicely made knife, BTW) and upgraded blade steel. Price will be much, much higher, but I, for one, would pay it gladly. I live in constant fear my friends will notice I'm carrying a $50 knife....

Larry

**Sal Glesser** · 09-23-2012, 10:28 AM

Hi Larry,

The price would be much higher and it would take the place of some other new model that is in queue for production. I guess you could have a custom version made? Probably more practical to carry a $50 knife and tell your friends that it is "good value".

sal

**Quy4n8** · 09-23-2012, 12:41 PM

I'm with Larry. I have a Byrd Crow, it works great for an EDC for my needs, just wish it had better steel. I've had a number of Spyderco's, but the ergo's of the Crow work best for me. I, for one would be willing to significantly more for better steel, but I also understand the marketing behind the Byrd line, etc. I'm actually going to start another thread in regards to the YoJimbo, as I prefer the steel. Thanks for listening.

**Sal Glesser** · 09-23-2012, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Quy4n8

I, for one would be willing to significantly more for better steel,

OK, for the purposes of discussion, how much is "signifcfantly more"?

sal

**Quy4n8** · 09-23-2012, 02:20 PM

Personally, I'd pay between $100 and $125, street price for the Crow design, with a round hole, a black clip and say something like S30V, S35VN or my real preference, CPM-M4. Like I said, I'm considering the Yojimbo, which runs around that price.

**larry1096** · 09-23-2012, 03:56 PM

I'd expect the Resilience with a premium steel (SV30 or similar) to run me $190 or so; and it would be worth it. ATS-34 or 154 would also be OK, at about the $140 level.

Doable?

Larry

**Sal Glesser** · 09-23-2012, 05:34 PM

I'll discuss i with Eric. I don't think we would ue another maker with the same design. We really don't like to switch makers on a design, though we've done it. We do have a few large knives in-the-works. The Szabo is coming in. We have a large design in VG-10 with a new lock. And 2 or 3 more that we're studying. Is it the large size that you like, or that particule model? The maker for that model is currently learning to work with CTS BD1. It's not S30V but it offers more than the current 8Cr13MoV.

sal

**flatface77** · 09-23-2012, 06:46 PM

Is 9Cr18Mo doable? I never heard how that steel did. Looks good on paper (or pixels). A sprint in 9Cr18Mo with funny-colored handles might do well with Tenacious fans. I'd have to get the whole lineup. Assuming that the steel performs as it's specs suggest, Chinese Spydercos in 9Cr18Mo at $20 or so more would still be a better value than almost everything in it's class.

**Sal Glesser** · 09-23-2012, 08:41 PM

The maker has not worked with 9Cr18 and the Mules were all slightly warped. None of the makers have said they'd work with the steel. That's one of the reasons for BD1. Also G-10 in colors has proved to be problematic.

sal

**rycen** · 09-23-2012, 09:42 PM

Have any that are interested in a higher end resilience model looked at the military?

**vwb563** · 09-23-2012, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by rycen

Have any that are interested in a higher end resilience model looked at the military?

You read my mind rycen. That's exactly what the Millie is. An upgraded Resilience!

**AttilaTheHun** · 09-24-2012, 02:58 AM

There is absolutely nothing that prevents the Chinese to come up with their own versions of super-steel within the next couple of years. after all the chemical compositions of S30V, 154CM and D2 are publicly available. They already use a wide range of steels in drill bits and jack-hammer bits.

**Quy4n8** · 09-24-2012, 07:26 AM

If you need to keep the comet hole instead of the round hole, I’m okay with that; it works nearly as well as the round hole. For me the Resilience is way too big, but I do like the Persistence and Tenacious. For my needs, what I like in particular about my Byrd Crow over other Spyderco’s is the liner lock and choil combination. Kind of like the Military (which I have considered seriously), but like the Resilience, too large for me. In general, I think the mid-lock (used on many Spyderco’s) is a safer, stronger lock, but I prefer the liner lock for its easy, safe closing. I don’t need an MBC rated lock for most of my needs and I have cut myself (albeit minor) with every other lock type I own when closing the blade. When closing a liner lock, the choil contacts my thumb nail or lacking a choil, the blade does, but even a good edge won’t cut through my nails. Just my $.02. Thanks.

**adnj** · 09-24-2012, 08:41 AM

I like my Resilience but never carry it. I bought it because I wanted a bigger version of the Tenacious. It turned out to feel like a longer version (not beefier).

The 8Cr13MoV isn't much of a problem if I keep touching it up after a couple of uses and wipe it down.

The design could be tweaked to make it bigger and beefier: 4mm blade, larger stand-offs, same G-10 but heavier liners, MSRP under $100 (the "Pugnacious") - sort of a hard use 4+ inch blade with a heavier liner lock. I would definitely add that to my work rotation.

**larry1096** · 09-24-2012, 02:03 PM

My attraction to the Resilience is based on blade shape, balance and overall size. Here in Illinois (the ONLY non-CCW state) it serves as my primary defensive weapon. As a knife instructor of 15 or so years, it meets all the criteria for the way I use a knife; effective size, tip down carry, 'snappable' (inertial openable), liner (and not frame) locking, and suitable for both forward and reverse grips. The Military is a great knife, but not quite the same.

I understand about switching makers with a product line, and the complexities it must create. I also apologize for not being able to better define the intangibles that make me like the Resilience. It's just a very-nearly-perfect version of a knife I didn't realize I was still looking for.

Thanks much for the consideration of the suggestion, regardless of the outcome; it supports everything I've ever heard about you, and about Spyderco.

Larry

**KevinOubre** · 09-26-2012, 12:39 AM

I would also buy another Resilience were it to be offered in a higher grade steel and different G10. However, I am perfectly content with the current model. I think that if they do a Resilience in upgraded materials, they may as well do the whole group also. That would make the Tenacious damn near the perfect folder.