What Are Your Least Favorite Spydercos and Why?

Alnamvet68 · #1

While there are so many Spydies that I really like, many, if not most, are discontinued models who's time has come for a "re-birth". That said, there are, I'm sure, models that will never be missed now that they are discontinued, and I'm sure there are those current production models that many would say "meh" at the very least. For me, I've never warmed up to the Byrd series primarily because of where they're manufactured, and well, because they are just (I'll be PC about this) "inexpensive".

So, what Spyderco's do you wish to remain in the proverbial dog house?

xceptnl · #2

All the fake ones that rycen helps us spot! Those are my least favorites. I say that because I sat here for 10 minutes going through models in my head and couldn't think of a single model that is my least favorite. More likely to get responses about the least likely to buy Spydercos.

CarbonFiberNut · #3

The Dodo. I get that it has an online following due to the cutting power you gain from the hooked blade, but it feels absolutely massive in the hand or the pocket for the size of the blade, looks ugly as sin, and seems to be a severe one-trick-pony.

It almost seems to me like the kind of knife that would be produced on a bet - just to see whether Spyder-fans would buy it. I know that's not actually what happened, but I dislike that knife so thoroughly that I can't help feeling that way.

GTPowers · #4

.....The Native4.....*runs away*

BAL · #5

CarbonFiberNut wrote:The Dodo. I get that it has an online following due to the cutting power you gain from the hooked blade, but it feels absolutely massive in the hand or the pocket for the size of the blade, looks ugly as sin, and seems to be a severe one-trick-pony.

It almost seems to me like the kind of knife that would be produced on a bet - just to see whether Spyder-fans would buy it. I know that's not actually what happened, but I dislike that knife so thoroughly that I can't help feeling that way.

Hey Carbon, you're going to make some people mad with that one.

(pssst, just between me and you....I agree. Don't say anything man.)

bh49 · #6

CarbonFiberNut wrote:The Dodo.

GTPowers wrote:.....The Native4.....

I am shocked. I love both

There is no knife for everybody. There are knives, which I love and I buy them. There are knives, which I like a lot. I buy them too. There are knives, which I like, but not enough to spend money. And there are some models, which I do not care about, so I just do not buy them. I wouldn't call them least favorites. Just not my cup of tea.

ourgon · #7

Captain - so ugly :D .

Alnamvet68 · #8

The Q C35 knife....much uglier.

DRKBC · #9

I really wouldn't turn down any of them to be honest.

Evil D · #10

I've never really thought about this. I could probably find something I like in every knife out there, even the ones I like the least. But, just off the top of my head:

The Dodo...It's just not for me, not in how I use a knife, not in how it's styled.

All of the value line...the Tenacious and all those...I might one day get a Resilience for camping/food prep, but probably not. I don't like the looks, don't like the steel.

The Zulu...again, not my style

The P'Kal...I just don't get it. I like the stud/wave thing and kinda wish that was an option on other knives, but the rest baffles me.

The Szabo...maybe if I were a pirate..

The Techno...It's like a a proper sized knife was left in the dryer too long. It's not the size that bothers me, it's the design/looks.

The Southared...I know, shocker. I just don't like it. The flipper thing might be fun, but the style does nothing for me. BRING ON THE DOMINO!

The Chinook...hate the blade shape

Any Karambit style knife...completely unusable for my EDC needs

The Kris...I like curvy women, but not curvy blades

xceptnl · #11

Evil D wrote:
the szabo...maybe if i were a pirate..

LOL ...... Arrrrrr! :D

Alnamvet68 · #12

To be honest, I really, really dislike carbon fiber on a knife. I even dislike my Chaparral, which remains in its box new, unloved, and hidden away in my safe. :D

Invective · #13

Gotta be the Manix2 for me. I tried to like it, I really did. Even got one of the first new ones with S30V (which is one of my favorite steels) instead of 154CM but I just couldn't like it. The lock was good but it felt absolutely terrible in my hand and I hate the hollow grind on it. If it had been higher up I feel I would have liked it more, but in the middle? Not my cup of tea. The jimping all over the knife too felt out of place.

