How did you get into Spyderco?

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
Michael Janich
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#21

Post by Michael Janich »

Dear mmadison:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

Stay safe,

Mike
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CPM-Greg
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#22

Post by CPM-Greg »

I started scuba diving and went shopping for a diving knife. Rather than buy a knife from a company that makes masks and fins, I looked for a diving knife from a knife company. My selection criteria brought me to Spyderco and the H1 Enuff fixed blade SE. (I also bought an H1 Pacific Salt 2 and Dragonfly to use on the boat). Many years later I have Spydercos ranging from the lil Lum to the big Subvert, with lots in between. 😊😊

Thanks!

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Thinking about which Taichung blade to get next.......
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Pete1977
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#23

Post by Pete1977 »

I carried a PE black handle atlantic salt scuba diving and going boating and to the beach and also commercial fishing for several years.
I have been out of the Spyderco world for a while so it is interesting to hear everyone’s stories.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#24

Post by Rinzler »

A large competitor decided it was in their interest to 1. Cut up guns, and 2. Donate to anti gun politicians.

This may not matter to some on here, but it did for me. I sold off my knives from that particular manufacturer and have spent over $10k on spyderco in these last 2.5 years. That money would have went to the other company had they not chosen to support causes and act in ways that have nothing to do with knives.
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PStone
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#25

Post by PStone »

TL;DR
1-Walmart
2-Spyderco forum


Walmart. I seriously did all my knife shopping at my local Walmart. They sell Buck. Laugh it up if you want (not you EvilD), but if it wasn’t for Walmart selling the Tenacious, I might not have discovered this rabbit hole. I bought it because it looked bada$$ in the display. The only steels I knew by names were 420HC and S30V. Not anything about them other than their names. And I didn’t know how to sharpen any other way than the pull through carbide sharpener that Smith’s also sells at Walmart.

It was that love for the Tenacious I had once I started using it that spurred me to google the letters and numbers on the blade that turned out to be the blade steel. Google eventually led me here. Lurked for a long time. Bought a ManixXL. Bought an all black PM2. Had a collection of 3 lock types and was happy. Plus I was very proud of my S30V knifes.

But I kept coming back here and reading more and more about everything I could. It’s literally a “Spyder-web” of information that leads from one topic into another. Questions lead to answers, which lead to more questions, which lead to more and more to discover and learn. I still can’t get enough. Everyday I visit at least once.

And it doesn’t matter if you’re using your knifes for fun or for work. For protection or for competition. For testing or for real world specific uses. Even if you don’t use your knifes at all and simply collect to collect, this is the place that welcomes you. I tend to lurk more than I share, and that’s ok. Nobody ever frowns upon that here. And I think that’s what got me REALLY into Spyderco. The forum here. If you read this far, thank you. That’s what I’m talking about. :bug-red
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Pete1977
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#26

Post by Pete1977 »

PStone wrote:
Wed Aug 04, 2021 2:52 pm
TL;DR
1-Walmart
2-Spyderco forum


Walmart. I seriously did all my knife shopping at my local Walmart. They sell Buck. Laugh it up if you want (not you EvilD), but if it wasn’t for Walmart selling the Tenacious, I might not have discovered this rabbit hole. I bought it because it looked bada$$ in the display. The only steels I knew by names were 420HC and S30V. Not anything about them other than their names. And I didn’t know how to sharpen any other way than the pull through carbide sharpener that Smith’s also sells at Walmart.

It was that love for the Tenacious I had once I started using it that spurred me to google the letters and numbers on the blade that turned out to be the blade steel. Google eventually led me here. Lurked for a long time. Bought a ManixXL. Bought an all black PM2. Had a collection of 3 lock types and was happy. Plus I was very proud of my S30V knifes.

But I kept coming back here and reading more and more about everything I could. It’s literally a “Spyder-web” of information that leads from one topic into another. Questions lead to answers, which lead to more questions, which lead to more and more to discover and learn. I still can’t get enough. Everyday I visit at least once.

