'Clean' Lil Temp?

[dynaryder]

Wow,can't believe my login still works after all these years.

Recently I've been thinning out the extras in my collection. I've retired in DC,which is not the most knife friendly place. I can chance getting my prized Spydies taken by security goons(all perfectly legal to carry in DC,but most buildings have their own rules),leave them sitting in the cupboard,or get some spending money for them on eBay. So I've been choosing the latter. I've been considering putting my spare Lil Temp on the block when I noticed the blade has no markings. No Spyderco,no Golden,no blade steel,nothing. Googled some pics and they all had markings. The one in my permanent collection also doesn't have any markings. I'm positive they're legit;they came in the proper boxes and I got them from a reputable dealer years ago.

So here's my questions;are the clean blades rare,and what's the steel? Both have the charcoal boxes and are dated in '02. Thanks for any help.

[kbuzbee]

They could be the 440V models? My later ones are stamped like usual but I haven't seen a 440V model....

Ken

[Samhain73]

A few for sure got out, here are some older threads.
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... Temperance
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthre ... Temperance

[Mr Blonde]

They could be the 440V models? My later ones are stamped like usual but I haven't seen a 440V model....

Ken

At least some 440V models were engraved:

[The Deacon]

Probably 99% of the Lil Temps were engraved. AFAIK, only a small number slipped through the cracks and made it out into the wild with "sterile" blades.

[NoFair]

My current Lil'Temp has markings (440V), but I've seen a couple of sterile ones

[dynaryder]

Sweet! So I guess they're both going to be keepers then. Thanks guys.

[Mr Blonde]

Any Li'l Temp is always a keeper in my book!

[DCDesigns]

wow, so anyway of knowing, other than comparison, if its is the 440v model or not?

[The Deacon]

wow, so anyway of knowing, other than comparison, if its is the 440v model or not?

Not unless someone from Spyderco chimes in with a definitive answer. Next best would be if someone has one in a box with a date code that puts it firmly in one era or another, although it's not always possible to be certain that a given box is the one a knife was originally packed in. Still, assuming they're not something other than 440V or S30V, the handle design strongly suggests they're 440V.

[Sequimite]

When I inquired about an unmarked Gunting, Spyderco told me there was no practical way to tell if the blade was 440V or S30V.

[Peter1960]

Next best would be if someone has one in a box with a date code that puts it firmly in one era or another, although it's not always possible to be certain that a given box is the one a knife was originally packed in.

Good idea! In my collection I find: C69GP Lil'Temerance Leaf, steril blade, gray box with date 6/11/02. I assume this will suggest to CPM 440V as blade steel.
Hope this information will serve you :)

[dynaryder]

Both my steriles have the 06/11/02 date,so maybe that's the magic day. Google says the change to S30V was the '03 model year,so it would seem the steriles are 440v.