Confessions of a Spyderco hater.

HoosierQ said:
Spyderco is a great company. They have something for everybody who is not looking for a traditional folder. Good value inexpensive knives from China...the entry level models. The Taiwan models...a little more pricey but still affordable. The Seki City models which are top-notch and some of their best sellers (Endura, Delica, the Salts...VG10 and H1 products) and finally the various "flagship" models made in the USA, Military, Paramilitary, Manix.

They got something for everybody. I love that company. If you don't like a non-traditional folder, I suppose you won't like Spyderco...and that's fair.
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i second the man who answers from indy!
 
aephilli said:
Kinda what he said.

Some seem to believe the China made knives are not "really" Spydercos.
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Is a Chevy Aveo really a GM?

A Chinese Spyderco should be thought of as "entry level". If someone buys one because it is what they can afford, maybe as their financial situation improves, they will move up to a US made or more expensive offering.

As long as they don't move 100% of their production to China I'll continue to be a fan. If a couple Chinese made models are needed help keep the business running so I can continue to buy Spyderco's in the future, I can live with that.
 
I have always hated Spyderco's designs, I thought they looked weird and I really didn't like the "plasticky feel" of the Delica (only spyderco I have had the chance to handle - was a long time ago and the knife was very well used). That knife left an impression on me as Spyderco's being cheap and kinda junky so all these years I just ignored them.

That being said, I am a huge fan of Benchmade's Axis lock - and have a rather large collection of Axis lock folders. I was looking for something new and happened on a good deal on a Manix 2 about 3 weeks ago. I was intrigued by the cage ball lock, and decided to pick it up. At $70 for a US made knife, I figured with all the Spyderco die hards on here it would be pretty easy to sell if I don't like it.

When the knife arrived, I was literally blown away. The fit and finish is excellent, and it arrived shaving sharp! I still thought it looked kinda funky, then I put it in my hand and started using it. OMG - it just melted into my hand, and the blade shape is perfect and makes so much more sense when you actually cut stuff with it. The ergos really surprised me - just how well it fit my hand and how useful the blade shape is. IMO, this knife at $70-80 easily rivals some of the $150-200 Benchmades in fit and finish and quality. This knife really changed my opinion about these knives - they are "go" knives - not "show" knives.

Since then I have added a Gayle Bradley, and a Para 2 and have 5 more on preorder. I love all 3 of them, and as much as I like the Manix 2, I love the Para 2.

I still love my Benchmades, always will, but since I got that first Spyderco, I am now hooked. The Benchmades are in the display case, and the Spydercos are in my pocket. Surprised the crap out of me, if you would have told me 2 months ago that I would feel this way, I'd have told ya you were nuts. Spydercos excel in your hand not so much on display.
 
I usually carry a Benchmade with me to work. Last night I took my Stretch instead and was surprised by the ease at which I could operate it one handed, especially with gloves on. I think I see more Spydies in my future.
 
I have never been a fan, but this past spring, after spending many hours on BF and hearing all the different opinions, I broke down and bought a ZDP Stretch. It was sharp, I can keep it sharp, it is developing some character (a little patina, and after I snagged the pocket clip and ripped it out [twice] I had to epoxy it in place, added the zip-tie wave). But despite all that, I just can't love the knife, it feels to me that it has no soul. It makes me kinda sad, I want to like it, but I just don't. Mebbe one day I'll try another, but for now I'm kinda "meh" about Spyderco.
 
The reason I collect and carry Spydercos is that they are made to perform. While not always the prettiest knives, it is pretty hard to find a better performer for the money.
 
When I first looked at Spyderco, it looked like they sold basically the same knife at vastly different price points. But you really need to use one of their knives regularly to appreciate how useful they are. Now most of the knives that I'm looking at buying are Spyderco's.
 
I find it hard to be a hater of any of the major brands of "good" knives. I find it fascinating to see how different designers and manufactures solve the issue of knife design and production. Different solutions for the same problems.
Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw, ZT, Emerson, etc. all make unique and well designed knives...just different.
I love the Spyder hole as well as Thumb studs; The Wave and the Kershaw A/0, Axis locks, Frame locks, Spine locks, Opinel twist locks...all interesting design applications.
Then throw in scale design, blade design, clip/retention designs, etc. etc. ...
 
DoctaD said:
I love the Spyder hole...
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My confession:

When introduced to Spyderco knives years ago I thought the thumb hole was just plain odd. After years of use and seeing them all over the place, to me the hole is as normal as a nail nick on a traditional. It has become commonplace.
 
aephilli said:
Kinda what he said.

Some seem to believe the China made knives are not "really" Spydercos.
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Yep, that's about how Barry at the Spyderco factory outlet put it to me when I was in there last week picking up my first Spydie. He says that for a lot of people, Spyderco means the ones made in Golden. The Byrd's I don't think qualify, because they don't have the Spyderco logo on them, nor the Spyderhole. So I think it's worth treating them as a different brand, affiliated with Spyderco, but not actually Spyderco.
 
To paraphrase some previous posters - Ugly on the shelf but beautiful in the hand--
(except the carbon fiber handles,really pretty). I bought my first 18 years ago and never looked back. Still edcing Endura SE gen 1.
 
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