And it doesn’t matter if you’re using your knifes for fun or for work. For protection or for competition. For testing or for real world specific uses. Even if you don’t use your knifes at all and simply collect to collect, this is the place that welcomes you. I tend to lurk more than I share, and that’s ok. Nobody ever frowns upon that here. And I think that’s what got me REALLY into Spyderco. The forum here. If you read this far, thank you. That’s what I’m talking about. :bug-red
Great post PStone-
I lurk more than post. And indeed this place is a Spyder-web that keeps you here- in a good way. I have been given knives by total strangers and given knives to total strangers. Those knives are far more valuable to me than any I could have bought. And I hope the ones I gave away made someones day. I am primarily a user but was a pretty significant accumulator when I first joined. When I expressed interest in a certain model there was always someone who would offer to send me one. I’m carrying a Yellow SE H1 Atlantic Salt Boxer93 sent me several years ago as I type this. Even Sal himself thought nothing of sending me a couple of Byrds to review. And there were times when I had knives that I knew I would never use- they just werent me, and I knew would be worth more to someone here than they were to me selling them (a burgundy zdp-189 calypso jr, a blue and a black Yojimbo, some others I cant remember) so I gave them away.
I have carried and used most brands of production knives but I always ended up with Spyderco- since the late 1990s i couldnt do without an opening hole or pocket clip, and Spyderco pioneered serrated blades.
In the 2010s when I was a poor commercial fisherman and couldnt afford to buy knives I wasnt going to use and couldnt afford high end knives- my go-to every day carry knife was a Byrd Rescue. I grew accustomed to not buying things I wouldn’t use and unfortunately Spyderco knives were one of them. After a career change, my girlfriend’s parents gave me a little Buck knife which I carry and have for the last 3 or 4 years. A few months ago I got it in my head to get a new knife and finally last week a new-to-me SS PE Police made it into my pocket and got me back on the forums.
Spyderco has come a long long way since I bought my first one and will always be my first choice for an every day carry knife.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#27

Post by momano »

I was middle-aged and taking Tae Kwon Do at the community college with my 3 kids. I saw a story in Karate Illustrated (?) magazine about the Delica and Endura for self-defense purposes. When I tracked them down, I settled on a SS SE Delica.
It was wonderful- with my gloves on, I could open the Delica one-handed, and slice right through a jack-hammer air hose. I carried it for years until I saw a Native at Walmart. My favorite knife now is the Salt Native.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#28

Post by Big_Tex »

For me it was the BHQ Shaman… absolutely love that knife… been collecting shamans since and now I’ve purchased others… seeing Sal interact on this thread has really impressed me and made me love the brand even more
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Z-Wear/Micarta Shaman
Magnacut Native 5 LW
k390 Endela

:bug-red : 73 Spydies in the collection
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PStone
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#29

Post by PStone »

Pete1977 wrote:
Wed Aug 04, 2021 3:44 pm
Thanks Pete. Welcome back! One of my most used, cherished and favorite knifes is a ProGrip Venator factory 2nd combo edge that was gifted to me by forum member ShaneInDenver. It has been custom modded by him to reprofile a broken blade. It’s now a delica size/shape. The knife lives in my car console and is used almost everyday. It’s priceless.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#30

Post by Pokey »

In about '93 or '94 I had a coworker who ordered a couple of Enduras. When he received them I looked them over and decided to buy a couple of Delicas, one PE and one SE. In the following years I bought a Jess Horn LW, a Dragonfly, and a Delica 2 &3. I ended up carrying the Delica 3 most of the time.

About ten years ago I moved to Colorado and only stopped by Spyderco once to have some repairs done on the knives. I now pass about 9 miles from Spyderco on my way to and from work. It was around '17 that I got interested in knives again. The collection has grown about tenfold since then, not counting the ones I've bought as gifts for friends.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#31

Post by Albertaboyscott »

I've carried knives most of my life. I've lived in the yukon, bc, nwt, alberta and northern manitoba. Fishing camping and hunting were/are part of life so a good knife is a must. Fixed and folding. I admit I usually purchased more tradition style blades (Kershaw as an example) and didn't quite know what to think of spyderco. They just looked strange to me. A friend talked me into a native5 frn about 15yrs ago and I've rarely bought another brand since. Love the different steels to try and NOTHING slices like a spydie. Full flat grind rules. Cheers
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#32

Post by Deadboxhero »

For me I got hooked on Spyderco because of all the crazy cool different steels they offered. It was all about the steel but not always.

