How you liking the Southard?

[RayseM]

The Southard LOOKS like a great folder but at the $ 200.00 mark I have to ask you guys for some feedback.

What are your impressions of it as a work knife and/or as an EDC - not necessarily 2 different criteria?

Why is the black version more expensive than the brown ?

Thanks for any insight.

Cheers,
Ray

 

[rxavage]

It is one of the best, fit and finish, hands down. I usually lean toward zt but the Southard definitely holds it own against any zt I own.

 

[rycen]

Coated versions are almost always more expensive due to the extra work/steps involved.

 

[RayseM]

Coated versions are almost always more expensive due to the extra work/steps involved.

Of course. I kept looking at the photos and could only see that the scales were a different color - DUH!

Also - I'm just seeing that there is another very recent thread about the Southard - with much of the same info that I am asking about. I guess I'm wearing blinders this weekend. More coffee…

Still - I'm liking the Southard - but wondering about the value. Pretty positive statements about it so far.

 

[evilgreg]

IMO, it's a great knife. Carries small but feels big enough when it's open in your hand at the same time. I carry a Spyderco Southard more often than not, and I have plenty of other options, including one of these, now:

I like the collaboration knife so much that it's making it hard for me to warm up to the Avo, really. I'd love to chase down one of the customs the collab is based on (I forget the model name, the AWT I think) but they're precious and few from what I've seen.

 

[GatorFlash1]

It is one of the best, fit and finish, hands down. I usually lean toward zt but the Southard definitely holds it own against any zt I own.

Ditto. Great feel in my hand.

 

[Able Dog]

I absolutely love my Southard, it is about the only Spyderco I EDC now-a-days. It makes a good light/medium use EDC knife but the steep hollowgrind and blade thickness keep it from slicing as well as my FFG Spydercos. In my opinion however, the quality and cool factor make up for that. CTS-204p is an excellent steel as well, sharpers pretty well and stays sharp!

Perhaps the best aspect of the Southard for EDC use is its blade-to-handle ratio. For a small form-factor knife (closed it is smaller than the handle of a PM2), you get a lot of cutting edge.

 

[jmh33]

Have one.. Tried to like it.. Nope.. In the get rid of pile.. John

 

[RayseM]

Well I found one in the aftermarket deals. Will soon be on its way. I hope I like it.
Don't want to keep a "get rid of pile" going. The Southard has a lot of enthusiasm for it.
I shall see for myself. Will report in after a bit of carry and use.

 

[Surfingringo]

Well I found one in the aftermarket deals. Will soon be on its way. I hope I like it.
Don't want to keep a "get rid of pile" going. The Southard has a lot of enthusiasm for it.
I shall see for myself. Will report in after a bit of carry and use.

Let us know how you like it. I was thinking about getting one last year and got the chance to handle one before I bought. As soon as I got it in hand I knew it wasn't for me. Probably the worst ergonomics (for my hand and grip) of any Spyderco I have ever held. I didn't particularly care for the blade shape either. Top that off with the fact that I don't really like he idea of flippers and it was a total no go for me. This one was a lot more appealing in pictures than it was in hand for me.

 

[Mannlicher]

I have been carrying mine for about two years now. Zero complaints. The best flipper I have ever owned. Steel is great.

 

[aguila327]

I've been EDC'ing mine for about a month now and I've been very satisfied.

 

[bro5.0]

I probably carry my Southard more than any other knife. It packs a lot of cutting edge in a relatively small package. It is tough as nails and the fit and finish on mine is incredible. Also, I had my friend reprofile mine on his wicked edge to 15 dps, and now that the angle is set I can get it back to hair popping sharp on my Sharpmaker in no time. For a steel that holds its cutting edge so well cts-204p is pretty easy to touch up imo.

 

[tiguy7]

It's a nice little package for the money. The detent on mine is quite strong, so I only use it in flipper mode. I don't understand the G-10 lying atop the Titanium on the non-lock handle slab. A fly cut Ti slab would have sufficed.

 

[Mathias888]

the profile of southard is really low and carry well for EDC purpose. highly recommended!!

 

[Dustinhxc]

The flipper opener is pretty awesome. The build quality is awesome! The spyder hole is the only drawback for me, a bit too small. But besides that, its a very nice knife. Very thick!

 

[RayseM]

Glad to hear from more of you who like it. Surfingringo's comments discouraged me.
Soon enough I'll make my own assessment but with your supportive comments I am optimistic.

My old Endura will be pretty hard to beat as an EDC. Hope that the $69.00 knife doesn't trump the nearly 3 times more expensive Southard.

 

[marcus52AR]

I highly recommend trying one out. I love mine. Didn't care for the brown g 10 so I got this carbon fiber scale from cuscadi.

 

[choombak]

It is an excellent knife for the money, carries flat and small, but opens big. Flies open with authority, and the scales allow for a good grip. The thickness of the blade makes it a slightly poor slicer than compared to, say Sage, or Delica.

 

[Accelerator]

It truly is an amazing knife. I carries super slim in the pocket while providing a LOT of cutting edge. As others have mentioned, the flipper works very well and the build quality is excellent. The steel stays sharp a long time and touches up easily on a sharpmaker. I need to force myself to rotate other knives in my EDC otherwise my Southard would be the only knife that I carry. I cant recommend it highly enough. I also want to add that I am so impressed by the Southard, I can't wait to see the new Ion that Spyderco is coming out with. Supposedly it is a smaller version of this knife.