Will Spyderco enter the "hard use" market? Thick liners & blade, compression lock.

F

Ford1911

Joined
Jul 29, 2007
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I know some of you hate that term but It is the easiest description to use to describe the type of knife I am talking about. I would love to see a knife with thick steel liners, a .150 to .160 ish blade and the compression lock that is made in Colorado. I edc an Adamas mainly, but the more I use my PM2 the more I like it as well. I have just always liked larger knives. Even before I knew what a "hard use" knife was. Hell, before I even knew what the internet was :D.

* The title of my thread should actually be changed after I think about it. I know Spyderco already has some knives out that could be called "hard use" I guess more of what I am looking for is like what I described above. Thick liners, thick blade, compression lock.
 
I think with the introduction of the Tuff, they showed that they are interested in marketing to that group of people
 
I know I suggested this already on another thread, but the gayle Bradley is a pretty tough knife. Spydercos knives are based almost purely on function IMO. I kind of doubt you will see them move into making ridiculously overbuilt folders just because they enjoy some popularity in certain circles. But that's just my guess.

Edit: I guess Nate posted at the same time as me. I agree with what he said even though its in conflict with what I said! Hehehe. Truth is, I have no clue what spyderco will do, but if they keep making the kinds of knives they make now, ill keep buying them.
 
Surfingringo said:
I know I suggested this already on another thread, but the gayle Bradley is a pretty tough knife. Spydercos knives are based almost purely on function IMO. I kind of doubt you will see them move into making ridiculously overbuilt folders just because they enjoy some popularity in certain circles. But that's just my guess.
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Yeah, I just want something like the Tuff or Bradley with a comp lock. :p
 
To the following add my Bradley folder plus tonight I ordered the Szabo. All of these are hard use. Other than the Bradley they all have thick blades of 0.157" or better. The Bradley is so tough it doesn't even need a blade that thick!


RamZar said:
The three new ones arrived: Vallotton, Starmate and Yojimbo 2. Vallotton has a beautiful handle and it's one of those cases where the Spydie hole definitely interferes with smooth lines. Starmate is indeed very well-balanced and light on its feet. The prize in this lot for me goes to Yojimbo 2 with its L.A.-legal 3" blade and it's an absolute mini-beast.

d10142b9-8d7a-4671-90ff-3a5eccb4f39f_zps559c8f92.jpg


Here's the list in the same top down sequence as the picture:

Code: 
[SIZE=3][U][B]
Model Name  & No.     Steel      Length  Thickness  Weight[/B]
Military    C36G      CPM S30V   4.016"   0.157"    4.2 oz
Military Ti C36TI     CPM S30V   4.016"   0.157"    5.8 oz
Chinook II  C63G      CPM S30V   3.750"   0.157"    6.0 oz
Vallotton   C149G     CPM S30V   3.750"   0.157"    6.2 oz
Starmate    C55G      VG-10      3.750"   0.157"    4.9 oz
Tuff        C151GTI   CPM 3V     3.700"   0.157"    6.3 oz
LionSpy     C157GTI   Elmax      3.625"   0.177"    5.9 oz
Spyker      C96GP     CPM S30V   3.563"   0.157"    3.9 oz
Southard    C156GBN   CTS 204P   3.460"   0.157"    4.1 oz
Yojimbo 2   C85G2     CPM S30V   3.110"   0.157"    4.0 oz
Techno      C158TI    CTS XHP    2.550"   0.177"    3.6 oz[/U][/SIZE]
Click to expand...
 
RamZar said:
To the following add my Bradley folder plus tonight I ordered the Szabo. All of these are hard use. Other than the Bradley they all have thick blades of 0.157" or better. The Bradley is so tough it doesn't even need a blade that thick!
Click to expand...
Sweet, thanks for that info...of those which would you say has the thickest liners?
 
Ford1911 said:
Yeah, I just want something like the Tuff or Bradley with a comp lock. :p
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Try the Spyderco Szabo with a long 4.6" blade that's also 0.157" thick.

To cope with the extreme leverages associated with its longer blade, the Sazabo folder features Spyderco’s high-stength Compression Lock accompanied by an internal “self-close” mechanism. Nested within one of the handle halves, this mechanism uses a spring piston to engage a plate attached to the blade tang. When the blade is closed, the piston gains mechanical leverage to rotate the plate, keeping the blade nestled securely in the handle for safe carriage. A four-position clip supports tip-up or tip-down carry on either side of the body.​

C146CF_L.jpg


Spyderco Szabo (C146CF) Specifications:
length overall 10.25" (260 mm)
length closed 5.65" (144 mm)
blade length 4.60" (117 mm)
cutting edge 4.09" (103 mm)
blade thickness 0.157" (4 mm)
blade steel CPM S30V
handle material Carbon Fiber / G-10 Laminate
weight 6.9 oz (196 g)
 
To me, the so-called "concept" of "hard use" means people deliberately using a knife to do things a knife wasn't meant to do; to do tasks other tools are designed and intended to do. Like chopping, prying, driving screws, etc. Let other companies try (to varying degrees of "success") try to use the wrong steel in the wrong hardness to do things that other tools in the proper steels in the proper hardness do far better. In the meantime, Spyerco can do what they do best: make knives that cut well and feel good in the hand while doing it.
 