A while back, I started as a knife sharpener before I was a knife geek, at the time I never understood what the big deal was about the different kinds of steels, just sharpen em, who cares.

First Spyderco was a Manix 2 with the S30v fancy pants steel. My first PM steel. Still a good steel, just that variety is the spice of life is all.


Well, a few more knives later and I got a taste for the different steels, my mind was blown, it was a different experience in how the edge came up and the kinds of edges they took and held.

Also, got a taste for the edge retention, blew my mind. I didn't have to stop what I was doing to touch up the edge while cutting, I could Sharpen when I wanted to not because I had too.
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Michael Janich
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#33

Post by Michael Janich »

Dear claryyy:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

Stay safe,

Mike
Chuck James
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#34

Post by Chuck James »

I'd been using kershaw knives for pocket carry for quite a few years and seem to always be searching for something. Decided to give Spyderco a try and Think I've found what I've been searching for.

Very glad I gave Spyderco a try!!!!!! :cheap-sunglasses
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#35

Post by scout »

A Navy buddy bought a Rescue back in ‘93. It had a yellow handle and full serrations. I was really intrigued by the one hand opening and pocket clip. I went to a local dealer in San Diego and picked up a Delica and the rest was a long journey to find more knives for work. The design was sound, but I needed more edge holding than Gin1 could provide. I carried two knives for a while. Gin1 was great for nylon and poly rope. Manila rope needed some toothiness to the edge. I carried a Buck for Manila rope and Spyderco for poly.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#36

Post by Doc Dan »

Back in those early days I went into a local gun and sporting goods store looking for a good knife. The owner introduced me to Spyderco. No one had ever heard of that company but every knife was sharper than I could believe. I ended up buying a Viele. I loved the fit and finish and the dark brown micarta (I think). It was a beautiful knife and so sharp it should have been illegal. After I bought it, the knife was so slick and there was no guard, that I almost cut myself very badly when my hand slid forward while using it. So, I took it back and got something else. Years later, I still remembered how otherwise nice that knife was. When I got sick of my frame locks and liner locks opening in my pocket and giving me little cuts when I put my hand inside, I started looking for something to replace the one I carried most commonly. I wanted a knife of the same size, but with a back lock. what I found was the Spyderco Caly3. It was, and is, perfect. After that, I was hooked.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#37

Post by mikey177 »

A combo edge Endura in ATS55 was my gateway Spydie. That, plus another Endura in ATS34 were my only Spyderco knives for about a decade.

Then, when a local retailer started carrying the brand at a decent price, my rate of Spyderco acquisition suddenly shot up, helped in large part by all the enablers on this forum.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#38

Post by steeljustice »

Started working at a sporting goods store that sold them.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#39

Post by KnotTheory »

It was the late nineties and I was doing a lot of work that required sweating and muscles at the time.

I went through a series of knives, most of them of not very good quality, and was just constantly unhappy with them. I've always been a pocket knife bug since I was very, very young, they always fascinated me, and I'd carried mostly slipjoints for most of my life but more and more that wasn't, pardon the pun, cutting it.

One day on impulse I bought a PE stainless steel Endura in AUS6. Not the one I should have bought (I later wound up with an FRN in AT-55). And I was floored. It was amazing.

I've since learned that there's a whole world of good and great knives out there, but I've had a lot more Spydercos since then. Something about the way Spyderco puts things together is just something I grok.
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Re: How did you get into Spyderco?

#40

Post by Superflex »

I was pretty big in to backpacking in the 80's and 90's and never had a great knife I loved. Started with a Victoronix Camper but never liked the fact the blade didnt lock.
Bought my first Spydie at Sun and Ski Sports in 1994. Delica 2 CE with a molded pocket clip. Had that for about 3 years before I lost it at Red River Gorge.
Returned to Sun and Ski in 1997 for a Delica 3 CE. Still have it.
About 3 years ago I decided to look at Spyderco's website and was blown away by the number of models and steels.
17 knives later...
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