So, what's the verdict on the Smock?

[TRfromMT]

I don't find much in the way of review on the Smock. What's the verdict?

I hear there is some praise for the button lock mechanism, but it wastes a lot of useable edge with a more-funky-than-functional choil. Handle ergos are 'meh, kinda boxy, but saves pocket real estate. Slim flipper tab is pretty cool but the round hole is a bit small/poorly located. Handle to blade ratio is way off (but is that anything more than a visual preference?).

What are your user reviews?

Edit to say - I'll form my own opinion soon enough.... Just ordered one.

 

[maugust09]

If youre looking for something to fidget with, this surpasses the axis lock imo.

As far as using it, it is a great slicer and super thin behind the edge.

As far as overall design it is okay. The choil design is a little overdone. The ergos are okay as well, nothing compared to a sage or UKPK. The spydie hole is a touch small but still very usable.

I enjoyed it alot but not enough to be permanent. Definitely worth checking out though!

 

[TRfromMT]

I just saw this same thread out in the GK area.

 

[JimMD]

If youre looking for something to fidget with, this surpasses the axis lock imo.

As far as using it, it is a great slicer and super thin behind the edge.

As far as overall design it is okay. The choil design is a little overdone. The ergos are okay as well, nothing compared to a sage or UKPK. The spydie hole is a touch small but still very usable.

I enjoyed it alot but not enough to be permanent. Definitely worth checking out though!

Confirms my impressions exactly from a very brief time checking one out. I hope Spyderco can come up with a design for their next execution of the button-actuated compression lock that doesn't impact the ergos so much. Seems a great mechanism otherwise.

 

[maugust09]

Confirms my impressions exactly from a very brief time checking one out. I hope Spyderco can come up with a design for their next execution of the button-actuated compression lock that doesn't impact the ergos so much. Seems a great mechanism otherwise.

I dont think its the mechanism that takes away from the ergos as much as the design is based on kevin smocks custom knives.

 

[JimMD]

I dont think its the mechanism that takes away from the ergos as much as the design is based on kevin smocks custom knives.

I may have it wrong; don't own one myself. Just seems like the portion of the handle between the choil and the blade is long in a way that makes holding it awkward, and it's like that to accommodate the lock. Similar to necessity of the blade cutout. Does that make sense?

 

[Ajack60]

My nephew snagged the one I had for about two days . He's had it for a couple of weeks now. I talked to him last week, he brought up the knife. He just absolutely loves everything about it. This is coming from a non knife person.
Maybe, we have a tendency to over think and not use enough to determine how useful a knife is. And yes, I've been guilty before.

 

[Mike45ACP]

My nephew snagged the one I had for about two days . He's had it for a couple of weeks now. I talked to him last week, he brought up the knife. He just absolutely loves everything about it. This is coming from a non knife person.
Maybe, we have a tendency to over think and not use enough to determine how useful a knife is. And yes, I've been guilty before.

I think you're absolutely correct that as knife people we really over analyze things to ridiculous levels! I like to use a knife for awhile and ask myself how do I like it. Is the blade shape good for my use. Does the steel perform alright? Is the blade length right for me? Does is go in and outa my pocket well? I don't care about blade to handle ratios, choils that are to big! It works for me or it doesn't! Btw I love the smock! My only complaint is that it took forever to get one!!

Mike

 

[TRfromMT]

I frequently use a pocket knife in a pinch grip with my index finger out on the tip of the blade. Doing so I often find the tip of my middle finger along the edge at the heel. I'm actually interested to see how well the large choil on the Smock works for this.

 

[cheeseit123]

I absolutely love my Smock.

My usage has been fidgeting with it though and not really doing any heavy duty cutting tasks.

The action seems top notch to me and the blade is very slicey.

 

[cbrstar]

I got to handle the smock for the first time this weekend. I think it's one of those knives where you'll either love it or you will feel kinda meh about it.

Aesthetically I just don't find the blade shape that appealing, and the 3 holes in the handle look out of place imho.

To me the front flipper and button compression lock would have been perfect on a tactical knife. But instead Spyderco tried to make it the opposite of tactical.

 

[maugust09]

I

My nephew snagged the one I had for about two days . He's had it for a couple of weeks now. I talked to him last week, he brought up the knife. He just absolutely loves everything about it. This is coming from a non knife person.
Maybe, we have a tendency to over think and not use enough to determine how useful a knife is. And yes, I've been guilty before.

Used it, loved it, but still not my favorite user. Id imagine any non-knife person getting a taste for what a decent knife is like would go crazy for it.

We overanalyze because we know better!

