How did you get into Spyderco?

[gull wing]

Back in the day........They had a pocket clip. Loved the idea.

[Stelth]

In 1986 I saw my first Spyderco in person at a fancy sportfishing tackle store in the the Florida keys. I was a college freshman and they only sold "rich guy" stuff so I was just browsing. In the middle of the store they had a massive display case full of knives. The Spydercos were the ones I really drooled over. They were more expensive than I could afford so I never bought one there. I finally got my first Spydie via the A.G. Russell catalog a few years later. Here it is:
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[Airlsee]

In 1986 I saw my first Spyderco in person at a fancy sportfishing tackle store in the the Florida keys. I was a college freshman and they only sold "rich guy" stuff so I was just browsing. In the middle of the store they had a massive display case full of knives. The Spydercos were the ones I really drooled over. They were more expensive than I could afford so I never bought one there. I finally got my first Spydie via the A.G. Russell catalog a few years later. Here it is:
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Very nice!! Welcome to the forum! I was born in '86, it's a beautiful knife...

[Stelth]

Thanks! I've been buying them ever since.

[Brown_Recluse]

i randomly bought a Resilience at Walmart in 2017. the next day I went back for the Tenacious. the day after that, i ordered my first PM2. the rest is, as they say, history.

[SpyderLine]

In 1986 I saw my first Spyderco in person at a fancy sportfishing tackle store in the the Florida keys. I was a college freshman and they only sold "rich guy" stuff so I was just browsing. In the middle of the store they had a massive display case full of knives. The Spydercos were the ones I really drooled over. They were more expensive than I could afford so I never bought one there. I finally got my first Spydie via the A.G. Russell catalog a few years later. Here it is:
host pictures

Welcome to the forum! That's quite the story and history that you have with Spyderco!

[bearrowland]

Welcome aboard! Beautiful knife you have there and great background story to go with it.

[Manixguy@1994]

In the late 80’s overseeing inventory at Cat in a 5 story retrieval system I was approached by an electrician who needed to replace a broken voltage meter . He noticed I was carrying a knife on my belt and asked me what was in the sheath .I pulled out my West German Paratrooper gravity knife and handed it to him . He told me he was a knife dealer and if I ever wanted wanted a knife he would give me a catalog. Then he pulled out a Mini Dyad out of his pocket and said most maintenance guys carry this type of knife . He said it was a Spyderco . I said a what ? I was fascinated but wasn’t overly thrilled of the small size . So looked through the catalog and began my journey using and collecting Spyderco knives . Rick and I became best friends going to knife shows and hanging out . Sadly my best friend now is suffering from Frontal Lobal Dementia and the bright light is slowing dimming . I will be with him to help him for whatever he needs . The guy I knew who was a walking data bank of info on knives is passing . I answer his calls daily about knives he doesn’t remember their names . So Spyderco means much more to me than knives it has been part of my life intertwined with friendship . MG2

[freeman7]

I went to a local gun store to buy ammo in the early eighties.Asked a salesman what he would recommend for EDC knife. Walked out with a full serrated edge Worker. Still have it along with many, many other Spydies.

[Pokey]

How did I get into Spyderco? I walked through the front doors.

(I live in CO and stop by the SFO about once a week.)

[S-3 ranch]

Was in a camping store and some EMT / firemen were looking at spyderco knives
And I saw the serrated spydie edge and had to buy a clipit delica for the ranch
Serrated edge was none existent in 1993 except for spyderco

[DrHE]

I was in the Army in the 80s and at the time (86-88) working as a instructor at Pathfinder school at Fort Benning. I always carried a SAK with me (still do) for general cutting tasks but it couldn’t be opened one handed.

While in a local gun shop I noticed this funny looking little stainless knife a hole in the blade. It was a small stainless co-pilot (turns out a gen1) and had a Spyder Edge.

The guy at the counter explained you could open it one handed plus clip it to your pocket and I was sold on the concept. Carried that little guy and it worked as advertised so I became a Spyderco fan. My next was an early police model I bought in the early 90s and carried daily until I bought an early FRN Endura (with molded clip) that I still have.

While I have tried other famous brands (some very expensive ones too) for a short time I always return to Spyderco for the features, reliability, comfort and quality. Since 1987/88 they have been my daily companion. I now have 28 of them and always have a minimum of 2 them on me. They are my go to company for edc knives.

[chronovore]

I'm primarily into flippers and thumb studs. I made the transition from SAKs and traditionals sometime before the turn of the century. Yet, I'd never tried a real Spyderco until recently.

