Greetings friends, luck was with me yesterday and buy this Spyderco, belonged to a good friend who knows of my admiration for this knife, it's the Spyderco C25GP, brand new and with original box and papers.
I searched about this knife and I have not found much, on the Spyderco website no longer appears and I'd like to meet specifications, anecdotes and stories there behind the establishment of the first collaboration with legendary Centofante.
Your C25GP is second generation of first collaboration with Frank Centofante. Just a view minutes ago I added the measurements in Spydiewiki as good as I can. Take a look at Spydiewiki, it's your friend - http://spydiewiki.com/index.php?title=C ... nformation" target="_blank
What do the letters on your clip say? Do you also have wrong spelling on it, like "FORIEGN PETS PEND", or not?
elqfaltaba wrote:My Spy C25GP has the black clip without any engraving text, a picture of it.
I do not believe that is the original clip for this model or perhaps it was near the end of the production run. All the ones I have seen have had text engraving as opposed to the bug engraving. Maybe someone more knowledgable about this model could chime in?
Frank Centofante really was a great knifemakers, but an even greater man. He was on the board of Directors of the Knifemakers Guild for 20 years, and many years as the President. He had a presence about him that was reassuring and calming. He was Spyderco's Quality consultant for many years and would fly into Golden regularly to work with our factory.
We still use his saying, "If you can't see the difference, you can't do the difference". It's a major part of our manufacturing training in Golden. He was also close with Bob Terzuola.
Frank designed a number of knives for Spyderco and we still make some of them. Royalties for his work goes to his wife Sue.
The knife you have was one of his best designs. Frank invented the "Secur-lock" that you see. We patented the locking mechanism and made it for years. Vince Ford was the factory manager at the time and he did the engineering on the lock. It was a difficult knife to make. Tolerances were very close. Mike Vallencamp (Fox knives USA) was also part of the manufacturing team back then. The quality of the knife was very good, especially for the time.
Thanks bengaiser, as far as I can tell this piece retains papers and original components as confirmed me the original owner, but all information and opinion on it is welcome.
Thanks Sal, your answer gives me a lot of first hand information on the creción and history of this piece and more importantly, on its designer, the great Frank Centofante.
It is also a pleasure to read your words, your creations are today the most satisfying me.
Hidden behind the weight of your own brand Spyderco you are one of the best creators and developers of knives, making the expected year after year the arrival of the new annual catalog is a dreamful time are accomplished, thanks for all that.
That Centofante has always been one of my favorite Spyderco's that I never owned. I just love the blade's lines and how slim it is when it's closed. Frank really worked some magic getting the Spyderco hole on a blade so slim without a hump.
It is a knife that joins the masterful design Centofante and best of Spyderco, has been a windfall for me to get it after all these years it has ceased production.
Now I am looking for a C22 Michael Walker (CX06) or C22 CF ...
I especially love the "big Brother" of the C-25 Centofante model>> and that being the C-50 model. It's one Spyder that I very much want in plain edge and Spyderedge both. Actually I want them as EDC working blades so I would even take them used if I could find them.
The C-25 and C-50 both are excellent candidates for a super SPRINT RUN. Both models are extremely functional and fit most pockets very well. Another classic in the GOLDEN ERA Of SPYDERS 1998-2003.
I just received one of these. The one I have has the writing with "Foriegn" spelled incorrectly. The clip itself is black. Is this black clip original to this knife? The only pic I have seen is a silver colored clip in Spydiewiki.
euphorbioid wrote:I just received one of these. The one I have has the writing with "Foriegn" spelled incorrectly. The clip itself is black. Is this black clip original to this knife? The only pic I have seen is a silver colored clip in Spydiewiki.
Hard to say for certain. The 2nd Generation C25 was in production for a number of years. In my experience Spyderco's Japanese makers have not always used clips in FIFO order. So, unless you are the original owner or the clip is obviously newer than the knife, it can be very difficult to be 100% certain whether a clip is original to the knife it's mounted on.
This beautiful knife was my introduction to the World of Spyderco. I purchased it new in the late 80’s from a Spyderco dealer in VA. I had no idea what it was, I just found it beautiful and unique. It was the first “expensive” knife I ever bought. Now, 40 years later and dozens of Spyderco knives, and many attempts later, I have found this forum, and I’d like to try to get some help. I am sure I’m not the first to ask, but I would give about anything to acquire a functional clip and screw set for mine.
We were all young and dumb once and whatever possessed my to turn this into a pocket knife and forego the clip is beyond me. Mine has aluminum scales and a black insert. Here is a picture of the scene of the crime…
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Last edited by Webb Benninghoven on Wed Dec 24, 2025 8:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wow Sal, it’s an honor to hear from you! Yes I did. They said they didn’t believe they could help due to the age of the knife, as they didn’t have replacement parts, but asked me to send it into them to take a look at it. I was too reluctant to send it as I have had it for so long. All the knives I have are yours, including the kitchen knives, my wife uses. So even this one that’s not 100% was just impossible to part with. I just want to make it whole like the rest of my collection
By the way, the Edgerati will be my next one! That’s outstanding. I actually worked at a Maserati store for a while.
The original C25 and C50 models were pivotal in my understanding of cutting dynamics and the power and versatility of a straight cutting edge. In fact, they were the tipping point that inspired my focus on Wharncliffe blades for tactical and defensive applications. I explain this in an article I wrote for Knives 2018, which was republished on Blade magazine's website:
The article includes a photo of my C25 and C50, along with a Frank Centofante custom of the same basic design, but in a back lock:
The custom was commissioned by Peder Lund, the founder of Paladin Press and my boss from 1994-2004. He and Frank were friends and Peder was a big fan of high-end gentleman's folders. Over the years, he commissioned several unique ones from Frank and Bill Harsey. When he tired of them, he was kind enough to pass them on to me for my collection.
- http://spydiewiki.com/index.php?title=C ... nformation" target="_blank
