The Big Three

[MichaelScott]

It would be interesting and enlightening to read comments on what you would consider to be the "big three" Spyderco knives, one knife per category.

As a user, I am focused on three categories of knives, 1. small folder for everyday tasks, 2. large folder as both an EDC/task and for those times you want or think you might need a folder with a significantly larger or longer blade, and, 3. that all-around fixed blade you would want if you actually got seriously lost in the woods.

My top candidates are:

1. Dragonfly 2, probably in HAP-40, but I do like VG-10 too.

2. Stretch. Again, probably HAP-40 or VG-10

3. Serrata. I think the size and weight are right, the handle all you could want, and it is supposed to cut like a light saber and be reasonable to sharpen. And, I don't think it's going to break even under survival conditions.

[BTG]

I am currently loving the Mantra for EDC, but if I had to stick to 1 per category it would be,
1) lil lionspy
2) Ti Millie....and if I could only keep one Millie I'd make a Cruwear Ti
3) Temperance 2..I've heard the 1 is great also, but never seen/held one.

[bh49]

Native5
Caly3.5
Temperance2

[Philo Beddoe]

1. Not sure how you define "small" but I do carry a Para2 or Stretch every now and then.

2. Definitely a Millie..normally a Cruwear version or occasionally a S90V version..awaiting the S110V version.

3. Gimme a Phil Wilson Southfork and I'll be GTG.

[Surfingringo]

1.Dragonfly 2
2.Pacific Salt (serrated)
3.I'm tempted to go with the Southfork but I don't know, maybe the bushcraft?

[The Deacon]

1. Kiwi

2. Stretch, preferably in VG-10

3. Moran Drop Point

[bearfacedkiller]

1) Delica4 Super Blue

2) Para2 CTS204P

3) I'll say Bradley Bowie but I haven't had a chance to use it yet and in all honesty my go to fixed blade for survival isn't a Spydie.

[Joris Mo]

Native5 lw
Military SE/CE or Pacific Salt SE
(or a PM2 instead of both)
My go to fixed blade bush knife wouldn't be a Spydie either.

[Tdog]

Chapparal or Delica small blade (depending upon what is "small")
Millie in S90V or S110V long blade. If we're talking edc long blade Caly 3.5
Southfork fixed blade

[hoimin]

I came to the same conclusion earlier this year, so I set about acquiring said three.

Small/EDC: Positron - I find this one can slide up and down the spectrum of usage (precision tip work <---> longer slicing) quite easily. It being a flipper might make it a bit more intimidating on deployment, but much like James Bond, if it looks classy enough it gets a lot of leeway.

Large Workhorse: Gayle Bradley Folder 2 - The GB1 is probably a harder-use folder by build, but if I need to cut that hard, I'd rather move up to a fixed blade. The GB2 can overlap the small/edc usage and scale up to extended cutting tasks as well as food prep.

Fixed Blade: Bradley Bowie - I got this one because I really liked how it looked, and it looked like a jack of all trades blade. The few reviews that I've found suggest similarly.

[farnorthdan]

Super Blue Manbug
S110V PM2
Mule Team 4V

[MichaelScott]

I came to the same conclusion earlier this year, so I set about acquiring said three.

Large Workhorse: Gayle Bradley Folder 2 - The GB1 is probably a harder-use folder by build, but if I need to cut that hard, I'd rather move up to a fixed blade. The GB2 can overlap the small/edc usage and scale up to extended cutting tasks as well as food prep.

Fixed Blade: Bradley Bowie - I got this one because I really liked how it looked, and it looked like a jack of all trades blade. The few reviews that I've found suggest similarly.

Team Photo.jpg

Interesting! I subconsciously included cost as a factor. Absent that, I would have to put the GB2 in the large folder category. Haven't held one yet though.

And, the Bradley Bowie is a strong contender too. Why do you prefer it to a Serrata?

[hoimin]

Interesting! I subconsciously included cost as a factor. Absent that, I would have to put the GB2 in the large folder category. Haven't held one yet though.

And, the Bradley Bowie is a strong contender too. Why do you prefer it to a Serrata?

I did pick all the more expensive collaborations because that's where my tastes tend to go. Personally, I know I'll just end up longing for the ones I like, so for me there was no point in building up to the purchase with cheaper alternatives first.

Honestly, I didn't know much about the Serrata when they both showed up in the previews (Bowie was revealed first I believe). The Bradkey Bowie caught my eye and didn't let go. It has the right size (4-6" blade), capable of up close work as well as heavier cuts. The riveted and sculpted handle struck me as comfortable and useful. The negative blade angle was also something Ed Schempp and Gayle Bradley had me convinced about.

I have nothing against the Serrata. It is an interesting design and the more I read about it, the more ingenious it sounds (basically self sharpening!). The shape and build of it just didn't pique my interest enough.

Had I more money to pursue the matter more objectively I might have some different answers. My budget lineup would be the dragonfly 2 (zdp), pm2, and temp2.

[doomboxEDC]

1. Techno
2. Bradley 1
3. Bradley Bowie

[Skellz]

1. Hap40 Delica
2. Military
3. Bushcraft

[Larry_Mott]

1. Delica
2. Milly or Manix 2
3. Svord Von Tempsky Bowie or my 1978 US Camillus fighting knife which has proven itself through all these years, both in military service and trekking.

[Igi964]

Ladybug HAP40 or H1 serrated
Gayle Bradley 2, hands down
Sprig for cutting, or Bradley Bowie for wood choping

[akaAK]

DFly or Delica in G10
Para 2 any flavour
Mule Team (this because I don't really use fixed blades often and have really enjoyed the Mule Team project, the Bradley Bowie, Serrata, Temperance 2 are all on a wish list)

[Evil D]

It's funny how my opinion of top 3 would change if I could only have those 3, because they're knives I don't use as often as other knives but I wouldn't include those knives I use the most because they don't fit the criteria that well. If I had to pick one small, one large, and one fixed blade, I'd probably go with:

Dragonfly H1/SE
Military (of some variant)

For a fixed blade, that would be a hard choice for me between something more versatile like a Bushcraft or Proficient or something big and burly like the Hossom Forester.

[elena86]

I'll play:

Dfly2 H1 SE or Delica in any flavour
Para2 in M390 or Military in Cruwear
If it has to be a Spyderco...maybe..mmm Bushcraft but my go to outdoor(bushcraft) blade is a Helle Safari