vnvman
Basic Member
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2024
- Messages
- 202
A friend of mine has 12 Shamans in all different steels and handle colors and materials, and I gotta say it's a nice looking knife, I can appreciate the different handles, and definitely love the variety of performance steels offered by Spyderco.
BUT. I really don't get the hype around this knife, and the sheer love that some people have for this blade.
It's touted as the Spyderco for the heavy user, but to be honest...any Spyderco can only be as good for hard use as the toughest Spyderco lock can be, aka the compression lock.
Don't get me wrong, I love it and it's my favorite one from the Spyderco line of knives, but we all know that after a hard session of cutting, like say cutting hose, plastic, whatever hard material for an hour or so against a hard surface it will get some wiggle side to side, and you'll have to readjust the pivot and all that...let alone after a week of heavy use in the woods or at construction site or something. I mean it's good from light to medium/heavy cutting, but in no way shape or form heavy duty.
Heavy duty use isn't Spyderco's secret sauce and we all know that - it's not a problem tho, we can all appreciate the brand's strength: top of the industry performance steel research, unparalleled pure cutting performance.
Then there is the handle comfort thing. Again, I get it, many tougher Spydercos like the PM2 are too boxy, and FRN is grippy but can become uncomfortable for extended use with its pattern.
Regardless of that, we can't really act as if this was the only "heavy use" knife with a comfortable handle.
Take for example the Cold Steel Bush Ranger. If you ever handled one you'll know that in your hand it feels as comfortable (if not more so) than a Shaman.
You can't fidget with it but I wouldn't call it a problem on a work knife, it can however be deployed from the pocket: not a bad feature for a worker.
Blade is even slightly thicker for added toughness, the point is still pointy, the grind is still slicy.
Saving the best for last, the lock. The Triad is times tougher than a compression lock, as it can be seen from numerous test.
You can baton wood with it for an hour and the lock not only will not get any wiggle, but it will feel even tighter afterwards.
I understand the love for the brand and all, that I do share since I own many Spydercos myself, but I sincerely don't understand the "coveted status" of this specific knife, so much so that it can get away with costing twice the price of a Bush Ranger (I'm talking apples to apples here S30V version vs the S35VN Ranger), or an AD10 even. I mean I do get it's made in the USA and that a great thing, but...after all isn't it just a slightly beefed up PM2 with a rounder handle and stouter blade?
I know this may sound like a pointless rant/bash on the knife but it really isn't, I'd just like to collect some ideas from Shaman enthusiasts here so that I can change my mind or at least understand better what people love and find unique about it.
BUT. I really don't get the hype around this knife, and the sheer love that some people have for this blade.
It's touted as the Spyderco for the heavy user, but to be honest...any Spyderco can only be as good for hard use as the toughest Spyderco lock can be, aka the compression lock.
Don't get me wrong, I love it and it's my favorite one from the Spyderco line of knives, but we all know that after a hard session of cutting, like say cutting hose, plastic, whatever hard material for an hour or so against a hard surface it will get some wiggle side to side, and you'll have to readjust the pivot and all that...let alone after a week of heavy use in the woods or at construction site or something. I mean it's good from light to medium/heavy cutting, but in no way shape or form heavy duty.
Heavy duty use isn't Spyderco's secret sauce and we all know that - it's not a problem tho, we can all appreciate the brand's strength: top of the industry performance steel research, unparalleled pure cutting performance.
Then there is the handle comfort thing. Again, I get it, many tougher Spydercos like the PM2 are too boxy, and FRN is grippy but can become uncomfortable for extended use with its pattern.
Regardless of that, we can't really act as if this was the only "heavy use" knife with a comfortable handle.
Take for example the Cold Steel Bush Ranger. If you ever handled one you'll know that in your hand it feels as comfortable (if not more so) than a Shaman.
You can't fidget with it but I wouldn't call it a problem on a work knife, it can however be deployed from the pocket: not a bad feature for a worker.
Blade is even slightly thicker for added toughness, the point is still pointy, the grind is still slicy.
Saving the best for last, the lock. The Triad is times tougher than a compression lock, as it can be seen from numerous test.
You can baton wood with it for an hour and the lock not only will not get any wiggle, but it will feel even tighter afterwards.
I understand the love for the brand and all, that I do share since I own many Spydercos myself, but I sincerely don't understand the "coveted status" of this specific knife, so much so that it can get away with costing twice the price of a Bush Ranger (I'm talking apples to apples here S30V version vs the S35VN Ranger), or an AD10 even. I mean I do get it's made in the USA and that a great thing, but...after all isn't it just a slightly beefed up PM2 with a rounder handle and stouter blade?
I know this may sound like a pointless rant/bash on the knife but it really isn't, I'd just like to collect some ideas from Shaman enthusiasts here so that I can change my mind or at least understand better what people love and find unique about it.
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