Spyderco's best 5 year Golden Era IMO, What's Your's?

J

JD Spydo

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Nov 20, 2004
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I think everyone who loves Spyderco has a time period in which they think it to be Spyderco's "Golden Era". For me it's definitely the time frame from 1998 to 2003. During that time slot they introduced some of the mega-classics which are some of the most envied Spyders ever made.

The models I loved that were introduced and made in that era are almost too numerous to mention. But a few of them are the Lil Temperance, The C-46 Lum Tanto, The JD Smith, The big C-44 Dyad, The C-54 big Calypso, And the great fixed blades like the Temperance 1, Lum fixed blade, The Ronin and the original Perrin model.

Yes my Golden Era of Spyders is 1998 to 2003. I would like to know which 5 year time slot you other Spyderheads like the best and why. Mine isn't the only 5 year time slot when great models were born but I personally haven't seen an era I like any better than that era 1998 - 2003
 
The time span dating backwards five years from today, because that encompasses the Manix 2, Para 2, the Aqua Salt, the Mules and the G-10 Delica. If those were the only Spyderco knives I owned I wouldn't feel bad about it in the least.

Given their track record of continuous improvement and the evolution of their products, I expect the answer will always be five years backwards from today regardless of when 'today' happens to be. IMHO, of course.
 
Fredde90210 said:
When Spyderco had "softer" steels... nowadays it seems to be an arms race with "super steels"
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I do indeed agree with your statement about them being in an "arm's race with super steels">> But that's a really good thing IMO.

But do keep in mind that some of the steels that Spyderco used during my Golden Spyder Era were at the time the best available. At that time slot for instance ATS-34 and 440V were considered the top of the heap. Then ATS-55 and VG-10 hit the scene. When Spyderco was using ATS-55 there really were no knife companies using anything better than that at the time.

Also when the Moran fixed blade first hit the scene back around 1997-98 it was the first production knife I know of that used VG-10. So I believe that Spyderco has been on the forefront of using premium blade steels for some time now.

My pick of 1998 to 2003 is mainly based on the huge amount of super models that came forth during that time slot. But as far as technical innovation goes we may indeed be in the middle of a Golden Era for improvements in blade technology.
 
shunsui said:
It's all good. ;)
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I agree. They were always good, and they're only gettin better and better. More versatile, more choice, more applications, quality keeps improving (and it was always top notch). Spyderco's been in a golden age from the moment they registered with the chamber of commerce. ;)
 
I've been carrying Spyderco's since 92 and this current era is the best IMO. Things keep getting better and better. Sal has gotten to the point where he has pretty much done it all, and done it successfully. He's more willing to do a run of knives that would have been unheard of 5-6 years ago. The Caly 3.5 sprint run in Hitachi super blue ( carbon/moly/tungsten alloy) is a prime example. The mule team itself is another.

How long would these type things last if Sal retired and sold Spyderco? Not as long as it took me to type that sentence is my guess. ( not sold to Eric, but out of the family is what I'm talking about. I can't really speak about or for Eric and his philosophy for lack of information. All I know is he's a good designer and engineer) It's easier to make sprint runs in 154cm , and use Aus8, and 8C for most of your runs with a larger profit margin as well. O-1 , as well as CPM M4 would be gone from the line up. S90V sprints would be awfully scarce.

In my mind these are the Golden years for us Spyderco knifeknuts and especially us steel junkies and yes, Sal is largely the reason for it.

Joe Lewanowicz
 
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I can appreciate those of you who think now iis the best time in Spyder History. To some degree I can go along with that. My take on it is the reason I consider 1998 to 2003 the Golden Era is because of the huge number of super-classics that emerged from that time period. It's true that we've probably never seen many of the most recent innovations like we've seen lately. But to me as far as super-classic models go I could run a very long list of those that were introduced from 1998 to 2003 that would astound most collectors and afficionados.

With all the new super steels we've seen hit the landscape here in the past 2 years in particular is simply great. I also love the newer G-10 that has recently hit the scene. But as far as models go I think it's hard to duplicate what was done back in 1998 to 2003. Look at all the Sprint runs we've had here lately. The Lum Tanto, The Ayoob and the Shabaria. All of those came from the 1998 to 2003 era. In that respect I rest my case. But I love all the responses I've seen so far. This has become a much more informative thread than I thought it would be. JD
 
I've only started to become interested in knives in 2007, so from then on would be it for me. It did take me awhile to like Spyderco, it was the Centofante 3 that started it for me.
 
JD Spydo said:
But to me as far as super-classic models go I could run a very long list of those that were introduced from 1998 to 2003 that would astound most collectors and afficionados.
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In 5-10 years time the same will be true for some of the current or recent models. That's just the way of things.
 
philwar said:
In 5-10 years time the same will be true for some of the current or recent models. That's just the way of things.
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I can fully appreciate what you all are saying as far as recent product improvements and new innovations go. I still maintain however that the era I speak of has more "lost Spyder classics" than any other era in Spyder history than I can remember. For instance the Titanium Peter Herbst, The Stainless Resue ( probably the most solid Spyder ever made), The Centofante C-50 & C25, The Jot Khalsa, The Gunting, The original Spyderhawk, The big Dyad, The Dyad Jr. , The Massad Ayoob and the list goes on for a while.

