Haven’t had a Strider in Many Years, probably at least 10. They used to be everywhere. Now I see them sold out on dealer sites and virtually everywhere else and prices are UP there. What happened....? Do they still make the normal SNG and SMF’s like the days of old....???
Hello there -
So, the new strider knives that are being made are stamped "M.Strider" - The older blades do not have this stamp.
The reason you don't see way too many of the older models of knives around are because they are so sought after. It is to my understanding that 2 things play a major role in this. One being the G-10 handle material which isn't used much at all today by strider - it was a staple in years past and on the majority of their knives. The second thing would be nostalgia, as members of the knife community remember carrying those older-school striders from 5-10+ years ago and prefer not to change, so when in the market for a "new" knife, they'd rather seek out an older variant instead on the secondary market - there are many that do this, driving the price up because they are no longer produced and have a finite number in existence that continue to drop as time passes by.
There is indeed a difference between the old knives and the new knives that are being produced however. Of course this point is argued, but I would personally say that the newer knives being produced are much better quality than the older knives. Everything from action, to lock-up, to blade centering, and even fit and finish all around stick out as being a gigantic improvement over the older knives, so much to the point that I'd say damn near perfect and couldn't really see them doing much at all to improve on the package your getting from one of their newer knives. Basically - a tank of a knife that is absolutely capable of cutting very well, sort of a jack of all trades.
The difference is that the newer produced blades that are stamped with "M.Strider" are made in way smaller batches, which enabled their quality to shoot up through the roof, as opposed to trying to mass produce. However, the negative side is that the batches are so small that as soon as they are posted for sale, they sell out within seconds, literally - sometimes they'll last 1-2 minutes in stock but that is rare.
If you are interested in grabbing a strider I'd personally suggest you going with a newer version something stamped "M.Strider" - With all the improvements that have been made over the older models, there would be zero reasons to go with the older model. You cannot go wrong with buying a strider either way man. I have been working in a field for over four years now, that requires me to have tools on me that I can rely on for both my safety and the safety of others around me. I have had to deploy my knives in different roles over the years, besides to cut and they have worked flawlessly, every time without a hiccup. Everything from the SMF to the DB fixed blade that I carry on me depending what task presents itself, I choose accordingly - I have found that these knives are just absolute work horses, and are perfectly paired together. People get caught up in the man behind them a little too much I feel. At the end of the day these are tools, nothing more - nothing less. If you don't like the man, that is fine, and if you'd rather not support him, that is also fine. However, to try and limit a persons interest in these knives, based solely on something an individual said years and years ago is nonsense. Especially considering that these knives are so very capable, and have withstood everything I've thrown their way. It would be a shame for a person who isn't acquainted with the brand to miss out on what I feel are some special tools. I'd say give them a try, see if you like them. If not, it wont be hard to sell it, as demand for striders has never been greater.
Maybe then we can just lay back and enjoy the content and sip on our drinks in peace!