S.P.O.T.s

Looks like an outstanding knife. I had bought a Emerson LaGriffe a while back, and although I really liked the design, I absolutely hated the chisel grind. The edge was just too thick and too hard to sharpen.

In my opinion, the SPOT looks a lot better than the LaGriffe. Nicer steel and a better handle too. Seems like it would be ok for light utility as well. The sheath looks top notch too. I have the Perrin Bowie, and have a lot of respect for Fred's designs. Very functional is how I would describe them. This looks like another good one. I will be ordering one of the VG-10 versions.
 
When we 1st got these I picked one up and looked at the sheath, I didn't like the looks of it I thought it didn't look well designed, I was wrong once I put it on I felt how much thought has went into it and really apprciated it. The knives are nasty sharp out of the box, and the edge design makes for a very usefull knife, Is that called a reverse s edge I think? anyway you really have to feel one of these knives and sheaths and you appreciate all the thought they put into them great usefull neck knives IMO.
 
Took a good pic of the Micarta handles for you all to ogle, amazing how a little piece of Micarta makes the handles feel in your hand.

micar2.jpg
 
Thanx for the pics. very nice.

Actually the knife did come out quite nicely. I'm sure some will be displeased, but all in all, I'm satisfied. We're still making refinements and improvements, as we do with all of our models, but it's not bad.

Yes, it is amazing how such a small piece of micarta could make such a difference in the ergos. The pinning of the micarta slabs was, IMO, a nice touch.

It will be interesting to note the reception of the model in the face of so much competition in neck knives.

sal
 
I doubt you will have any problem with the knife being accepted it is very well done and thought out, maybe one of your best. It doesn't look like much till you pick it up then you realize it's potential, great blade design and great fit in the hands, I'd like to send one off and have a in the waist band sheath made for it it's so nice I hate to carry it under my clothing and not use it as a daily use knife. Around the house it's out in the open for use though.
(Butt kissing mode on)
IMO Spyderco once again stepped up and hit a home run with this design, Leave it to Spyderco to not do something halfway but put out a well thought out product. (Butt kissing mode off now)
Nice job and nice knife Sal.
 
I like it for the most part but... since I'm a hardliner I would suggest the following:

1. Lose the little holes in the blade.
2. Replace the micarta "ring around the handle" on the VG-10 model with full, flat micarta handle scales. I hate skeletonized handles, especially this one since it's not really skeletonized in a visually appealing manner.

I'm actually considering the plain-edged, scale-less version but then I'd have to settle for AUS-6 and spend a few hours satinizing the blade with some sandpaper. (Bead-blast looks like A$$ if you ask me and it faciliates rust -- I have a CRKT L.U.S. in that steel with a very fine blasted finish and it still rusts if I so much as look at it... Bad for a neck knife that will hang next to hairy, sweaty man-chests. ;)

I'd also like to cord wrap the handle in the Strider stylee but the big gaping void will make that difficult. Overall I like it but there are indeed issues... I still may go for an EKI LaGriffe if I can find one and wait for the SS Cricket to satify my lust for more of those cool reverse-S edges!

PM
 
mr44,

In response to #1, I'm guessing that the little holes aid in kydex retention. I.E. more points for the sheath to grab onto. Also, I think they look great. Different strokes for different folks...

In response to #2, and I mean this with absolutley no disrespect, have you carried a lot of different neck knives around? I, myself, have, and any weight that can be shaved off is a great idea in my opinion. I don't see what advantage full Micarta scales would offer besides satisfying your aesthetic preferences. No grip retention would be added, only weight.

Regarding a cord wrap, believe it or not that can add noticeable weight. Also, it would add thickness and I like a neck knife to be as flat as possible. You should experiment for yourself though. And speaking of sweaty chests, don't forget that a cord wrap will absorb your perspiration.

I agree with you, however, that the AUS-6 shouldn't be bead blasted :barf:
 
I received my VG-10 SPOT a couple of weeks ago and have now had the opportunity to "test drive" it. Frankly, I think it's superior to the Benchmade/Elishewitz collaboration, especially in using the more agressive Cricket blade design; and as the proud owner of several Fred Perrin necks including a custom La Griffe, I think the Spydie's a better, more versitile design. Here's why:

(1) The profile and light weight make it extremely concealable and comfortable to carry, with a practical, well-thought-out sheath design;

(2) the finger form handle, longer than on a La Griffe, allows for a more precise and devastating (i.e. forceful) cut than original La Griffe design. One can see that Fred's original designed of La Griffe was as more of a push weapon than a cutter;

(3) the ergonomics are incredible. Like many of Fred's designs, Sal's SPOT feels like a natural extension of your hand, like you were born with it; and

(4) I like Sal's choice of VG-10 for one of the versions of this knife. Fred's crazy about VG-10, too, although most of his stuff is made from high carbon tool steel. I also happen to like the properties of VG-10 for a "user" knife, which is exactly what the SPOT is. There is no way you can own this knife and resist the urge to use it.

Bottom line: if you're looking for neck knife -- production or custom -- you have to take a look at the SPOT in any comparison you do.

Uncle Steve
 
I received my SPOT (VG10/Micarta) on Friday, I have not stopped wearing it. On Friday, I wore it to a rock concert. I wore the SPOT all weekend at my job and worked out both Saturday and Sunday morning with the SPOT underneath my sweatshirt (free weights and treadmill). Today, I played eighteen holes of golf with the SPOT. I was going to take it off to play; however, I forget and it was on the third green I realized that I had forgot to take it off my neck. So, I decided to finish the round with the SPOT in its place, around my neck. The SPOT is a winner, wether working or playing it is a great neck knife. In regards to the sheath, it could be a little tighter; however, I may be getting a custom Skunk sheath for knife.
 
Just a thought; are the sheaths maybe so loose by design? I've been told that most factory Kydex sheaths are "too tight", because knife buyers like it that way (much the same way that some knife companies make blades of obnoxiously thick stock, because knife buyers want to overcompensate for the slightest possibility of breakage).

On the few neck knives that I've tried out, I found the stiff tension of the sheath made them awkward to draw.

Sal?
 
Personally, I don't want a Kydex sheath to be tighter than necessary for secure retention under normal carry circumstances, unless we are talking specialized activities such as SCUBA diving and whitewater rafting. I want to be able to draw a defensive knife as smoothly as possible.
Sal has said on the Spyderco.com forum that each SPOT sheath is weight tested for security.
 
Thanks for putting out a product like this Sal,
There are times many of us can't carry a regular folder, but the S.P.O.T. will be there no matter what. I will start work as an
RN soon, and it will be a comfort to have it on duty, Thanks again.
 
Thanx for the compliments and comments. We are in fact making a few changes to the model in the finish and in the sheath.

sal
 
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