Spyderco SUPER CLASSICS

J

JD Spydo

Joined
Nov 20, 2004
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There are 3 past/discontinued models that I personally deem as SUPER CLASSICS. There are many factors I have considered to give these 3 great Spyders of years gone by the SUPER CLASSIC status. One being design, the other being innovations of that era and the fact that all 3 of these models really bucked many trends.

These 3 trend busters are the C-54 big Calypso, The C-60 Massad Ayoob and the C-46 Bob Lum Tanto. These 3 Spyders truly broke ice in many respects when they were introduced and they remain highly coveted blades to own to this very day. Not to mention that they have huge appeal to many of the newcomers on these forums.

All 3 of the designs were truly ahead of their time. For instance I had never really liked Tanto blades until I got a Spyderco C-46 Lum which in many respects had many modifications over the standard version tanto blades on the market. The streamlined transition area where the point meets the belly of the blade was truly ahead of it's time. The Massad Ayoob had the ergonomics of a handgun. And the big Calypso design took function to a new level.

These 3 classic Spyders should be in a cutlery hall of fame. Do any of you agree?
 
JD Spydo said:
Do any of you agree?
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Not really, I would think knives like the C01 Worker being the first to have the opening hole (and clip ?) or the first
"Spyder Edge" serated folding knives are more in line with "super classic trend busters" than the knives you mention.
 
Took me awhile to find the serrated Ayoob that I picked up a year or two ago. I had it in my briefcase out in the truck. Woke up at 4:30am Monday morning to the sound of breaking glass and my truck alarm going off. Needless to say, the only thing missing was my beatup old leather briefcase, with my beloved Ayoob. I did catch a glimpse of the two S.O.Bs running down the street. I will be eyeballing the pockets of every tall young guy with long curly hair. I live in a small town where this sort of thing isn't supposed to happen. Good thing is that I cannot imagine there is another one in town - I'll know it when I see it - woe unto him when I do. My briefcase had about 8 years of names, phone numbers etc that one accumulates during a sales career along with all the current projects I am working on. Loss of the knife is what really pisses me off. I just hope that I can find another.
 
I'd love to get my hands on a Massad Ayoob, but I have a PE Starmate which I rate up there with it.
 
jill jackson said:
I'd love to get my hands on a Massad Ayoob, but I have a PE Starmate which I rate up there with it.
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First of all "STEVEWEST" I truly do feel your pain. I haven't had a theft of that magnitude in quite a while but I did lose a fully serrated, VG-10, Original C-77 Spyderco Spyderhawk on a hunting/work trip up in the north Missouri wetlands and I was truly sick about it for some time. I also misplaced my G-10, ATS-55 Harpy last week and it took me 2 days to find it and it also ruined my peace of mind for that time period. So if you're attached to your blades like I am brother I truly do feel your pain. And the Ayoob model just gets harder and harder to find each passing day.

Jill Jackson I'm surprised you don't already have all 3 of the Super Classic Spyders I've mentioned. From what I've seen of your collection thus far I would have bet that you had all 3 of them. Spyderco gave me and about a dozen other brothers over at the Spyderco.com Forum a "Dream Come TRue" when they brought back the Spyderhawk in H-1 blade steel this year. My second choice for a reintroduction of a Spyderco classic would be a toss up between a C-54 big Calypso or a C-60 Massad Ayoob model.

I would like an Ayoob model in either ZDP-189 or M-4 with either a peel ply Carbon Fiber or G-10 handle. A ball bearing lock would be great or the lock they originally had on it. A stonewashed blade would also be a really nice enhancement.

AGain the big Calypso, Massad Ayoob and C-46 Lum tanto are Spyders that truly mark a great era in Spyderco history :cool:.
 
I've just been heavy into collecting Spyderco since spring of 2008. When I started I had about 10 or less.
 
I'd have to say many of Spyderco's models have broke ground and bucked trends.
Even from the start they was based on that entire idea.
 
The titanium Lum Tanto is a pretty cool knife. I managed to find one a few years ago and still carry it every once in a while. The finish on the ti scales was a little beat-up when I got it (the store had three and all showed the same issues), and the blade had a grinder mark, so I don't mind using it as an EDC from time to time.

I'd love to try out a big Caly and a big Persian if I could even find either one.
 
Praxis said:
The titanium Lum Tanto is a pretty cool knife. I managed to find one a few years ago and still carry it every once in a while. The finish on the ti scales was a little beat-up when I got it (the store had three and all showed the same issues), and the blade had a grinder mark, so I don't mind using it as an EDC from time to time.

I'd love to try out a big Caly and a big Persian if I could even find either one.
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Hey "Praxis" is your Ti Lum an ATS-55 or VG-10 blade? Also don't fret over the Ti handle because that just goes with the territory. Every Ti handled or Stainless handled Spyder I've ever owned had some sort of a ding on it. But I still love Ti handled Spyders. G-10 & Micarta are probably my favorite handles for hard use and overall function.

I can only imagine what the big Caly would be like with a G-10 or peel ply CF handle.

