How much better are Strider Folders over Spyderco?

[flipe8]

Hi guys. Before anyone states that I'm stirring the pot, let me state that I'm not. I'm asking this from genuine curiousity after reading a thread about how one forumite used his Strider to pry apart something and it got me wondering how my stainless Delica4 would do with similar tasks. I got mine from NGK online for 48$ and I think it's a great knife for the price, but that's beside the point. The original thread got me thinking about how much more heavy-duty Striders are in comparison to my strongest Spydie(IMO), the D'Allara Rescue.Also, does the price difference indicate the actual differences in the two(in terms of performance under hard use)?. If someone wants to compare a Strider folder to another Spyderco, by all means, do so.Hopefully some Strider users whom happen to own a couple of Spydies would be able to answer this. For the record, Iv'e never owned nor even handled a Strider. The closest I've been to one was a Buck version and I liked it.Thanks.

 

[DaveH]

The only spyderco that might be similar is the Manix.

My personal feeling is that a spyderco will be much sharper and cut better, but since you want to pry, then a strider would be better. For the price of a Strider you could buy a manix and a little crowbar, and have a ton of moeny left over.

 

[dsvirsky]

As someone who owns more than two dozen Spydies and one Strider, I'd like to say that it's not a matter of Strider or Spyderco being better than the other. They're both good. Every knife is a compromise and Spyderco and Strider have simply made different decisions as to which qualities to emphasize.

If bang for the buck is your sole criterion, then Spyderco is very tough to beat. My ParaMilitary is well built and will outcut just about any knife I own, including my SnG; maybe even my Scott Cook Lochsa. However, I like my SnG and my Lochsa better than I like the ParaMilitary.

 

[flipe8]

Thanks guys. I'm not looking for a prybar that cuts; I've got a pry-small bar not any bigger than an opened folder for that stuff. I guess I was just wondering how much more stoutly built the Striders were in comparison. I guess my thinking aloud(online) was "could " my Spydie handle that kind of use? More of a hypothetical question.

 

[katsu]

I can not think of any Spyderco that can not outcut any of the Strider models.
Striders are well built but are just not designed for high performance slicing like Spydercos.

Except for the Strider Stings from HideAway. I've got one and they are like a scapel.

 

[Barrabas]

one forumite used his Strider to pry apart something and it got me wondering how my stainless Delica4 would do with similar tasks.

Only one way to find out my Friend

I like both companies, and own, and have owned a few of each of their knives - so i'm no authority, just a guy who likes to play with knives.

The Manix I have is as rock solid as any folder I've had so I'll use that as a reference point against a Strider SNG & a PT etc.

I don't know what "Tough" really means, but to me it means it'll take stuff you would not normally do to a cutting tool.

Prying:
I think the lock back on a Manix would have more confidence to me than Striders integral, and I would say the same thing for baton use.
But - I would have no concern with my Sebs..

Impact side of the house:
Lock open your Strider and throw it at a cured piece of hard wood (I did it with a Strider PT) - not real hard - about one rotation, tip went in, but the impact shut the knife twice. - My Manix won't shut like that (neither would my Seb)

Which "sounds" tougher:
1 - a knife with titanium on one side of your handle, and g10on the other
2 - a knife that has skeletonized Steel on both sides of the knife with thick G10 over top of the liners.
3 - a knife with Titanium on both sides of the handle.

Which "looks" tougher:
THE STRIDER

Conclusion:

Striders Rock, and So do Spydercos, the Strider PT ended up getting more pocket time than either the SNG, or the Manix - for these reasons:
It feels better in my hand
I like a smaller blade
I prefer the frame lock for normal use
It is light
It just looks soooooo cool to me.
I never pry with my knives or throw them except to try them out - and for normal cutting tasks both manufactures will meet your needs.

It all depends on what you want -
For the $$ you can't beat a Spyderco - Period.
If your interested in Frame locks especially - and you want tough, and can only buy one - check out Sebenza, Strider, and Bradley (I don't have one of these but I heard they were great form a trusted source - and a lot less $$ than the others) - before you make your decision.

What do I carry now - BG42 Small Regular Seb - I like BG42 A LOT better than S30v.

Hope this helps.

sp

 

[HoB]

Cliff loaded the handle of a Chinook II sideways with 180 lbs and the blade snapped long before handle, lock or pivot were affected. That is good enough for any use I am will to subject a folder to.

 

[SpyderJon]

Every knife is a compromise and Spyderco and Strider have simply made different decisions as to which qualities to emphasize.

