The C35 "Q" was conceived as an inexpensive promotional piece which companies could order with their logo cut into the blade to sell, use as gifts, or offer as incentives. It was manufactured from 1996 to 1999 and, in that time, over 50 companies and groups purchased them. Since the minimum order was somewhere around 50 pieces, some versions of the "Q" are quite rare. The most common version combines Spyderco's own "Bug" logo with a black handle and serrated blade. Among other things the C35 is an interesting exercise in minimalism. A single piece of bent wire serves as lockbar, lock spring, and lockbar pivot.It utilizes Spyderco's first implementation of the wire clip, and the only one which simply plugs into holes in the FRN handle rather than being attached with one or more screws. The holes it can be plugged into are located at all four corners, making the Q the first Spyderco to offer 4 way clip mounting and the only wire clipped model to date to do so. The only fastener in the entire knife is the pivot screw. There were two generations of the handle. The early ones having a thicker, more complex, shape while the later, flat style, added a cross pin to prevent overflexing of the wire lockbar.
