How did you discover Spyderco?

About 1988 a Cherokee was showing me some traditional survival skills. I was using my boy scout SAK. He told me I need to get a tactical knife. It was the first time I ever head that term and first time I ever saw a knife with a pocket clip. I was hooked! It was a all stainless police model.
 
I went over a friend's house as a kid and saw a black pocket knife on the table. The spine lock had broken and the blade would fold over to the back. I asked my friend if I could have it and he said I could. It was an older serrated Delica. I've since upgraded to a Delica 4 ffg, but I still have my first one.
 
Needed a running companion, and the engineer in me wanted to see what H1 was all about. After that came the ubiquitous Delica, then the Para 2... we'll see where it goes from there.

Wish I had a better story, but there it is.
 
I discovered Spyderco when I joined Bladeforums looking to learn more about survival knives and bushcraft. I had EDC'ed a Kershaw Leek before, and liked it well enough until I lost it (I was lucky in picking up the Leek from a knife shop, this was back before I knew anything about knives). I read so much about Spyderco on the forums that I figured I'd give the company a try, even though I thought their knives were for the most part pretty ugly. What they lacked in initial aesthetic appeal to me, I was told they more than made up for in pure utility and smart design. I am glad that turned out to be true :thumbup: I've even come to love the looks of most models, they've really grown on me.

I started with a Delica 4 Emerson Opener, then went on to get a regular Delica 4 and an Endura 4. I quickly fell in love with my spyderco's and moved up to a Military and then a Para2. Unfortunately I sold off all my spyderco's as I made the rounds of different companies, trying out new things to see what I really liked. I really regret selling my Military (orange G10 too!) and Para2, now that I've tasted a little bit of everything. I've recently compromised by picking up a FFG Delica 4 I've always wanted, but one day I'll get myself another Military and Para-Military.

I'm a total spydiehole fan now, when it comes to folders :D Don't really like using thumbstuds after all my spyderco use.
 
While looking for information about the best multitool (Leatherman Wave at that time) I stumbled into bladeforums and started reading. A couple of months later, I had a SS Dragonfly which I thought was symmetrical, ergonomic, and quite beautiful. Then I got a Calypso Jr. Then a CF Police (I think) etc. etc. You guys know the story. Currently I EDC a CF ZDP Stretch and am waiting to see if a Spydie Brad Southard can take its place.
 
In the 70's the Knife market was stagnant. Every company had their "Buck 110" style. Puma had the Game Warden, Schrade had the LB7, Ka-Bar had the 1189. Everyone had the Schrade 227/250 style. Every one had the stockman. There wasn't any inovation. Serrated edges were only on kitchen knives. The only real change was handle material and color.
The attempt at one handed opening studs, clamp on aids for one handed opening and such was pathetic. In the late 70's, everyone was just getting introduced to the crock sticks so the ceramic sharpening market had begun. Oil/wet stones sales were beginning to slide.

Along came Spyderco about 1980. It was solid stainless, functional clip and a working one handed opening knife. The edge was sharp and the only down side was that if you got the serrated edge, you had to get a triangle sharp, since that was the primary way to sharpen the knife. The fast spread of the knife was due to a lot of word of mouth. The people that loved them told everyone about them. by the time they came out with the FRN handles and lowered the cost, they only doubled their market. The solid stainless was a little pricy back then. Now, getting $150 for a para military is nothing. Back then, getting $66 - $100 for the stainless handle series was steady but the FRN handles dropped the entry level price to Spyderco's to about $40 for the Delica and the ladybug was under $20.
When a calf roper walks in and buys a pink delica on sale, since girls weren't really into knives back then and the pink knife was the only Spyderco on sale, that means the value of the knife/tool far exceeds the crap he will get from his friends.
Now practically every knife manufacturer out there offers a serrated edge pocket knife. Most have either copied or inovated on one handed opening blades.

