What’s next for SPY27 ?

[Doc Dan]

I've got one knife in the steel. It is too early to give an opinion on the steel. I am sure I am going to like it, though. It is a suped up VG-10 that should perform as good as S30V and S35VN, if not a tad better. What more can we ask?

Now, we have been asking for a steel upgrade in the UKPK for a while. We are getting the LC200N (thank you Sal and Eric), but I would like to see an SPY27 version. I love the color of the Manix 2 that I have in that steel. Hint, hint.

[p_atrick]

Or are there some other interesting properties (for the user) that SPY27 has to offer?

It is a stainless steel that responds well to sharpening, but with better edge retention and stability than steels like VG10, AEB-L, etc. That's what interests me. I'm just waiting for it to make its way to a model I really like. The P4 has me very interested.

[ThomasAasen]

What about making an Special Edition of the "Lil' Nilakka", and with the beautiful and rare "Westinghouse Antique Ivory Micarta"? Or another amazing scales like "Thunderstorm Kevlar", Yellowish "Transparent G10" or Caramel"Transparent G10". And if you do this, please reserve one for me, I have wanted this knife since it came out .

[wrdwrght]

Are we backsliding into Egyptian hieroglyphs? There are countless good reasons we left them behind.

[Badger410]

UKPK.

I'd like to see that too.

[Doc Dan]

UKPK.

I'd like to see that too.

It would certainly be a nice upgrade from BD1N, not that there is anything wrong with that steel.

[Matus]

A Golden made Urban with blue FRN would be nice too …

[TomAiello]

UKPK.

I'd like to see that too.

It would certainly be a nice upgrade from BD1N, not that there is anything wrong with that steel.

What would be the price bump to upgrade the base model from BD1N to Spy27?

Lower cost base models are important to average users. As knife hobbyists we often forget that in our quest for the latest and greatest.

With no slip joint option in the budget line, it's important to keep an affordable UKPK (or urban) option to fill that role.

[Badger410]

With no slip joint option in the budget line, it's important to keep an affordable UKPK (or urban) option to fill that role.

True, I'd like to see more slip joint options. I'm looking forward to the Lil' Native and hope a Native 5 slippy will appear at some point.

[sal]

Hi Thomas,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[Doc Dan]

UKPK.

I'd like to see that too.

It would certainly be a nice upgrade from BD1N, not that there is anything wrong with that steel.

What would be the price bump to upgrade the base model from BD1N to Spy27?

Lower cost base models are important to average users. As knife hobbyists we often forget that in our quest for the latest and greatest.

With no slip joint option in the budget line, it's important to keep an affordable UKPK (or urban) option to fill that role.

I don't think anyone suggested replacing. Upgrade was the idea, just as HH upgraded the steel on their version to S30V.

[RamZar]

SPY27 is too expensive to have much success compared to S30V and specially S45VN.

For example:

• Native5 S30V/FRN is $108.50 and Native5 SPY27/FRN is $126.00
• Para3 S45VN/G-10 is $147.00 and Para3 SPY27/FRN is $140.00

[chronovore]

I would love to see a Sage 5 LW in SPY27. I'd prefer it to have black, brown, or green scales but for a Sage 5, I'd break out the RIT dye.

[Matus]

I am waiting for S90V Sage 5, but that would be a discussion for a different thread :p Spy27 would be nice too.

[Gtscotty]

I'm guessing that SPY-27 will remain mostly in smaller runs or specific models as opposed to replacing S30V or S45VN, as others have mentioned. Main reason for that guess is that the value doesn't really seem to be there to drive wider spread adoption. Per the testing available, SPY-27 looks to be functionally identical to S35VN, that's not a bad place to be, but S35VN is everywhere, and SPY-27 comes with a sizeable price bump over very, very similar steels like S35VN, S30V or S45VN.

I could see SPY-27 replacing S30V as the standard higher end steel if the prices were a wash (like the performance), but there doesn't seem to be much beyond the cool factor of the name to Spyderco fans to back up the current super steel type pricing.... I just think mid-range steels need to have mid-range pricing to offer attractive value. After MagnaCut starts flowing, is anyone going to pass that up for something like SPY-27/S35VN if the prices are at all close?

[Manifestgtr]

I would love to see a Sage 5 LW in SPY27. I'd prefer it to have black, brown, or green scales but for a Sage 5, I'd break out the RIT dye.

I’m up for almost ANY variation of the Sage 5 lw, if we’re being honest. Thats become my go-to medium sized spydie

[archangel]

With the price being higher while the performance being "only" at par with widespread good alround steels, indeed it does not look like it's revolutionary. Neither is S45VN, yet we see it in more and more Spydies now. I've said a couple times that I expect SPY27 to be introduced to basically all Golden made Spydies. It hasn't happened yet.

S45VN being rolled out in parallel, COVID blowing many plans, MagnaCut upcoming (the steel to rule all knife steels) - can SPY27 stand a chance?

[Matus]

That pretty much sums it up. To someone without any deeper insight it does seem like the Spy27 had a bit of a bad luck timing wise (2 years earlier it the situation would be a lot different)

[MFlovejp]

At this point, it's hard to see SPY27 replacing any mainline steel in Spyderco's lineup. There may have been a point where that was the intent, but like many have said there's not enough that sets SPY27 apart from other available materials to justify the price. I equate SPY27 to a very cool pet project that had potential, but ultimately was just a proof of concept and a fun exercise. After all, not many knife companies can say that they got Crucible to produce a custom steel for them. I have a Native 5 in this steel and I like it. Not surprisingly, it reminds me a lot of S35VN.

[Pokey]

At this point, it's hard to see SPY27 replacing any mainline steel in Spyderco's lineup. There may have been a point where that was the intent, but like many have said there's not enough that sets SPY27 apart from other available materials to justify the price. I equate SPY27 to a very cool pet project that had potential, but ultimately was just a proof of concept and a fun exercise. After all, not many knife companies can say that they got Crucible to produce a custom steel for them. I have a Native 5 in this steel and I like it. Not surprisingly, it reminds me a lot of S35VN.

I wonder if it's a means to have a 2nd source for steel that's just a bit better than VG-10? If in the future there's a supply chain snag and VG-10 is hard to get, then substitute SPY27 in. All the while keep making knives with SPY27.

Carpenter made BD1N for Spyderco too, so lightning does strike at least twice.