Article by Janich on Spyderco Warrior in "SWAT magazine"

[gac]

The recent issue of SWAT Magazine has two page review and history of the Warrior by Michael Janich.

There is also a short piece on the Chokwe in the "new gear" section.

[Reeper22]

Well that's a tease. Can you copy and paste the article or at least summarize it?

[sarguy]

Really? I must not have received this month's issue yet. Did it just come out?

[gac]

I'm too lazy to summarize the article fully. Janich basically says, "This is a older design that has been refined over time and Spyderco made a nice one."

My library received it in the mail on Friday or Monday.

[chuck_roxas45]

I'm too lazy to summarize the article fully. Janich basically says, "This is a older design that has been refined over time and Spyderco made a nice one."

My library received it in the mail on Friday or Monday.

Dude, what a bummer! I guess SWAT magazine hired you to put out teasers so we are gonna subscribe?


peace :D

[Michael Janich]

I haven't seen the magazine yet, but the article itself summarizes the Spyderco Warrior concept. I explain that the Warrior was not actually designed by Michael Echanis, as many believe, and that it was actually his Hwa Rang Do mentor Randy Wanner who conceived it. Wanner later showed the design to Bob Taylor (founder of REKAT Knives), who ultimately served as the driving force to take the knife from concept to reality.

I explain the Al Mar production of the knife and the genesis of the Spyderco version, which was initiated by Israeli martial artist Guy Rafaeli and Sal.

The article is only 1,000 words, so it had to be brief. If you want the full story, the book "The Warrior Path" has just gone to press and will be available within a few weeks. This book traces the history of the Warrior design in greater detail than ever before and includes photos of many rare custom versions of the Warrior that Taylor had produced during the period 1980-1996. The book will be included with every Warrior knife sold, but will also be available for purchase separately. The SWAT article, which I wrote at the invitation of the magazine's editor Denny Hansen, only scratches the surface of the history of the design. If you want the real story, buy the book.

Finally, out of respect for SWAT (and the fact that as a magazine, they have to make money too), I won't scan or post the content of the article here while the magazine is still on the newsstand. I hope you understand and share that respect.

Stay safe,

Mike

[chuck_roxas45]

Thanks Mr. Janich. just the gist of your article is enough.

[gac]

I haven't seen the magazine yet, but the article itself summarizes the Spyderco Warrior concept...

Stay safe,

Mike

What that guy said.

[Reeper22]

Thanks MJ.

[Jim Malone]

So is it a good knife or not? Should i get one? We don't have access to SWAT magazine here so, i can't read it.

[gac]

I'm going to have to read it again.

[Reeper22]

So is it a good knife or not? Should i get one? We don't have access to SWAT magazine here so, i can't read it.

Well it's up to you. I think it's definitely a great knife but is really designed for one thing...killing. I bought one because I thought it was really cool and for a collector's piece. It would serve fine as a diving or salt water aquatics knife too I'm sure.

[THFH]

This morning I had three Emails about the SWAT article on the Warrior knife and thought here we go again, someone who little or nothing wrote an article they shouldn’t. Through the years I have seen plastic and wood trainers being sold as the original prototypes from which the AL MAR version was conceived. Great stories except those trainers were commissioned by me in the 1990’s. One of these sold on EBay for $350.00 almost as funny as the Vietnam Era AMK Warrior which brought in $500.00, I didn’t realize the Vietnam War went until 1992.
I spent a whole day with Mike and Sal and as they will confirm I am a pack rat and documented the history from 1978 to current with dated notes, blue prints and prototypes. Both Mike and Sal expected two or three prototypes[and and a few notes, not thirty odd knives including the next generation of the Warrior Knife which only Mike and Sal have seen outside the family and Mike Sastre whom I consider family did the prototype sheaths for the Stealth and Pigmy Warriors. More information than Mike Janich needed to wrap up the history but some fun facts. Sal was an observer when the discussion was tactical and Mike the observer when it was manufacturing history from knives to knife sharpeners.
The book while not perfect we kept picking it apart but time ran out, and what was wrapped up is an accurate historical representation of the theory, history and evolution of the Warrior Knife. If you’re into MBC and a knife freak in general it’s a good read.
Mike is like a human sponge and one of the few “Knife Experts” I respect in both skill and knowledge and the only “knife expert “that gave accurate answers to some pointed questions that most so called “Knife Experts sort of look at me stupid and go WTF.
Buy it you’ll like it
THFH