I agree with Dsvirsky on this point. Striders are for those who don't want to carry a prybar- but please note that even Mick will tell you that a knife is the most expensive prybar you'll ever own- especially if you break it. I think the Strider is overbuilt to handle a widened range of tasks. It'll cut, but not as well as something optimized for that purpose. It'll pry, but not as well as a prybar. The edge will last through limited (extremely limited) chopping, but not as well as a large fixed blade or an axe/saw. The point is that it WILL do all of these, but not as well as a tool optimized for the task. If you only want to carry one tool, then a Strider is a good compromise choice. HOWEVER, only you can decide if that compromise is justified for your EDC habits.

I carry my Strider every day, but I also carry a Buck/Mayo 172 for pure slicing jobs. If I were only going to carry one folder, honestly looking at my likely EDC situations, then I'd probably carry the 172. I carry the Strider purely by choice- but when I come up against something I KNOW is going to damage the fine edge of the 172 on (like cutting the plastic leash on our car's gas cap within the confines of the gas cap opening) then I pull out the Strider.

The Strider, in the end, is probably tougher than the Spyderco; but do you need that toughness? THAT is the question, and only you can answer that.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

[Chinook]

...and the blade snapped long before handle, lock or pivot were affected.

Yes, the handle is quite solid, only the tip snapped, if you stress the blade body a normal man could easily walk on the knife or do a pull up from it. Short blades don't tend to require massively thick blades as you don't have the leverage of longer ones. Even something like the Endura isn't trivial to snap, I watched it done a few years back and the tips on them are strong due to the sabre grinds.

-Cliff

 

[ohmyheckinslc]

And don't the Para and the Manix have the same thickness of s30v as the Chinook?

 

[gud4u]

Google the phrase 'purposely overbuilt', used by many to describe an item built to survive beyond normal expectations. That's pretty much the theme behind Strider design.

But that term applies to other makers' knives - such as the Manix - as well.

I think you could safely say that no maker offers a folder with the pivot-strength of the 'bull pivot' employed in Strider folders. Beyond that absolutely unique feature, the Strider is just 'overbuilt'.

I think Strider falls behind in terms of 'fit and finish'. My SMF had to go back to the factory, as have many Strider folders, for adjustment. I've never had to return a Spyderco or Benchmade folder for any reason. I appreciated the service, but why was this trip necessary?

As others have pointed out, my Military is much better as a pure slicer than my SMF.

My Son 'adopted' my SMF, so I get along with a Buck/Strider Tarani folder - sort of a cross between the SNG blade size with the liner-lock of the AR. It's a pretty good $100 'preview' of the Strider 'thing'.

I doubt I'll ever buy another expensive folder, but I really don't dare think too much about the Strider AR folder or gaze at AR photos - credit cards make it too easy! Once you buy a Strider folder, you may be lost to reasoned explanations of how other folders may be as good or perhaps excel in some feature or function.

The Strider following - like the Sebenza crowd - are strong believers. Be careful in your criticism of either. They are 'the faithful' and the rest of us just don't get it.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Personally I think if you need anything that cannot be handled by a Manix or a Chinook then you need a prybar or a hammer and not a Strider.

If you like to carry $400 Striders just for status then that's a different story all together.

 

[Halfneck]

Striders are tough folders. For my hands though, they just don't fit well. My EDC folder needs are met just fine by my Spyderco Kris or Endura, Benchmade 940, or my custom Atkinson.

 

[Buzzbait]

Strider makes a heck of a knife, and so does Spyderco. Different strengths in terms of design, fit and finish though.

No, you won't get 4 times the knife when you buy a Strider at 4 times the price, but you won't with any other company either. Knives definitely fall into the category of diminishing returns as you go up in price, as do so many other products.

Check out my side-by-side comparison of the Strider SNG and Spyderco Paramilitary here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=398956

 

[Hair]

It isn't a matter of better or worse. Spydercos have different pros and cons, and Striders have different pros and cons. It varries a lot by model, of course. In the end, it is just a matter of preference. The thing is, if you end up prefering Strider, you have to pay a lot more.

I have an SMF, and it isn't much of a slicer. However, I think people don't give Strider enough credit when it comes to cutting. My SMF will cut anything that any Spyderco will cut. The only real difference I have noticed is that where my Military or Manix will easily push-cut, the SMF will require a draw. And my SMF edge is still "stock". If one were to reprofile it, they would gain a lot of slicing ability (though the thicker blade stock would prevent it from ever being as good as a Military at slicing).

Likewise, I think people don't give Spyderco enough credit when it comes to durability. Yes, a Strider is a lot stronger, but I think it is very rare that anyone needs to push a knife past the limit of the Manix.

In the end, they are all good. I wouldn't want to be without any of them. Strider costs a lot more, but for good reasons (price fixing versus far-below MSRP street pricing, and being handmade by a small company rather than pumped out by a large one).

I will say this, though:

I own several Spydercos, including the Military and Manix, and my SMF is by far my favorite knife. I do not abuse my SMF, but knowing how overbuilt it is gives me piece of mind. And perhaps more importantly, the SMF is the most ergonomic knife I have every used in every single grip, it is also the best functionally designed knife I have ever used. It is full of functional details that make it better, safer, and more enjoyable to use. Spyderco may offer a better bargain, but Strider makes a better overall knife.

