Traditional Pocketknife trend

[Doc Dan]

There is a trend of knife makers making traditional styled slip joint knives but using Moderne materials and construction. Benchmade, Lionsteel, and many others are making slip joints that require two hands to open. Spyderco actually made one a short while back that I think was superior to any of those. It had very good steel and simple construction, it was very ergonomic, and with the choil it was safer to use.
That knife was the SPY-DK. Unlike some of the other companies offerings this knife does not have a mushy action nor is it soft. The action is very stiff but it becomes very crisp as well after use. It fits a persons hand very well as it has the same basic handle as the urban light weight.






As can be seen although the knife is a bit shorter it is about the same size as a buck 301 or 302 in blade length. Also it is somewhat close to a Victorinox pioneer.

That pointy blade is really good for doing things like carving a pumpkin or opening the mail and it will zip through packages like nobody’s business. It also cuts cardboard really well because of that fall flat grind. What I like is that the blade is not very wide but is narrower than the usual Spyderco. The one thing that could be improved would be if it had a dent like the roadie. That would make opening much easier. I’m really surprised that this knife was not more popular than it was because overall it is pretty good and is better than the other offerings by other companies.

[JRinFL]

I would love to see more variation in the materials used in the SPY-DK. Jigged bone, Micarta, wood, etc. With and without bolsters. No need to change the steel (outside of exclusives) as it is just about ideal for its role in a knife like this. The Buck is an outlier as FFG is traditional on traditionals. Based on the releases coming out of Italy from other firms, we know they can use all the traditional scale materials to good effect.

Agreed on the dent as well. Bring it Spyderco!

[kobold]

My latest traditional. Handmade, it was only thirty dollars. :cool:



But I still need something on me that I can open with one hand.

[Doc Dan]

My latest traditional. Handmade, it was only thirty dollars. :cool:



But I still need something on me that I can open with one hand.

The SPY-DK was only $39.

[kobold]

My latest traditional. Handmade, it was only thirty dollars. :cool:



But I still need something on me that I can open with one hand.

The SPY-DK was only $39.

The question is how much would the MSRP be today if made out of brass and antler?

[JRinFL]

From Italy, I would expect it to be $100+. People pay more for quality slipjoints these days.

[kobold]

True, what's going on with GEC is a bit crazy.

[S-3 ranch]

When I was shopping for the S-3 ranch workers and guests gift knives we seriously looked at the Spyderco none locker URBAN , but the raven2 won out , so since case trapper is a popular we chose a liner lock
I guess those are considered traditional?

[Enactive]

I find it useful to distinguish between slip joint knives and traditional knives.

Traditionals are a subset of slip joint knives, but many slip joints are not traditionals.

Spyderco's slip joints pretty much all strike me as modern slip joints vs "traditionals" or "modern traditionals."

Semantics, i know, but think it helps with clarity.

[pantagana23]

From Italy, I would expect it to be $100+. People pay more for quality slipjoints these days.

You have Miguel Nieto from Spain, doesn't offer hi-tech steels, but is cheap.

[TkoK83Spy]

I find it useful to distinguish between slip joint knives and traditional knives.

Traditionals are a subset of slip joint knives, but many slip joints are not traditionals.

Spyderco's slip joints pretty much all strike me as modern slip joints vs "traditionals" or "modern traditionals."

Semantics, i know, but think it helps with clarity.

I've been wondering this lately, I'm glad you brought it up. I love this knife I just grabbed a few weeks ago. I've been calling it a traditional to my myself, but not really sure what to classify it as!?

[Evil D]

I wish they'd make higher end versions of the Bug knives.

[elena86]

Just purchased a Manly Wasp slipjoint in S90V made by the, unknown to many, Manly bulgarian workshop. The way these guys ground their blades is amazing. Mine is 0.012 bte and cuts like a demon. I am sorry to say but this 70$ slipie is superior to many 100$ + western made slipits. It pays to watch this review
https://youtu.be/OgkkraaFYbc

[awa54]

Pretty much any screwed together knife is not "traditional".

I like my Spy-DK, though for locations where one-hand opening is legal the Urban is a more versatile tool IMO.
It would definitely be cool to see a few of the Slipits get a premium materials treatment though and not just G10/CF/Ti scales either, though that would be a good start!

I guess the real question here though, is do you like Spyderco the way it is, or should we ask them to cover yet another market/assembly process? I'd hate to find that there really is a point where the brand is spread too thin and collapses under the weight of trying to be all things to all knife buyers.

[JRinFL]

I find it useful to distinguish between slip joint knives and traditional knives.

Traditionals are a subset of slip joint knives, but many slip joints are not traditionals.

Spyderco's slip joints pretty much all strike me as modern slip joints vs "traditionals" or "modern traditionals."

Semantics, i know, but think it helps with clarity.

Agreed, I said similar on another thread awhile back, but not so well. I'd still be in favor of more traditional elements on some of the Spyderco slip joints.

[JRinFL]

Pretty much any screwed together knife is not "traditional".

I like my Spy-DK, though for locations where one-hand opening is legal the Urban is a more versatile tool IMO.
It would definitely be cool to see a few of the Slipits get a premium materials treatment though and not just G10/CF/Ti scales either, though that would be a good start!

I guess the real question here though, is do you like Spyderco the way it is, or should we ask them to cover yet another market/assembly process? I'd hate to find that there really is a point where the brand is spread too thin and collapses under the weight of trying to be all things to all knife buyers.

I have worried about this myself. Good point.

[GarageBoy]

I wish they made more upmarket slip-its - the urban/spydk/ukpk are cool in FRN - but I'd love G10 or fancy scales, full liners and metal back spacers

[awa54]

I've been wondering this lately, I'm glad you brought it up. I love this knife I just grabbed a few weeks ago. I've been calling it a traditional to my myself, but not really sure what to classify it as!?

I'm going with "Evolved Half Muskrat" :D

[Doc Dan]

I wish they made more upmarket slip-its - the urban/spydk/ukpk are cool in FRN - but I'd love G10 or fancy scales, full liners and metal back spacers

Yeah, it would be great. I would be happy at the moment for a re-introduction of the SPY-DK in different colors and an opening dent like the Roadie. (That would mean moving the bug over). I really like the knife the way it is, otherwise.

[TomAiello]

I wish they made more upmarket slip-its - the urban/spydk/ukpk are cool in FRN - but I'd love G10 or fancy scales, full liners and metal back spacers

There was a titanium UKPK variant, as well as the HH g-10 UKPK.