Asian Spyderco's vs US

T

tahmail

Joined
Jul 1, 2016
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Are the asian Spyderco models assembled with US materials or are they lower grade steel?
 
The Japanese models mostly use Japanese steels. Which in my experience are on par with the more common American steels. Taiwan produced knives use Crucible and Carpenter steels imported from here.

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CryoGuy5272 said:
The Japanese models mostly use Japanese steels. Which in my experience are on par with the more common American steels. Taiwan produced knives use Crucible and Carpenter steels imported from here.
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And I'll just add that the ones made in China use Chinese steel, mostly 8Cr13MoV, which most would consider a lower grade than the steels in Spydercos from Japan and Taiwan.

EDITED TO ADD: Just for clarification, while there may be one or two models in the works that will use US steels, AFAIK, up until now the only Japanese Spyderco to use a non-Japanese blade steel was the Kraton inlaid Worker in the Evolution set that used Tim Zowada's damascus.
 
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The Deacon said:
And I'll just add that the ones made in China use Chinese steel, mostly 8Cr13MoV, which most would consider a lower grade than the steels in Spydercos from Japan and Taiwan.

EDITED TO ADD: Just for clarification, while there may be one or two models in the works that will use US steels, AFAIK, up until now the only Japanese Spyderco to use a non-Japanese blade steel was the Kraton inlaid Worker in the Evolution set that used Tim Zowada's damascus.
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The Raven 2 and Crow 2 are now made with CTS-BD1.
Pretty decent steel.
I have a ffg UKPK with BD1 and it performs rather well.
 
All of the US made Spyderco's are made in the same facility. There are Spyderco's currently made in two facilities in Taiwan, four facilities in Japan and possibly more than one in China if I am informed correctly. I may not have all that right but either way generalizing all of the Asian Spyderco's together makes for a tough comparison. Some of them are noticeably nicer than others. The Taichung Spydies are top notch and my opinion of the Chinese ones is kind of meh.
 
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bearfacedkiller said:
All of the US made Spyderco's are made in the same facility. There are Spyderco's currently made in two facilities in Taiwan, three facilities in Japan and possibly more than one in China if I am informed correctly. I may not have all that right but either way generalizing all of the Asian Spyderco's together makes for a tough comparison. Some of them are noticeably nicer than others. The Taichung Spydies are top notch and my opinion of the Chinese ones is kind of meh.
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Totally agree about the Taichung knives, all Spydies i have ha d were excellent, but Taichung is just a little bit better. They are the poo, and everyone needs a whiff.

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CryoGuy5272 said:
Totally agree about the Taichung knives, all Spydies i have ha d were excellent, but Taichung is just a little bit better. They are the poo, and everyone needs a whiff.

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I agree the Taichung models are excellent! However, they always seem to come with very obtuse bevels.
 
ejames13 said:
I agree the Taichung models are excellent! However, they always seem to come with very obtuse bevels.
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I can agree with that. My GB, even though it was sharp as sin when I got it, seemed to have a pretty obtuse bevel. Seems as though they could've went much steeper on a steel with the qualities of M4.

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Barman1 said:
The Raven 2 and Crow 2 are now made with CTS-BD1.
Pretty decent steel.
I have a ffg UKPK with BD1 and it performs rather well.
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You are correct. I know Spyderco makes the Byrd line, but I rarely ever think of Byrds when someone asks about Spydercos.
 
You will not find a better made Spyderco than the ones made in Taiwan (often the most expensive as well)...the China made ones (Tenacious family) are mediocre, for $40-55 you can get a lot better.
 
the china ones, it's true that you would far better served with Elan or real steel. I have an Elan, it's inspired from the sebenza, with micarta scales and an axis like lock....for 14$shipped....whats?!? BUT! The Chinese spyderco will have better finish and HEAT TREAT......I've found over time that china's 8cr blows away American lower end steels like 420HC say, but only in edge holding, as 8Cr like AUS8 are barely stainless.
 
Taichung Spyderco knives are the same fit and finish and materials as most of my custom knives... waaay above most production folders... the USA made Spyderco folders are top notch as well!
 
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