Best Smaller Spyderco for Xmas Present?

[jifigz]

I have a brother who I thought might appreciate a decent pocket knie or Xmas but when I asked his wife if he would enjoy it and use it she seemed doubtful. Today we were getting things ready for his sons birthday party and I noticed that he was fiddling around with some packages and having a hard time opening them so i whipped out my Delica and tossed it to him. He seemed to like it and I sort of spoiled the surprise element and told him I was considering getting him one. He said he would absolutely use it but wouldn't even need a blade as big as my Delica. To the best of my knowledge he has never been a pocketknife guy, where I always have been, and figured I should just give him a smaller Spyderco for Xmas and show him a quality knife (as I bet he will get "spyder-bit!)

Anyway, I immediately thought of getting him a Ladybug. What smaller Spyderco do you guys think would be the best compromise between price and quality? Possibly the Manbug, Ambitious, or a Dragonfly maybe? What do you all say? (Remember he has no clue really about knife mechanics and different locking mechanisms, etc...so he has no bias or opinions when it comes to that.)

[Rwb1500]

G10 Dragonfly if you want to spend that kind of cash. I think it's hard for anyone to hold that knife and not appreciate it. If not FRN will save some cash.

[mattman]

I think the Dragonfly sounds like a good idea, too...

But we all know some knives seem big at first, so maybe go with a Delica anyway...? I bet he warms to the size quickly.

[Unbrokenchain33]

Dragonfly

[eric m.]

Get him the cat in g10. Still to be found for 40 bucks but a whole lot more character than either the delica or dragonfly frn models! Plus it is discontinued, and therefore special!!! :)

[TomAiello]

Dragonfly. In either G10 and VG-10 or FRN and ZDP.

My preference would be the ZDP, since a non knife person will likely not sharpen it, and the ZDP will hold it's edge better until you can sharpen it for them.

FWIW, I have given both my brother and father ZDP dragonflies in the past year, and they are now both carrying pocket knives for the first time in at least 20 years.

[mwramos76]

I always suggest the Dragonfly H1. Perfect little knife that is very low maintenance.

[defenestrate]

I got my brother a Resilience and he loves it.

[chuckd]

I had a similar occurance, always questioned my need or want of larger blade lengths and said he could never see himself getting a knife bigger than the ladybug he had. He now has a centofante3, manix2 lightweight and a caly 3.5CF. Might as well start em on a good small knife to get him introduced, can't go wrong with a ladybug.

[NoFair]

Dragonfly or Cat. H1 Dragonfly if he gets wet and dirty a lot :D

[zinczinc]

Even I am a cat owner, I wont recommend a Cat, unless spyderco has a great improvement on them.
Of coz, if you are a value-folder user, there will be no problem. However, you are planning to give it as a gift.
IMHO, cat is not able to show a quality product from spyderco.

a dragonfly is absolutely perfect choice to send it as a gift.

[Surfingringo]

Dragonfly for sure. Smallest knife that is still has great ergos.

[RadioactiveSpyder]

I'd also say Dragonfly in a variant most suitable to his lifestyle (the G10 version is a cut above though in quality, no pun intended :) ). The Manbug though is a real contender with blade length nearly matching the Dfly and with even better fit and finish, come on, who doesn't love steel bolsters! As I've said before, I think the G10 Manbug, ounce for ounce, is the best folder Spyderco makes (on a purely by weight basis, and that's saying a lot). If you really want to give him a proper knife though that will be an immediate hit then the answer is easy - get him a Caly 3.5!! Cheers, Paul (so far, for Xmas I've picked up my brother in law a Super Blue Endura :D )

[jmh58]

1.. Cento3
2.. Dragonfly (VG-10 or ZDP)
3.. Cat
4.. Manbug

JMO... John

[paladin]

Manbug...as much sharpened edge as the Dragonfly in a much smaller package, but no pocketclip if that's important to him.

[phillipsted]

Can't go wrong with a DragonFly. One of the best knives on the market - bar none.

TedP

[WMR]

I would consider a Cricket. I have given them as gifts and had the most compliments about how handy they are.

[araneae]

Get him the cat in g10. Still to be found for 40 bucks but a whole lot more character than either the delica or dragonfly frn models! Plus it is discontinued, and therefore special!!! :)

The Cat is not discontinued to the best of my knowledge.

Even I am a cat owner, I wont recommend a Cat, unless spyderco has a great improvement on them.
Of coz, if you are a value-folder user, there will be no problem. However, you are planning to give it as a gift.
IMHO, cat is not able to show a quality product from spyderco.

a dragonfly is absolutely perfect choice to send it as a gift.

I would not hesitate to think of the Cat. It's well made IMO and I think the new ones have jimping too. Other good choices would be a Dragonfly or Manbug.

If he appreciates and uses the knife you can always move him up to a Delica sized knife later.

[Blue Possum]

Being that you said he hasn't been a knife person, I would recommend sticking with steel that is going to retain its edge longer, unless you live close to him and see him often enough, to sharpen the blade. I would stick with a VG-10 steel.

Dragonfly - VG-10, the H1 is nice but in plain edge it will need to be sharpen more frequently
Delica - with your brother not use to having a pocket knife the 1st reaction to the Delica is that was larger then he thought he needed. I would bet if started carrying after a month, he wouldn't quite think that way any more. If you can, you could have him carry yours for little while, to determine.


Slip Joint
Kiwi - 8Cr13MoV Steel (unless you try and find a discontinued lock back in the VG-10)
Squeak - N690Co Steel: Wider handle option (another one would be a discontinued Salsa)

8Cr13MoV Steel w/Liner lock:
Ambitious
Persistence

Byrd line:
8Cr13MoV Steel w/back lock
Robin G-10

Just my thoughts, any one he would be happy to receive from his brother. Keeps in formed how it turns out.

[Foghorne]

My 18 year old nephew will be getting a G-10 Dragonfly and the Sharpmaker.