Help me understand the allure of spyderco knives

I consider Spyderco a premium knife company, and heres why. When they mark a steel type, thats the steel. When they state the steel hardness, its that hardness. Their heat treat is where it should be. They are innovative. Constantly evolving. Constantly improving. Their blades are designed to slice and cut. The owners are very involved in the company.
The Spyderco hole is, for me, the best thumb opening method on any folding knife.
 
115Italian said:
I consider Spyderco a premium knife company, and heres why. When they mark a steel type, thats the steel. When they state the steel hardness, its that hardness. Their heat treat is where it should be. They are innovative. Constantly evolving. Constantly improving. Their blades are designed to slice and cut. The owners are very involved in the company.
The Spyderco hole is, for me, the best thumb opening method on any folding knife.
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Many of the reasons you listed are exactly why I really want to like Spyderco. They seem like such a good company all around I was just having a disconnect understanding the Allure that's all. I believe my misunderstanding has been clarified though thanks
 
I am a confirmed fan of Spyderco knives. I'll tell you some of the reasons why I like them and you can see if any of my reasons resonate with you.

1. I like the people that run the company. I met Sal at one of the blade shows and he was excited to show me some of the designs they were working on and and was interested in my feedback. It's pretty cool and extremely rare to have interactions with the person that runs a manufacturing company and for them want feedback. Indeed many of the knives they have produced are a direct result of designs and suggestions from members of the forums that are not knife designers by trade. It gives me the feeling of being part of the Spyderco family rather than being just a consumer.

2. I like the hole. I am a fan of one hand opening knives, and in my opinion the hole is better than any design of thumbstud. I know that the flipper mechanism is all the rage right now, but I've had a few and haven't been impressed.

3. They aren't the prettiest knives. How can this be a positive? it's because many of their designs were designed first and foremost to be used to cut stuff. It didn't matter what they looked like as long as they were comfortable to carry in pocket, easy to pull from the pocket. Easy to open. Easily cut whatever they were supposed to cut. And Easy to close and reinsert into the pocket. Some people suggested getting and using a Delica or the like, I agree. Some of their newer designs have been designed more for looks than use. It's because lots of knives are bought by people that don't really use knives and Spyderco want's to sell to those people too. (You might want to think of these as fancy engraved shotguns, they still work.)

4. The salt line of knives. Spyderco makes a line of knives specifically to stay rust free. It's just one of their many innovations. If you ever need a knife for a marine environment, they are your best choices. It's back designing knives for a purpose. They found the most corrosion proof metals available that can and do hold an edge.

5. The variety of steels.

6. Innovation and commitment to continual improvement. The Spyderco Native is on its fifth version. The Delica is on it's fourth. Small things get changed like the pattern on the handles...to give the user a better grip without creating hotspots. They changed from pinned to screw construction. When there's a problem, there was a bit when they first started using roller bearings, they redesigned the affected models and fixed the problem.

7. The leaf shaped blade. Jack of all trades, master at none. It isn't the best skinning knife in existence, but works better than alot of other blade shapes. It spreads peanut butter less well that a butter knife, but better than any traditional folding Case knife. Enough belly for when you need it, not too much for when you don't. Pointy enough, but not too pointy.

Grizz
 
I started out with Kershaws, which led to ZT. I own 25 ZT knives. I never thought I would like Spyderco, the spydie hole doesn’t do the blade any favors in the looks dept IMO. Then ZT decided to release knives that I have no interest in...0850, 0022, 0023. I’ve sort of given up on ZT for the time being (ZT you’re better than this) and I looked at other brands. The money that would have gone to ZT has gone to OKC, Cold Steel and just a few days ago a Paramilitary 2 to see what all the hype was about.

I really really like it. So much that I have a camo PM2 on the way in the mail and Im debating picking up a Manix 2.
 
ErocSD said:
No worries. Context gets lost in text I wasnt being rude. I have been trying to be as courteous as possible so as not to offend the spyderco aficionados.

What I was trying to say is I understand the differences and I know I will have to justify my point of view at some point. Plastic is not bad but its not worth that amount of money, even $100.... to me.