I'd used cheap gas-station/hardware-store knock-offs as early as the mid-1990s. I never really thought about it. Then within the last few years, I tried a couple of Ganzo knives that aped Spyderco designs. One was a close approximation of the Byrd Meadowlark and the other was a variation on the Military. These got me interested in trying the real deal.

My first "real" Spyderco was the Byrd Meadowlark. Honestly, it wasn't great but it was a bit sturdier than the Ganzo. I almost walked away but then I took a gamble on the Dragonfly. I said "what the heck" and now I'm very glad that I did. It was love at first cut. Now my EDC rotation includes a Wharncliffe Dragonfly, a modified Rockjumper, and a modified Sage 5.

[JD Spydo]

It was in the early 90s when I started reading a couple of the more popular knife publications. It was about 1994 when I was starting to notice Spyderco's most unusual knife designs advertised in those magazines. In the Spring of 1995 I bought my first fully serrated Spyderco model at a local gun show here in Kansas City. The very first Spyder I ever got was a stainless handled, full Spyderedged, GIN-1 MARINER model. Shortly after that I had obtained the following Spyderco models: The Merlin, JD Smith, POLICE, HARPY, GODDARD, Jess Horn and my first Catcherman just to name a few.

I bought my first Spyder on the advice of a couple of guys I had hunted with over the years. They both told me that Spyderco had the best serrated knives on the market and I acted on that advice. Needless to say my opinion of serrated knives very much changed for the better>> because before I owned and used my first Spyderco knife I didn't have a good opinion about serrated blades overall. But the full SE MARINER model sure changed my mind.

I didn't join this Forum however until the fall of 2004 and I've been annoying all of you ever since

[Brock O Lee]

I grew up with SAK’s, and grew frustrated by their lack of edge retention. My search for a “good” steel at the time lead me to Spyderco and CTS-20CP (basically S90V).

That was 10 years ago.

Old habits die hard, and I still carry a SAK as a second knife. For the tools and as a sheeple friendly backup blade though.

[VooDooChild]

I was a beach lifeguard. The salt series were the only knives within reason that could make it through a season.

[troutinCO]

First post!!
I was looking to replace a manufacturers product with a new manufacturer, for several reasons.
I wanted to try fancy steel, like Maxamet. I never looked twice at Syderco knives because I thought the hole was "ugly".

Then the ONLINE Seconds Sale happened. Since I never would have paid full price for even a plain jane Spyderco knife to see if I liked it, this was a chance to get a Spyderco in my hand and some fancy steel and not feel I wasted money if I didn't like it after some use.
So, a maxamet steel PM2 for under $100? It was a chance I was willing to take to see what the "ugly" hole was all about and try some fancy steel. My love of function over form was instantly overwhelmed once I had it in hand . The hole made sense, the world was aligned and I kicked myself for never putting one in my hand for so long.
So that is what got me started in Spyderco, the Online Seconds Sale. That 1 knife has turned into 16 other Spyderco knives now that I am not afraid to pick them up.
I took my brother to the Factory Outlet when he was in town last and he walked out with a Manix 2 and a Dragonfly 2. He also had the same light go on after putting one in hand at my encouragement.

I would encourage Spyderco to retain the online seconds sale (even though I'm right up the street from the SFO), if anything to get more converts like myself to the brand.

[Jim Malone]

As a police officer in the beginning of the 90's a needed a knife that could save my hide. Needed something i could open one handed, easy to reach, lightweight and strong. Saw adverts in i believe Guns &Ammo or Guns & weapons for Law Enforcement. Went to my favorite gunstore in Belgium and found a Endura with the plastic clip. Carried it thru my work, imported other models but sticked to Spyderco. Got PTSD. I wear scrubs now so i don't carry a knife at work any more. But carry 24/7 off work. All my pants have clipmarks. Every photo you see of me you see a clip. Tried Benchmade and ZT but never felt the same connection. I feel naked without a Spyderco. Will probably wear one as long as possible. They will probably take it from me when i get dementia or they will find one on my corpse if i don't die naked in bed. And will probaby try to clip on on my diaper in the retirement home.
For some mysterious reason i still have my first Spyderco....

[hvarcz]

I start colecting Spyderco after heart transplant. Doctor said find hobbies so I did.
My life will be much easier if I choose different company.
Im 4 and half year after Tx.

Believe or not this is my colection (not full) and I start in 2018:
https://hvarcz.rajce.idnes.cz/Spyderco/

[lilshaver]

I think I tripped and fell in head first as best I remember.