Convince me to buy a Police

Mirror-Saw · Oct 15, 2006

Ok, i have decided to not piss away ALL of the money i've been running into recently. I have always liked the look of the all steel Spydercos. This will be my first Spyderco purchase.

Pictures of your own Police models would certainly help poke me in the right direction, because i think i searched google to death already for pictures.
They were mostly the same generic pic with white background, and i like in hand/user pics anyway.

User stories and such would be great too. For some reason i don't see/read/hear alot of stuff about the Police model.

Help?

J85909266 · Oct 16, 2006

I will give you all kinds of info and pictures at your request soon. It's too late tongiht.

For now I'll just say, it's very big, bigger than most 4 inch bladed folders. It's not as heavy as you would think, and it's very slim (nuch thinner than say, an Endura for instance) and feels great in the pocket, especially when reaching in to get something like keys or whatever. The grip, while being very comfortable, feels a bit slick and less secure than a lot of other knives I own, which I feel should be remedied in the future by Spyderco. Overall, it's a classic design that has a really great feel and appeal to me, especially fully serrated.

yablanowitz · Oct 16, 2006

I have two, one an old school GIN-1 and the other a modern VG-10 version. I find either to be very comfortable to carry inside the waistband, without snagging my shirt putting it away. The main reason I seldom carry one is simple: The stupid knife law here in Kansas prohibits carrying a folding knife with a blade over 4" long, and both of my Police models measure 4 3/16". I doubt I would ever be stopped and searched (I look more like Santa Clause than a terrorist) but if it ever happened, I don't need an overlength knife to muddy the waters.

smegs · Oct 16, 2006

Out of all the knives I've traded or given away, it's the one I miss the most. Like some say, it's a little slippery but some skateboard tape fixes that. It's a whole lot of knife for the money.

zenheretic · Oct 16, 2006

Here is a few Police pics

zenheretic · Oct 16, 2006

And one more

SalN · Oct 16, 2006

Mirror-Saw said:
User stories and such would be great too. For some reason i don't see/read/hear alot of stuff about the Police model.

Help?

They look cool. However, they're heavy (sag), not legal to carry in many places (just over 4 inches), and worst of all, SLIPPERY.

zenheretic · Oct 16, 2006

Mirror-Saw said:
User stories and such would be great too. For some reason i don't see/read/hear alot of stuff about the Police model.

Help?

It has been out for almost 20 years, I guess the excitement has worn off.

One of the best features of the SS models is their ease of carry. They are so thin you don't even notice they are there. I carried a SS Police for 14 years (the serrated model in my pics). I had to develop a habit of checking my pocket after getting up from sitting down, as slipped out of the pocket on occasion.

No offense to the other poster, but the "sag" or carry weight is overexaggerated IMO. For example, it has a longer blade length and yet weighs less than a Chinook or a Manix. Obviously it gives up a bit of lock strength (but the Chinook and Manix are probably the strongest locks Spyderco offers at this time.)

Obviously I can't put forth a counter point to the legal argument.

The slickness can be ignored unless you do a lot of "outdoor" or other use where you can expect to get wet. Or you can get the handle engraved, grind a quicky dremel design in it yourself, or add a textured tape like that used on skateboards.

Bodieism · Oct 16, 2006

It makes a great EDC. The SS Police and my Mini Manix are my two most carried knives. One thing I really like about the SS Police is how thin it is. I think thats what makes it such a great EDC. It goes unnoticed in your pocket until you need to use it. The long blade comes in really handy to. I don't know if you consider self defense in your knife purchases but if you do the Police makes and excellent impact weapon because of the length & shape of the handle IMO. Unlike most people here would argue, for its size I don't think its really that heavy. I mean if you have ever carried a Buck 110 its like 2-3 ounces lighter than that so personally I don't think its heavy at all.

Mirror-Saw · Oct 16, 2006

Those are some fine photos fellas. Thanks for the responses!

The legal thing...well, i live in Canada, so there's no specific blade length laws. However, there are certain blade length rules for certain places. When i lived in a much larger city, it was 6 inches. I now reside in a small town full of fishermen/boaters/hunters and military folk. Nooo problems with knives for me.