What I like about the C-46 Lum tanto is the blade geometry is way ahead of any other tanto design from any other company that I've seen. It's truly the most functional tanto I've ever used. I EDC my G-10, ATS-55, CE Lum Tanto at least once a month. The serrated Ayoob is probably the most aggressive SE Spyder I own. AGain I think the big Caly doesn't get the respect it deserves. Because it truly spawned the success of the Caly Jr. Also the blade geometry of the big Caly is probably the best flat grind I've seen to date.
 
JD Spydo said:
Jill Jackson I'm surprised you don't already have all 3 of the Super Classic Spyders I've mentioned. From what I've seen of your collection thus far I would have bet that you had all 3 of them.
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I have it on the way now! A mint condition collector numbered serrated Ayoob. I just had to have one and it's going to be right up there with my PE mint Starmate, as far as importance in my collection.
 
jill jackson said:
I have it on the way now! A mint condition collector numbered serrated Ayoob. I just had to have one and it's going to be right up there with my PE mint Starmate, as far as importance in my collection.
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Congratulations are in order :cool:>> I've been acused of being a sentimental fool when it comes to many of Spyderco's older models. But people need to consider what got Spyderco to the pinnacle of the production knife world to begin with. And many of the Spyders from the 1998 to 2003 era ( what I call the Golden Spyder Era :cool:) are going to be models that will be the most coveted in the long run. Also I predict that there will be many of those models from that era that will be re-introduced in sprint runs or maybe back in the line up with a newer, revamped set of materials.

The Ayoob that I keep as a user SD model is one of my "untradable" units to be sure. I personally think that the SE version of the Ayoob is one of the top 5 best SD Spyders of all time IMO. Great catch for your collection Jill Jackson :thumbup:
 
JD, I would agree with you on the status of those knives.

I would love to see sprint runs of all of them. There's a few others that could be considered, like the large Persian, Dodo, Lil Temp, Pro-Grip/Spur and Matriarch. So many good knves, so little time....
 
Shouldn't they break ground in a positive way to be super classics? Quite frankly, I think the Ayoob is in the top three worst designs Spyderco ever brought to market. I have read Ayoob's thinking in designing this knife and I find it completely unconvincing.

I like Ayoob, but I would prefer he stick to guns.
 
What else didn't you like about it?

The only problem I had with it was how wide it was in the pocket and the weight.

I think you'll find that each Spyderco design is a "super classic" to someone. ;)
 
elkins45 said:
Shouldn't they break ground in a positive way to be super classics? Quite frankly, I think the Ayoob is in the top three worst designs Spyderco ever brought to market. I have read Ayoob's thinking in designing this knife and I find it completely unconvincing.

I like Ayoob, but I would prefer he stick to guns.
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Hey that's cool brother :) and I mean that sincerely. I know we're not all going to agree here on every item. And I'll go as far as admit that if I had my way I would have made the Ayoob with either a black Micarta handle which was very trendy during that time. I do like the VG-10 blade just fine but that knife would be a superstar in ZDP-189.

Although I do like the ergonomics of the Ayoob handle and I love the blade with it's convex curvature. It is one of Spyderco's meanest fully serrated blades in their entire lineup during that time period.

As far the C-46 Lum Tanto I never really liked Tanto blades until I got the LUM. It had a blade geometry much better than any tanto I had ever had up to that point. I still have a C-46 Lum user which is black bladed, combo edge, ATS-55 with G-10 handle and it is a really nice "weekend carry to show off" blade.
 
+1 on the starmate I also have a mint PE starmate that I will never get rid of, I just wish I had known about spyderco when it was a current model as I would love one to edc. I think a sprint run would sell very well.

Tom
 
spoonrobot said:
What else didn't you like about it?

The only problem I had with it was how wide it was in the pocket and the weight.

I think you'll find that each Spyderco design is a "super classic" to someone. ;)
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I would agree with that statement :) Because the big C-44 Dyad is one of my top 3 favorite Spyders of all time. And I get some flak from that assessment because many feel it's not one of their most elegant designs like the big Calypso for instance. But I always factor function in on some of my ratings as well. The C-46 Lum is the only Tanto to date I've ever really gotten excited about. So therefore I did factor functional abilities on that one to be sure. I had seriously thought of getting one custom made by Mr. Lum before his untimely demise :(

I probably should have 3 design favorites and have some as functional favorites as well. But that will be another thread.

Spyders are like fine wine. They tend to become much more appreciated with age. I remember distinctly when the Massad Ayoob was released in 2001. I don't remember nearly as much fanfare then as I do now. That's why I think it's at least worthy of consideration to re-introduce older models with newer/better features. Just a thought.
 
I agree with most that the titanium Lum tanto is a great folder.
I never liked the Ayoob folders looks or functionality.
The large Calypso was a sleek design but the absence of liners seems a weak point, also a large number of them have warped blades near the tip.

As for trend setters, the Titanium/ATS34 Police was released at a time when only custom makers were using these materials.

dave
 
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