- Joined
- May 13, 2015
- Messages
- 841
Hi there. Finally I managed to get one of these 
! I had to wait for quite a while to find a reputable EU dealer having these in stock. Good in one way, lately I had limited budget for gear and invested some money in new firearms, so any new knives acquisition had to be put on hold. But here I go again! The beauty came in sometimes before Christmas but I consider this as my sharp Xmas present! I have carried and used the knife for some weeks now and I just want to share some personal impressions, my own thoughts and few pics, as a week-end hiker and knives enthusiast, no expert at all . Thanks to BF members who posted here write-ups/reviews on this knife, you really contributed to this purchase of mine :thumbup:.
The Spider Monkey definitely meets my expectations. For the few who dont know it, a short description: this is a compact (but I wouldnt call it small) liner lock folding knife with a carbon fibre handle and a S35VN stainless steel blade. The blade has a clean drop point style, classic but not trivial. I opted for a satin finish but a black PVD finish was also an available option. The blade sports a greatly utilitarian flat grind with an edge thick enough to withstand an all-round light-utility use. The very well-executed carbon fibre handle scales have a lightly textured matte finish. The handle is complemented with a kind of shortened pocket clip, tip-up carry, which does its job with little interference. Some reviews Ive read/watched somehow consider this knife as the Bad Monkey small brother and its not wrong. Anyway, though not owning the Bad Monkey myself but only by comparing the two in videos and pictures, I see the Spider Monkey is not just the scaled down version, there are few differences (one for all: the Spider miss the wave). In the Spider Monkey, design of the blade and the handle have been slightly modified and steel also has been changed. I have learned Southern Grind its a special company, a kind of charity foundation. I also got opportunity to get familiar with Zac Brown music enjoyable (I almost only listen classic, military marches and some power metal, so figure out!
). Always said knives are culture items 
!
With this knife, for me, it was a bit love at first sight. I kept reading and watching about it since it appeared and, when I first hold it, it came natural to have a feeling with. Fit and finish is of a high quality, workmanship and assembly precise and accurate. Blade centred perfectly. Really, to me, its comparable to a good mid-tech product. The carbon fibre is flawless, smooth and rounded, even a bit too smooth for my taste, where I prefer a slightly gripper texture. No real issues anyway, even when wet, the grip, bare hand, is solid enough for my EDC tasks. I found ergonomics good for me; the handle fit my medium to large hand size, sizeable enough for a full four hand comfortable purchase. The knife its really light-weight! Though having read about it in the specs, its only by holding it I realized how light-weight this is, given its size. The clip doesnt really get in my way but I wouldnt define it unobtrusive. Specially when whittling/carving wood it becomes something I soon become very aware of. Nothing too annoying, but still
The opening of the blade with the (dual) thumb stud is sweet. I have seen some guys are able to flip it open using the faux-wave, so to say, but I have not that dexterity. The blade locks in place securely with a discrete reassuring click. No blade play whatsoever, good blade centring. The S35VN steel is surely a good steel, with good edge retention and toughness. I like it is stainless, since a lot of my outdoor play revolves around food preparation. It came sharp from the factory but not crazy sharp. I havent yet sharpened it properly, just touched it up with ceramic sharpener after use. It holds the edge fairly well, from what I can tell by now. The Ti lock and liners are bomb-proof in terms of resisting corrosion and it looks they have great strength for their weight. I like its open pillar construction which allows an easy everyday cleaning.
In the beginning I was a bit unsure about the clip, during the first days I checked frequently the knife was clipped in place (the weight is negligible to me), but eventually I have to state this strange shortened clip clamps properly :thumbup:. Along these weeks, I used the knife for the normal EDC tasks: at work with packaging materials (polymers and cardboards) and during a couple of walks (not real hikes), opening trail mix packs, slicing a dry salami, carving some feather sticks and whittling wood a bit, just to test it a bit, peeling some fruits and vegetables and cutting twines and paracord. At home I have tested it in the kitchen for some more serious cooking . All in all, to me, the knife is really very nice, it is surely an all-round light-utility user and conveys an impression of a solid, durable, precise and quality cutting tool. Its dimensions also makes it for me an ideal buddy for everyday carry. This will be a keeper for me! Another one to add to the rotation! Its the first and only carbon fibre handle knife I own so far and I am very pleased with it :thumbup:.
The impact of this knife in urban/working environment on public is not zero, at least around here. The tool, though gentleman in size and shape is definitely a knife and is perceived like that by most. The only thing I dont like are the special proprietary screws, I will have to find a specific pin spanner tool for maintenance, not something available at the hardware store down the street here
Specs & Features
Handle: Carbon Fibre
Liner Lock and Liners: 6AL4V Titanium
Grind: Flat Grind
Blade Steel: S35VN
Hardness: RC 58-59
Blade Finish: Tumbled Satin
Weight: 86 g.
