Its a new "Golden Age"

[Doc Dan]

I said this in a thread a couple of years ago. We are in the golden age of Spydercos. Spyderco is turning out one amazing design after another. I wish I was rich so I could collect them all.

[steelcity16]

Hi Wednesday,

I would say a lot of that is Eric. Also two of us Cut a wider arc in design, innovation and quality. We have a few totally new innovations in-the-works. FYI, Eric's 11 year old son, Kobe, is starting to sit in on some of our R & D meetings.

sal

That is awesome. He should help design a folder targeted as a first kids knife. I have three boys with the oldest coming up upon knife age. An 8 year old, a 5 year old, and a 2 year old. My older technically got his first "knife" today. A $1.99 key knife from Harbor Freight. I told him if he showed he could be a responsible knife owner with that he could get a real knife in the near future. I am thinking a Roadie maybe?

[emanuel]

FYI, Eric's 11 year old son, Kobe, is starting to sit in on some of our R & D meetings.

sal

Haha, I remember some interview with Eric a few years back saying how he tries to give more freedom of choice to his son so that he can chose his own passions and path in life. I guess it's impossible to run from it, knives truly are in the Glesser family's genes :D God bless you all, I hope I'll have the chance to get my future son or daughter some Kobe Glesser designed knives.

[dodgie02]

Not only for spydies, the entire market is moving so fast now. I think spyderco definitely plays a big role in getting great steels in people's hands for affordable prices. This provides incentives to competitors to keep up. M390, rex 45, m4 etc in sub 200 bucks folders. crazy right? Even others like zt are switching to 20cv as their main steel offering (have you guys seen that new 0707? wicked thing!) I hope benchmade will follow too someday, they probably have to deplete their ocean of s30v tho haha.

I'm Currently carrying the little native in rex 45. It's Crazy how it's actually possible to get this quality steel in such a novel design. I love it. we've come pretty far and I wonder what is next to come. can't wait for my K390 endura!

[JD Spydo]

Even though I joined this forum in 2017 I have been a huge fan of Spyderco since the Centofante 4. It was my first Spyderco. Im not sure what year that was. Irregardless, I have seen many post about the "Golden Years" (1998-2003) of Spyderco. There is a lot of merit to those years, but I think we have entered another "Golden Age". Its a time when there are so many awesome and unique exclusives, sprints, collaborations, and production models being released. Manufacturing techniques, CQI, and metallurgy have brought production to a new level. What a great time to be a collector or user and be a part of Spyderco history.

I was the one that made that declaration of Spyderco's GOLDEN ERA being 1998-2003. I've held on to that for quite some time now. A lot of that had to do with my love of many of the older Spyderco models of which most came from that era. Actually in the past two years I've extended that out to 2004 because there were 4 models that came from that year's models that I dearly love and a couple of them I still use to this day. The TEMPERANCE 1 fixed blade is still about my favorite fixed blade Spyder of all time which was released in 2004 as well as the IMPALA folding hunter model.

You may indeed have a case to be made that we could very well be entering into a new era of Ultra-Classic models. Time will tell and I would be the last one to argue the point. There most definitely are some new models that have caught my attention for sure :cool: .

[TkoK83Spy]

I dunno, I must be quite the odd ball...but I find a lot of the older/discontinued models very unappealing. Weird designs, outdated looks and components (obviously because they are older). Nothing to do with not having the modern steels or newer locking mechanisms. It's very rare that I see an older model that actually peaks my interest that I feel the need to look it up and see what it's about. Normally I see them and think "I see why that's no longer in production"

[TkoK83Spy]

Even others like zt are switching to 20cv as their main steel offering (have you guys seen that new 0707? wicked thing!)

That thing has tempted me multiple times this week! Watched a couple reviews on it too. Definitely a sweet knife! I'm remaining strong and refraining from buying it, telling myself I have the 0470 in 20CV from them already that I hardly ever use. So far it's working haha.

[The Mastiff]

Spyderco is turning out knives with steels that would never have been used in the past and using finely tuned and very precise heat treats that allow the hardness levels that we now see and with the robot arm sharpener the edges are in comparison to the 80's and 90's better with far more consistent angles.

The average high quality custom now no longer achieves higher performing knives. In some cases they are more specialized but not higher performing cutters that we can now buy factory fresh from Spyderco in steels that take a backseat to none with the exception of very few cutting edge knifemakers ( Shawn@ BBB I'm talking about you!)

[ykspydiefan]

Lets no let our lifetimes define an age. Golden from the get go and still shining.

[sal]

Hi Ykspydiefan,

Welcome to the forum.

sal

[ykspydiefan]

Thank you sal.

