Spyderco's First Traditional Knife

Stays Sharp said:
Again, the original purpose has NOTHING to do with wanting to make it a Traditional. It was made to conform to TSA guidelines...
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Apparently I didn't express myself clearly.

I quite aware Sal wasn't out to create a traditional. I'm just baffled that he apparently didn't recognize that there were dozens of knives - traditionals, most of 'em - that would already have met those potential TSA guidelines.Hmmm, non-locking, two-handed-opening, blunt tip, under 2" blade - sounds like half the single-bladed sheepsfoot knives ever made.

As I said previously, I like Spydercos. My last two EDCs have both been Spydercos. But Sal's genius has always been that his designs may look awkward but perform awesomely, and I just can't see that in the Roadie. I'm sure it's a fine knife, but it's not measurably better than 100-year-old traditional sheepsfoot designs. So IMHO it's simply not up to Spyderco's usual standard for design.

And let me just add that I greatly appreciate and admire Sal's willngness to respond to critics in this thread. Won't see that from most knife makers. :)
 
SCWillson said:
Apparently I didn't express myself clearly.

I quite aware Sal wasn't out to create a traditional. I'm just baffled that he apparently didn't recognize that there were dozens of knives - traditionals, most of 'em - that would already have met those potential TSA guidelines.Hmmm, non-locking, two-handed-opening, blunt tip, under 2" blade - sounds like half the single-bladed sheepsfoot knives ever made.

As I said previously, I like Spydercos. My last two EDCs have both been Spydercos. But Sal's genius has always been that his designs may look awkward but perform awesomely, and I just can't see that in the Roadie. I'm sure it's a fine knife, but it's not measurably better than 100-year-old traditional sheepsfoot designs. So IMHO it's simply not up to Spyderco's usual standard for design.

And let me just add that I greatly appreciate and admire Sal's willngness to respond to critics in this thread. Won't see that from most knife makers. :)
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I concur, and for that reason alone, I strongly suspect the knife will be discontinued in very short order once the financial arrangement with the Italian manufacturer is completed. This is really the only reason I ordered one, believing it will be a one off sterile number...sterile in that there will be no future generations of this knife, making it a great collector piece.
 
Hi SCWillson,

Appreciate the kind comments, thanx much. On the "Roadie" design, I guess time will tell.

sal
 
I see it as a modern traditional more on the modern side. It has a slip type joint and a new version of a old style pruning blade. So i say modern modern traditional. I would like to see spyderco make "THERE" version of a trad.
 
....and that's why I really like this design...it's different, it's a modern take of a traditional, and perhaps one day it will be the first in what should be a new classification in knives, a hybrid. If my memory serves me, very much of what has been said about the Roadie in this thread was said when the Glock handgun came to be.
 
I have to disagree, at least speculatively, with SCWilson on his observation of the design's function. Seems to me Spyderco has pretty much consistently built knives with improvements in function and ergonomics compared to most other brands. It's the main reason I mostly use their knives over the standard traditional patterns I also dearly love. The form-follows-function approach to cutlery is Spyderco's strong suit. Even if their knives sometimes look...well, odd...they almost always work better in use than other designs. I look at the Roadie and I see the functionality of the knife design--the choil that anchors the finger, the grip shape that accommodates the shape of the palm and the innovation of the indentation for opening rather than the nail nick that sometimes can cause the user to break the thumbnail inadvertently. Spyderco's slipjoint "Slipit" models have already proven to be an improvement over the overly strong backsprings used by some traditional makers--the blade doesn't lock but it's very secure when opened yet easy to get open even for an old guy like me with arthritic finger joints. I'll buy the Roadie and make a final decision on the design after trying it out. Looks-wise? Machts nichts to this user.

Just a personal note here. I remember when the Buck 110 came along. An innovative design that went against the grain of the accepted pocket knife designs of the time. Yet it proved to be a huge success and most people now consider it a "traditional" folder. 'Course there are still some who debate the 110's design as traditional as well--a half century later.
 
stabman said:
I didn't even know such a thing was slated to possibly exist someday...but now I want one. :)
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I'd buy a Spyderco traditional in a heartbeat. To me it would be the best of both worlds.

So regarding a stockman with dimples: Yes please!
 
Lee48 said:
I have to disagree, at least speculatively, with SCWilson on his observation of the design's function. Seems to me Spyderco has pretty much consistently built knives with improvements in function and ergonomics compared to most other brands. It's the main reason I mostly use their knives over the standard traditional patterns I also dearly love. The form-follows-function approach to cutlery is Spyderco's strong suit. Even if their knives sometimes look...well, odd...they almost always work better in use than other designs. I look at the Roadie and I see the functionality of the knife design--the choil that anchors the finger, the grip shape that accommodates the shape of the palm and the innovation of the indentation for opening rather than the nail nick that sometimes can cause the user to break the thumbnail inadvertently. Spyderco's slipjoint "Slipit" models have already proven to be an improvement over the overly strong backsprings used by some traditional makers--the blade doesn't lock but it's very secure when opened yet easy to get open even for an old guy like me with arthritic finger joints. I'll buy the Roadie and make a final decision on the design after trying it out. Looks-wise? Machts nichts to this user.

Just a personal note here. I remember when the Buck 110 came along. An innovative design that went against the grain of the accepted pocket knife designs of the time. Yet it proved to be a huge success and most people now consider it a "traditional" folder. 'Course there are still some who debate the 110's design as traditional as well--a half century later.
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Don't get me wrong - it's a Spyderco so I have no doubt regarding its functionality or quality. I'm just not certain it's enough improvement over a traditional to be worthwhile given its original stated purpose. Like it or not, most traditionals are seen as less threatening by non-knife types precisely because they are viewed as old fashioned; like something Grandpa used to carry. I suspect that mindset will also apply to policemen or TSA types.
 
There's something about this little folder that I like. If the street price is indeed around the $45-$50 mark, I can see one of these making it into my pocket!
 
I'm looking forward to the Roadie

I go up to Chicago occasionally so I need a folder with a blade that's under 2.5"
 
Actually, I would be curious as to what the "Traditionalists" would think. We never thought about what "classification" of knife it might be. The design served a function and was a bit different than other knives that could be used to serve the same function.

sal
 
Quiet said:
There's something about this little folder that I like. If the street price is indeed around the $45-$50 mark, I can see one of these making it into my pocket!
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It took me about a month or so to really see the beauty and functionality of this little gem. I went from "...here we go again with another short lived Spyderco abomination..." to gee, I really like it.
 
Sal Glesser said:
Actually, I would be curious as to what the "Traditionalists" would think. We never thought about what "classification" of knife it might be. The design served a function and was a bit different than other knives that could be used to serve the same function.

sal
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Sal, thank you VERY much for continuing to bring us so many excellent offerings. :thumbup:
 
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