In the beginning, and back again :)

[spydieman]

I bet most of us can remember when we first saw a Spyderco in a movie. I saw the Endura in the movie Cliffhanger in the mid 90s and had to find out what kind of knife it was that could be open with one hand. How impressive and cool is that. I mean how many times did we have only one hand free and had to open that folding knife with our teeth, or try to sling the blade out with inertia and eventually develop tendonitis? The Internet wasn't what it is now back then so I had no way of researching. A few months later I spotted a Delica Clipit plain edge in a scuba dive store in Okinawa, Japan. I still didn't know what the one in the move was, but this was a smaller version so I bought it. This was 1994. A few months later I found the "Cliffhanger" knife (the Endura) in the PX and bought it for $20, but the Delica remained my EDC for years. I purchased a Native in early 2000 which became my next EDC. What a cool and comfortable knife and handled very well. I still carried the Delica at times too but eventually lost it while kneeboarding so it is forever resting at the bottom of Norris Lake. I happily carried the Native for a few years until I acquired a Paramilitary. The Paramilitary had g-10 grips and a sharp flat-ground blade. Wow, G-10. Cool stuff. Much better than the FRN on my previous EDCs, that seemed to wear smooth after a while. I was sold on G-10 as the ultimate handle material. Never too cold or hot, impervious to most chemicals I would ever come in contact with, and extremely strong. And that flat-ground blade. Wow was it sharp and cut through everything like butter. At some point after the paramilitary, I traded something for a Manix. This was a beast of a knife. Smooth, strong, big, very comfortable grip, flat-ground blade :). I started interchanging it with the Paramilitary and eventually got the 'Mini' Manix 80mm. The ultimate EDC. Not overwhelmingly large so it didn't scare the sheeple at work, yet hefty and rugged enough to handle any cutting task. And a flat-ground blade :). So I carried the Mini-Manix and watched as the Manix 2 was released, but couldn't justify buying version 2 since mine was none the worse for wear and tear. I thought this was my final EDC. Until I bought my wife an Endura 4 for Easter this past Spring, in purple FRN. Her favorite color. Wow what an improvement over the first Endura. They added the removable pocket clip that could be moved to either side for tip up or tip down carry, although tip up has always been my preference (not an option on that Paramilitary, although it is on the Paramilitary 2), steel liners in the FRN grips, better grip texture, and a redesigned blade shape to provide for a stronger point. And FLAT-GROUND. WOO-HOO!!!. Guess what my current EDC is now? LOL. Actually I bought a Delica too, and ususally carry both of them, or at least have one on me and the other near by. So I am now back to carrying the same models I started out with. By the way, over all these years, I have never had a Spyderco fail on me at anytime. I would like to hear some of your stories of EDC Evolution. Please share :).

Mark.

[SG89]

Great story, Mark :)

[spydieman]

Love your sig-line Spydergilr88.

[Water Bug]

For me, it all started with the small version of the Spyderco Jess Horn ordered from A.G. Russell years ago... it bit me big time since the blade tip protuded a little outside the handle even when closed... didn't carry it after that.

In 1997, I came upon a Spyderco Endura SE and Spyderco Delica SE, both with the integrated clip, at the base exchange in Panama... great knives of beautiful design, ergonomics, and sharp edges. I later found the Spyderco Military SE in ATS-34 at the post exchange in Panama... again, a great knife of beautiful design, ergonomics, and a sharp edge. And, I believe I also found the Spyderco Sharpmaker at the post exhange... it was the older design with only the 40 degree angle available and the entire set came in a nylon pouch. Not sure where that old Sharpmaker is, and lost all three knives in Panama... but, the beauty of the Spyderco design was something that stayed with me after I was reassigned.

In 2006, I came upon the Spyderco Website while stationed in Okinawa, Japan. I did an on-line order for the Military PE in CPM-S30V, as well as the Endura 4 and Delica 4, both in PE and SE, to replaced the previously lost knives. I also ordered the Spyderco C95 Manix based on the outstanding reviews it received on the Spyderco Forum... very impressive, robust design! And, I ordered the current version of the Sharpmaker as well... what a wonderful, compact, and practical package! I then put in a request for registration on the Forum so I could participate. I've been a Spyderco fan ever since!

Thank you, Sal, and the Spyderco Crew, for all the wonderful things you do!