Overall Length: 189 mm
Closed Length: 105 mm
Blade Length: 84 mm
Blade Thickness: 3.3 mm
Shortened pocket clip
Some pics
! I had to wait for quite a while to find a reputable EU dealer having these in stock. Good in one way, lately I had limited budget for gear and invested some money in new firearms, so any new knives acquisition had to be put on hold. But here I go again! The beauty came in sometimes before Christmas but I consider this as my sharp Xmas present! I have carried and used the knife for some weeks now and I just want to share some personal impressions, my own thoughts and few pics, as a week-end hiker and knives enthusiast, no expert at all . Thanks to BF members who posted here write-ups/reviews on this knife, you really contributed to this purchase of mine :thumbup:. The Spider Monkey definitely meets my expectations. For the few who dont know it, a short description: this is a compact (but I wouldnt call it small) liner lock folding knife with a carbon fibre handle and a S35VN stainless steel blade. The blade has a clean drop point style, classic but not trivial. I opted for a satin finish but a black PVD finish was also an available option. The blade sports a greatly utilitarian flat grind with an edge thick enough to withstand an all-round light-utility use. The very well-executed carbon fibre handle scales have a lightly textured matte finish. The handle is complemented with a kind of shortened pocket clip, tip-up carry, which does its job with little interference. Some reviews Ive read/watched somehow consider this knife as the Bad Monkey small brother and its not wrong. Anyway, though not owning the Bad Monkey myself but only by comparing the two in videos and pictures, I see the Spider Monkey is not just the scaled down version, there are few differences (one for all: the Spider miss the wave). In the Spider Monkey, design of the blade and the handle have been slightly modified and steel also has been changed. I have learned Southern Grind its a special company, a kind of charity foundation. I also got opportunity to get familiar with Zac Brown music enjoyable (I almost only listen classic, military marches and some power metal, so figure out!
). Always said knives are culture items ! With this knife, for me, it was a bit love at first sight. I kept reading and watching about it since it appeared and, when I first hold it, it came natural to have a feeling with
. Fit and finish is of a high quality, workmanship and assembly precise and accurate. Blade centred perfectly. Really, to me, its comparable to a good mid-tech product. The carbon fibre is flawless, smooth and rounded, even a bit too smooth for my taste, where I prefer a slightly gripper texture. No real issues anyway, even when wet, the grip, bare hand, is solid enough for my EDC tasks. I found ergonomics good for me; the handle fit my medium to large hand size, sizeable enough for a full four hand comfortable purchase. The knife its really light-weight! Though having read about it in the specs, its only by holding it I realized how light-weight this is, given its size. The clip doesnt really get in my way but I wouldnt define it unobtrusive. Specially when whittling/carving wood it becomes something I soon become very aware of. Nothing too annoying, but still
The opening of the blade with the (dual) thumb stud is sweet. I have seen some guys are able to flip it open using the faux-wave, so to say, but I have not that dexterity
. The blade locks in place securely with a discrete reassuring click. No blade play whatsoever, good blade centring. The S35VN steel is surely a good steel, with good edge retention and toughness. I like it is stainless, since a lot of my outdoor play revolves around food preparation. It came sharp from the factory but not crazy sharp. I havent yet sharpened it properly, just touched it up with ceramic sharpener after use. It holds the edge fairly well, from what I can tell by now. The Ti lock and liners are bomb-proof in terms of resisting corrosion and it looks they have great strength for their weight. I like its open pillar construction which allows an easy everyday cleaning. In the beginning I was a bit unsure about the clip, during the first days I checked frequently the knife was clipped in place (the weight is negligible to me), but eventually I have to state this strange shortened clip clamps properly :thumbup:. Along these weeks, I used the knife for the normal EDC tasks: at work with packaging materials (polymers and cardboards) and during a couple of walks (not real hikes
), opening trail mix packs, slicing a dry salami, carving some feather sticks and whittling wood a bit, just to test it a bit, peeling some fruits and vegetables and cutting twines and paracord. At home I have tested it in the kitchen for some more serious cooking . All in all, to me, the knife is really very nice, it is surely an all-round light-utility user and conveys an impression of a solid, durable, precise and quality cutting tool. Its dimensions also makes it for me an ideal buddy for everyday carry. This will be a keeper for me! Another one to add to the rotation! Its the first and only carbon fibre handle knife I own so far and I am very pleased with it :thumbup:. The impact of this knife in urban/working environment on public is not zero, at least around here. The tool, though gentleman in size and shape is definitely a knife and is perceived like that by most. The only thing I dont like are the special proprietary screws, I will have to find a specific pin spanner tool for maintenance, not something available at the hardware store down the street here
Specs & Features
Handle: Carbon Fibre
Liner Lock and Liners: 6AL4V Titanium
Grind: Flat Grind
Blade Steel: S35VN
Hardness: RC 58-59
Blade Finish: Tumbled Satin
Weight: 86 g.
Overall Length: 189 mm
Closed Length: 105 mm
Blade Length: 84 mm
Blade Thickness: 3.3 mm
Shortened pocket clip
Some pics
