What’s your best made Spydie?

[Doc Dan]

One Eyed Jack. This knife is over and beyond anything else I have looked at.

[wrdwrght]

Honestly though, I haven't really found there to be much difference in execution across my collection, so the way I think about it is usually by taking note of the few disappointments...

I’m in this boat. I might have a niggle about this Spydie or that, but none has ruined my day (understand that I actively suppress an urge to let perfect be the enemy of the good).

But if pressed, I’d have to say my few early Moki-made Spydies (Jess Horn2, Schempp Kris) are the best made owing to all the artful hand-fitting involved.

Yet, when I start to think about artful hand-fitting, I am again flabbergasted that Spyderco has somehow managed to inject art into all its machine processes, and across very different cultural domains at that, such that I’m left to talk only about niggles.

[z1r]

I had a bunch of knives out over the weekend doing some general maintenance and I wondered what is your best made Spydie for sheer build quality? Mine would be my Gayle Bradley in a photo finish with the KW CF/Ti Military. The funny thing is that I use the GB like a workhorse but I hardly ever use the Military even though I am sure that it could carry the load. For a specific knife, the knife gods smiled at me on my REX45 Manix. I received a flawless version that is tighter than the other Manixes that I own. That’s it for me and I am just wondering about your experiences?

I'd have to say that my Rex 45 Manix and CF Chap are my best made Spydies. That M2 flicks open and shut pretty easily. That said, I have no complaints about any of my Spydies, all are centered, sharp, and have no slop.

[Wartstein]

I am generally not into the ultra-highend , very expensive Spydercos.

That being said: I am happy with all Spydercos I got so far. Out of the ones I own right now my Chap and believe it or not the Tenacious S35VN have the most perfect fit and finish.
The Kapara I had was amazing too in that regard.

[elena86]

1. Slysz Bowie(the original, not the “blue clone”)
2. KW exclusive CF/Ti Military
3. Kapara

[ladybug93]

I am generally not into the ultra-highend , very expensive Spydercos.

That being said: I am happy with all Spydercos I got so far. Out of the ones I own right now my Chap and believe it or not the Tenacious S35VN have the most perfect fit and finish.
The Kapara I had was amazing too in that regard.

same here. i don't own many high end models.

as far as feel goes, my caribbean has the smoothest action (not surprising from taichung), but the last serration toward the handle isn't fully ground and stops abruptly. actually, looking at it, i'm not sure how they even managed to do that.

my yojimbo is really nicely done. probably the best overall.

my manix 2 lightweight is really good, but it has these pins where the screws are supposed to be.

the resilience is very well done, especially for the price, but even compared to pricier models. no complaints at all on the fit and finish there, except that i can't wait for a s35vn version.

everything else i have is on pretty even footing. mostly salts and other frn lockbacks. well made and good for what they are, but nothing special as far as action or finish are concerned.

[anycal]

All considered - F&F, lock, action, grind, sharpness out of box, centering, what you get for your $$ - The KW excusive Military S90V CF/Ti RIL. One of my PM2s or the Z-WEAR Shaman would be close second.

I have/had 17 different Spyderco models, including several flavors of some of them. Noting the best one doesn't mean I wouldn't change anything about it. But it does represent what I would consider the best made Spydie I own.

I am well aware that there could be significant variation between different versions of the same model, and even within knives in the same run. I likely got lucky scoring the specific knife in my possession which I consider to be the best.

[BG-ThatsMe]

I have some very well made options to choose, but the Vallotton is the winner.

Every curve, line and material interface is exceptional.

The contours, finishes and mechanics are exact.

It’s amazing how much of a value this was just a couple of years ago.

[Abyss_Fish]

Probably my new Kapara. Although I’m more and more impressed with stuff coming out of golden, the last few natives and my mystic manix have been pretty good. Plus I’ll have the smallfly 2 fairly soon, spyderco seems to flourish around the 200 dollar mark.

[Sharp Guy]

That's a tough one! Tough only because I have several that I think are really well made. There's no top dog for me. 40th Native, Fluted Ti Native, Paysan, Sage 4, GB, Advocate, Swayback, Kapara, etc, etc.....

I'd say my Southard is way up there. You'd have to go way up the price ladder to something like CRK or custom to get a better fit and finish.

I hadn't really thought of the Southard but it is way up there. Mine's great!

Add the Southard to the list above. I'm sure there are others that I'm not remembering

[SG89]

Just about anything from Golden and Taichung

[Featherblade]

Watu, Sage 1, Manix 2 LW Maxamet, Native 5 LW S35VN

[kataphraktos]

Another vote for the Chef -- mine is incredibly smooth, rock-solid lockup, modest shake closes it, centering perfect--built like a tank with almost no maintenance. Takes and holds an outstanding edge. It just feels incredibly solid in every way.

Interesting to see mentions of the Southard here. I love my Southard, too, but only after mods. Just IMHO, but I hated the sharp, thin, weird clip and wasn't wile about the original asymmetrical, rough G10 scale (mine has a thinner, more contoured Terotuf scale on the show side now). But the overall F&F, action, lockup, grind, etc. are outstanding.

[MFlovejp]

After pawing through my collection I have to say that my Sage 5 LW is basically flawless. Solid, smooth, with a fantastic factory edge and perfect centering, etc. Runners- up include the Native 5 LW, Chaparral FRN, and LC200 Salt II (great grind and edge on my example.)

[Dan In MI]

I might have a niggle about this Spydie or that, but none has ruined my day.

That's how I am with Case. Granted, my experience with Spydies has been limited, but I'd say they're all built equally well. If anything, the Manix 2 LW I just received might be just a very small bit above the Delicas, Dragonflies, and Manbug.

[wrdwrght]

I might have a niggle about this Spydie or that, but none has ruined my day.

That's how I am with Case. Granted, my experience with Spydies has been limited, but I'd say they're all built equally well. If anything, the Manix 2 LW I just received might be just a very small bit above the Delicas, Dragonflies, and Manbug.

In responding here, I am merely correcting your previous quote of me.

[BLUETYPEII]

For me it has to be Spyderco‘s Euro Edge.

Nothing really compares to the fit, finish & build quality on my example.

[TomAiello]

2. KW exclusive CF/Ti Military

This one is a standout. I think it's the nicest iteration of the military to date.

[The Mastiff]

Going back a ways the BG 42 millie and the CPM M4hc Millie were outstandingly well made knives. They were made for us steel junkies after we asked here on the forum and both were exceedingly well made. '

There have been a bunch I have been more impressed than usual with as far as build quality. It's tough selecting because I am pretty much always happy with the knives I buy which is why I'm still here buying new Spydercos after 29 years.

Joe

[mikey177]

The Drunken and the fluted CF Native 5