Spyderco Forums

My smoothest Spydie has always been my first C15 Terzuola from 1990. It might be due to the synthetic washers, but the action has always been glassy and a real delight to use.

TedP

I also vote manix 2 but don have a sage

Hands down my Sage 1.

Surprisingly my second smoothest is a Lockback Delica 4 FFG. I have five of them (Delicas), and this particular one is about 3 times smoother than the others. Couldn't tell you why.

Southard mos def

The smoothest of my spyderco knives and by far is the nilakka probably by dint of its pivot bushing and also to the liner lock that is quite thin = less friction while opening & closing. The native 5 that also use pivot bushing is not as smooth because of the friction of the back lock.
The smoothest with pivot screws is the small lum chinese nishijin (thin liner).

The smoothest of my production knives is a Mcusta LMC-1211, pivot screws, teflon washers, thin liner(lock).

JB3 wrote:Southard mos def

Wow. Really?

My Southard is definitely, and by far, my least smooth Spyderco folder. I never carry the thing because the Spydie hole is harder to use than my other Spydies and the "flipper" is pathetic--I've never once been able to get the blade all the way open with it (I have to use a big exaggerated wave of my arm in time with the "flip" to make it open). There have been a couple Spydies that I've been shocked at how much they impressed me when I didn't expect it (Pingo and Des Horn come to mind immediately). The Southard is the only one that's ever been the other way, and greatly disappointed me.

Mmm. This is purely qualitative rather than quantitive.

I'd say- in my collection- my Police SS. Opens like it's running on greased needle-roller bearings.
Honorable mention to the Manix 2 and D'Alarras which are very slick.

TomAiello wrote:Wow. Really?

My Southard is definitely, and by far, my least smooth Spyderco folder. I never carry the thing because the Spydie hole is harder to use than my other Spydies and the "flipper" is pathetic--I've never once been able to get the blade all the way open with it (I have to use a big exaggerated wave of my arm in time with the "flip" to make it open). There have been a couple Spydies that I've been shocked at how much they impressed me when I didn't expect it (Pingo and Des Horn come to mind immediately). The Southard is the only one that's ever been the other way, and greatly disappointed me.

It sounds like you have something wrong with your Southard, I would suggest sending it back in. It could be a poor detent or maybe improper lubrication. Being a ball bearing pivot, it should be very very smooth to open. My experience with mine is completely opposite of yours... Basically it's hard for me to get it to NOT open all the way like a rocket when I break the detent for the flipper. It rockets open like it's on glass rails and then will fall easily back into the handle when I disengage the lock, it's simply wonderful. You should see what you can do to get it working well rather than just letting it collect dust.

I've always said for me it was the Sage 1, with the Manix 2 being a close second due to the fact it doesn't have a traditional detent ball riding along the side of the blade creating friction. But, I have to say the Southard and Domino rank way up on the smoothness list with that bearing pivot. I have my Southard pivot cranked down as tight as it will turn, and the blade still falls smooth with gravity. Makes me really wish other knives in the lineup had the same ball bearing pivot.

TomAiello wrote:Wow. Really?

My Southard is definitely, and by far, my least smooth Spyderco folder. I never carry the thing because the Spydie hole is harder to use than my other Spydies and the "flipper" is pathetic--I've never once been able to get the blade all the way open with it (I have to use a big exaggerated wave of my arm in time with the "flip" to make it open). There have been a couple Spydies that I've been shocked at how much they impressed me when I didn't expect it (Pingo and Des Horn come to mind immediately). The Southard is the only one that's ever been the other way, and greatly disappointed me.

Syncharmony wrote:It sounds like you have something wrong with your Southard, I would suggest sending it back in. It could be a poor detent or maybe improper lubrication. Being a ball bearing pivot, it should be very very smooth to open. My experience with mine is completely opposite of yours... Basically it's hard for me to get it to NOT open all the way like a rocket when I break the detent for the flipper. It rockets open like it's on glass rails and then will fall easily back into the handle when I disengage the lock, it's simply wonderful. You should see what you can do to get it working well rather than just letting it collect dust.

Tom- yours isn't right... Mine also opens very smoothly, and completely almost 100% of the time. I'm finding it difficult to get it out of the way for others that want to rotate in...

[deleted]

Out of the 3x that see EDC duty/rotation, the N5 (forum S110V), PM2 (CTS-20CP), and Military (CF M390), the PM2 is the smoothest, with the Military coming in second.

Syncharmony wrote:It sounds like you have something wrong with your Southard, I would suggest sending it back in. It could be a poor detent or maybe improper lubrication. Being a ball bearing pivot, it should be very very smooth to open. My experience with mine is completely opposite of yours... Basically it's hard for me to get it to NOT open all the way like a rocket when I break the detent for the flipper. It rockets open like it's on glass rails and then will fall easily back into the handle when I disengage the lock, it's simply wonderful. You should see what you can do to get it working well rather than just letting it collect dust.

+1 I own over 25 Spyderco's ... Many of them named in this thread, the Southard being the smoothest. Sounds like something is not right with yours Tom. It could be as simple as an over-tightened pivot. Spyderco's customer service is really good about correcting such things.