Spyderco Knives

[dubtac]

Fellas
Anyone know anything about Spyderco Knives, how do they compare to say a Buck 110 Folder?

[HardAspie]

Oh boy, knives.

The Buck is classic and for a general purpose blade it is great. I have had a Buck and loved it. My current general purpose is a Kershaw Camber. 3" SpeedSafe assisted opening and blade of S30V. Love it. S30V requires a person to re learn sharpening!
I think that you will not go far wrong with either the 110 or a Spyderco.

[dubtac]

Sharpening knives is just a skill I can't seem to master. Oil stone sharpening might as well be alchemy to me. Considering I use duct knives on the daily, when they become dull I just use a handheld sharpener, which I would imagine would ruin a blade on a pocket knife.

[tris]

Sharpening knives is just a skill I can't seem to master. Oil stone sharpening might as well be alchemy to me. Considering I use duct knives on the daily, when they become dull I just use a handheld sharpener, which I would imagine would ruin a blade on a pocket knife.

Me too I could never get it just so despite my old man teaching me.

I got the small (T4) one of these http://www.tormek.com/en/ Sharp things are now just how much I want to pay for the fixture 

[swordds]

I have a Spyderco Ladybug 3 serrated knife on a lanyard that I attach to a belt loop and carry in the pocket watch pocket of my jeans. A great little knife and I am amazed at how often it comes in handy since it is always available when carried like a pocket watch.

[RANDM]

Sharpening knives is just a skill I can't seem to master. Oil stone sharpening might as well be alchemy to me. Considering I use duct knives on the daily, when they become dull I just use a handheld sharpener, which I would imagine would ruin a blade on a pocket knife.

I hand sharpen to shaving hair off my arms.
With a knife if you move from the shoulder you an keep the
angle steady through the sweep on the stone.
With a chisel I rock forward and backward keeping shoulders
and arms steady and move the chisel in a figure eight pattern
to sharpen evenly across the width. It takes some practice,
But it's not hard.

Cheers Maurie.

[boatdetective]

Big topic- small box. Anyway, yes, Spyderco makes some really nice knives. However, like many manufacturers, they now have a "two tier" system of knives that are made in the home country and ones that are made in China. I don't want to drift to that debate. However, suffice to say that a $30 Spyderco is NOT the same as a $100+ model.

First of all, consider your task- general every day carry (box cutting, etc), office vs. shop use, hunting, camping. The model shape, and size of blade could all be narrowed down for you. Personally, for EDC, I like a blade not much bigger than 3". I also prefer a bade that is not too "skinny". The deeper the blade at the hilt, the more control you have.

The type of lock may be an issue. Most of the Spydercos traditionally have been back locks. It's simple and strong- but takes two hands to close. I have always preferred liner locks and designs that allow me to close the knife with one hand (the Benchmade Axis lock is tremendous).

The steel in the blade determines not just how sharp the knife can be- but more accurately edge retention.  The lower the grade- the more you'll find yourself dressing the blade. The entry level grade is 440C stainless. It will take an edge- but is not very good at holding it.  Higher grades such as D2 tool steel and S30V are very good at holding an edge. However, some of the super steels can be very difficult to resharpen.

I bought a Spyderco "triangle" sharpening system. It uses pairs of triangular ceramic stones that lock into place. The beauty of the system is that you are able to maintain the perfect angle when sharpening. I cannot tell you how important this is. Most folks have a hard time with standard stones because of the angle of the blade. This system makes it much easier. In addition, you don't need to use oil. Trust me on this: buy this sharpener. You will find yourself using it for your kitchen knives as well.

Back to the topic- after choosing the blade steel, lock, and design- think about the handle and liners. Many Spydercos will have plastic scales (handle). This saves weight and cost but, well, is plastic. G10 fiberglass is coming into favor and is really, really nice in the hand.  Metal scales are nice and rugged- but add weight. The all stainless models from Spyderco are very, very heavy.

The Spyderco Delica, Endura, Natives, and Manix 2 are all great knives. As i mentioned, I'm a Benchmade fan and would recommend the mini Griptillian, 705/707, and mnini presidio are all good. I would also mention that getting a used knife on eBay will allow you to get a better quality, less plasticy older model for less or the same as the cost cutting models sold today. Both companies are totally legit. If there is anything wrong with the knife, they will usually repair it and sharpen it for free.

Others here may back me up- but do not scrimp on an everyday carry knife.  You will never regret having a nice knife and before long will feel "naked" if you don't have it with you.       

[Travman]

I have a Spyderco Ladybug 3 serrated knife on a lanyard that I attach to a belt loop and carry in the pocket watch pocket of my jeans. A great little knife and I am amazed at how often it comes in handy since it is always available when carried like a pocket watch.

I so the same thing with a Spyderco Manbug (basically the same knife as the Ladybug).  It is so much more sophisticated to cut open packages instead of using brute strength.

[jcctx]

Good quality, weird looking (IMO), overpriced; YMMV!!!

[BMCMOTO]

At least one Spydie on me at all times!!  Usually a Delica sometimes two Delicas or one Delica and one Police model Endura.  I own around thirty pocket knives, Marbles for show Spyderco for go Victorinox for small stuff.  I will never rely on a liner locked knife unless it has some kind of secondary lock as well like the Gerber Applegate Fairbairn.  I just don't trust liner locks because my finger winds up on them when used hard, YMMV!!