[James Y]

IMO, we’ve been in a golden age of knives, continuously, since at least the 1990s. And it’s been continuing to accelerate. Not just for Spyderco, but overall. This golden age hasn’t stopped yet. Spyderco has been CQI’g established knives and bringing out great new innovative ones. Am I interested in every single model and new steel? Personally, no. But it’s great that they’re out there.

There are certain things that did have golden ages that ended; certain movie genres, music categories, etc. But the golden age of modern knives hasn’t slowed down or stopped yet, and hopefully will continue for the foreseeable future.

Jim

[soc_monki]

Even others like zt are switching to 20cv as their main steel offering (have you guys seen that new 0707? wicked thing!)

That thing has tempted me multiple times this week! Watched a couple reviews on it too. Definitely a sweet knife! I'm remaining strong and refraining from buying it, telling myself I have the 0470 in 20CV from them already that I hardly ever use. So far it's working haha.

It didn't impress me. I was on the fence about my shaman and decided to wait and see if the 707 was going to be a successor to the legendary 0777. Well I saw the 707 and it's specs and was, quite frankly, disappointed. The Bareknuckle is superior in almost every way, and I have the cf/M390 sprint which is amazing.

I bought the Shaman and it's been in my pocket for 2 weeks, aside from a couple hours where I carried my Amalgam. It was the right decision! Knife perfection! Love my spydies!

[JD Spydo]

IMO, we’ve been in a golden age of knives, continuously, since at least the 1990s. And it’s been continuing to accelerate. Not just for Spyderco, but overall. This golden age hasn’t stopped yet. Spyderco has been CQI’g established knives and bringing out great new innovative ones. Am I interested in every single model and new steel? Personally, no. But it’s great that they’re out there.

There are certain things that did have golden ages that ended; certain movie genres, music categories, etc. But the golden age of modern knives hasn’t slowed down or stopped yet, and hopefully will continue for the foreseeable

Jim I see your point and to some degree I tend to agree. The era I pointed out being the GOLDEN ERA of SPYDERS 1998-2004 is one I focused on because so many of my all time personal favorites are in that era. Not only are many of those models my own personal favs there are so many of those models during that time that fetch big prices when up for sale or trade and many of those models are among the most sought after for collectors.

Your point that Spyderco's progression of great products is still ongoing is one I won't argue with. Even in the area of Sharpening equipment it was in the Golden Era in which the 204 Sharpmaker was borne as well as the 701 Profiles and the 302 Benchstones. There was great product development in that era. I'll admit that it's a personal favorite era for me but I've ran into several that tend to agree with me in the past few years. That era was also a pivotal time in Spyder History as far as the company changing gears and it set the stage for the direction that the company has been going on for a long time now.

It's probably fair to say that we're both right in several aspects. :)

[Doc Dan]

For the last fifteen years or a little more, Spyderco has been building the best knives they have ever built. The designs are more evolved and the fit and finish are far better. The steels used are top notch and cutting edge, no pun intended. There is no question we are now in the golden age of Spyderco. The designs are better, though some of the designs have been around for a long time, they have been upgraded to the point that they are much better than they were originally.

[Pancake]

I never get why these years 1998-2004 are Golden Era. Why? Materials were better back then? Build quality was better? I don't get it.
Yes, there were some very interesting designs from this era (Calypso, I want you) but you can't denied that Spyderco is not making interesting designs and collaboration after 2004.
And materials used now are far better and more exotic then back in the days.

Spyderco knives has never been more refined and better build then now.

[austrian_spyder_fan]

Hi Wednesday,

I would say a lot of that is Eric. Also two of us Cut a wider arc in design, innovation and quality. We have a few totally new innovations in-the-works. FYI, Eric's 11 year old son, Kobe, is starting to sit in on some of our R & D meetings.

sal

Thats great!
I bought my son his first knife a few months ago.
Because he loves beeing in the woods and outdoor.
I choose a Opinel Kids Knife whith a blue Handle and he loves it.
He ist 9 1/2 and was very proud of getting his own knife.

It whould be so great if Spyderco whould establish a Rookie/Newbee product line in near future!

[bearrowland]

I'll second that!

[Wartstein]

Hi Wednesday,

I would say a lot of that is Eric. Also two of us Cut a wider arc in design, innovation and quality. We have a few totally new innovations in-the-works. FYI, Eric's 11 year old son, Kobe, is starting to sit in on some of our R & D meetings.

sal

Thats great!
I bought my son his first knife a few months ago.
Because he loves beeing in the woods and outdoor.
I choose a Opinel Kids Knife whith a blue Handle and he loves it.
He ist 9 1/2 and was very proud of getting his own knife.

It whould be so great if Spyderco whould establish a Rookie/Newbee product line in near future!

Good choice and I hope your son will continue to love our great Austrian outdoors and nature! :)

[austrian_spyder_fan]

Thank you Gernot.
I'll hope so too.