What Spyderco Made Me Realize?

[DeadboxHero]

Spyderco made me realize that what I care about the most when it comes to knives is the steel and cutting performance.

Back in 2017, I finally got to try out a very famous titanium frame lock; it was incredible.

The packaging and fit and finish were astonishing, It was a wonderful experience unboxing it.

I can still remember sitting in my car and unwrapping the famed blue felt micro fiber that the knife was carefully wrapped.

Over the several months I had it, unfortunately
I felt it wasn't something that made me "tick".

To me, it felt more like a token object more than a performance cutter. The experience for me never got as exhilarating as the unboxing with use and sharpening.

It felt like buying an expensive car that's stunning to look at and makes you proud to own it, but I did not necessarily enjoy "driving it" and their wasn't a community of drivers to discuss the nuances of "driving it"

This made me realize I wasn't paying for the features that made me personally the happiest with how I personally enjoy the knives.

I ended up selling that knife and bought a CPM M4 Spyderco Military BladeHQ exclusive.

I put a 15 dps edge on it and all was right in my universe, I felt extreme satisfaction with the use, sharpening and cutting performance.

I learned a lot about myself.

Zooming out, I think part of the enjoyment of the knife hobby is exploring things then finding a way to customize that experience to our own preferences that naturally end up developing themselves.


My question is, do some of you have a similar journey in trying out other aspects of knives but coming back to the cutting performance side?


I suppose we should leave out the names of the other brands out of respect.

 

[RubiSoHo]

I like a good cutting knife first and foremost. But i also like variety. It’s why I choose other brands for the most part. Spyderco’s design language is, shall we say, strong?

I like a good steel and good cutting geometry, but also value aesthetics and overall knife “presence”. It’s why I have a variety of brands, spyderco being the smallest part of my collection.

My Microtech LUDT cuts as well as any spyderco Ive tried, but screems “this is what it would be like if ferrari and a tank manufacturer got together and designed a knife”.

My benchmade Freek comes in a close second. The PM3 is OK (also BHQ exclusive in M4, which is probably my favorite steel). But it’s just too wide in the pocket; and looks like all the other spyderco’s I’ve seen.

 

[David Mary]

Spyderco made me realize folding knife opening mechanisms can be simple and genius at the same time. Creating perfection by taking something away.

 

[BD_01]

I’ve tried several different types of knives, sometimes by the same manufacturer, sometimes different manufacturers. I’ve learned I have likes and dislikes. Examples of likes would be folders under 4 oz, and relative thinness behind the edge.

That said, I have many knives outside that Ideal which I enjoy very much.

There’s also a quality : price ratio that’s very important to me. Fit and finish plays heavily into that ratio, and the sum of materials & parts doesn’t always matter as much as I once thought it would.

Now that I own knives from many genres, the last few years most of my knife purchases have been purpose specific. For example, a backup fishing knife for my tackle bag, in case I forget my primary.
It’s seldom I purchase a knife now “because it’s cool” or because I want to try out some new pocket candy.

I think the term “cutting performance” is highly variable to the intent at hand. A Tazman Salt is perfect for the pocket of my PFD, but it’s not perfect for my primary camp knife.

Every now and again something that’s 6 oz and thick behind the edge goes into my pocket for a day or several, because I think it’s a cool knife besides being too heavy and a non-laser slicer.

ETA: I’m probably on the record for saying that among the Endura variants all my folding knife needs could be met forever. That’s still a true statement. But variety and sometimes silliness is part of the fun.

 

[Drop bear]

Yeah?

Sort of.

I like a cutting performance. But for work I like an opening and closing performance. Because I do a lot of quick jobs. And I feel it is safer to go from pocket to cut to pocket.

Otherwise my knife in my social life generally does food. Where it doesn't matter as much because I don't want to fold up a gunky knife anyway.

And thirdly I want confidence. (Which I understand isn't rational) so if I wind up in a survival situation I want a knife that can carve through a brick wall. Or kill a bear with.

 

[Danke42]

This is the first knife I bought because of the steel instead of handle material, or a flipper tab, or a blacked out blade.

After that the Blade HQ M4 Spyderco knives cemented my preference for a tool steel as the key feature.

I know, 2 non-M4 ones snuck in here.

 

[DeadboxHero]

This is the first knife I bought because of the steel instead of handle material, or a flipper tab, or a blacked out blade.

After that the Blade HQ M4 Spyderco knives cemented my preference for a tool steel as the key feature.

I know, 2 non-M4 ones snuck in here.

