The Civilian?

Grego

Grego

Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
402
I am very tempted to pick the Spyderco Civilian...and have heard that it is not meant for all around general use/EDC...meaning that it possibly wont "stand up" to that sort of work, although, I think that it would definately excel at various tasks and was wandering who here does use/EDC their Civilian...and your overall opinions of this blade?

I just ordered the SuperHawk, and think that the two will go hand in hand.

Thanks
 
The problem with the Civilian is the tip is extremely thin. As a last ditch effort SD knife it only needs to work once. As an EDC it would need a thicker tip.
 
The new ones have a thicker tip than the old ones, but it is still pretty thin compared to the Harpy. Of course, it's twice as thick as the tip on my Old Timer stockman and three times as thick as the coping blade on my Queen whittler, but it's still too thin for utility use on a Spyderco. :rolleyes:

After all, people managed to break so many tips on the earlier Delicas and Enduras that they had to reinforce the points on the fourth generation models.
 
Works great on rope!:thumbup:
Opens clamshell packs really well too.
Other than that, I'm not too sure.
 
As long as you're aware that the knife isn't made to stand up to normal every day use, go ahead and get one. They look like fun.
 
Only thing I'd caution, and this moreso applies here in Canada were laws are a little stricter, the Civillian is very difficult to justify carrying to an LEO. IT may be a suitable EDC knife but any officer who sees that blade shape is going to question it. I've known people who have had that knife confiscated here in Vancouver for that very reason.

If that's not a concern in your area go for it. All kinds of videos on YouTube of people slicing full water bottles in half.
 
there is also the harpy, tasman, and byrd crossbill if you want a more affordable, usable hawkbill blade.

byrd crossbill, comes fully serrated as well

BY07G_M.jpg
 
if ya exercise a little care with the tip the civvy is ok for edc use, i carried an older one for a while and never broke the tip, i mostly used it for SD & carried a delica for utility but the civvy saw some utility use too, you do have to be a little carefull with 'em.....
 
Just checked out some of the You Tube footage...pretty cool. I just placed an order for a Civilian, and am looking forward to getting my hands on it:thumbup:
 
Greco, if looks could kill...
then the Civillian looks certainly the part.
scary yes, but effective EDC?
maybe for some.
it's just rather large.
and depending on what's being cut, a hook blade don't always lend it self quite as well as a clip point would for general usage.
 
It'd be my guess that the SuperHawk would probably fair better for hawkbill-ish EDC purposes then a civilian. The tip on the SuperHawk is stronger, and I'm not so sure about eh "s" shaped blade for common EDC tasks. I'd prefer the SuperHawk. But in a SD situation, I'd take the Civilian.
 
I think of the civilian as more of a weapon than a laboring knife. Its a wicked knife no doubt though!
 
Correct me if I am wrong the Civilian is Spyderco's only knife that is designed specifically as a last ditch weapon for people untrained in the arts of knife fighting and any other use will void it's warranty. It's was made at the request of the DEA for agents involved in situations in which they would not be able to carry guns due to circumstances in particular situations.

The blade size of it's blade alone makes it illegal in may states (US) and it's design is declared by it's own manufacturer to be specifically used as a weapon. If your area has anti knife legislation and is knife hostile getting caught carrying this knife would be a slam dunk win for whoever is prosecuting you.
 
Despite the intended design I have heard there are some who say the Spyderco Civilian makes one hell of a pruning knife.
 
This type of knife will have a British prosecution lawyer or a NYC ADA jumping so high they will hit the ceiling
 
greater said:
This type of knife will have a British prosecution lawyer or a NYC ADA jumping so high they will hit the ceiling
Click to expand...

Hopefully they'll be put into a coma by the impact and you'll win by default. :D

In all seriousness though, the design is SUPPOSED to look scary! 99% of any physical encounter is psychological. In the Book of Five Rings, Musashi writes in the Water scroll about "knocking the fight out of your opponent." A terrifying and shocking weapon can help do that. However it is designed to be more of a "get the hell out" weapon for disabling than a killing tool.

The extreme curvature of the tip prevents a straight-on thrust which, while tending to be more lethal produces less shock or loss of function--there are numerous accounts of people fighting with rapiers running each other through five+ times before having to stop. They died in agony later, but at the time they could still fight. The serrations serve to cause more of a ripping, tearing wound that provides more of a rough surface for blood to coagulate as opposed to the cut from a plain edge which would just bleed and bleed. So the goal is to disable and escape--and maim if necessary--but be less likely to kill.

At least that's how I see it. :)
 
amen74 said:
Don't forget about the Spyderco Matriarch. It's the Civi's FRN brother.:D
Click to expand...

And quite an intimidating knife too. Just recently I got myself one, not exactly sure why, I guess curiosity for the most part. To see what one of those scary self-defence blades is actually like in hand. I had been thinking about a Civilian but found a Matriarch for slightly less. Expensive still, though, but what the heck.

Looks innocent enough closed, very light and compact. And then comes out a really nasty looking and extremely sharp serrated hook blade. To think how it would be used against a person is not fun at all. I knew roughly what to expect but is was surprising still when I first opened it.

Definitely the most specialised knife in my small collection. Opens plastic wrappings really well, at least. :)
 
if you think having one Civillian is scary, try two - one in each hand.
That would be akin to some wild tiger clawing something to shreads...
to martial tactics or training needed for that!
 
In a Street Smarts article in Tactical Knives, Jerry Van Cook wrote about how he carried a Spyderco Civilian as a gardening and pruning knife, leaving plant matter and juices on the blade to stand up as a tool in court. Of course, its real purpose was as a down-and-dirty, last-ditch defensive tool.

I habitually carry a Spyderco Civilian to supplement whatever other production folder of slipjoint I'm carrying, and use it to open packages, cut fibrous materials, rope, etc. I try to limit its usage---I feel more comfortable using a Military, PacSalt, or something from Case in CV for utilitarian chores rather than the ultra-thin tip. While the tip might be thin, it can serve in plenty of chores and will excel where it's mean to---self defense.
 
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