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Angelus1781

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Okay, never really looked at spydercos before, till I was wondering 2 streets over from my job, and found a marine store that carried a few spydercos. A stainless police model, a rescue knife, a plain edge endura, and a few tiny models. Gave me the chance to handle, and feel what spydercos are like. They're very strange, thick spine, sharp...just don't like the plastic handle. Worried it would break if I dropped it. But don't know much about them.

Anyway, a friend has had several over the years and suggested I get one for work. I work in a kitchen, and need something serrated that would eat netted onion bags, potato bags, the thick plastic ties meat orders come in, boxes, stuff like that. Something with a 3 1/2 blade with a full size handle. Hate it when handles fall short of your palm.

Any suggestions? Or should I just get the rescue knife? Would that be a decent self defense? Any tip at all?
 
3 1/2" blade, long handle and no plastic sounds a lot like the Military!
Go for it, you won't regret it! :D

Ted
 
Hi Angelus1781,

Welcome to the Spyderco forum.

I would suggest the Endura. Plain, serrated or combination is available. With more than a million in the field over the past 15 years, it is a workhorse. We use a very tough FRN for the handle (Fiberglass reinforced Nylon). Very good blade steel (Which Spyderco pioneered - VG-10).

Serrations cut more aggressively on some materials and stay sharper longer.

Plain edges are probably more versatile.

sal
 
Angelus1781 said:
Okay, never really looked at spydercos before, till I was wondering 2 streets over from my job, and found a marine store that carried a few spydercos. A stainless police model, a rescue knife, a plain edge endura, and a few tiny models. Gave me the chance to handle, and feel what spydercos are like. They're very strange, thick spine, sharp...just don't like the plastic handle. Worried it would break if I dropped it. But don't know much about them.
Click to expand...

The blade will break before the handle will.

Anyway, a friend has had several over the years and suggested I get one for work. I work in a kitchen, and need something serrated that would eat netted onion bags, potato bags, the thick plastic ties meat orders come in, boxes, stuff like that. Something with a 3 1/2 blade with a full size handle. Hate it when handles fall short of your palm.
Click to expand...

I'd advise a plain edge personally. Plastic ties and zipties have a nasty habit of catching on serrations, and in my experience a nice plain edge push cuts better.

Any suggestions? Or should I just get the rescue knife? Would that be a decent self defense? Any tip at all?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't use the "rescue" for defense personally. Is it the D'Allara rescue? Some of the rescue models have tips and some don't.

I'm seconding Sal on this one. Get an Endura. It's the size you want, it has multiple edge options, and it will give you a great idea for what you might like better. You'll find a use for it even if you retire it, so to speak.
 
Okay looks like I want an endura, with partial serrations. Or full..I can't decide. Ended up picking up the rescue for the hell of it. Now that I've used it, damn its sharp! Guess I'm gonna go with the regular handle material then the stainless as it might be slippery. Full or partial serrations?
 
My first Spyder was an all steel Endura. I didn't find it slippery at all and I still have a penchant for all steel knives because I like the weight and feel. That being said, the only knife I've ever bought two of was the Endura and I got one of each handle type.

If I were going to get serrations, I'd go full blown serrated. I'd like that much better than combo edge personally. 50/50 edges give you the drawbacks of both edge types without the benefit of either in my experience. I got a couple partially serrated knives long ago and got tired of that configuration very quickly. Get a Sharpmaker with that Endura and you should be fine. :D
 
I would go with PE,easier to sharpen and a sharp PE will do about anything a SE will do.
BTW with you being new to the forum and to Spyderco I thought I would let you know who the Sal guy that posted above is,he is the owner and CEO of Spyderco.
 
Welcome aboard and cogratulations on your new knife. The handles are not plastic, but glass fiber reinforced nylon (FRN) and they are very resistant as you'll see.
A very good material for handles is G-10, virtually indestructible. The Military complies to your requirements and has G-10 handles. The combo edge version comes also with a black DLC blade which is really cool. You'll love the Millie.
 
I prefer plain edges to serrated edges for my work, but I can see the utility of the Spyderedge for certain specific chores. These may include cutting PVC pipe, carpet, and other such tough and substances. But I cannot see a serrated edge for opening boxes or for any other such day-to-day chores. They are rather more difficult to sharpen and they do attact a certain degree of unwanted attention, as well.

I have an old C15 Spyderco/Terzuola in partially serrated form and, nice as that knife is, it would be better in full plain edge or fully serrated. The combination is neither fish, fowl, or good red meat, as far as I am concerned. It tries to be too many things.

I would join the others in recommending an Endura as a good Spyderco choice for a beginner. It has a great blade for general EDC use and is very light and durable. It is also quite reasonably priced for the quality that it contains. Now that they are available with replaceable metal rather than molded FRN clips, they approach perfection within their price range.
 