I used to work in a knife store. Baby Goddard is one of my EDC's and still have my Vintage Spyderco sharpener in the heavy zip lock bag.
Lastly, I now live in the Denver area now, so I can drive to the Factory Store if needed.
Thank you Sal
 
I decided to learn how to sharpen knives and bought a sharpmaker. Couple month later I bought "Walmart Native" to see what is S30V all about. Couldn't stop after that.
 
I saw an Endura in a movie during the 1990s. The hole seemed like such a smart way to open a knife, so I went out and bought one.
 
I first discovered Spyderco in the early '90s, when I wanted a one handed-opening knife for backpacking. I went with a Gen-1 Delica (it probably caught my attention because it was getting written up in gun magazines). I wasn't really a "knife guy" back then, so I pretty much spent the rest of the decade with just the Delica.

In 2000, I met a young fellow who used to go by the handle Gadgetman on this forum. He was an absolute Spyderco nut, and reintroduced me to the wonders of that company. He induced me to get a Calypso Jr., and my love for the brand was cemented. As it happens, Gadgetman also introduced me to this forum.

I'll take this moment to also mention that Gadgetman passed away of an illness at the impossibly young age of 32 back in 2002. He was a phenomenally nice, decent, and intelligent person, and this world is definitely the worse for his absence. :sorrow:


.
 
Many years ago I did an internet search to assist with the decision between a thumb hole and a thumb stud. That led me to this forum. I poked around for awhile and then someone put a notice that SMKW was selling Spyderco Navigator 2s for something like $30. I purchased one. I complained on this forum about the edges being sharp (not the blade, the other corners) and it not comparing favorably to a Benchmade (at 3x the price). Sal took the time to personally respond, not defensively, to explain that sharp edges are the product of fine machining and well regarded in Japan and that he thought the comparison was a bit unfair. That totally turned my view of the knife around and I've purchased a number of them since. And I always look for a sharp corner on my thumb hole now!
 
I heard about them just from visiting blade forums and researching knife brands when I started getting into the hobby. I looked at their balisong but never went for one. This is the first Spyder that I've actually owned or even seen in real life and it hasn't disappointed me yet! I'll be getting another when I have the money.
 
friend of mine at the time had a persian that he left in my truck, I picked it up and was blown away by the quality and feel. Hooked since then.
 
A friend of mine was given a Worker by his step-dad. The first time I saw it, I was blown away. I had never seen such a cool looking knife, with a pocket clip and hole in the blade no less. I would borrow it any chance I got. Eventually I got my first Spyderco, a Police model, but I've always lusted after a Worker of my own.
 
Eastern mountain sports carried them in the nineties, I remember how enamored I was with my first delica with that bluish purple color they had
 
Some time around 1995 or '96, a high school buddy whipped his lady bug out during an extracurricular. I think it had red scales (is that possible?). I also started seeing Spydercos and Benchmades in knife catalogs I ordered a year or two later. Purchased my first of each around '97.
 
It was probably around 18-20 years ago one of my uncle's bought one and was showing it off at a family get together. That's the first time I remember seeing or hearing about Spyderco.
 
A buddy of mine,Dave the barbarian,showed me his new knife in an Astorian bar back in 90,it was a Spyderco Worker,fully serrated,I bought a Police right after that.
 
I was aware of them from one of the Harris novels, I think Red Dragon. Then a friend started buying them around that time and I handled his Endura and Delica. I bought my first Delica at a knife shop in Baltimore in 1995 IIRC. Total impulse buy, but it had been in my subconscious that I wanted one. I was also tired of teh crap folders I was finding at flea markets etc, I was ready for something well made.
 
It was the mid 90's when friend took me to a gunshop around the corner from our house. He just had to show me these "new knives" he saw. Well I left with a fully serrated Delica and a slightly miffed friend. You see I bought the one he dragged me up there to see. Like always I had cash becasue I had a job, even in college. He is/was your classic broke rich kid. I still have that knife and carry it once in a while.

Brian

(middle knife in the pic)
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