 

[maugust09]

I got to handle the smock for the first time this weekend. I think it's one of those knives where you'll either love it or you will feel kinda meh about it.

Aesthetically I just don't find the blade shape that appealing, and the 3 holes in the handle look out of place imho.

To me the front flipper and button compression lock would have been perfect on a tactical knife. But instead Spyderco tried to make it the opposite of tactical.

Not even just aesthetics for the blade shape, while it was an awesome slicer the choil sometimes was more bothersome than useful.

 

[ferider]

I absolutely love my Smock.

Me too. Great "date knife". Like the hollow grind, the top flipper, the closing button, the grippy CF, etc. And quite a robust knife for its looks. Now the best part gets rarely mentioned, and that is the second detent - makes for a smooth closing, the knife never bounces back. Wish that came also in the other Spyderco compression locks.

The only thing I can criticize is that it's a little small

 

[sgt1372]

Here's what I said in Post #16 the other thread:

"The Smock is fine. Don't love it or hate it.

It's not my favorite Spyder out of the many that I own (mainly because I prefer larger knives and the Smock is kinda small) but the price of it beats the heck out of buying a "real" Smock SK23 upon which the design is based, even assuming you could order and receive an SK23 w/in your lifetime. LOL!

I do not carry it and have nothing really "bad" to say about it, EXCEPT that I would have preferred it if they had radiused the finger choil in the blade so that it was more rounded, as is the case w/the SK23, but I understand why they shaped the choil the way they did (which was to avoid shortening the blade length any further than necessary while still also accommodating the space needed to clear the compression lock release button).

However, the way it is radiused presents the possibility of cutting your finger on the leading edge but I've never cut myself on it (as I have not cut myself on other apparent design deficiencies in the Ikuchi and Tropen, both of which I also own)."

Ref: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/opinions-on-spyderco-smock.1692710/

 

[cheeseit123]

I’m surprised a few people have said that it’s a small knife. Its just shy of 8 inches when deployed...

I think the only thing larger in my collection is a PM2 and only by a quarter inch.

 

[JimMD]

I’m surprised a few people have said that it’s a small knife. Its just shy of 8 inches when deployed...

I think the only thing larger in my collection is a PM2 and only by a quarter inch.

Maybe it’s because the cutting edge is fairly short in an absolute sense? I have a lot of knives with shorter handles and longer cutting edge lengths, so it could be that the blade seems short for the overall size.

 

[sgt1372]

I’m surprised a few people have said that it’s a small knife. Its just shy of 8 inches when deployed...

I think the only thing larger in my collection is a PM2 and only by a quarter inch.

It all depends on your perspective but the blade length (not the overall length) that has a lot to do w/it.

I prefer larger folders w/at least 3.5-4" long blades and am currently carrying a Native Chief w/a 4.125" blade; total length 9.125" and it's NOT the largest folder in my collection. Other larger folders that I own and like to carry include (but are not limited to) the Police, Military, Calypso and Resilience. I've got a lot of "shorter" folders too but the longer ones are still my favorites.

The only folder that I think is too long is the Tatanka (5.05") that I'm actually planning to sell. For fixed blades, 5" is fine but for a folder, it's kinda crazy IMO. LOL!

 

[cheeseit123]

.

Maybe it’s because the cutting edge is fairly short in an absolute sense? I have a lot of knives with shorter handles and longer cutting edge lengths, so it could be that the blade seems short for the overall size.

Yeah the “choil” seems to eat up a lot of the usable blade length.

It all depends on your perspective but the blade length (not the overall length) that has a lot to do w/it.

I prefer larger folders w/at least 3.5-4" long blades and am currently carrying a Native Chief w/a 4.125" blade; total length 9.125" and it's NOT the largest folder in my collection. Other larger folders that I own and like to carry include (but are not limited to) the Police, Military, Calypso and Resilience. I've got a lot of "shorter" folders too but the longer ones are still my favorites.

The only folder that I think is too long is the Tatanka (5.05") that I'm actually planning to sell. For fixed blades, 5" is fine but for a folder, it's kinda crazy IMO. LOL!

Fair enough.

Realistically I barely use most of my knives other than for absent minded flipping. I can’t carry one at work and I have a dedicated camp knife so most of the time they usually just open boxes with other knives in them.

When I’m in town I usually EDC my Dice or Para 3 so like you said it’s all perspective.

 

[ferider]

I’m surprised a few people have said that it’s a small knife. Its just shy of 8 inches when deployed...

I think the only thing larger in my collection is a PM2 and only by a quarter inch.

That's on the small side too