Which folder?

[Doc Dan]

Soldiers and Marines are hard on knives and so are survivalists. If you only had a Spyderco folder, no fixed blade, no hatchets, and had to build shelters, dig and cut roots, make feather sticks, and do hard use tasks, which Spyderco Folder would you pick and why?

This is a serious question because it happened to me years ago BSE (Before Spyderco Era), but it has come around again with some folks.

[vivi]

I'd pick my Manix XL for a scenario like that.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=hl3n-BtLoaI

I'd use sticks for digging, wedges for splitting etc. to try and preserve my knife edge for cutting.

http://cliffstamp.com/knives/reviews/manix.html

The scenario reminds me of Cliff's Manix review, which was what got me interested in the model in the first place.

[wirelessjunkie]

Depends on the Marine or Soldier. I used a CRKT M16-14 while I was in, and it worked well enough for opening MREs and occasional bouts of dumbassery. If I had to get a Spyderco equivalent it would probably be an Endura, or something in an easy to sharpen steel that's reasonably stainless. If the individual is going to be hammering on it or doing a lot of prying I cant think of many Spydies with a thick enough tip to withstand that kind of abuse for long, although the Millie and PM series are pretty tough everywhere else where it would matter. If it's gonna be full of mud or dirt Id probably stick with a liner lock or compression lock, as open back construction knives are easier to keep clean than back locks. My $0.02 FWIW.

[TenGrainBread]

One word. Tatanka.

[remnar]

Amalgam or Gayle Bradley 1

Both have a good size blade and decent thickness without a fragile tip. M4 and s30v are both good steels. I prefer compression locks but the GB1 has a very stout liner lock. :spyder:

[Wartstein]

Endura combo-edge.

- Sabre grind, which also means very robust tip - especially good for the digging-part
- Long blade, also good for digging and many other tasks, as for sd
- Long cutting edge, good for (light, with unlocked blade) batoning and generally advantous (stays sharp longer and so on)
- PE part: Easy to sharpen on makeshift devices
- SE part will stay sharp a lot longer than PE and still tear apart stuff even when dull (could probably even rip apart wire and the like) - and is great for making feather sticks
- Reliable backlock
- Light, slim carry, still robust construction with liners.

[Wartstein]

Depends on the Marine or Soldier. I used a CRKT M16-14 while I was in, and it worked well enough for opening MREs and occasional bouts of dumbassery. If I had to get a Spyderco equivalent it would probably be an Endura, or something in an easy to sharpen steel that's reasonably stainless. If the individual is going to be hammering on it or doing a lot of prying I cant think of many Spydies with a thick enough tip to withstand that kind of abuse for long, although the Millie and PM series are pretty tough everywhere else where it would matter. If it's gonna be full of mud or dirt Id probably stick with a liner lock or compression lock, as open back construction knives are easier to keep clean than back locks. My $0.02 FWIW.

The sabre kind Spydies can I guess - see my post above.

[standy99]

Gayle Bradley 1 would be the knife I would want when the rough stuff started.

Then a PM2 or Military

Most beat up Spyderco I have ever seen was a Pacific salt that had been a Navy rescue swimmers that looked like it had been dragged behind a truck for 3 years. This thing had been around for years and was still kicking.

[Menipo]

Millie is supposed to be designed precisely for this.....

In fact, it is the one that I would take with me if I were in the Army and my unit was deployed.

[Sumdumguy]

Caribbean or Ti Military.

Honestly, in that scenario I would value simplicity and durability. Those two fit the bill for me.

[bobnikon]

Tanto PM2
Backlock Manix
Yojumbo or Yojimbo2

Looking for minimal springs and things

[Cl1ff]

Of the currently available Spyderco knives, I think many could handle the task, but I’ll echo Wartstein’s choice exactly with some variation of the CE Endura.

I have used a broken(?) older variation of the clip-it Endura SE that no longer locks, so it’s essentially a slip joint, with no pocket clip and substantial play for all of the uses mentioned and more without any real issues.

The state of the knife as described above is how I found it originally in a drawer with no noticeable changes or damage that wasn’t intentional since (I’ve used it as sort of guinea pig while testing certain ideas I’ve had).

I dig up fossils with the knife, baton, chop, carve, take it kayaking to cut fishing line or rope, and just generally do everything with it here in humid Florida.
The vg10 steel holds up really well in serrated edge.

A Chinook, Tatanka, K2, or Tuff would be cool to test, but they are no longer available.

[Doc Dan]

Spyderco needs to bring back the back lock Manix 2 and also make it in XL. I like the idea of the upcoming Stretch XL, but the lock on that Manix back lock is in a whole different stratosphere.

[JD Spydo]

Gayle Bradley 1 would be the knife I would want when the rough stuff started.

Then a PM2 or Military

Most beat up Spyderco I have ever seen was a Pacific salt that had been a Navy rescue swimmers that looked like it had been dragged behind a truck for 3 years. This thing had been around for years and was still kicking.

Yeah this is exactly what I was thinking too. If I could show you all the horrific use I've put my M390 Military through in the past 4 years you would be amazed that it's still in good working order. I did send it back to Spyderco to have them put many new parts in it about a year ago and now it's just like new.

Now I can see why a lot of these guys like the Manix models because they are stout. Now if I could pick a past model I might be tempted to go with the CHINOOK III. Overall this might not be a question with an easy answer. Because in a demanding situation you are going to need more than one knife or one edged tool.

[JRinFL]

Sticking with folders only, and only ones I have used, I would choose either a Manix or Shaman. If you have to use it as you say, factoring in fatigue related mistakes, I would want a knife least likely to break. Having pushed myself to extreme fatigue in the past, I know how easy it is for me to make mistakes.
I do have a Gen 1 Chinook, but the up-swept tip on the Chinook would be less useful than the other two mentioned above. IMO, at least.

[VashHash]

Probably just stick with my P4 in K390.

[TkoK83Spy]

I'd have to say the Shaman.

[PStone]

Military. It’s what it was made for

[soc_monki]

Shaman or Manix XL.

[PSquared]

Nothing with a delicate tip, open construction for easy cleaning, washers rather than bearings ... from what’s in my collection, probably a Starmate.