It grows on you...

A

ahmukilu

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Sep 7, 2011
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Ok so a while ago, whenever I saw a Spyderco, all I could think was "Who would buy an ugly knife like that!?" but now that I gave in and got a green ffg delica, the style has really grown on me. Has anyone else had this same experience or is it just me?
 
I did actually. I'm fairly new to good knives (a lil more than a year). I was watching some nutnfancy video, and I saw the Spyderco Pacific Salt. I thought damn that is one wierd looking knife. I even made a comment to my old lady about it. About 4 days later I said to her, "I think I'm gonna get one of those wierd lookin knives".. I ended up getting a Tenacious (because everyone loved it and I figured it was a safe bet).. I was hooked in all of 10 seconds after handling it.

After the Tenacious came an Endura, a Delica, a Para-Military2, a Sage1, Centofante3, Ladybug with more to come.. Now when I think back on it, it's kinda hard to imagine me thinking they looked so wierd..
 
I agree. My early Spyderco knives looked weird and awkward. I didn't think I would like the Spyder-hole and now I am in love with it and it is my preferred opening method.
 
It's weird, but I think it's fairly common.
I did the same thing.
Then I saw the Native and thought "that doesn't look so strange." And then the Manix began to look normal (and it was in a more comfortable size.)
Now I have 2 Manix2's, a Para2, a SageI, and a SaltI - and other than ZT, I hardly think of other folders anymore.
I don't know what Sal puts in his steel, but it's addictive stuff!
 
I think the designs are unconventional, mostly due to the hole. Most of my other knives are relatively straight and thin by comparison. The Para 2 is a very popular knife these days and the last one that I've bought was a Para 2. I like the shape of the handle well enough but the blade position on the handle doesn't seem to match aesthetically. Also the straight part of the top of the blade looks odd compared to the curved cutting edge. But I think this is a case of "beauty is as beauty does", and the function of the knife is what makes it beautiful.

OTOH I think the shapes of the Sage all work very well together and it looks good.
 
Style aside, the sheer quality of Spyderco knives has grown on me like crazy. The first Spyderco knives I got were a PM2, a Tenacious and a Dragonfly. That was about a year ago and since then my collection has exploded.
 
I still think many of their designs look weird. I like the leaf shape blades, but dislike when the hole protrudes to look like an eye like in the Atlantic Salt, Lionspy, Centofante 3, etc.

I think the Spydie hole is handcuffing the company in terms of their designs. Kinda like Porsche making everything resemble their 911. Benchmade and Kershaw are free to explore whatever design they want. You start your design with a Spydie hole and thumb ramp, you're probably going to end up with something that looks like the Delica. Which looks like the Dragonfly. Which looks like the PM2.
 
calvinw said:
I still think many of their designs look weird. I like the leaf shape blades, but dislike when the hole protrudes to look like an eye like in the Atlantic Salt, Lionspy, Centofante 3, etc.

I think the Spydie hole is handcuffing the company in terms of their designs. Kinda like Porsche making everything resemble their 911. Benchmade and Kershaw are free to explore whatever design they want. You start your design with a Spydie hole and thumb ramp, you're probably going to end up with something that looks like the Delica. Which looks like the Dragonfly. Which looks like the PM2.
Click to expand...

I agree with everything said here...
 
calvinw said:
I think the Spydie hole is handcuffing the company in terms of their designs. Kinda like Porsche making everything resemble their 911. Benchmade and Kershaw are free to explore whatever design they want. You start your design with a Spydie hole and thumb ramp, you're probably going to end up with something that looks like the Delica. Which looks like the Dragonfly. Which looks like the PM2.
Click to expand...

There are several Spyderco designs that include a hole simply as a nod to Spydie tradition (and I think to maintain their trademark.) In those cases the hole is small enough that it doesn't really interfere with the rest of the design. Spyderco is arguably the most successfully innovative knife company in existence; claiming that they're handicapping themselves is silly. At worst, they're exploiting a niche that no one else comes even close to filling.
 
Ya, when I first saw Spyderco knives at the local sports store I thought they looked strange but I wasn't in the market for a new knife. When I started looking for a real knife to go along with my SAK I handled a Spyderco and fell in love. After just over a year I have 10 of them! :eek:
 
ahmukilu said:
Ok so a while ago, whenever I saw a Spyderco, all I could think was "Who would buy an ugly knife like that!?" but now that I gave in and got a green ffg delica, the style has really grown on me. Has anyone else had this same experience or is it just me?
Click to expand...

I had the exact same experience when I got back into knives a few years ago. I had some friends that were Spyderco fans, but I was not. Then I handled a SS Delica, Police and Endura and I was very impressed with the solidity, the ease of one-handed opening, and the fit in my hand. The price point was also great.

I am now an unabashed Spyderco fan and own about 30 to 40 of them. What's hilarious is that for the most part I don't see them as ugly anymore, but really great looking knives.
 
Makes ya wonder how much of a genius Sal is.. I mean, he made this weird looking knife and said "Yup, perfect...."..

As for the hole opening.. I think it's brilliant. Definitely my preferred opening method. EVERYONE uses thumb studs (which are cool and all), flippers get done all over the place nowadays (also cool).. but the hole is Spyderco, and that's cool with me. I don't think it's really getting "old" for anyone, ppl dig it.
 
Took me awhile to get over the 'look' of Spydercos as well, but once I got a Manix 2 I wondered why I waited so long. Sharpest knife from factory I've ever had. Great stuff.
 
It was just a few years ago that I really started getting into Spydercos. Honestly, for a while, I could barely even look at the things. "Why in the hell would someone want such an ugly knife?", I'd ask myself.

A friend of mine had been crazy about Delicas and absolutely insisted that I get one. Finally, he got so sick of me not owning one that he bought a brand new one and gave his old one to me: a hollow-ground Delica with FRN scales. I damn near gave it back to him, but after a few days, I ended up asking myself, "Why the hell don't I own more Spydercos?" :D

It's been a downward or upward trend from there out, depending on how you look at it. I've never been disappointed with a Spyderco purchase and still don't have nearly enough in my collection. I've traded/sold/had a couple stolen the past couple years and I always regret the decision afterwards. They've just about perfected knives in the small to medium EDC role, in my opinion.

And that's how a knife company took my money from me.
 
Every time I see a Benchmade or Kershaw that I kind of like I think "that would sure look a lot better if it had a hole in the blade". Consequently if I buy a folder it is either a Spyderco or a traditional.
 
the spyderhole is what caught my eye (thought it was odd to have a big hole in your knife) and when i started getting back into always carrying a folder on me i went to spyderco.

and now some almost 20 knives later.
 
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