What's up with the Spyderco Southard?

Takes some serious skill to make a smooth and fast opening flipper non assisted.. Nothing feels better than opening a non assisted like butter and being amazed.
 
IMO, the thrust bearing system has all but made AO knives unnecessary, especially now that knives with bearing systems can be mass-produced. I've only got four knives left that are AO . . . two HTM Gunhammers and two Leeks. (I can't imagine a non-assisted Leek.) If I ever get rid of them, I won't replace them with AO knives.
 
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mwkelso said:
Takes some serious skill to make a smooth and fast opening flipper non assisted.. Nothing feels better than opening a non assisted like butter and being amazed.
Click to expand...
I have to agree. The smoothest opening knife I own is a Rod Olson Button Lock flipper. It incorporates Brian Tighe's STBS (Sealed Thrust Bearing System) and it deploys like nothing else I've ever encountered. It's literally smooth as silk.
 
It only locks up in two positions, not three. One on the lockbar surface to prevent the knife from closing, and one on the internal blade stop which prevents it from rotating 280 degrees towards the back.

If you take it apart you will see a 1.2mm gap.
 
Luis G. said:
It only locks up in two positions, not three. One on the lockbar surface to prevent the knife from closing, and one on the internal blade stop which prevents it from rotating 280 degrees towards the back.

If you take it apart you will see a 1.2mm gap.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have a hard time believing that 3rd point of lockup. There is no marring on the blade (in that area) like there is on the lock face.
 
I had ZERO interest in the Southard when it first started to create a buzz. I had already traded off a Sebenza and just didn't care for Ti, frame locks. I was also a bit snobby on non-USA made knives. A few months later I was the lucky winner of a very nice Microtech, but it was huge and decided to see what I could get for it. Someone wanted the very Microtech I had and I traded straight up for a NIB Southard. I could not help but marvel at the knife. It is in my opinion one of the top 3 Spydercos ever produced. 1st Spydie flipper, high end steel, great collaboration & the fit & finish is superb. I've had 3 assisted knives and they all found their way to a trade soon thereafter. This knife doesn't need springs period as the small flipper, bearings and precision build make it function like a custom. I tried to put it in the safe and carry other knives but that lasted a day. It's not hype nor over-priced but rather a damn great knife. The reason you see them on the secondary market is because (like the Sebenza) they are better than cash.
 
Not jumping on the bandwagon or anything, but the Southard is just fantastic. It has actually helped me save money. I would have bought a Sebenza at almost full retail if I didn't come across a Southard. It kept me from wanting to buy a Strider or a CRK, because it satisfied everything I had wanted. I loved it so much that I bought two. I ended to trading one of them for a Sebbie just to have a fair comparison of the two knives. At the end of the day, after handling and using both knives. I can honestly say there's a reason why I have a Southard in my pocket all the time and not a Sebbie. It has out performed the Sebbie in everything that I put them through. So don't be discouraged by the frequency. Also, like what everyone has said, it's actually a good thing that it's not AO. I've handled way too many Kershaws with AO, and they feel like they actually have a harder deployment because of the initial spring resistance. The Southard is so smooth that the blade just glides out without resistance. Love it.
 
Luis G. said:
It only locks up in two positions, not three. One on the lockbar surface to prevent the knife from closing, and one on the internal blade stop which prevents it from rotating 280 degrees towards the back.

If you take it apart you will see a 1.2mm gap.
Click to expand...

Yes - that's correct. However the design is neat, it is unlikely that the blade will develop vertical play, and that extra notch also probably makes it safer. Here is a quick diagram that explains the locking:

southard_locking.jpeg


(Please ignore the second image uploaded by tapatalk - it does not show the locking clearly and looks like 3 point locking)
 

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choombak said:
Yes - that's correct. However the design is neat, it is unlikely that the blade will develop vertical play, and that extra notch also probably makes it safer. Here is a quick diagram that explains the locking:

southard_locking.jpeg


(Please ignore the second image uploaded by tapatalk - it does not show the locking clearly and looks like 3 point locking)
Click to expand...

classic!!!!~~~
 
Okay, so now that I have flipped this endlessly and looked at it closely, I think this is a very fine piece of engineering. And I have no doubt it is the same Taichung folks who also did the Techno - the fit and finish similarities are very much there. Opens smooth, is a tad smaller than Paramili2 so fits my hand perfectly, and has a slim profile (unlike many having the classic leaf-shaped blade). Difficult to open using the hole, unless I stick my thumb through it - exactly similar to the Techno as well in its early days. I *actually* liked the brown g10. :-)
 
The para II and southard are my 2 favorite and MOST USED edc knives..

and that includes all the othe brands like Kershaw, ZT, benchmade, Emerson ect
 
In defense of the Sebenza (as if the Sebenza needs any defense), once it's broken in its one of the smoothest folders i've ever encountered. But out of the box, the Southard just plain kicks its hiney. The Southard is built well enough to give the Sebenza a real run for its money plus it has the added advantage of being easy to deploy from day one. Will the Southard hold up like a Sebenza does? Only time will tell. But for what it's worth, I sold my large Sebenza in favor of the Southard and so far, I don't regret having done so.
 
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choombak said:
Yes - that's correct. However the design is neat, it is unlikely that the blade will develop vertical play, and that extra notch also probably makes it safer. Here is a quick diagram that explains the locking:

(Please ignore the second image uploaded by tapatalk - it does not show the locking clearly and looks like 3 point locking)
Click to expand...

I don't see it. Cannot prevent vertical play either. It could potentially act as a safety feature of the blade stop ever breaks... but that's a massive if not to mention the force that would be needed to break the blade stop would not have a problem bending the lockbar like a lollipop stick.

The notch there has more to do with the channel extending close to the edge of the blade blank, thus needs the material there.

Here's an actual picture of the knife.
IMG_0715_zpsb76425fb.jpg
 
spyderco hasnt done any assisted knives have they?
to me i dont like assisted, something extra in there to fail or break.
 
The only negatives I've heard people mention are the fact that it isn't USA made, and the price for a non USA made knife.

Fit and finish is fantastic. People tend to sell expensive knives often, as perceived value often diminishes rapidly for most users above a certain price point.


-Freq
 
As far as why you see them on the exchange, not sure if I can add much that hasn't all ready been said:

-They're new and in high demand so they know people will buy them
-May have bought more than one so they're selling off the duplicates
-Needed the money for something else (thats how I got my Sebenza)
-Or the knife just wasn't for them

I hear nothing but great things about Spydercos out of Taichung. I have yet to own one but i'm sure i'll get my hands on one eventually.
 
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