The weight issue, well, for the last 2-ish years, a Buck 110 was my EDC, and it often just sat in my pocket without a sheath and didn't bother me one bit.

I think i can get over the slipperyness. For an EDC, i think it'll do great. I have other knives for the outdoorsy stuff.

Thanks again guys.

GIRLYmann · Oct 17, 2006

Dude, besides the Buck 110; the Spyderco Police is the stuff of legends. You won't be sorry you got that.
Next look out for the discontinued Emerson Benchmade tanto for a collection of definitive knives that defined production knife styling.

mnblade · Oct 17, 2006

Personally, I'd also consider an SS Endura4 in this class. A wee bit smaller but more stout, a little more affordable, and also has VG-10 steel.

Peter1960 · Oct 17, 2006

The Police is one of the Spyderco's with a wide range of handle materials (steel, alu, G-10, carbon, titanium) and blade steel variants (GIN-1/G2, ATS-34, ATS-55, VG-10) in plain/serrated and hollow or flat grinded.

Most of the models are still available after a little search and patience

SIRGALANT · Oct 17, 2006

just buy a police , you needed convincing , there you go . i order you to buy this knife , and if your wife kick up a stink just say i made you buy it

lol. i have a vg10 combo edge police , i love it.

TIZWIN · Nov 6, 2006

I put a little 3M Stair Tread tape on mine.

View attachment 62246

Mr Blonde · Nov 6, 2006

The Police was my very first Spydie, before the Military sucked me in for good.

Wouter

TIZWIN · Nov 6, 2006

Here is the Police that STR and Chase Axin modified for me.

View attachment 62250

We started with a basic, PE Police Model. Mr. Axin did the drilling and tapping for the 4-way clip option, and added a lanyard hole. STR bead blasted the flats of the blade, and "waved" it. He also made a "Low Rider" clip for it. I am left-handed (the clip is shown on the left side), but I've since changed the clip to a right-handed, tip-up configuration for a waved Pikal draw with my left hand.

I've also added some discreet pieces of that 3M tape to this one as shown on another Police in my previous post.

lreed · Nov 6, 2006

Bodieism said:
It has been out for almost 20 years, I guess the excitement has worn off.

Do you know when was the first police released? Maybe Sal will release a kick-@ss aniversary model with _____ (fill in the blank with exotic matrials like (color anodized) titanium, G10, micarta..) handles and ____ (fill in the blank with S30v, BG42, ZDP-189, or whatever steel that can wet you steel-junkies' dream) blades. That would be way too cool!

Bodieism said:
...One thing I really like about the SS Police is how thin it is. I think thats what makes it such a great EDC. It goes unnoticed in your pocket until you need to use it...

Exactly! Unless your are wearing sports pants/shorts, you will hardly notice the knife clipped in your pocket. And it feels really good sliding the police into and out of the pocket.

Bodieism said:
...the Police makes and excellent impact weapon because of the length & shape of the handle IMO.

True!

Bodieism said:

Nice nicking done on that police! I wish spyderco would incorporate this feature and add thumb grooves on the ridge of the blade! Slippery is one of the two biggest issues I have with this knife, and the other is the word "police" engraved on the blade!

BobfromChicago · Nov 7, 2006

I think it depends on how you intend to use the knife. The Police model looks great, feels good in the hand (when closed) and feels great in the pocket. It locks up with a sonic click (kind of like racking a 12 gauge).

The problem, as many others have stated, is with the grip (or lack there of). It is very slippery even when bone dry. There are things you can do to help fix this or you could by a Military which I think is a similar knife with a much better grip.

Good luck!

TIZWIN · Nov 7, 2006

I have yet to add the Military to my Spyderco collection, only because it's not lefty-friendly. And compared to the Police, the Military doesn't have that slim, shark-like style. And the Police's all-metal construction (on standard models) has a slickness to its opening that has to be felt to appreciate.

All very subjective, I admit. In a completely practical sense, the FRN Endura4 is probably better. Cheaper, blade almost as long, 4-way clip, grippier handle. But it doesn't have that je ne sais quoi.