I consider my Superleaf to be a hard use knife. Its a beast, but it wasn't made in Golden.
 
Hard-use and cutting abilities in one knife are not necessarily mutually exclusive. I give you the examples in my posts above.
 
Planterz said:
To me, the so-called "concept" of "hard use" means people deliberately using a knife to do things a knife wasn't meant to do; to do tasks other tools are designed and intended to do. Like chopping, prying, driving screws, etc. Let other companies try (to varying degrees of "success") try to use the wrong steel in the wrong hardness to do things that other tools in the proper steels in the proper hardness do far better. In the meantime, Spyerco can do what they do best: make knives that cut well and feel good in the hand while doing it.
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Good call.
 
I am with Planterz.

My Manix 2 XL and original Manix are about as hard use as I think I will even need, and I am active duty military police. My EDC varies but, frankly, if you need to be pounding or chopping, you need a hatchet or a fixed blade knife or a prybar. Even a relatively light fixed blade (like a Blackbird SK-5 or the classic KaBar) will be much less prone to failure than the heaviest-built folders, and probably lighter, too.
 
Spyderco has always had hard use knives, even some overbuilt. Look at the Chinook series. The Military routinely outperforms owners' expectations.

Lately they have built heavier knives, but I don't know if the extra weight translates into extra ability. I like my Szabo but I really don't know what to do with it!

And I can't close a compression lock one-handed.
 
I have owned 3 Spyderco knives with compression locks and I really like them. Two PM2's and a Superleaf. I can close any of them one handed easily, in particular the Superleaf with the heavier 4mm blade. That big leaf is one of the most over looked in the lineup I believe.
Cheers..
 
Last edited:
Esav Benyamin said:
I like my Szabo but I really don't know what to do with it!
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When you figure it out let me know since mine will be here next week.

Here's what someone else mentioned in another thread:

Pharmagator said:
I love the Szabo... I carry it from time to time... but I am careful where I open it... it is a big, impressive knife that does not go unnoticed in an office setting...

now when the Zombie Apocalypse or some such happens... then I want a knife that says... 'I'm waiting' (molon labe)
Click to expand...
 
Planterz said:
To me, the so-called "concept" of "hard use" means people deliberately using a knife to do things a knife wasn't meant to do; to do tasks other tools are designed and intended to do. Like chopping, prying, driving screws, etc. Let other companies try (to varying degrees of "success") try to use the wrong steel in the wrong hardness to do things that other tools in the proper steels in the proper hardness do far better. In the meantime, Spyerco can do what they do best: make knives that cut well and feel good in the hand while doing it.
Click to expand...

The OP said nothing of using his "hard-use" Spyderco for any of the purposes you mentioned.
 
Its just my opinion, but I don't think a folder needs a thick blade to be considered a hard use knife. I would MUCH rather have a strong lock, a strong pivot, and solid handle/liners. (Yes, the Gayle Bradley comes to mind again) I don't want a ginormous thick blade on a knife. A blade is made to cut through stuff. The thicker it is, the harder it will be to accomplish that. I think an 1/8 " or so is PLENTY of thickness for any 4" folder. If I am bending or breaking a blade like that then I am trying to do things with my knife that are best left to another tool. I mean, how thick is a kitchen knife?? How many of those have you broken in the last decade? Probably none unless you're lifting man hole covers with em.

I guess I get the idea and understand why people like those big beefy knives...even though I suspect that most who "like" those overbuilt folders don't really need them for anything. There are plenty of companies too that deliver well made knives in that category. For me, I'm just not interested in those kind of knives, so I don't buy many (any) knives from those companies. I buy my knives from spyderco, because they build the kind of knives I actually need and use. So I guess my point is, sure, spyderco makes a few knives that fall into the outer limits of that category, but it's not really their "thing" in my opinion. And honestly, I hope it doesn't become their thing because I like my knives pretty much the way they are making them right now.

Btw, none of this was meant as a slight to the op or any "big" knife fans. Just doing my best to articulate my point of view.
 
Hi Ford,

I'm curious as to what it is about thick liners that attracts you? We have always tried to keep our liners minimal, "No more than necessary and no less than perfect". We heat treat them and skeletonize them to keep them strong, but as light as poossibe.

sal
 
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