If you cannot afford a Strider, there is no shame in buying a Manix and being happy. And you will be- it is a great knife. But if I you afford a Strider, I say go for it. I feel the people that say it isn't worth it because a Spyderco will cut better for less money are missing the point- and they are missing out on the best production knives in the world, IMO.

For the price of a Strider you can buy several Spydercos, and even throw some other tools such as a crowbar into the mix. But if I did that, I wouldn't be as happy. I think of it the other way. Why waste my money on a bunch of Spydercos and crowbars when I can get a freaking Strider SMF and have, what is for me, the best production knife. Period. For the amount of joy my SMF has given me, it was a bargain. A better price/joy ratio than any other knife or tool I have. A bag full of Spydercos and crowbars could not compare. But the SMF fits my hand very well, and I really fell in love with the design Your milage may vary.

If you want cutting performance, or a good cutting performance/price ratio, Spyderco is king. Not just over Strider, but pretty much over all else. But I feel that there is more to knives, especially folders, than pure slicing performance. There are so many other factors, including action, feel, grip, looks, pocket ride, durability, edge retention, ease-of-cleaning, fit and finish, etc... I feel Spyderco wins in terms of cutting, but Strider wins in all other categories. While performance/cost ratios always matter, I am more interested in buying what I want than buying the better bargain. Spyderco offers more for the money, but Strider just plain offers more.

Okay, enough rambling from me. Closing thoughts: Strider is for me. My SMF is just about exactly what I would design for myself. Closer to my wants and needs than any other knife. For me, Strider offers a better joy/price ratio than Spyderco. However, Strider isn't for everyone. My wants and needs are fairly particular, and I am a worrier by nature. The SMF also happens to fit my hand in every grip and during opening very well. If a Strider doesn't speak to you when you handle it, buy something that you like more for less money. If it does speak to you, I suggest you buy what you want.

 

[talonturbo]

If you want cutting performance, or a good cutting performance/price ratio, Spyderco is king. Not just over Strider, but pretty much over all else. But I feel that there is more to knives, especially folders, than pure slicing performance.

Well said. I haven't found better slicers either. And I would agree that my SNG brings me more joy than $300 (got it used) worth of Spyderco ever has. I just get to do more. It gets used lots, but only for cutting about half the time. I've discovered the joys of being an ignorant knife user. I've carved ice with it and just done numerous daily tasks that would have required another tool. Hell, I use the blade spine to pry open beer bottles. Nothing to do with thinking I'm better or something for having a more expensive knife, just to do with carrying a tool that I find useful in as many situations as possible. And as I said, maybe only half are actually normal cutting tasks.

 

[flipe8]

There is something to be said about buying what you want over settling and STILL wanting the original thing.300-400$ is more than I've spent on one knife, yet. But, it doesn't take long to spend that amount on knives anyways, eh? I'm not sure I want one, but the price wouldn't hold me back...it just might take a little longer to save up for. Thanks for the input.

 

[heathah]

This has been posted several times across the forum but I thought it worthy to post again. It is an excellent review done over at British Blades that compares the Strider SMF, Spyderco Manix, and CRK Sebenza.

See it here.

The results may surprise you, or they may not.

 

[Lone Hunter]

Hair said it for me !

I'll add I always liked big folders and I bought plenty of them, thing is it would have been cheaper if i just went for it and bought the Strider earlier.

I just got back from getting my daughter from track. On the way I figured I'd run into 'our" turkey hunting spot and check on the set up. I had found their dusting bowls and had a hot set up picked out for this weekends youth hunt.

well a tree had dropped right between the bowls and our sitting spot. All i had was my AR and a Spyderhawk. that AR hacked through branches the size of my fingers with ease, and a few the sized of a paper towel tube without much effort.

To me thats the thing Striders excel at.Handling things not planned for. i was not planning on going in the woods, or i would have grabbed a fb or folding saw. Oh and it opens my mail and cuts up fruit just fine also.

I have seen that test before, I just don't get it.Strider does not make a knife to excel at slicing. Thats kind of like taking a soocerball, a basketball and a bowlingball and seeing which bounces the best. Oh I own more Spyderco's then all others combined and i love my Manix but i carry my AR.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

I have seen that test before, I just don't get it.Strider does not make a knife to excel at slicing.

Aside from the wood shavings, the rest of the work just tested sharpness and the Manix was sharper, no surprise there as Spydero has consistently the sharpest edge NIB I have seen, having handled hundreds of custom and production knives. If the other knives were sharpened to idential levels the rope and tomato cutting would be near identical. The edge angle could be adjust to make the wood curling the same as well.

-Cliff