Really new, where to begin

[LDB]

I'm new to Spyderco knives. A decade or so ago I was in a position to pick up Benchmade knives at cost and got several that appealed to me. I now own a small expediting fleet and drive wherever in the U.S. and Canada the latest emergency takes me. As I am on the road more than most people I decided to get a rescue tool and decided the Assist I is the tool I want. There are a few others I like the blade on and will gradually add them to my collection.

My question isn't which knives I should buy as I am not buying for resale or financial appreciation, I am buying only for personal appreciation so I'll buy whatever visually appeals to me. My question is where do I learn the secret handshakes and codes and etc. of Spyderco so I know what the assorted abbreviations etc. mean? I've got the easy part like bk black or orange but what about the rest? Thanks for any and all input.

[c.joe]

You can start with Spyderco's semi-interactive catalog.

http://spyderco.com/catalog/

You can browse through applications, blade steel, handle material, and country of origin.

Here's "Spyderco's Knife Anatomy". Here you can see the different blade shapes, handle materials, grinds, lock ups, blade coating, and pocket clips that Spyderco uses.


http://spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/knifeanatomy.php

As for the abbreviations, I believe only the end of the model # matters. You'll see other things like CF for carbon fiber, YL for yellow, FG for foliage green (not to be confused with flat ground), TR for trainer knives, TRW for trainer waved knives, and I see a lot of G-10 models end with a G. (not too sure about that). There are plenty more but it'll naturally come. Some look random to me and some you can make out with a little thinking.

Check their Edge-U-cation area. That's where I get most of my information.

http://spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/

Perhaps you'll find this video interesting too.

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I'm not too sure how much you know already about knives in general, but I just took it that you just don't know much about Spyderco and maybe a few other basics that may seem obvious. Sorry if it is.

Welcome to the club and watch your wallet :)

[jackknifeh]

Welcom. I've been using this forum for about 5 months now and have been amazed at how many abreviations and acronyms are used.

EDC = Every Day Carry
SFO = Spyderco Factory Outlet
IMO = In My Opinion

There are several others that I've learned but can't think of them right now. I've learned them by how they are used in a sentence and sometimes I'll just ask. That is probably a learning experience everyone goes through. Spyderco has their Edge-U-Cation section of their catalog talking about knife terms, blade shapes, etc. Maybe they could put a section in there titled "forum acronyms". That was a joke.

I've been thinking about a rescue knife and decided the Assist is what I want because of the blunt tip so I wouldn't cut a rescuee by accident. I'm not too sure about the window breaker on a knife though. Your hand is too close to the glass being broken. You might even cut an artery in your wrist. There may be ways to break a window that will reduce this danger. In fact does anyone know a step by step way to break a car window from the outside that will reduce the chance of injuring yourself? I have a hammer in my car for breaking a window. I had to break a car window once with a crowbar and I was really suprised how tough the windows are. What really made me mad was once I got in the car there was nothing worth stealing!!! Just kidding, it was my car.

Jack

[ChrisR]

A few more of the top of my head (I may be wrong!):

* FFG - Full Flat Grind
* UKPK - UK Penknife (other popular models can be abbreviated - M2 for Manix 2, D4 for Delica 4, E4 for Endura 4, Mili for Military, Para for Paramilitary etc.)
* FRN - Fibre Reinforced Nylon
* MBC - Martial Blade Concepts
* IWB - Inside Waist Band (carry position)
* SS - Stainless Steel (handle material)
* CPM - Crucible Powder Metallurgy (a family of popular steels)

[chuck_roxas45]

I have been here nearly 6 months and I still don't know the secret wink.

[The Deacon]

The codes used in the product ID numbers, which Spyderco calls SKU numbers, are fairly straightforward. Prefix letter indicates the type of knife. Folding knives have a C prefix (which stands for ClipIt). Fixed blades use FB, and the Byrd line uses B. Letters after the model number indicate handle material, handle color, edge type, and occasionally other things. P, PS, and S indicate whether the knife has a plain, part serrated, or serrated edge. G, M, or CF indicates a G-10, micarta, or carbon fiber handle. Most of the others are color codes, in the case of the Assist OR, and BK indicate the handle color.

There are some exceptions, but the letters are generally only used when a model comes in more than one color, steel, edge type, or handle material. No real need to learn it all, since most are fairly self explanatory when seen in context and most dealers will have things set up where you're not ordering blind.

I'd imagine a lot of the other acronyms are fairly universal to all knife forums.

[jackknifeh]

I have been here nearly 6 months and I still don't know the secret wink.

I don't know the wink either but the secret handshake is when shaking my hand you put a $100 bill in my hand. This is truely a "secret" handshake because I seem to be the only one who knows it.

Jack

[LDB]

Thanks for the direction and links so far. Those are what I've been looking for.

[burntrice]

A common one for the wife / girlfriend.. SWMBO (she who must be obeyed)

[TBob]

A common one for the wife / girlfriend.. SWMBO (she who must be obeyed)

Thanks for that one, Rumpole! See you at the Ol' Bailey, shall we?

[TBob]

LDB - For excellent additional information, download the print catalog from here. It has more detailed discussions of things like the steels, blade shapes, locks, and handle materials.

[LDB]

Thanks for all the input. I was mainly looking for Spyderco specific information and not things like swmbo although any/all input is welcomed and that is definitely an accurate one.

[Pneumothorax]

Thanks for all the input. I was mainly looking for Spyderco specific information and not things like swmbo although any/all input is welcomed and that is definitely an accurate one.

One way is to use the search feature to find threads with info you want/need. FWIW, That is how i got started. Hah! Just had to throw in another acronym -for what its worth...took me a while to figure that one out...

[chuck_roxas45]

I don't know the wink either but the secret handshake is when shaking my hand you put a $100 bill in my hand. This is truely a "secret" handshake because I seem to be the only one who knows it.

Jack

LMAO! I'd like to meet a whole buncha guys who show me that Jack. :D

[npueppke]

A lot of them are for colors too. The one that throws me sometimes is FG for foliage green... I get that confused with FFG (full flat grind). Here are a few others:

BRG (British Racing Green)
OD (Olive Drab)

I guess some of the Spyderco/knife-specific ones are tricky but you can also search for common internet/forums abbreviations to figure out ones like YMMV (your mileage may vary), IMHO (in my honest opinion), etc.

[bh49]

My question is where do I learn the secret handshakes and codes and etc.

This is very good question. The topic was discussed couple time s before,
somebody even suggested to make sticky. I think that this is a good idea, but never happened.
Check these link

http://spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29078

[dbcad]

I don't know what swmbo means, but you really can't go wrong with a Delica, any flavor.

Charlie

[Donut]

Why don't you post all else you have questions with and we should be able to clarify it. :)

[LDB]

dbcad, you must be a single guy.. swmbo.. she who must be obeyed. :)

I don't have specific questions in mind. I'm just trying to get more familiar with Spyderco specifically and the abbreviations used in the forum that are specific to knives and/or Spyderco.

I'm considering a byrd Wings G10 for an EDC to have both blade styles available as desired. Later on I'm thinking of adding the various Yellow models and the Rescue 93mm Blue and building from there.