Plenty of people find it worth it, obviously. Spyderco is a great company from everyone I've talked to and I respect them without even owning one.

And yes maxamet is kind of an upgrade. It's no M390 or S35n though. Once again I believe my question has been answered and I understand the allure now. I'll probably wait for a sale and pick one up now with more confidence. Thanks again for all the help
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Truth be told, you didnt really hold any punches. You even managed to sneak the word plastic in there seven or eight times;)

Just as we have seen people not understanding the allure of Spyderco before (which is perfectly alright for the already stated reasons), once in a while somebody with a perceived bone to pick with Spyderco pops up. Once the ire has been vented, a few compliments are always thrown in at the end.

There was the guy, who claimed, that Delicas were for women only and the member who got banned and then went to the Spyderco forum to continue to badmouth Spyderco knives. Always with some backhanded compliments thrown in.
 
gdwtvb said:
I am a confirmed fan of Spyderco knives. I'll tell you some of the reasons why I like them and you can see if any of my reasons resonate with you.

1. I like the people that run the company. I met Sal at one of the blade shows and he was excited to show me some of the designs they were working on and and was interested in my feedback. It's pretty cool and extremely rare to have interactions with the person that runs a manufacturing company and for them want feedback. Indeed many of the knives they have produced are a direct result of designs and suggestions from members of the forums that are not knife designers by trade. It gives me the feeling of being part of the Spyderco family rather than being just a consumer.

2. I like the hole. I am a fan of one hand opening knives, and in my opinion the hole is better than any design of thumbstud. I know that the flipper mechanism is all the rage right now, but I've had a few and haven't been impressed.

3. They aren't the prettiest knives. How can this be a positive? it's because many of their designs were designed first and foremost to be used to cut stuff. It didn't matter what they looked like as long as they were comfortable to carry in pocket, easy to pull from the pocket. Easy to open. Easily cut whatever they were supposed to cut. And Easy to close and reinsert into the pocket. Some people suggested getting and using a Delica or the like, I agree. Some of their newer designs have been designed more for looks than use. It's because lots of knives are bought by people that don't really use knives and Spyderco want's to sell to those people too. (You might want to think of these as fancy engraved shotguns, they still work.)

4. The salt line of knives. Spyderco makes a line of knives specifically to stay rust free. It's just one of their many innovations. If you ever need a knife for a marine environment, they are your best choices. It's back designing knives for a purpose. They found the most corrosion proof metals available that can and do hold an edge.

5. The variety of steels.

6. Innovation and commitment to continual improvement. The Spyderco Native is on its fifth version. The Delica is on it's fourth. Small things get changed like the pattern on the handles...to give the user a better grip without creating hotspots. They changed from pinned to screw construction. When there's a problem, there was a bit when they first started using roller bearings, they redesigned the affected models and fixed the problem.

7. The leaf shaped blade. Jack of all trades, master at none. It isn't the best skinning knife in existence, but works better than alot of other blade shapes. It spreads peanut butter less well that a butter knife, but better than any traditional folding Case knife. Enough belly for when you need it, not too much for when you don't. Pointy enough, but not too pointy.

Grizz
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Thank you, that is truly the blueprint of an amazing company! I may end up with a native 5 and as stated if I can't love it I'm sure it will sell. Thanks again
 
ErocSD said:
So please don't flame me too badly here, I'm not understanding the draw to spyderco knives. I'm being serious, I dont see what sets them apart specifically. I have no disregard for the knife maker, in fact I like the new designs like the all ti orange peel flippers and such.

I know there's many different models now but I look at the classics and all I see is a basic knife. I mean other than the proprietary spidey hole they're just plastic handled knives to me. So I'm hoping someone can help me see what I'm missing.

Don't get me wrong I have used a few pm2s that my Dad and friends have owned and I appreciate the lightweight feel, I like the blade steels and the fit and finish is always pretty on point. I just dont understand the love affair that many people have for them. Even Nick Shabazz raves about them.

I had the same problem understanding why people spend $30k on over under shotguns when a $1k semiauto would blow them out of the water. I kind of feel like I'm in the same scenario here, there is a reason they're so loved....What am I missing?