I had a similar experience with a Gayle Bradley in CPM M4.

 

[kobold]

I also started out by wanting nothing but a titanium framelock in a "great steel". At the time I couldn't afford a CRK, but I was happy with a Buck Mayo TNT for many years, until one day I lost it on a camping trip in Australia. That started my knife collecting hobby, trying to experience as many steels, materials, grinds, sizes, locks, designs and so on. It actually didn't take me long to realize the value in Spyderco's folders and to find my five or six favorite models. The way I see it, folders will never be able to compete with fixed blade knives when it comes to robustness and hard use/abuse, it's better to focus on slicing, food prep, finer crafts and such and leave the heavy lifting to the fixed blades. I generally want something tough in my fixed blades and good edge retention in my folders and I microconvex my users, once the factory edge is dull, so I don't have to worry about Maxamet or S110V chipping.

 

[Pete123]

It's interesting that you brought this up, as I'm going through the exact same thing. Details are different, but the concept is the same.

I work in a light manufacturing environment - we make soap, shave soap, colognes, parfums, etc... I had been using box cutters and razor knives, but started using an everyday carry knives. For me, the knife is a tool. I'm not really concerned it being fancy, next gen or anything else.

What I do care about it the cutting edge. It isn't enough that it takes a great edge - it has to hold a great edge. I went through a couple of $50-$70 knives, including one the is M390. My working theory is that the M390 wasn't properly heated. It would take a great edge, but after cutting up one box it lost it's razors edge. I don't know, maybe that is how great and properly heated blades work. So, I stepped up to a $200 knife made from S-V30 from a brand known for great heat treating. It's new, so I can't draw conclusions yet, though I'm hopeful.

Along the way, I got a side opening automatic knife. It didn't make it far. Remember, my goal is a work knife that holds a great edge. My issue with this knife is that the spring is really strong. A hand in the way while it opens would be sliced wide open. I don't want to feel like I have train with a work knife to make sure I can deploy it safely.

So, here's where I am in my journey.

 

[TimButterfield]

I find this topic interesting also. I have tried a variety of brands and have either gifted or sold most including some of the brand the OP mentioned. And, I don't really miss them. I do miss a couple of tanto blade shapes and hope a Mil 2 option may eventually happen for that. As a result, most of my knives are of just a few brands with a few others included, mostly traditionals.

I do like variety. But, that is one of the things attracting me to Spyderco. There is so much variety in a single brand. I have 30+ Spyderco and only a Delica 4 has two variations, a K390 Wharn and a SuperBlue/Zome. All others are a unique model within my collection of users. Spyderco lets me try many different steels, edge types, and handle shapes all in the same brand. I find it amazing.

 

[David Mary]

I came to Spyderco for the S30V (my first real folder was a Manix 2 XL). I stayed for the 8Cr13MoV that I serrated with my dremel and reground thinner behind the edge than most factory Spydercos, except maybe the Mantra 3, which came super thin. But after buying, modding, and then selling most of my Spydercos, the only ones I have left to date are these:



I’ll probably upgrade to Chief Of Police to replace the Resiliences, though, if they manage to preserve what I consider to be the more practical handle ideas of the latter.

 

[thebrain]

I agree with much being said here. I have found I enjoy having different knives for different occasions or activities but for everyday use I tend to go back to certain ones for various reasons. My daily carry tend towards ergonomics and slicing abilities over edge holding or aesthetics. I have probably cut with an Endura for more time than every other knife I own combined and I am very happy with the overall utility of it and I enjoy how it looks as well. I EDC my Manix 2 more often because I feel like it is a stronger knife overall and to me is just as comfortable as the Enduras with added edge holding. Spyderco has offered more variety of blade steels and ergonomics than any other brand by far and I will always be grateful for the new options they have allowed me to try out.

 

[stillshot2]

The locked in your hand jimping and ergonomics and the dual distal taper of my first PM2 were what really impressed me. I used to base my purchasing decisions on "what if I need to pry something, I can't have a delicate tip" to never having the guts to use my nicer "overbuilt" knives for that anyways. Now I prefer Spyderco because they all just slice like magic, and I use my knives for cutting only as intended. I don't care at all about how fancy the packaging a knife comes in as long as it is protected enough while in transit to my mailbox. A friend let me handle two different models he had of fancy titanium frame lock brand and as excited as I was to check them out, they also did not scratch any itch for me either.

Addendum: oh yeah, and I forgot an important part, the Spyderco community here has been amazing at providing valuable information about the knives themselves, as well as how to sharpen, use, and adjust them etc

 

[Riz!]

