LEFTIES -- Most Lefty-specific EDC choice in current catalog?

[Sully]

Thanks for starting the great thread, Sully -- it's very informative, just what a lot of us lefties "wanted to know but were afraid to ask."

I was about to say, well, at least you've got a nice finite goal for filling a collection (totally left-handed Spydercos)... then I thought of Paul's collection :eek: ... doh!

About flipping the pivot screw on Calies, yes it works fine in my experience at least. I had my Caly 3.5 apart, reassembled it based on what I thought was the screw head impression on the scale, adjusted it, and it worked perfectly.... Then I checked some images and realized I had it wrong. Never got around to correcting it, and it still works smooth as butter, if you'll pardon the hackneyed phrase. (And I think the pivot just forms a cylinder that reaches all the way across, so, if that's true, I think it wouldn't make any difference.)

And about the Left Hand Military, I think it was listed somewhere as discontinued, but IIRC Sal said a couple of months ago that it is not permanently discontinued, but) just produced on an intermittent basis. And I've learned that What Sal Says takes precedence over various wording or interpretations on the website, hearsay, etc. ;

Thank you, DougC-3! Really helpful info about switching the pivot screw on the Caly. Was hoping that was the case. Hope to have a Caly 3.5 in my pocket in the near-ish future. Sweet that Sal's design mark even creates a logo-type mark on the Left side. I am too Left-side obsessed, I know.

[DougC-3]

I totally agree with Billy Blade. I will definitely try to support any forthcoming LH-specific version. Happily.

That was my thought when I bought the left hand millie... If they've made it just for us, the least I can do is buy one.

[Evil D]

That was my thought when I bought the left hand millie... If they've made it just for us, the least I can do is buy one.

See that's the catch with making new lefty models. Considering the 10% population thing, and then considering how many of that 10% are knife users, and how many of those people are knife nuts and willing to pay as much as we do for knives, then you've narrowed your market down to such a tiny group. Then you take that tiny group and wonder if the design you're creating will appeal to all of them, which inevitably it won't, so you've shrunk down the market even smaller.

It would be better if it were possible to have a buy-in for something like this, or sort of a pre pay pledge drive setup where a certain amount had to be sold before production even happened. Before you did all that you would have to agree on a model, steel type, handle type, and so on which even further whittles down who will buy them.

I think you likely have two groups of lefty users....1) casual users who wouldn't pay Spyderco money for a pocket knife to begin with, who are just fine using lock backs and slipjoints, and 2) the rest of you who have taken such an interest in knives that you want a dedicated lefty lock. That's not to say that group 1 wouldn't buy a lefty lock design knife, but I don't think they'd be willing to pay Spyderco money just to have a lefty lock when the back lock works just fine for their casual use.

[Sully]

It would be better if it were possible to have a buy-in for something like this, or sort of a pre pay pledge drive setup where a certain amount had to be sold before production even happened. Before you did all that you would have to agree on a model, steel type, handle type, and so on which even further whittles down who will buy them.

Evil D strikes again! Helluva an idea you threw out there...after your obligatory Lefty Tough Love :) Would be awesome if you started a thread to delve into what the consensus LEFTY Spyderco choice would be. I'm too new to know, and too focused on the ambidextrous choices. Sal really does pay attention to this forum, right? Come on Evil D, how's 'bout actually "creating" a Spyderco for Lefties??? introducing the EVIL L __________!

[The Deacon]

The only Spydercos I get a little annoyed by are models, like the original Schempp Persians, which could have been built totally hand neutral but were not and the Dyads, where it would have taken nothing more than changing the assembly order of existing parts to create a dedicated LH version. But there have been very few like that in recent years.

[JNewell]

I think there's a third group, which Paul seems to be in and in which I'd place myself. Happy to pay for Spyderco quality, don't need dedicated LH knives because so much of the catalog already works - and I have yet to be bothered by the fact that the few knives that don't work OK don't have dedicated LH variants.

Even with Sebenzas, which are available in specific LH and RH models, my current knives are 50/50.

[fanglekai]

I think before that ever happens you'll continue to see ambidextrous knives getting sprints and even further down the road you'll see ambidextrous lock designs being created. It's just smart business. Knives get discontinued because of poor sales, the lefty Military died off because it wasn't selling, so I can't see them risking a dedicated lefty sprint. It's not just the sprint part, it's developing new tooling to create a knife backwards from scratch. That means investment, which means you have to churn out enough profit to offset that investment and at least break even. If anything, if enough people wasked for it you might someday see a lefty Military sprint since they have the tooling for that.

I have a lefty Military. It's too big for me to comfortably EDC. I wouldnt want to use it in public. I think that particular model was the problem. I think a lot more lefties would buy a lefty southard or some other model. I won't buy a techno or Southard because they are decidedly unfriendly for me.

[billy blade]

The only Spydercos I get a little annoyed by are models, like the original Schempp Persians, which could have been built totally hand neutral but were not and the Dyads, where it would have taken nothing more than changing the assembly order of existing parts to create a dedicated LH version. But there have been very few like that in recent years.

I though about the Persians also but, getting them modded, drilling, tapping the other side and having a clip made just did not seem worth it to me. I did buy a Dyad Sprint and reassembled it into a left hand model. I need to get some pictures of it posted here.
This is a good thread, sort of a left hand support group. Ha Ha!

[Sully]

I have a lefty Military. It's too big for me to comfortably EDC. I wouldnt want to use it in public. I think that particular model was the problem. I think a lot more lefties would buy a lefty southard or some other model. I won't buy a techno or Southard because they are decidedly unfriendly for me.

Agreed. That's also my unspoken critique of the Lefty Military. Not that I have one. But it is too large for me to EDC in my daily life. Black colored handle...well, lefties are odd, I'm told. Shouldn't we get a unique handle color then?

[Sully]

I did buy a Dyad Sprint and reassembled it into a left hand model. I need to get some pictures of it posted here.
This is a good thread, sort of a left hand support group. Ha Ha!

True. And true! Spyderco Southpaws Not-so-Annonymous. By the way, anyone know who is the most prolific LEFTY Spyderco collector who is also active on this forum?

[billy blade]

The Deacon!

[Sully]

The Deacon!

Did not realize that! Good to know. Makes sense now, Kiwis are ambidextrous. Hope to hear from The Deacon!