My Thoughts on the Spyderco Cat

Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
77
After making a entry to the knife world with the purchase of a Kershaw Leek and a Spyderco Dragonfly2, I decided to add another knife to the fold. I was a huge, huge fan of my Dragonfly2, so I wanted another knife from Spyderco. I again wanted a small(ish) EDC, but wanted something slightly cheaper than the Dragonfly2. After considering my options, I went ahead and picked up the Cat.

After having it for a few days, I’m very impressed. I have always liked the knife, and in fact I almost purchased it instead of the D2 in the first place. I’m glad I didn’t, as I feel that the D2 is a bit better light-duty EDC, but that’s not to say that I won’t get a lot of use out of the Cat. The main impetus for buying it is I have a couple trips planned in the near future, and I wanted to bring an EDC, but didn’t want to risk losing my D2 in an airport. Obviously I can’t carry it on a plane with me, but I am worried that it may get lifted out of my luggage. Enter the Cat. The other main reason for getting it is I wanted to have something that had a metal liner. Now, one of the joys of the D2 is it’s extreme light weight. It slides into my pocket, weighs almost nothing yet is a formidable cutting tool. For 90% of what I have asked of it, it has performed flawlessly. That said, there are a few times where I could feel the knife flex on more difficult cuts. The other day I was cutting some heavy-duty cardboard (making jumps and ramps for my son’s toy cars) and I could really feel the knife flex under the strain. I wasn’t concerned about it breaking or failing, but due to its small size and lack of liner, it wasn’t the most comfortable tool for the job. After buying the Cat, I cut the very same cardboard without any problem. It easily cut through, and the slightly larger handle made a more comfortable experience.

So, my plan is to have the Cat be my traveling companion, particularly when I fly. Also, whenever I have a cutting job around the house, I’ll probably grab it, as it’s a bit more heavy duty than the Dragonfly2. I would rather spare the D2 for more light-duty stuff (not that it couldn’t get down and dirty if it had to - I would just rather save it). When I’m out around town, I’ll probably continue to carry the D2 as it’s a slightly better fit in the pocket.

If someone doesn’t have either and is trying to decide between the two, I would say go Dragonfly2. It’s a spectacular EDC with phenomenal ergonomics. VG10 steel will take and hold a great edge. It’s unbelievably light, tucks into your pocket, yet is capable of a whole host of tasks. The Cat is a bit larger, and a fair bit heavier (but by no means heavy) with metal liners. From my understanding 440C is still a good steel. Build quality seems very good. I would rate the Cat very highly, and you couldn’t go wrong with either one.
 
Good stuff, p-dog. I have a slight preference for the Cat over the Dragonfly 2, as the Cat (for me) is just a little easier to open with one hand.
 
Back
Top