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Spyderco #1......

I

immolatus

Joined
Aug 25, 2013
Messages
132
I ordered my first spydie tonight (as I assume ther will be more to come). I wandered accross a Tenacious in green G-10. Green is my color so that was enough to push me over. I ordered this one first because I feel you can tell a lot about a company by thier lower end knives. Ka-bar for instance doesnot have a very broad spectrum of prices in their lines. you either have high or low not much in between.
I get the impression of Spyderco though that they are charging logical prices given the rang and the spectrum.
I'm very leery of buying things that are hyped too much.
Does anyone else here do this......buy from the low end first to form an opinion?
 
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I did exactly what you did. I was curious about the brand and eyeing a couple of models, but at the time I was very hesitant about spending $100+ for a knife. So I bought a blue Persistence to "test the waters." I was so impressed that within a few weeks I also had a Chaparral and a satin/camo Para2.

In hindsight, while the Persistence is a very nice knife for the $$$, it was kind of a silly purchase since I knew it wasn't really what I wanted. I still have it, but it gets almost zero pocket time.

I should probably also warn you about the "slippery slope," as this formerly cautious and frugal knut is now up to 14 Spydies! The Chap and Para are still my most used/carried though...
 
I own the tenacious in green g10 myself. It's not my favorite but for the price it's a great knife. I personally recommend an endura 4 as a first spyderco myself.
 
I started with a Tenacious and Sage 1. Very nice knives, happy with both. My collection has grown, but not as much as some of the other members here.

Tenacious
Dragonfly, green G10
Bug (lives on my key ring)
Sage 1
Cat
Byrd Tern (slippie)

I like 'em all. No regrets about getting any of them.

Ric
 
I also started with one that was a bit "lower end:" a Delica 4. It wasn't on purpose, though, it was just bought as an EDC when a Cold Steel Voyager didn't feel quite right. At the time I had no intention of collecting knives, or to put it better, amassing a collection of users. The D4 was so awesome that I bought another, and another...and so on.

Although you can indeed tell a lot about a company from their "lower end" offerings, you haven't experienced the range of Spyderco until you've gotten models from Golden, CO and Taichung, Taiwan. In my experience the F&F on these models is amazing.
 
immolatus said:
Does anyone else here do this......buy from the low end first to form an opinion?
Click to expand...

First of all, welcome! Start saving, you're gonna need it. My first Spyderco was free, or $1700 depending how you look at it. I found it in my first car, a full serrated all stainless Delica. I thought it looked weird, and though I had no vested interest in it to influence me, it remained my favorite knife despite subsequent knife purchases including a couple CRKT's, a Kershaw, and a Benchmade auto. Here I sit, nine Spydercos later and awaiting a reply for my tenth.

So yeah, I'd say I started pretty cheap assuming the knife came with the car and not the other way around. The products just speak for themselves, no matter which one you have. I love and use them all.
 
I suspect a lot of people start w/Spyderco's China made "value" line, or Byrd's, (who might initially be put off by the rather quirky, unique looks of Spyderco folders) and are so impressed with the fit, finish, and cutting performance of their new $25/$35 folder that they go on to become a life long customer. Brilliant marketing strategy from Sal & Co. to show the capability and quality of his products at an attractive price point, even if he lost money on the line (which I doubt)...knowing it will be a gateway product to the higher end knives.

Liking primarily 2.5" to 3" blade EDC folders, I too started my Spydie lust w/an Ambitious, and...stunned at what I got for the money, almost immediately bought a Sage 1 & 2, and Techno! Other Spydercos have passed through my hands since, but these three continue to be my favorite, most carried knives...especially Taichung produced blades, and especially the Techno. Simply incredible knives for the money!
 
Apophis said:
I should probably also warn you about the "slippery slope," as this formerly cautious and frugal knut is now up to 14 Spydies! The Chap and Para are still my most used/carried though...
Click to expand...

Apophis speaks the truth.

It starts with a gateway knife. A tenacious here. A persistence there. A collection of byrds. Before you know it you are holding a native, a chaparral, and a couple of sages.

This is most. Not all.

 
I too am new to Spyderco (but not new to knives). I was set on starting out with a higher end model but instead decided to start lower. Bought a Delica 4 a few weeks ago and picked up an Endura 4 last week. The Delica has been with me every day....love that knife. Really like the Endura too and especially for outdoor stuff. A Native 5 and a couple others are on my short list for future purchases.
 
I'll have to admit some/most Spydercos may not be the prettiest looking, but they are some of the best "user" knives out there.
 
I started with the more higher end Spydies myself. I've been exceptionally impressed by all of them. I've wondered about the Tenacious, Ambitious, Delica and other more classic, cheaper models. A few things that have deterred me from purchases are FRN handles and lockbacks, neither of which I care for. I like the idea of starting on the cheap end and upgrading over time. This way you become more impressed as you continue your way up Spydie ladder :D
 
Oh I'm well aware of the "slope". I've been collecting GEC and just started with Benchmades. I've been eyeing the Para 2 and the Manix 2 and XL for a while now. I just decided there is no way to know unless you get your hands on one. I live in a place where there aren't any good sporting goods stores and our wally world doesn't carry much so I have to order everything that I feel is actually worth having.
I don't mind the exploration and waiting as I feel anticipation is part of the enjoyment.
How do you guys find the heat treats on yours?

shuutr: I love those carbon fibers by the way.
 
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Thanks. The carbons are personal favorites. I think I literally salivated when I heard this years Sage 3 was dropping the blue g10 for carbon. I could not wait.
 
I sometimes do, but if a company had a mid-level standard or trademark, I tend to go with that. The Tenacious is a great knife for the money, but to my the standard of Spyderco is the Worker, Harpy, Standard, Mariner, Delica, Endura, and Police (Delica and Endura being the more common, best priced, and best bang for buck) so I started with the Delica/Endura line (and later got a Worker and Harpy.) Since then I've purchased many knives and some costing over 25 times that of the Delica. But to date, I still think the D4/E4 gets the business end of work done as well or better than anything I've ever purchased. In more recent time I think Spyderco is also being really associated with H1 steels given how useful they are for marine usage and how marine usage really dictates a need for a good knife. I agree there is a lot of hype with many knives, but my personal way of avoiding that is buying my first new product from a maker I don't currently have as one of the products that their entire core company is associated with that has withstood the test of time.

I think that much like the Delica and Endura which have withstood the test of time and seen thousands of experimental designs come and go that the Tenacious is a knife that will be here for the long haul and will be increasingly associated with the company. Much like Kershaw, Spyderco is getting very skilled at making very low-cost knives with great performance that people are taking to and are asking for by name. Also, I think these styles of knives have convinced many people who have historically ordered the 99 cent Cutlery Corner knives and just used them a while and then threw them away to step up to a nicer product.
 
I just recently started buying Spyderco's also. My first was a domino because I liked flipper knives not realizing the ease of the spyder hole. My second was a pm2 which I think I like more than the domino. The third is on the way and it's a "cheapo" delica. I'm also eyeing the sage 1 and manix 2 light weight. Slippery slope is no joke.
 
I've collected Spyderco for awhile but I too recently bought the Green Tenacious. I had owned a Tenacious in the past. Also a Persistence. Nothing wrong with them, they just got sold.
Well this new Green Tenacious is slick. I mean smooth. One of my smoothest knives. Perfectly centered. Thinly ground. Positive lockup.
Amazing quality for the price and good quality at any price.
 
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