Benchmade & Spyderco: Characteristic Examples

Spyderco CLIPIT

This answers my questions about the characteristic features and the original "design brief" of Spyderco. Boiled down, the big idea behind the Spyderco knife is you can deploy it with one hand. Hence, the "Spydie Hole," the front lock and the pocket clip. Very cool.
 
I no longer own and will never again own a Benchmade.

Spyderco, there are so many classics. For the average person, you can't go wrong with the Para-Military 2 and 3.
 
100% agree. I think Dadpool Dadpool nailed it. I've yet to join the PM2 family but I got a Griptilian in the upgraded 20CV and grey G10 scales and it is absolutely buttery smooth. It's a sleeper knife in my opinion.
Dadpool said:
I would say that the Para Military 2 defines Spyderco, and the Griptilian defines Benchmade.

They both feature their respective manufacturer's most iconic locking mechanism, they're both EDC-oriented mid-sized knives at a reasonable price point, and they've both been staples of their respective product lines for a long time.
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I own several Spydies, but no Benchmades. I think that either the Delica or Endura would be more like the Buck 110, being extremely popular and a budget knife, but I think the PM2 is on the way to taking over that mantle. The Delica and Endura are more budget knives, and hobbyists are raising the bar on the price they are willing to pay. So I think that the PM2 is well on the way to becoming the most iconic Spyderco.
 
I'd have to agree with people who said pm2. In my mind it is the most Spyderco of spydercos. The compression lock makes it unique.

Benchmade I think the Grip and 940 are tied, but my preference is 940. There are few knives that pack that much blade into that way of a carry.
 
Mister Coffee said:
@cistercian: Duly noted. I think everyone agrees that the "Spydie Hole" is the Number 1 signature design element of a Spyderco. Benchmade makes/made a knife with a hole in the blade, and I think it was a wrong move and beneath Benchmade. Walking around wearing Picasso's hat doesn't make you Picasso. Benchmade should have stayed with their own totally cool knives, which, by the way, are totally cool. :)
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I have many spyderco knives, have carried the same delica for 25 years
it funny that the benchmade I have has the spydie hole, the other BM is a 940
love The 20cv steel upgrade
spyderco gives a great selection of multiple types of steel
 
Dadpool said:
I would say that the Para Military 2 defines Spyderco, and the Griptilian defines Benchmade.

They both feature their respective manufacturer's most iconic locking mechanism, they're both EDC-oriented mid-sized knives at a reasonable price point, and they've both been staples of their respective product lines for a long time.
Click to expand...
This is my opinion. The PM2 replaced the Endura/Delica as the iconic Spyderco. Nothing yet has replaced the Griptilian for Benchmade. Benchmade did a smart thing making the standard steel in the Griptilian s30v at no increase in price. This has helped keep the Griptilian in the forefront.
 
I'm going to echo a lot of the posts above and say that the pieces most representative of the two brands are the Delica/Endura and the Grip/mini-Grip. With the Para2 and 940 representing the brands at the (slightly) higher end.

On a side note I thought about adding the 710 or the AFCK but decided against it since neither of those are in regular production.

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I would agree the delica and griptilian are the quintessentials of their brands. Id also agree the para 2 and 940 are the modern paragons of their brands. First good knife i had was a plastic clip (integral to the handle) delica way back in 1995. I have now indulged my passion for spydercos and have set about getting everything i can with the compression lock. Very ingenious little mechanism.
 
Another iconic model (or should I say line!) of knives from Spyderco is the almighty POLICE... in the full stainless version, of course! It has been seen in several movies also. I need to get me one of those soon....

Mikel
 
Spyderco Dragonfly 2. Against the grain, but its affordable, light, pockets easily and performs way above its size.

BM Mini-Griptilian. Great size, lock, balance, grip, pocketability and price.

Suggesting try these, and if you like them, then go for the bigger, more expensive models.
 
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