[Michael Janich]

This morning I had three Emails about the SWAT article on the Warrior knife and thought here we go again, someone who little or nothing wrote an article they shouldn’t. Through the years I have seen plastic and wood trainers being sold as the original prototypes from which the AL MAR version was conceived. Great stories except those trainers were commissioned by me in the 1990’s. One of these sold on EBay for $350.00 almost as funny as the Vietnam Era AMK Warrior which brought in $500.00, I didn’t realize the Vietnam War went until 1992.
I spent a whole day with Mike and Sal and as they will confirm I am a pack rat and documented the history from 1978 to current with dated notes, blue prints and prototypes. Both Mike and Sal expected two or three prototypes[and and a few notes, not thirty odd knives including the next generation of the Warrior Knife which only Mike and Sal have seen outside the family and Mike Sastre whom I consider family did the prototype sheaths for the Stealth and Pigmy Warriors. More information than Mike Janich needed to wrap up the history but some fun facts. Sal was an observer when the discussion was tactical and Mike the observer when it was manufacturing history from knives to knife sharpeners.
The book while not perfect we kept picking it apart but time ran out, and what was wrapped up is an accurate historical representation of the theory, history and evolution of the Warrior Knife. If you’re into MBC and a knife freak in general it’s a good read.
Mike is like a human sponge and one of the few “Knife Experts” I respect in both skill and knowledge and the only “knife expert “that gave accurate answers to some pointed questions that most so called “Knife Experts sort of look at me stupid and go WTF.
Buy it you’ll like it
THFH

Dear THFH:

Thanks for the post and the kind words, bro.

To ensure that the SWAT article was done right, I wrote it myself. Denny Hansen and Rich Lucibella are good people and gave me the opportunity to set the record straight and let the world know about the knife.

The Warrior book is off to the printer. I know that there is more that could be added to it (every time you go into your barn I think we could add a chapter!), but as it stands, it tells the story of this unique knife--and all its variants--better than it's ever been told in the past. The photos of all the different prototypes and variants in your collection alone are going to be worth the price of the book for any serious historian of edged weapons.

The book--and our understanding of the REAL story behind the devlopment of the Warrior knife concept--would not have been possible without you. Thanks, brother, for all your help and support.

Stay safe,

Mike

[JLS]

Mike, what is the price of the book alone?

I really want the knife and the fact that the book is included helps justify the cost a little bit, but curiosity has me wondering about the book alone too.

[Michael Janich]

Mike, what is the price of the book alone?

I really want the knife and the fact that the book is included helps justify the cost a little bit, but curiosity has me wondering about the book alone too.

The retail price on the book is still being finalized, but should be less than $10.00. The book will be about 80 pages and sized to fit in the Warrior box, so it's long and narrow. It will be full color with about 100 photos.

Stay safe,

Mike

[JLS]

Wow, that's a lot less than I'd expected.

I think I still need to get the knife to get the book. Then I can think of it as a really expensive book with a fantastic complimentary knife included!

[Jim Malone]

Is the book included with the knife, when i buy one? or do i need to buy the book as a seperate item? :confused:
Is it possible to scan the article and send it to me?

[oregon]

My Warrior arrived with a card in the box to fill out and return to Spyderco for those interested in receiving the book when the book becomes available.

I'm looking forward to this book. The knife itself is easy to enjoy. The back story, the evolution of the design, the various materials and the personalities involved add depth to the pleasure of cutlery ownership. How many stories have gone undocumented? How many have been lost?

Thank you MJ and Spyderco for breaking, what seems to me like, new ground in the industry. Bravo.

[Water Bug]

+1 to what oregon said.

My Spyderco Warrior came with a card asking for me to provide my mailing address and sending it back to Spyderco for the book, which I did.

I've been very impressed with the Warrior since it was first announced. Now that I have it, the first thing I noticed was that it wasn't as HUGE and intimidating as I thought it would be. As I handled it, I found it to be rather practical in it's design. I can see how it can be quite tactical, but I focused more on how it can get the everyday chores done while also being capable of self-defense, if needed.

I've read many posts on the Forum regarding some member's distaste or stereotyping the Warrior as nothing more than a "killing tool," but I can see and feel the practicality of the knife when I handle it. I am anxious to read about the history of the design when the book arrives. It's almost like Luke Skywalker speaking of Darth Vader... I can sense the good in this knife.

Thank you, Mike and Sal, for making this design available to us members!