DeadboxHero

I had the exact same realization. I bought the same almost $500 Ti framelock knife. Ohhed and ahhhed at its perfection. But when it came to cutting something was off. I think it was the deep hollow grind. Then I got the 25 year version with the shallow hollow grind and it was better.

I picked up a PM2 and was in awe at how well it cut and how ergonomic it was in the hand. I ended up selling the CRK’s. They just didnt perform like that PM2. Ultimately I wanted a bigger knife and got a Military and found pure perfection. Bought other things along the way but nothing has ever stayed in my pocket longer than a month or two before I start to desire the reliable high level of performance that comes with the C36 Military. To me the millie is the embodiment of what a spyderco is. Comfortable, pointy, slicey, easy to carry and use, and ultra reliable.

 

[DeadboxHero]

DeadboxHero

I had the exact same realization. I bought the same almost $500 Ti framelock knife. Ohhed and ahhhed at its perfection. But when it came to cutting something was off. I think it was the deep hollow grind. Then I got the 25 year version with the shallow hollow grind and it was better.

I picked up a PM2 and was in awe at how well it cut and how ergonomic it was in the hand. I ended up selling the CRK’s. They just didnt perform like that PM2. Ultimately I wanted a bigger knife and got a Military and found pure perfection. Bought other things along the way but nothing has ever stayed in my pocket longer than a month or two before I start to desire the reliable high level of performance that comes with the C36 Military. To me the millie is the embodiment of what a spyderco is. Comfortable, pointy, slicey, easy to carry and use, and ultra reliable.

Yeah, it's just crazy. I remember I went to go cut an apple and my fancy knife splits the Apple rather than cutting it.

I then tried to go cut some thin steel wire and all that toughness was useless; the edge just smashed in and rolled over.

"If it's a roll, it's easier to hone back"

Nah

Had to grind away all the deformed metal.

All the emotional reasons I enjoyed it were only on paper, it didn't hold up to my personal real world cutting needs. It felt like it was only a token to show off to others but it was a punishment for me to use.

It certainly helped me learn what my preferences are.

 

[Sha1]

I have CRKs and enjoy owning them, but the big majority of my knife collection is Spyderco for a reason. The Military is my favorite model. Fits my hand well. Like the forward tilted angle of the blade in relation to the handle. The right amount of belly for me and a precise tip. Couple that with a good tool steel, a little tweaked edge geometry and it becomes difficult to beat in pure cutting performance.

 

[donnord]

Interesting post. I too have a couple of few high end knives, a couple are too pretty to be used for heavy use but I do use them and they cut well for my purposes. I do find myself carrying my CRKT in D2 much more than my CRKs. In terms of what a knife is supposed to do many of the new cheaper knives perform quite admirably. On a campout recently the wife and I did a comparison of the CRKT Nerk Tighe and Parascale, small seb in S45Vn, Sage 5 salt magnacut, one of my customs made from 80's soligen steel. the sebby and sage 5 did very well, but the D2 parascale was impressive and hung right in there and retained its edge as well or better. We stopped by the spyderco factory on the way back and asked them to resharpen the sage 5 they said it didn't need it, but did it anyway.
The thing with hobbies is that they rarely make financial sense. There are so many great knives out there that don't cost much and perform really well. For non-knife people one decent knife is all they may ever need. Heck I have had the same buck 112 since 1983, it always got the job done. But the knife hobby has caused me to replace it with a couple of dozen other knives for no good reason at at all!

 

[ChiefTJS]

I have a small Sebenza and I love owning it and will keep it forever. I carry it when I don't intend to use my knife and if a real knife need comes up when I have the Sebenza I pull out my Swiss Army Knife. I know, it makes no sense but that's just the way it is.

When I go to work I carry one of my Para3's. Honestly I think the PM2 is the perfect knife but I carry the Para3 due to blade length. I have 4 Para3's and it's just "My Knife".

 

[ron finkbeiner jr]

Well, I can definitely see a military 2 in S90v in my future.

 

[Tsujigiri]

Funny, I see my CRK Sebenza as more similar to the Spyderco design ethos than most of the other knives out there. It's not a quick or flicky knife, but when you actually use it you start to appreciate how well-made and well-designed it is. That high hollow grind is very slicey. The Hinderer I had, on the other hand...

I think it depends on what you're cutting most of the time. For something like cardboard, both Spyderco and CRK perform better than most. If it's something prone to binding, an FFG Spyderco is likely going to work better.