Spyderco Shabaria Utility

[Quy4n8]

The website it is designed as a self defense and utility knife. Self defense is obvious, but does it make a good utility knife? By utility I mean will it work fairly well in the kitchen, can it be used effectively as a "trout & bird" knife, work for light duty camp use; whittling, fuzz sticks, etc. Any mundane, modern daily task a larger knife would be used for. Seems like it might work well, but without being able to handle it, it's hard to know.

If this is an bad choice, let me know what you think would be a better choice in a folder. Thanks.

Q

 

[RevDevil]

I would not use a knife designed specifically for SD in the kitchen. After all, the meat and veggies are already deanimated. Te site does not say the knife is a utility knife, it has a blended utilitarian design, two completely different things. There is nothing about this knife that leads me tobelieve that it would be a good skinning knife, camping knife, or kitchen knife. If you compare this knife as it is, with knives dedicated to skinning, camping, and kitchen use- the differences are instantly apparent. The right tool for the job can be invaluable. There are a ton of better knives for the kitchen, camping, skinning, and other thing you listed:

Kitchen knife: Shun
Camping knife: Becker
Skinning: anything with belly

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Actually, the Shabaria is a modern folder based on an ancient utility knife, from a time when any tool was an occasional weapon.

Compare the Shabaria blade shape to the Tracker knife. Both have a recurved section by the ricasso for shaving wood, controlled cutting, or pull cutting with power. The forward bellied edge would do fine for skinning.

Any knife in those days would be used for killing, butchering, and skinning food animals. The sharp tip is also useful, as a splinter-picker, hole puncher, or drill.

This model being a modern folder, it is a light-weight, thin-bladed knife, not as effective for some tasks as others. The handle is unusual but I find it easy to grip. By holding the "diamond" of the butt, you get a firm grip and extra reach. By doing this, you end up with a pattern that strongly resembles the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande for self-defense.

I have 3 Shabarias. One early model, one similar, but a user I traded into for a beater, and one from the latest run, which is a bit heavier-duty than the original. The latest is a very fine knife, -- but I love them all.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144844

Thanks to Spyderco for producing this knife and James Mattis of Chai Cutlery for carrying it.

The ancient design is new to us,
Since tactical knives all look the same.
It's exciting to see the possibilities
In a blade that looks like a flame.

VG-10 is hard and sharp,
It slips through meat and fruit and bread;
But the blade is much too narrow
To use on any kind of spread.

Its razor edge is hollow-ground,
The recurved blade angles down.
With narrow, wasp-waist handle slabs
It would make the sheeple frown.

It reminds me of knives
Of days long past,
When work demanded
The sharp and fast.
For self-defense or sacrifice,
Our forefathers liked
This kind of knife.

 

[Dagon]

Shabaria is very beautiful, but really not that great in the hand for utility work, its slim handle is not that pleasant to hold. In my opinion of course. As I am not interested in SD, mine is purely a display queen.

For a "bird & trout" kind of folder, have a look at this wonderful but rare G. Sakai model: