Are We Spyder-Heads In the Blade Steel Minority?

[JD Spydo]

The answer to your question (Are We Spyder-Heads In the Blade Steel Minority?) is, in my opinion, obviously yes.

We are the minority because the vast majority the only thing they know about their knives is that they are made of steel (many, millions maybe, would even say that they are made of iron ...).

Spyderco is IMHO a peculiar company because its customers are peculiar. And vice versa. I suppose it is a process of mutual interaction that shapes the company on the one hand and the clients on the other. Probably if Spyderco increased its production 10 times, it would have trouble selling 90% of the increase. And if it were reduced to a tenth of the current one, 90% of us would be left with the unsatisfied desire to buy our favorite knives.

Spyderco would be difficult to understand without its peculiar clients (us) and the peculiar tastes that we have developed would be difficult to understand without Spyderco ...

Everything you just stated in "Spot On". And the more I think about your post it pretty much describes this group of fans and afficionados here at Spyderville precisely. Just yesterday an old friend noticed me using my C-60 Ayoob to open a package with. He immediately wanted to look at the knife. Right away I was telling him what type of steel it was made of and that it had a G-10 handle>> I might as well have been trying to explain "quantum physics" to this guy :rolleyes: . I could tell by the look on his face that he didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about. And this guy actually worked in a machine shop for a couple of years way back in the late 80s. But he had no idea what VG-10 was or what G-10 handle material was and he acted as though he could care less.

He then started bragging about a Schrade Old Timer hunter folder that he had owned for at least 30 years and he tried to compare it to my Spyderco C-60 Ayoob. It was as though he was in a totally different paradigm>> and I'm getting the feeling that most of us here in Spyderville are the exception rather than your average knife fan. And I've got a feeling that most knife owners are a lot like he is.

Yeah you make some good points.

[standy99]

Not a knife steel snob. I have plenty of likes (carbon steels) I have plenty of dislikes (flippers)

But I am comfortable enough financially to be able to afford a better steel (as they do come at a cost)
And
I am informed and educated about what steels are better thanks in part to the Spyderco brand.

Being a butcher for about 20 years and nowadays sharpening a lot of steels and knives. All knives will get super sharp buts it’s the how long and how easy to get to this and what environment it can do this in.

From 35 years ago getting a new knife for the boat every year due to rust, to having a Spyderco H1 on the boat for more than 20 years

[Menipo]

Everything you just stated in "Spot On". And the more I think about your post it pretty much describes this group of fans and afficionados here at Spyderville precisely. Just yesterday an old friend noticed me using my C-60 Ayoob to open a package with. He immediately wanted to look at the knife. Right away I was telling him what type of steel it was made of and that it had a G-10 handle>> I might as well have been trying to explain "quantum physics" to this guy :rolleyes: . I could tell by the look on his face that he didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about. And this guy actually worked in a machine shop for a couple of years way back in the late 80s. But he had no idea what VG-10 was or what G-10 handle material was and he acted as though he could care less.

He then started bragging about a Schrade Old Timer hunter folder that he had owned for at least 30 years and he tried to compare it to my Spyderco C-60 Ayoob. It was as though he was in a totally different paradigm>> and I'm getting the feeling that most of us here in Spyderville are the exception rather than your average knife fan. And I've got a feeling that most knife owners are a lot like he is.

Yeah you make some good points.

Thank you, Sir.

[James Y]

Joe

I'm a little surprised that the guy you mentioned who worked in a machine shop had never heard of G10. IIRC, it was originally used as a circuit board material, but it was also used for other things long before it was ever used for knife handles. And it was invented back in the 1950s.

I CAN understand him not knowing anything about VG-10 steel, though.

Jim

[kennethsime]

I have friend who's started collecting Japanese kitchen knives, putting together a small set, and that's been his gateway to appreciate good steel.

He knows enough about knife steel to understand that its 3 attributes are generally trade offs - wear resistance, toughness, and corrosion resistance. He was amazed that my Stretch had the same steel as his Kanetsune petty knife. He was excited to hear about Magnacut, which does a **** of a job as an all-around knife steel. Meanwhile, I gave him an M390 Para 3 last year that I don't think he's taken out of the box - can't wait until he asks me if he should buy some Bradford kitchen knives! :rolleyes:

I feel like Spydercos start to appeal to people when they start appreciating the finer points of pocket knives - the steel, the ergonomics, the edge geometry, etc. On the face of it, the LW line especially can seem "over-priced." Once you start appreciating the little things, they seem like a **** of a deal.