How awesome is the Swick??

Surfingringo

Surfingringo

Joined
May 25, 2013
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3,700
This knife has been slowly creeping up the list of my most loved and most carried Spyderco! I overlooked the Swick for quite some time because it looked a bit odd but man am I glad I finally got one (Swick 4). The Swick is everything that Spyderco is all about in my opinion. A knife that upon first glance looks a bit odd, but the more you use it the more you realize how perfect the design is. I should have learned by now to just trust Sals designs. Not every Spyderco works for me but the ones that Sal designs always seem to work just right in my hand. The Swick is proving to be no exception.

I bought his one as a neck knife for my kayak and that's where I started off using it but I've been so pleased with carry and function that I've started using it as an everyday carry too. I always carry it on a cord around my neck. Neck carry works well for me since I often don't have pockets on my surf trunks and I don't even own a belt! I find the Swick is plenty light (even with the halpern scales) to go unnoticed until I need it.

So yep, I am completely enamored with this one. I love it when get a knife that just gets better and better the more I use it. I've had the same experience with my Pacific Salt and it remains one of my all time favorites. The Swick is working its way into that category too! If you don't have one of these guys then do yourself a favor. (If there are any left?)

What about you guys? Who else has become a fan of this one??

Edit: If I had one wish it would be to see a sprint version of the knife with a slightly more corrosion resistant steel. Maybe something like cts-204? I use this one on the kayak (saltwater) everyday and I have to be pretty careful about rinsing and cleaning or it will start to show little rust spots. I'm not sure I would want to go with something like H1 because I wouldnt want to sacrifice the edge retention. And honestly, even in my harsh environment it's really easy to keep the rust off of a fixed blade...completely different situation than a folder whigh has all those hidden nooks and crannies. But that being said, I would be all over a sprint in some boutique higher wear resistance/higher corrosion resistance steel!
 
Surfingringo said:
Edit: If I had one wish it would be to see a sprint version of the knife with a slightly more corrosion resistant steel. Maybe something like cts-204? I use this one on the kayak (saltwater) everyday and I have to be pretty careful about rinsing and cleaning or it will start to show little rust spots. I'm not sure I would want to go with something like H1 because I wouldnt want to sacrifice the edge retention. And honestly, even in my harsh environment it's really easy to keep the rust off of a fixed blade...completely different situation than a folder whigh has all those hidden nooks and crannies. But that being said, I would be all over a sprint in some boutique higher wear resistance/higher corrosion resistance steel!
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Thanks for posting will check it out next time at the dealer.

Am a noob and don't know much about steels yet but there is a 2009 limited edition Swick just posted and still available on the exchange for $80 that may have a different steel or be of interest?http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1262532-Spyderco-Mule-Team-Swick-Emerson-La-Griffe-Cold-Steel-Double-Agent-Spike
 
Ive been eyeing that bad boy for a minute now....I want one, that just might be the next one!:thumbup:

Did ya wrap it with para cord?
 
C.M.L said:
Ive been eyeing that bad boy for a minute now....I want one, that just might be the next one!:thumbup:

Did ya wrap it with para cord?
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I bought the halpern g10 handle scales for mine. I do a lot of bait cutting and fish work with mine so I figured paracord would soak up way too much fish goo and get pretty intolerable (smell wise). But otherwise I probably would have just used paracord and saved the handle money.
 
It is a nice knife. I like mine, but carry it for a purpose other than utility. Carry it IWB with the g-clip.

I have the Halpern scales as well, black G10.


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A couple of fixed-blade knives I've had with screw-on scales developed rust under the scales. I guess the old epoxy method of scale attachment might still be the best in wet environments. Maybe some kind of sealant between the scales and tang would help.
 
I started this same thread over on the Spyderco forum and during the conversation over there I wrote a few sentences about this one. I felt like it gave a good sense of my thoughts on the Swick so I thought I would just copy and past it over here. Here ya go. :)

Sometimes you order a new Spyderco and get a little giddy when you get it. But every now and then something comes along and you get that giddy feeling when you actually "get it". Meaning you get how the design lends itself to doing exactly what you need it to and you start to see the genius of the design that wasn't apparent in its appearance but only in its actual carry and use. These are my favorites because unlike the shiny ones that give you a little thrill when they arrive, these just get better and better the more you use them. These are the ones that magically become more aesthetically pleasing with use as their beauty lies in their functionality. These are the ones that always make me appreciate Spyderco and how they go about designing a knife.
 
Surfingringo said:
I bought the halpern g10 handle scales for mine. I do a lot of bait cutting and fish work with mine so I figured paracord would soak up way too much fish goo and get pretty intolerable (smell wise). But otherwise I probably would have just used paracord and saved the handle money.
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Yeah...that makes sence. :thumbup:
 
Is there any other way to get this knife besides through spyderco...S/H is 13 bucks?
 
C.M.L said:
Well....this thread pushed me over the edge, just ordered the swick 4.:D
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Right on...enjoy! Fwiw, I found that I wasn't able to really appreciate the design until I put some handle scales on it. I chose the halpern g10 and they are nice. There are also some members on here that sell some really nice custom scales.
 
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Here's a couple of pics from today showing how easy it is to use your hand in various ways without having to put the Swick down. I am even able to tie knots with the knife in hand.
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Fantastic pics, as usual SG.
I hope Sal & Co sent you that shirt free of charge for being so awesome :p
 
Nice pics man.., I got a question for ya, I tried to put the knife in its sheath and idk...it feels like it aint going in right. Is there something im missing?:confused:
 
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