Other than that, there aren't that many Spydies I dislike. There are some I wouldn't buy but that's more a style or use issue.

Shakyamuni · #14

Oooo, this has the potential to get ugly :)

I've tried about 50 different styles of Spydercos, and the only ones I *really* love are the Para 2 and Southard. Rather than list the other 48 I'll pick on just a couple that I had an immediate visceral reaction to. It doesn't NEED a disclaimer, but I'll add one anyway: These are my personal opinions based on the scenarios that I usually need a knife (for cutting apples, letters, boxes, tape, and zip ties for example).

Leafstorm: Too small, no choil, ugly transparent scale, early lockup that tended to fail. Bleh!
Des Horn: Did not care for the blade shape, the fact that the clip screw was the same as the pivot screw, and the smooth G10 material that felt more like plastic
Junior: Blade shape just too wide, no multiple grip options
Superleaf: Thick blade, too much choil, pocket hog

CarbonFiberNut · #15

Shakyamuni wrote: Leafstorm: Too small, no choil, ugly transparent scale, early lockup that tended to fail. Bleh!

I forgot all about the leafstorm. It's the only Spyderco I've ever handled where I felt like I was going to accidentally cut myself just by picking it up. That handle shape was super awkward to me.

I feel sort of vindicated in my love of Spyderco after reading this discussion, though - I can only really think of two Spyderco knives I really thoroughly dislike, but can name piles and piles of them that I would love to own. That's a pretty awesome batting average.

tr4022 · #16

CarbonFiberNut wrote:I forgot all about the leafstorm. It's the only Spyderco I've ever handled where I felt like I was going to accidentally cut myself just by picking it up. That handle shape was super awkward to me.

Yeah same here. Kinda heartbreaking for me because its so close to being a really cool little knife, but my index finger started tingling just picking it up. Very easy to open/close with my XL mitts, too. Sent mine back.

Tod

BAL · #17

Shakyamuni wrote:Oooo, this has the potential to get ugly

Good Point, Criticizing a knife that someone else has spent a hunk of money
on and has a certain pride factor about, is worse than saying that their wife,
son or daughter is ugly.

I am staying out of here, Seeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ya.

Evil D · #18

Shakyamuni wrote:Oooo, this has the potential to get ugly :)

For a second I thought of that...but really I *hope* this won't turn into a big deal, since not everyone likes the same thing. I'm an artist, I do a lot of painting and drawing so on one hand I can appreciate some critiquing of your work, but on the other hand I can see how it could be insulting to Sal and the gang when you're dishing out things you don't like about a design.

But, like I said in my original post I can still sit and point out things I like about all of the knives I listed that I don't like. They just aren't on my purchase list. If I were filthy rich I'd probably buy all of them just for the sake of owning and experiencing them, and chances are good that I would also like more of them in using them than I expected. This happened for me with the Military. I didn't much like it on paper, but using it was a different story.

CarbonFiberNut · #19

Evil D wrote:This happened for me with the Military. I didn't much like it on paper, but using it was a different story.

That was me with the ball lock - I hated it, right up until I actually owned one. Tried it several times at the factory outlet and was always underwhelmed, but then I bought a manix lightweight and XL for cheap at the seconds sale, and I was sold. The lightweight is now my go-to hiking knife.

That's actually the reason I'm giving the compression lock a second chance. I've not been a fan every time I've handled one, but I will eventually pick up a para2 or superleaf just to give the lock another shot.

Evil D · #20

CarbonFiberNut wrote:That was me with the ball lock - I hated it, right up until I actually owned one. Tried it several times at the factory outlet and was always underwhelmed, but then I bought a manix lightweight and XL for cheap at the seconds sale, and I was sold. The lightweight is now my go-to hiking knife.

That's actually the reason I'm giving the compression lock a second chance. I've not been a fan every time I've handled one, but I will eventually pick up a para2 or superleaf just to give the lock another shot.

I bought a Manix 2 when they first came out, carried it for a couple weeks and hated it. A few months ago I happened to see a DLC Manix 2 at the local knife shop and handled it again, and something clicked. I always liked the lock but something about the ergos bothered me before, and now I love it. Shortly after that I bought and modified the sprint that you see in my sig.