Most of these great old Spyder classics really demand a lot of $$$ on Ebay and other sources. It's like there was a turning point in Spyderco's entire protocol, target marketing and business plan during the late 90s and into the early 2000s. I doubt if it will ever be duplicated as far as the amount of classics to emerge from one era.

That era really set the stage for the great line up of products you see now from the Great Spyder Factory.
 
The last 5 years. The pace of innovation has picked up a bit. They've started innovating a bit faster than I can take it in. They seem to me to have a bit more of a lead on their competitors now than they did five years ago.

Ever-improving ergos, H-1, the awesomeness coming out of Taiwan, the $30 buck Chinese folders that top my old $80 stuff, VG-10 as a freaking standard steel, sprints galore in their best models, a slew of great locks to match anything else out there, super-steel upon super-steel...I could go on. They seem to be contributing more than their share of innovation right now. That's just my perception of things from where I sit.
 
Haven't got the year numbers in my head right now, but I love the REALLY old school Spydies in full SpyderEdge
You can say the era of the Worker until the Delica 3.
From there I lost a good deal of my enthousiasm.
 
I share your concerns SPYDUTCH :( It really bothers me that Spyderco does appear to be veering off of what made them famous to begin with. And in my opinion what really put them on the map was their superior serration patterns.

I'm seeing many models that are being made but not being offered in Spyderedge :( I personally wanted, begged for, petitioned for and asked for a C-111 Captain model in Spyderedge :confused: Only to have it fall on deaf ears. The original design of that knife was with a serrated edge.

Also I'm worried about their fixed blades not being offered in Spyderedge as well. My original FB-05 Temperance model in SE is truly a beast of a knife which can cut/saw it's way through just about anything that steel can cut. I would really love the new Temperance2 model in SE and I'm sure I'm not alone am I Spydutch :D

At least be able to order them on a "special order" basis if nothing else. Because the Spyderedge is an ERA all it's own. The Spyderedge and their line of Hawkbills are truly a flagship of the company.
 
They are reacting to the market demands. SE and CE knives aren't really selling now. That extends even to the old favorites being sold here and on the bay. The PE models always bring more money when selling/buying the oldies.
 
JD Spydo said:
I share your concerns SPYDUTCH :( It really bothers me that Spyderco does appear to be veering off of what made them famous to begin with. And in my opinion what really put them on the map was their superior serration patterns.

I'm seeing many models that are being made but not being offered in Spyderedge :( I personally wanted, begged for, petitioned for and asked for a C-111 Captain model in Spyderedge :confused: Only to have it fall on deaf ears. The original design of that knife was with a serrated edge.

Also I'm worried about their fixed blades not being offered in Spyderedge as well. My original FB-05 Temperance model in SE is truly a beast of a knife which can cut/saw it's way through just about anything that steel can cut. I would really love the new Temperance2 model in SE and I'm sure I'm not alone am I Spydutch :D

At least be able to order them on a "special order" basis if nothing else. Because the Spyderedge is an ERA all it's own. The Spyderedge and their line of Hawkbills are truly a flagship of the company.
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No Joe, you are and never have been alone on this.

Despite the fact that I have come to appreciate a plain blade as well, I stil find it pity that Spyderco doesn't bring any new models in full Spyderedge.
Short of the Kiwi(which I like a lot) I find that a plain Spyderco isn't a REAL Spyderco.
 
JD Spydo said:
I can fully appreciate what you all are saying as far as recent product improvements and new innovations go. I still maintain however that the era I speak of has more "lost Spyder classics" than any other era in Spyder history than I can remember. For instance the Titanium Peter Herbst, The Stainless Resue ( probably the most solid Spyder ever made), The Centofante C-50 & C25, The Jot Khalsa, The Gunting, The original Spyderhawk, The big Dyad, The Dyad Jr. , The Massad Ayoob and the list goes on for a while.

Most of these great old Spyder classics really demand a lot of $$$ on Ebay and other sources. It's like there was a turning point in Spyderco's entire protocol, target marketing and business plan during the late 90s and into the early 2000s. I doubt if it will ever be duplicated as far as the amount of classics to emerge from one era.

That era really set the stage for the great line up of products you see now from the Great Spyder Factory.
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Agree with you.
 
Some of those remain popular with some collectors yet only one of those listed will bring the price and interest that a Millie S90V, or Manix 2 S90V does currently. Us old timers remember them fondly but so many new Spyderco buyers have come aboard in the last 3 or so years that I'd bet interest in Spyderco's has doubled in that time. So many of the newer collectors have complete Manix 2 collections, yet have never seen a C25 or 50 in the wild.

If those knives were popular to a larger group of knife users they would still be in production. That is the real tell after all. Heck, I've never seen a Khalsa at a gun & knife show, nor a Gunting. Just pictures on a website or catalog and I've been in the Spyderco game for about 18 years. They were never all that popular even when new.

I began with Serrated edges but eventually got to the point where I won't buy them any more. With the steels available and my diamond sharpening gear give me a PE any day of the week. It's a lot more practical and can do anything a SE can do. The same can't be said for serrated knives.

I still have well over a hundred spydercos and more than a few SE models if I need them. I just can't find a reason to use them, to be honest.

There is nothing in my statements that mean anyone else should agree with me, or choose one over another. The beauty of it is in the different choices. You can't blame Spyderco for giving the market what it wants though.
 
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