Help me out please, and this is no disrespect to the brand so please don't take it that way.
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I, too, am not big into Spyderco's, although I have a few with good F&F. However, we often try to justify our excessive expenditures with things like QC, beauty, materials, etc. In the end, something is only worth what people will pay for it. If you wonder why someone might pay for a car, motorcycle, house, knife, shoe, painting, drill press, lawn mower, ladder, etc., and you are basing it on the cost of labor, quality of materials, fit and finish, etc. you are missing the point. 100 people slaving away at $400 an hour to put out a knife may only find $1.99 on ebay. The person willing to pay $14,000 for Britney Spears' chewed and spit out bubble gum is who sets the worth.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. It means that any person can have a knife that does about everything a $200 knife (or even $2,000) will do for $20 (plus a little maintenance) minus the bragging rights.
 
BladeScout said:
Truth be told, you didnt really hold any punches. You even managed to sneak the word plastic in there seven or eight times;)

Just as we have seen people not understanding the allure of Spyderco before (which is perfectly alright for the already stated reasons), once in a while somebody with a perceived bone to pick with Spyderco pops up. Once the ire has been vented, a few compliments are always thrown in at the end.

There was the guy, who claimed, that Delicas were for women only and the member who got banned and then went to the Spyderco forum to continue to badmouth Spyderco knives. Always with some backhanded compliments thrown in.
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I truly wasn't trying to offend anyone, I believe the plastic at the price point is my biggest hangup, then looks are second. That is why I was trying to get passed that portion of my misunderstanding. I believe I'm still a little confused on FRN to plastic but that's what it appears to be, correct me if wrong. FRN is plastic with glass fibers correct?

I assure you there is no bone to pick, just a quest for understanding. There really is no way to beat around the Bush on the issue, I'm a pretty direct guy so once again it wasn't intended as a back handed insult or put down. How else would I address one of my major issues without outright saying it?
 
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The relation to a brand is something very personal so I can only speak of my personal perception of the Spyderco brand

To give you some background ,
I would define me as a practical guy. I don’t enjoy what is not useful.
I have a busy life, trying to manage job, family, friends and hobbies... and knives ;)
My favourite knives brands are CRK and Hinderer followed by ZT, Spyderco and Benchmade
I have owned a few Spydercos and still own 3/4 of them
What I enjoy at Spyderco is that when you are looking for a knife for a specific use that is nether overbuild not out of price for the quality , then you can find a Spyderco
A Salt 2 when I go in holidays for diving
A PM2 s110v when I go away for some time without any sharpening equipment
A UKPK when I need a one hand opening slip joint
A GB2 when I need a good steel to go to work in the backyard

So many steels, locking mechanism and ergonomics are reasonable price point!

I still need to wait to get a PN3 with an exotic steel, a chief, a sage 5 or chaparral FRN... there are so many options and uses!

Not the best looking, no always the strongest construction but man, each knife is made with a purpose

Compare it to ZT (another brand I like)!
ZT can be more appealing for the material and look but they din’t Have a purpose like most spydies have.
 
Scott321 said:
I, too, am not big into Spyderco's, although I have a few with good F&F. However, we often try to justify our excessive expenditures with things like QC, beauty, materials, etc. In the end, something is only worth what people will pay for it. If you wonder why someone might pay for a car, motorcycle, house, knife, shoe, painting, drill press, lawn mower, ladder, etc., and you are basing it on the cost of labor, quality of materials, fit and finish, etc. you are missing the point. 100 people slaving away at $400 an hour to put out a knife may only find $1.99 on ebay. The person willing to pay $14,000 for Britney Spears' chewed and spit out bubble gum is who sets the worth.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. It means that any person can have a knife that does about everything a $200 knife (or even $2,000) will do for $20 (plus a little maintenance) minus the bragging rights.
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All good points, value is only what someone deems an item worth. I guess I was a little confused on some things. I have been instilled with confidence and learned a lot from everyone's responses. Thanks again.
 
firstly everybody likes different things for personal reasons ... and that's why we are all individuals ...

that being said it took me a long time to try Spydercos as they didn't appeal to me ...