Well, I just got me an PE endura. I discovered like one of you said, the serrations were catching on a lot of stuff I was cutting, so got a knife the makes work better. The endura is an excellant size knife for me. Feels solid, thick spine for a folder. I'm pleased with it. Shaving sharp right out of the box.


Course doesn't mean I'm not gonna get another spyderco. In fact, I'm kind of headed toward a big dealership in a few weeks so saving my money for what neat stuff I will get there.


Oh, do they have a printed catalog?
 
Angelus, you can't get much better service from ANY company than having the CEO answer your post and give you advice. The correct advice no less. I have had an Endura for at least 10 years (handles still attatched) and I think the plain edge is the one to have. My daughter had a Native, and lamented greatly when she lost it. My Endura is like family. I use lots of other EDC's but the Endura was my first really good hard user. You will not be disappointed. Now you need a Sharpmaker! Now you know why Spyderco has sold over a million. Kevin
 
If you're looking for something to buy next, I'd strongly advise getting the Spyderco sharpmaker. Mine was the third "knife related purchase" I made after getting bitten by the knife bug. Being able to maintain your own edge really makes all the difference between just _using_ your knives, and really _understanding_ them. The sharpmaker's easy to use, it'll work on your serrated Rescue, and it comes with a detailed instruction book and a video. A _video_, ferchrissakes. It's really easy to get daunted trying to figure out a process like knife sharpening when you're working with inadequate instructions. Having Sal on your TV showing you how to do it really helps.

If you get realy hooked (and it sounds like you're well on your way...), and you want to save up some money and upgrade, seriously consider the Spyderco Military. In my opinion, it's an improvement over the Endura in every way except price. 'S just about the perfect working knife, and it could easily last you the rest of your life (I'm convinced that above the Millie's price point, you're really just paying for beauty and bragging rights. That's fine, of course, but we don't all want to pay for it.)
 
Oddly enough, the sharpmaker was something I got before I even got a spydy. It works very well. Used it on my rescue too. I am gonna look at the mill model.......but also eyeing the stainless endura combo edge. Could the mili model, be run threw a dishmachine? Which ever I choose, its gonna get used hard, and gonna get filthy with who knows what on it at work


Put it this way, just sent my Swamp rat back to them to be fixed, I used it so much.
 
The Military can be put in a dishwasher and will be easier to clean with its open back.A word of caution,I am not sure about other dishwashers but mine on the finnal cycle gets VERY hot.I would not let a knife go through this cycle because I belive that the heat may be hot enough to affect the blade temper.
 
Concerns about the dishwasher ruining the heat treat have been mentioned before... I doubt it'd be that big a deal. You can put Spyderco kitchen knives through the dishwasher, after all.

Y'know, now that I think about it, I think Sal's specifically mentioned that Clipits are dishwasher-safe...
 
I wasn't sure because Sal had posted that 150 to 200 degrees could affect heat treat and I am sure that my dish washer gets above 150,you can,t handle the dishes with bare hands right after it is finnished.
 
First Post. I am anxiously awaiting my first spyderco in the mail. A lightweight Endura. I was on a camping trip this past weekend and a friend of mine had one he had found in his mother-in-laws new houses attic. The tip had been broken ( I think, because there was obviously repair filing done to it), and it was outperforming my brand new BM 10510s (in some ways... I.E. sharpness). Couldn't get it out of my head. I have no Ideqa how old it was. The blade was marked with a number I can't recall but assumed was the steel used. Mine will be the VG-10, and all I can say to those who scoff at that is that I have only had aus-6 and 440C up to this point. I can say that in looking at a broken spydie , instead of the many new ones I have passed over at my local outfitter, I am excited about this purchase!!! :D
Blades used: (Keep in mind I have too many interests to spend all my money on knives)
1: Victorionox Tinkerer
2: ??? Survival knife. (Don't remember the brand, but loved this one, don't know the model, or what happened to it, but it was tough.)
3 Leatherman Side Clip
4 CRKT Stiff Kiss Tanto. (love the simplicity, and sheath)
5 CRKT Kiss Tanto (lost the stiff kiss and bought to replace. found the stiff kiss later)
6 BM 10510S (Used it to split logs at a camp site. Strong, and I had no trouble getting it sharp after this past trip)
In transit:
7 BM 555 yellow handle part serrated (excited. it is a step up for me. Want it for Kayaking and general around water use in case i drop it.)
8 Spyderco Endura lightweight (Want this now after seeing my friends old one.)
 
Welcome aboard and enjoy your Endura. It is an inspired choice and it will serve you well.
 
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