Spiderco Shaman, should I?

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Peakbagger46

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I’m thinking of selling my Benchmade Rift. I love everything about the knife except how the handle fits my hand; I can’t quite get used to the hump at the back end.

Been eyeing the Shaman. Is it too thick to be a good slicer? The handle looks really comfortable. Unfortunately I cannot find it locally to fondle.

I’ve never owned a Spyderco. Almost bought a PM2 but didn’t like how thin the tip was.

Any other suggestions welcome.
 
Peakbagger46 said:
I’m thinking of selling my Benchmade Rift. I love everything about the knife except how the handle fits my hand; I can’t quite get used to the hump at the back end.

Been eyeing the Shaman. Is it too thick to be a good slicer? The handle looks really comfortable. Unfortunately I cannot find it locally to fondle.

I’ve never owned a Spyderco. Almost bought a PM2 but didn’t like how thin the tip was.

Any other suggestions welcome.
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I'm going to pull the trigger on one soon, myself. Though I'm going for the fully serrated model, since I don't have a good one at the moment. Today I'm carrying a Sage 5, which is also a winner. It's got the compression lock, too, which I've grown accustomed to. May want to consider that as well. Let us know what you end up with.
 
Sal was sayin something like he made it a wider blade so it could keep a thicker stock but still be a decent slicer. If you know what I mean. I don't have one, but I'd assume several other spyderco designs are better at slicing but doesn't look too bad. I'm just waiting for a sprint run myself.
 
Depends on what you mean by “good slicer”. A .15” thick blade isn’t going to slice thru deep material very well. For shallower slicing it should work fine — while it’s thick it’s a pretty high grind. I’d be looking for something considerably thinner for a true slicer.

I’m also eyeballing the Shaman SE. I think it will displace my Manix 2 for the most part. But I don’t know if I’m on board with a $150 workhorse knife. It’s certainly no gents knife.
 
Depends on what you want it for. Spyderos are good slicers. But with the exception of the tatanka and maybe a few others they’re not really hard use knives. If you need a knife to eat shit and beg for more there’s better options.
 
zhyla said:
Depends on what you mean by “good slicer”. A .15” thick blade isn’t going to slice thru deep material very well. For shallower slicing it should work fine — while it’s thick it’s a pretty high grind. I’d be looking for something considerably thinner for a true slicer.

I’m also eyeballing the Shaman SE. I think it will displace my Manix 2 for the most part. But I don’t know if I’m on board with a $150 workhorse knife. It’s certainly no gents knife.
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It's up to $182.00
 
I've had the shaman for three weeks and it bumped my PM2 and my Manix ll for now. It slices well carries well and feels great in the hand. Who would have thunk it. Great knife, I highly recommend it.
 
It's a beefy Spyderco. If you want that, get it, if you don't I'd say pass. If you like S30V it's a decent option, but I don't and because of that I wouldn't use it myself.
 
E82CBB61-1FF9-4770-A91D-8D968837F8C3.jpeg The Shaman is still pretty darn slicey! It’s cuts more effectively than any Strider or Hinderer that I own. My only complaint is that the pivot screw was insanely tight out of box. A slight adjustment and it’s smooth as glass and lock up is rock solid.
 
emjay4248 said:
It's up to $182.00
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Get it. It is an awesome knife. Slicey enough with awesome weight distribution and tip strength. Slices typical things easily. The weight of the blade makes closing it one handed incredibly easy. If you like the Axis lock you will like the compression lock. I have carried mind for a couple months and still love it.
 
Sosa said:
Depends on what you want it for. Spyderos are good slicers. But with the exception of the tatanka and maybe a few others they’re not really hard use knives. If you need a knife to eat shit and beg for more there’s better options.
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Why aren’t they hard use knives? What models have you had that failed on you during hard use?
 
A good middle option for you might be the Manix 2. It has a thicker tip than the PM2, but slices better than the Shaman. It is plenty tough, and the ball bearing lock is sturdy and comparable to the Axis, with less risk of the spring breaking. EXCEPTIONAL ergos as well. Yeah, that is my vote.
 
If you love everything about the rift except the handle, what about a different benchmade with a different handle?
 
The shaman certainly is a hard use knife. It makes the Manix and pm2 feel dainty and comes across as one of Spydercos most stout blades, certainly that I’ve ever handled. At the same time it cuts very well due to the very high flat grind. I freaking love mine, probably my favorite Spyderco of all time. I sold a brand new zt 0620 for it and don’t miss the zt a bit.
 
firefighterguy said:
Why aren’t they hard use knives? What models have you had that failed on you during hard use?
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It depends on the definition of hard use. The Shaman Is obviously not made for Bushcraft but as an EDC it is just as tough as the PM2 or the Manix ll. As far as being a good knife for a contractor to use daily I would say no. Their is a fine line between harsh use for a folder and fixed blade. I know that I have it and use it for EDC and if I need something tougher I pull out my always at the Bradford G3 fixed blade. It's all about matching the right tool for the right job.
 
The handle looks very refined and the wide blade looks great. s30v blade at $182 is a bit overpriced IMO. If I spend that kind of money, I will want a better steel like m390. I am sure some kind of sprint runs or dealer exclusives will be released this year likely at $200+, which would be what I prrefer.
 
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