I finally bought a box of knives at an estate auction and it had a Native 5 unused in it ... now normally I prefer bigger knives for most of my carry knives ...

but the Native felt great in my hand and showed itself very useful ... so I jumped into the iconic PM2 to try even though the appearance still didn't really connect with what I like ... but again the knife just performed really well ...

so I tried some others and found I am not a fan of the FRN scales (with one exception ... the fully serrated salt) ...

and then I tried a Manix II ... and found that is far and away my favorite Spyderco ... I love the M4 version and I added aftermarket micarta scales ...

I still wouldn't say I'm drawn to many Spydercos ... but I have a lot of respect for them and the company ...

so hopefully that maybe hit some of your questions ... and it's ok if they aren't for you ... we are lucky to be in the middle of great knives coming out left and right from many companies.
 
ErocSD said:
And yes maxamet is kind of an upgrade. It's no M390 or S35n though.
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In terms of wear resistance Spyderco Maxamet will far exceed either m390 or S35vn. It’s one of the most wear resistant steels ever placed in a production folder as far as I understand it.

I’d like to give Maxamet another shot in the future with my own edge on it. My concerns with it are more in the toughness category.

To the original post, Spyderco is known for having great heat treats. Getting the most out of whichever steel they use. I have a CPM Rex 45 para 2 that can attest to that. Also have a Superblue endura that sharpens like a dream. I couldn’t find an alternative to either of these with other production knives.

I’ve had a ZT in 20cv I found chipped to much for my uses. I sold it for other reasons though.
 
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P2P said:
In terms of wear resistance Spyderco Maxamet will far exceed either m390 or S35vn. It’s one of the most wear resistant steels ever placed in a production folder as far as I understand it.

I’d like to give Maxamet another shot in the future with my own edge on it. My concerns with it are more in the toughness category.
..
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As far as production folders, there is no steel that is higher in wear resistance.

 
P2P said:
In terms of wear resistance Spyderco Maxamet will far exceed either m390 or S35vn. It’s one of the most wear resistant steels ever placed in a production folder as far as I understand it.

I’d like to give Maxamet another shot in the future with my own edge on it. My concerns with it are more in the toughness category.

To the original post, Spyderco is known for having great heat treats. Getting the most out of whichever steel they use. I have a CPM Rex 45 para 2 that can attest to that. Also have a Superblue endura that sharpens like a dream. I could find an alternative to either of these with other production knives.

I’ve had a ZT in 20cv I found chipped to much for my uses. I sold it for other reasons though.
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Alsharif said:
As far as production folders, there is no steel that is higher in wear resistance.

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Interesting, Once again I learned something new. Thanks... I'll have to check Maxamet out in the future.
 
Spyderco has always been a function over form company. Ergos used to be the number one priority, though not as much now. I love them.
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
firstly everybody likes different things for personal reasons ... and that's why we are all individuals ...

that being said it took me a long time to try Spydercos as they didn't appeal to me ...

I finally bought a box of knives at an estate auction and it had a Native 5 unused in it ... now normally I prefer bigger knives for most of my carry knives ...

but the Native felt great in my hand and showed itself very useful ... so I jumped into the iconic PM2 to try even though the appearance still didn't really connect with what I like ... but again the knife just performed really well ...

so I tried some others and found I am not a fan of the FRN scales (with one exception ... the fully serrated salt) ...

and then I tried a Manix II ... and found that is far and away my favorite Spyderco ... I love the M4 version and I added aftermarket micarta scales ...

I still wouldn't say I'm drawn to many Spydercos ... but I have a lot of respect for them and the company ...

so hopefully that maybe hit some of your questions ... and it's ok if they aren't for you ... we are lucky to be in the middle of great knives coming out left and right from many companies.
Click to expand...

Agreed, there are so many options out there but Spyderco just seems like such a good company and as stated they are very well respected and that has enticed me to be a fan. I just had a hard time getting it.... I still don't like green olives and every year I try one and every year I spit it out, usually with a martini in hand. now that I have been educated about the quality and company I certainly have much more confidence in the brand and will pick one up.
 
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