Two Obscure Spyderco Gems: The C-56 Zowada & The Rookie

[JD Spydo]

Being the Spyderco "Old School" enthusiast that I am I often browse through some of my old catalogs from time to time. Last night two older Spyderco models that caught my eye and both I dearly miss are the C-56 Zowada Model and the Rookie model.

Both of those models had modest blade lengths and both would be ideal to give to a "non-knife" person who just wants a really dependable folder for most everyday cutting jobs. The Zowada model in particular was another of the old school models that I wondered why it didn't sell better than it did at that time. But you can say the same about the Rookie model which for years I've gone on record saying is probably the perfect sized model for virtually anyone to carry.

Both models had far too short of a tenure on the main line up and both should be considered for another run at some point. So let's chat about these somewhat forgotten Spyderco "gems" from the past.

[yablanowitz]

The only Zowada I have is a factory second of the CF Sprint Run. It strikes me as a modern take on the classic Italian stilletto. Good knife, but not really my cup of tea.

As much as I love the Police Model, I'm not a huge fan of the Rookie. I think it's cool that it has a longer blade and shorter handle with the same overall length as the Delica, but that shorter handle created some issues for me.

[aicolainen]

Don’t think I’ve heard about the Zowada before. Doesn’t appear to be my cup of tea either.
The Rookie on the other hand, it definitely deserves another run. If they do another run in G10 and whatever steel, I can promise Sal right now I’ll buy at least two. At least.

[Evil D]

I always liked the Zowada but when it was out I was much more tight with my collection and much less adventures with my purchases so I never got one.


Zowada


Rookie

[DerRock]

I would definitely buy Zowada, I missed the last Sprint Run I have a Rookie, version in green G10. Nice knife, but too small. I wouldn't take another one.

[Zive]

JD, I love this series, but would you mind including photos when you make these throwback threads?

Would save a lot of readers from googling each model you post about.

Thanks

[yablanowitz]

I think that's the purpose, piquing your interest so you'll look them up.

[Reject]

[wrdwrght]

Does JD stimulate Reject’s posts? Whether they’re a tag-team, I’ve acquired a fair number of old-school Spydies because of their posts.

I admire the Zowada but pull back every time I see it on eBay (same with the Euroedge). Negative blade-angle is a must for me.

The Rookie calls me but other Spydies on eBay have jumped to the front when it has shown up.

[JD Spydo]

The only Zowada I have is a factory second of the CF Sprint Run. It strikes me as a modern take on the classic Italian stilletto. Good knife, but not really my cup of tea.

As much as I love the Police Model, I'm not a huge fan of the Rookie. I think it's cool that it has a longer blade and shorter handle with the same overall length as the Delica, but that shorter handle created some issues for me.

Hey YAB is your's an AUS-8 blade or VG-10? The first three Zowada models I ever got were all AUS-8 blades >> it took me a while to finally nail down one of the original in VG-10. Not sure why the newer VG-10 models were harder to obtain? There was some really interesting models that came out of that AUS-8 era.

Also my first ROOKIE model ever was ATS-55. Just saying

[JD Spydo]

Does JD stimulate Reject’s posts? Whether they’re a tag-team, I’ve acquired a fair number of old-school Spydies because of their posts.

I admire the Zowada but pull back every time I see it on eBay (same with the Euroedge). Negative blade-angle is a must for me.

The Rookie calls me but other Spydies on eBay have jumped to the front when it has shown up.

Our Good Brother "REJECT" is quite The MAN. At some point I've just got to meet him face to face for a serious cup of high grade coffee and to compare notes that we've both obtained over the years from the "Spyder-Kingdom".

But dude I hear what you're saying because many of my "old school" threads seem to bring this guy out in the open like magic. If you're talking a classic Spyder from what I affectionately call "The Golden ERA of SPYDERS (1998-2004) it does seem like you can absolutely count on Brother REJECT to come out of nowhere with a great set of pics and some timely information.

If we ever are able to create a Spyderco "HALL OF FAME" you can be assured that Brother REJECT will get voted in on the first ballot for sure.

