Spyderco's Designated "Beaters"

[JD Spydo]

Well there are a lot of new folks here that may not understand the title. But many of you do understand exactly what I'm talking about. Because if you have used your Spyderco knives for hard work and brutal jobs then you probably get what I'm talking about. But over the years I have a few Spyderco User models that I keep for extremely brutal jobs whenever I encounter them. They are set aside for particularly mean jobs.

There was a time when I had a job put in front of me that I got one particular "user" out of my footlocker and truly believed that I was going to sacrifice that knife ( 440V, SE Native). I didn't think it would survive the job but it did. I've had two other models that I can make the same statement about because they proved that they can take what I put them through.

My old 440V, full SE Native is one that I've abused so badly that it's amazing that the knife is still usable, Also my ATS-55, Stainless Handled, Full SE RESCUE model is one that I've truly put through some brutal work and it's still in great shape in spite of it. And before I got it stolen from me I put my G-10 Harpy through jobs that most people would not have done in fear of destroying the knife.

Ok there are a few of my Designated Spyderco "Beater" knives that I keep for really bad jobs. I would like to know which Spyderco blades you all consider your " designated beaters"? You might also give us a little rundown of the type of brutal work you put them through. This thread should be of interest to those who work with their knives.

[FullFlatMind]

Pacific Salt SE and Tenacious. H1 absorbs abuse like nothing else. I can't believe how well the PS has held up to all the abuse. The Tenacious is affordable and I never worried about beating it up. Same with the other 8Cr13MoV Spydies I have. I damaged the edges on all of them with reckless abandon.

[VooDooChild]

Foliage green sabre ground endura 4 ce.

[Candyman]

The Autonomy. I’ve never beat a knife up so badly and still had it perform flawlessly over and over again. Lately I’ve been using my Siren as a beater and I am very happy with the result.

Rich

[JD Spydo]

Pacific Salt SE and Tenacious. H1 absorbs abuse like nothing else. I can't believe how well the PS has held up to all the abuse. The Tenacious is affordable and I never worried about beating it up. Same with the other 8Cr13MoV Spydies I have. I damaged the edges on all of them with reckless abandon.

I hear you!! I've got an H-1 TASMAN that I should have included into my list. Yeah I do believe that most of the models in the Salt Series could all be "designated beaters".

[JD Spydo]

The Autonomy. I’ve never beat a knife up so badly and still had it perform flawlessly over and over again. Lately I’ve been using my Siren as a beater and I am very happy with the result.

Rich

You're not the only one I've heard say that about the AUTONOMY model. I was even recently told by a good friend that he thought I would like the Autonomy better than I do my old Stainless RESCUE model. Looking at it I think that is a possibility.

[GarageBoy]

S110V Manix LW - for when you're cutting, and cutting, and cutting

Caribbean ?

[prndltech]

Uhh... all of them?

Edit* seriously. Whatever’s in my pocket or within reach will get used for whatever task is at hand. If I were to destroy one (never happened), well... I think most of us here have a few other knives so, on to the next one!

Pick a dragonfly, delica or other “small” knife and beat on it. Once you see what those can take, your confidence in all the others will be there.

[RustyIron]

I have two that give me a warm fuzzy feeling when I push them a little hard. One is a Manix 2 LW in Maxamet, the other is a Native 5 LW in REX 45. I'll gleefully hack thru and carve up whatever needs hacking and carving. Of course this means they need to get a little more "stone time" than more gently used blades, but I like sharpening, so it's all good.

[vivi]

Pacific Salts and Aqua Salts.

[zuludelta]

Salt 2 SE, Native 5 Lightweight CE, Para Military 2, Yojimbo 2, Delica 4 Wharncliffe, Endura 4 Wharncliffe, Tasman Salt 2 SE.

I don't do anything stupid with my "beaters", but I don't think twice about using them hard if I need to.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, I use most of my Spydercos hard (within reason). The only ones that I hesitate to put through their paces are the discontinued models, since it would be difficult and/or especially costly to replace them if I ever damage them beyond repair.

[JuPaul]

Pac Salt. I also don't hesitate to get my CE Manix 2, or my 4v and Cruwear Shamans dirty, but I probably wouldn't actually beat on them.

[JRinFL]

The closet I have would be an old franenstein Delica in CE that I swapped scales with the waved version and my Aqua Salt SE. The Aqua was used to cut tangled weeds & wire out of the tines of a rented rototiller. Lots of contact with steel, copper, fibrous roots and sand.

[VashHash]

Spyderhawks are beaters for me because of the h1. Natives are usually my beaters /hand out knives. Also have a pacific salt that's a beater too.

[Sumdumguy]

The Caribbean is the answer. :D

[nerdlock]

Manix 2 in S30V.

Show me any other knife in Spyderco's lineup which has the same tank-like build quality, fit and finish, full liners, great ergonomics, strong tip, and one amazing lock that is truly ambidextrous - all for less than $130.

It truly is the most value-oriented knife Spyderco has ever made. All the materials of the higher-priced models in the Paramilitary series with a price that screams of a bargain. Heck, it's even cheaper than the Para 3 and it is a full sized knife. Plus, you're getting S30V on top of that.

The price alone makes it a heck of a beater knife that you won't be afraid of using hard, and the build quality assures you that no matter the cutting task it won't give up on you, and that replacing it once it breaks won't strain your wallet.

[Evil D]

Gotta be a Caribbean for me.


Overall though I think the Enuff Salt is the most beater of all beaters. It's basically a sharpened pry bar. Being on the shorter side also limits how much leverage you can apply to it so the odds of you breaking this 4mm H1 blade that has a low thick hollow grind is basically zero. You might manage to bend it if you're extra crazy with it but otherwise it's probably the most idiot proof knife Spyderco makes.

[JD Spydo]

The Caribbean is the answer. :D

The Caribbean and Autonomy both are on my priority list for new SE units to add to my User arsenal. I'm hoping I can snag a couple of used units to save a little dough.

And I also agree with VASH about the Spyderhawk being an ideal folder for hard use jobs. I've sure used two of my full SE Spyderhawks on some really mean jobs over the years. It's incredible how the SE Spyderhawk just goes through vines, reeds, cattails, hemp, arrowhead plants and just about anything that grows in wetlands, rivers lakes and ponds.

Again there are just some Spyderco models that are destined for brutal work. Most serrated Spyderco knives invite it and love hard work.

[Skidoosh]

Mules, Endura 4, Caly, D-fly. Get it beat it, get over it.

[Monty]

If I have the opportunity to reach for a "footlocker" or toolbag, toolchest, car bag, etc... I am most likely grabbing a fixed blade for a tough task. Otherwise whatever I'm carrying in my pocket it getting used. My car bag includes my old combat tomahawk and a Mora, between the two just about anything is doable.