Brian

[Sheepdog]

I got the Spyderco Military model for my daughter when she graduated from Basic Training. It didn't last 3 months in Iraq. It loosened up so badly that it started unfolding in her pocket. She lost confidence in it and replaced it with a Cold Steel 4" Tanto Voyager. When she finished her year in the Sandbox, I replaced it with an Al Mar SERE folder which she still carries 11 years later...

[drums4money]

...However, like many manufacturers, they now have a "two tier" system of knives that are made in the home country and ones that are made in China. I don't want to drift to that debate. However, suffice to say that a $30 Spyderco is NOT the same as a $100+ model.

First of all, consider your task- general every day carry (box cutting, etc), office vs. shop use, hunting, camping. The model shape, and size of blade could all be narrowed down for you. Personally, for EDC, I like a blade not much bigger than 3". I also prefer a bade that is not too "skinny". The deeper the blade at the hilt, the more control you have.

The type of lock may be an issue. Most of the Spydercos traditionally have been back locks. It's simple and strong- but takes two hands to close. I have always preferred liner locks and designs that allow me to close the knife with one hand (the Benchmade Axis lock is tremendous).

..

I bought a Spyderco "triangle" sharpening system. ... Trust me on this: buy this sharpener. You will find yourself using it for your kitchen knives as well.

The Spyderco Delica, Endura, Natives, and Manix 2 are all great knives. As i mentioned, I'm a Benchmade fan and would recommend the mini Griptillian, 705/707, and mnini presidio are all good.

Others here may back me up- but do not scrimp on an everyday carry knife.  You will never regret having a nice knife and before long will feel "naked" if you don't have it with you.     

Nice tips - I plan to order a triangle sharpener based on your recommendation.  I'll check out the Spyderco, too.  Although not a Spyderco, I've got one of Kirby Lambert's Shockwave models.   It's a liner-lock one hander with spring assist.  Carbon fiber handle - I love that thing-it's an import, but maybe I'll have a benchmade some day.  A co-worker hooked me up with it - along with a Fenix light.    He's a bench-made fan also, and has a few of Kirby's knives.  Met Kirby when he stopped by our office around the time of the knife show over in Jersey.  Never really gave much attention to an EDC knive until somebody gave me a halfway decent one. 

[Perazzimx14]

As to the fellers who have trouble sharpening a knife with a wet stone I have one word for you......Lansky! Takes all the guess work ot of it and keep the same angle everytime you sharpen.

To the OP, Spyderco's are nice also have a look at Benchmade. Both better quality over the Buck 110.

[Travman]

Strongly recommend the Spyderco Sharpmaker.  I've been using it for about a year now.  I sharpen all my friends and relatives knives.  Most of the time I leave it set up in the kitchen so we can touch up our kitchen knives.  Definitely watch the video that comes with it.  I started getting better when I learned the trick of using the Sharpie on the edge then being able to ensure that you are removing steel correctly. 

For those people that are having trouble sharpening some of the newer super steels that have such good edge retention, you will probably have to upgrade your stones.  I was unable to sharpen a knife with M4 steel until I bought Spyderco's super tough Boron Nitride triangle rods.

I also bought a stropping kit.  Now my knives are even sharper and the edges are even more shinny.

I carry my Spyderco Dragonfly II with ZDP-189 steel most days.  It can do anything a larger knife could do for me and it weights less than two ounces. 

[HardAspie]

My Kershaw is of a super steel. And it is very different to sharpen. It will eat a stone so use a flat diamond grit sharpener. Even then it requires some actual pressure to sharpen. And stropping takes time too. new technique needed, but it can be learned.

[sturgeon]

Having carried a pocket knife for virtually my entire life, I can put a pretty good edge on a blade by hand. I can put a much better edge on a blade using a sharpening system such as the ones mentioned above. They're relatively inexpensive and almost foolproof. I recently invested in some diamond hones to supplement the standard set that my system came with. Just to deal with the much harder steel found in some knife blades nowadays.

[HardAspie]

Ya kno, one of the best things a person can do id go to You Tube and watch reviews. Certainly the reviewers are all biased in one way or another, but you can still see some of the knife's features and performance in video. I watched many before buying my Camber and think that they aided me in making a good decision.

[dibble]

Big topic- small box. Anyway, yes, Spyderco makes some really nice knives. However, like many manufacturers, they now have a "two tier" system of knives that are made in the home country and ones that are made in China. I don't want to drift to that debate. However, suffice to say that a $30 Spyderco is NOT the same as a $100+ model.   

Mines Italian (Squeak).





Open one handed, the finger choil stops it closing on you, cut, close one handed.

It is pig ugly but very good at it's job.

Spyderco have a cheaper brand Byrd that are made in China.

[jreagan]

I keep a Byrd Robin in my pocket almost all the time, but it is basically a box opener.

I'm looking at a Spyderco C90 Stretch



but I'll probably go for the ZT 0566 instead.  I like the look of that knife better.

[HardAspie]

I haz one of these.

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Kershaw-Camber-1678--21529