[Doc Dan]

Honestly I don’t think that I would go for either model. It’s not that there is anything wrong with them. It’s just that there are other knives that do really well that are already in production. Also I don’t like those kinds of swedges or knives and I don’t like tactical looking knives.

[Menipo]

Don’t think I’ve heard about the Zowada before. Doesn’t appear to be my cup of tea either.
The Rookie on the other hand, it definitely deserves another run. If they do another run in G10 and whatever steel, I can promise Sal right now I’ll buy at least two. At least.

Same here. I'll buy at least half a dozen (to use, have a replacement JIC, and make some of my best friends happy).

[Peter1960]

JD, I love this series, but would you mind including photos when you make these throwback threads?

In all my years in the forums I can't remember that JD ever postet a picture. This makes me thinking JD and photos are incompatible ...

[aicolainen]

Honestly I don’t think that I would go for either model. It’s not that there is anything wrong with them. It’s just that there are other knives that do really well that are already in production. Also I don’t like those kinds of swedges or knives and I don’t like tactical looking knives.

I'm with you, a 100%. Still there is something about the Rookie that is pulling me in. Hard.
In my estimation the size is just about perfect for my hands, and it looks so incredibly balanced in pictures with what appears to be a pretty good blade to handle ratio, and the lines, the swedge, the blade shape all just completes the package. I can subscribe to that, even though I'm not even slightly a tactical dude by any interpretation of that word.
Let's put it like this; when it comes to cars, I'm all about 4x4's, but if someone offered me a pristine 67' Mustang, well.. my heart would go soft on me for sure.

[twinboysdad]

Does JD stimulate Reject’s posts? Whether they’re a tag-team, I’ve acquired a fair number of old-school Spydies because of their posts.

I admire the Zowada but pull back every time I see it on eBay (same with the Euroedge). Negative blade-angle is a must for me.

The Rookie calls me but other Spydies on eBay have jumped to the front when it has shown up.

I thought it was just me with the negative blade angle? Early in my knife hobby I tried both the Emerson A100 and mini A100 as most of that brands tactical stuff is not my cup of tea. Both were straight as an arrow and made tasks that negative blade angle simply, harder. Wrist has to cant more

[Mushroom]

I've always wanted to try the Rookie, I really like the size of it. I still think a sprint run with K390 and Dark Blue G10 scales would be awesome.

I've never really given the Zowada much attention. The design has never appealed to me as much as some others, so I often overlooked it.

[Zive]

I've always wanted to try the Rookie, I really like the size of it. I still think a sprint run with K390 and Dark Blue G10 scales would be awesome.

This would get my money in a heartbeat. Would love that design and steel combo and would be great to have a modernized version of the Rookie.

[JD Spydo]

JD, I love this series, but would you mind including photos when you make these throwback threads?

In all my years in the forums I can't remember that JD ever postet a picture. This makes me thinking JD and photos are incompatible ...

No it's not that at all Peter For the past 4 years I've been bombarded with medical bills and re-occurring medical problems. Which has put my cash flow in a very precarious situation. I even had one of my knee replacements from 2014 go bad and they had to remove it and put a newer type of knee replacement a couple of years back.

Not to mention the horrible fall I took face-first a little over a year ago into a paved concrete surface. I won't bore you all with any more details. But needless to say my medical travesties and all the copays have prevented me from buying a lot of stuff in the past 2 to 3 years especially. However I am clawing my way back ASAP and hopefully I'll be getting some more equipment soon so I can accommodate everyone with more pictures and so forth. Many facets of my life have been like the lyrics of a very sad country & western song in recent times.

But I'm working on it

[Peter1960]

In all my years in the forums I can't remember that JD ever postet a picture. This makes me thinking JD and photos are incompatible ...

No it's not that at all Peter

Joe, I knew about your blows, not all of them, but some of them. Therefore I very much hope that from now on your life will take a straight course and that it will be steep upwards. That's how I want my comment to be understood, it was a joke, no one is forcing you to take pictures.

BTW and back to topic - the original Tim Zowada is one of my better pieces in my hoard of Spydies.