Why Spyderco?

Czechmate said:
Please allow me to tempt you further...

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Now THAT is a really great image - nice job, Mate!
 
Anyone who doesn't like Spyderco solely on the looks of their knives is missing the point. I was once like that too. When I was a knife noob I didn't like them because of the hole. For me it was Benchmade thumb stud, Kershaw flipper, blah blah blah. Then I held a Delica. I opened it with that ugly hole, I noted how solid it locked up and how good it felt in my hand. And then I cut with that funny looking flat ground leaf blade. And suddenly that strange looking knife became a thing of beauty. I've been hooked ever since. They aren't designed for your eye, they are designed for your hand. That comes from Sal himself. Their purpose is as a cutting tool, not as pocket jewelry or a pry bar. I've sold off all of my Kershaws, and all but one BM, and I've replaced them all with Spyderco's. Why? Use one and find out.
 
1. As an overall brand, they probably have the best average ergonomics of any production knife company (some are better than others, but Spyderco has dozens of knives who's ergos really shine)
2. The Spyderhole is an excellent deployment method. Although it opens similarly to a thumb stud, the Spyderhole allows you to . Whether you flick it or Spyderdrop it, it opens easily and surely every time. Also, in most knife designs, the spyderhole pushes the rear of the spine up, making a solid thumb ramp, further improving ergonomics.
3. Their variety, in both design, and steels is fantastic. There's something for everybody. From the PM2 to the Dragonfly to the Southard, as well as tons of other excellent Spydercos, you really can't go wrong
4. Their fit and finish is one of the best from any production knife company. Whether your Spyderco was made in Taichung, Golden, Seki, or Italy, you know that it will be solid and made right. I've never had any f&f issues with any of my Spydercos (unlike some other brands). Even the few Chinese made Spydercos I have retain above average fit and finish.
5. Should you have issues with any of your knives, Spyderco has an excellent warranty that they will stand behind
 
I really love their designs. Very few manufacturers are as adventurous. Most manufacturers have very boring blades and rely on gucci scale colors.
 
I didn't like a lot of their designs and never liked the feel of the plastic-framed ones.
Then I got myself a steel-framed G10-scaled Dragonfly2 in VG10 and learned what it's all about. After that I HAD to have a Native-5, and it's fantastic. Build quality is top-notch, and hard to beat for the price.
 
1. Sal takes a personal interest in his customers.
2. The knives feel like an extension of your hand.
3. There is a hole.
 
I can genuinely recommend the PM2 and anything with H-1 true stainless steel. The Gayle Bradley is great too, but a chunky monkey.

Everything else carries really wide in the pocket due to that goofy hole opening system.
 
I was sort of skeptical to buy my first, because the look wasn't really my thing. Ordered a Delica over a Mini-Grip, and have zero complaints. I bought the Mini-Grip shortly afterwards (lol), but I still think the Delica is better value (I like my 556 though). I did, however, order a PM2 last night. The next will likely be a full-serrated Dragonfly with H1.
 
J_Curd said:
I can genuinely recommend the PM2 and anything with H-1 true stainless steel. The Gayle Bradley is great too, but a chunky monkey.

Everything else carries really wide in the pocket due to that goofy hole opening system.
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That " goofy hole opening system" is probably Spyderco's best overall feature. It works way better than thumbstuds. I suppose flippers might supersede holes as optimal non-assisted opening devices, but for now the Spydie holes work wonderfully.

I wasn't originally enamored of the looks created by the holes either, but they've grown on me to the point that despite having owned several Benchmades my last three or four modern EDC's have all been Spydercos. Functionality has a beauty all its own. Plus, I quite like the looks of the Spyderco leaf-shaped blades and it is a very useful blade shape. (And the new Kiwi 4 is IMO a rather attractive knife - very sleek and no "hump" from the hole in the wharncliffe blade. It's my new EDC.)
 
I'm a lot the same but different. They slice well, I enjoy the leave shape blades a lot too. But the closed width of the hole makes it hard to use your pockets. And it's a weak point at the base of the blade.

I agree flippers are where it's at...you now see Spyderco following the competition with flippers and bearing opening systems.
 
J_Curd said:
I'm a lot the same but different. They slice well, I enjoy the leave shape blades a lot too. But the closed width of the hole makes it hard to use your pockets. And it's a weak point at the base of the blade.

I agree flippers are where it's at...you now see Spyderco following the competition with flippers and bearing opening systems.
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I don't think I've ever seen a spyderco broken off at the hole. Also, since everything is rounded and the material on the other side of the hole is thick(thus the hump), I don't think any strength is sacrificed. Shouldn't be prying with a knife anyway, which is the only way I think the hole might be considered a weak point(lateral or torquing the knife).

Most Spyderco knives are also very thin, if wide. They lay pretty flat against the pocket. I have more trouble from brands like benchmade that always seem to have wide handles to accommodate the Axis lock.
 
J_Curd said:
Geometry and physics have their own rules. It is the weak point in lateral pressure.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-forum-(-Or-How-NOT-to-act-on-a-forum-)/page5

And by wide, I mean spine of blade to spine of handle, when closed. Spydercos are very, very wide.
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Why did you post that thread?

It is the weak point in lateral pressure. I even said that. But one should not be applying pressure laterally in a folding knife. Also, being the weakest point does not make it a weak point, ya dig? As in, by design it is the weakest point of something that is not built to be weak.

The width, I also mentioned, and agree with. However, most Spyderco's are pretty flat, and as I said, lay flat against the pocket. They're also pretty lightweight in comparison to other typical EDC knives.
 
Note to self: Do NOT offer critical impressions on a beloved knife manufacturer with your first post.
 
RemyKaze said:
Why did you post that thread?

It is the weak point in lateral pressure. I even said that. But one should not be applying pressure laterally in a folding knife. Also, being the weakest point does not make it a weak point, ya dig? As in, by design it is the weakest point of something that is not built to be weak.
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+1.

Any blade can be bent/broken if enough force is applied against it, especially in a manner for which it is not designed. It only stands to reason (barring a material defect) that it will fail at the point with the least steel; i.e. a hole. That is not to imply that that same blade wouldn't have failed at some other point on the blade if that same amount of force were to be applied. Makes me wonder how many tactical knives would most often fail at the point where the thumbstud hole is drilled?

Spydercos as a rule are slicers, and I cannot imagine any human being can apply enough force to break one if used correctly. I suspect the lock or pivot would fail first.
 
J_Curd said:
Usually sandwiched in an area that won't bend, but yes.
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Funny thing, I've seen an example of a Southard, which is a Spyderco, break at that pivot, which is "sandwiched in an area that won't bend". The Spyderhole was fine. I am not a Spyderco fan boy; I just know that people will read threads like this for information before buying, and that information should be accurate.

I'm sorry if I'm coming off as argumentative. Not my intention. I'm just saying that that hole is designed to be as strong as the spine of a typical knife, which is why the hump is so pronounced.

Any knife can fail at a pivot or at some juncture based on unique designs if it is used like a pry bar. That's why more people buy thicker knives these days, in the hopes that their unnecessary prying won't damage their folder, haha. I do believe Spyderco hits the sweet spot for a great cutting, hard working knife. ZT gets the upper end with the pocket tanks, but they dont slice as well. Benchmade would fall in between, with designs that cater to both ends of the spectrum.
 
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