Pride Review

[Mr Blonde]

The Pride doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention on the forums, which could imply that the knife is not very interesting. This is certainly not the case! I know, it doesn’t lock; it’s small and looks unappealing. The size and locking mechanism were design parameters if you will, the knife is supposed to be that way. It’s looks however, are a different story.



When looking for information on the Pride on the Internet I noticed the knife wasn’t very good looking, even for a ‘designed-in-the-dark-spyderco’, on most digital pictures the knife looks cheap. All angles on the blade and handle are rounded, and the handle material looks cheap. Most pictures would make you believe the knife to be riveted together. However, once you hold it in your hand, the knife is –much- better looking. I didn’t buy my Pride for looks, but for it’s intended design: a PC-EDC travel folder. Although, Once I got my grubby mitts on the knife, this little folder surprised me.



The handle is comprised of rough textured aluminum. The inlay looks classy and solid, probably won’t come off unintentionally. The handle is not riveted, but constructed using Philips-head screws, the clip covers the pivot, but maybe it is adjustable? The handle also features, quite unexpectedly, double steel liners! The navigator pattern is, as most of you will know, very ergonomic and offers a secure grip.



The clip is another surprise. I usually have a **** of a time getting a good grip for drawing a sub-compact-tip-down spydie. Usually, there is insufficient room for a pinch-grip from the waistband or pocket. The Pride is refined in this area. The wire-like clip design + position of the clip screws + rough texture/pivot pin on the opposite side = excellent grip for presenting and opening this micro-machine…left-handed! I am left-handed after all. Another pleasant surprise.



-continued-



Edited by - Mr Blonde on 4/14/2004 12:02:19 PM
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<a href="/forums/attachmentarchive/11161-7-Pride_2.gif" target="_new">View Attachment...</a>

[Mr Blonde]

The Pride is even more carry-friendly than the previous Navigator pattern. Every angle on the blade and handle is rounded, probably to give the knife a softer look than the Navigator. This helps tremendously to make the knife carry-friendly, a complete bevel-package so to speak. Especially useful when carried IWB.

The slip joint “lock” is hard to unlock, so to speak. Opening the knife, therefore, is not smooth at all, compared to locking Spydies. It does get a little better after a few opening and closing cycles helped by a drop of Tuff-glide, but you can’t have everything with a slip-joint. For my money, I accept rough opening if I get a stiff unlocking mechanism. Overall, the large opening hole helps to soften up the opening action of the Pride. Bottom line: Opening is smooth, but not when compared to…say a Delica. But in return, your fingers get a little more protection.

OK so far, the Pride looks right, carries right and draws right, but how does it cut. Easy, like any other Spyderco in this format, the edge does seem a bit thinner than on the last Navigator model (blue almite, slotted handle) and the grind also seems a bit higher, but I feel no noticeable cutting advantage. It cuts everything a knife of this size should cut, and more. I attacked a big heavy, taped up cardboard box with knife. Several times, I pierce the side of the box and proceeded to cut out a square. Doing this, you can feel the torque and strain that’s put on the blade. The Pride, probably due to its thin edge, rough slip-joint “lock” and deep choil, did not fail me in any way. The blade did not want to close and cut through the box quite well. Daily use should be much easier on the little knife, where fruit, strings, envelopes and articles would be the most prevalent cutting media.

-continued-

[Mr Blonde]

I did run into one problem when using the Pride for the first couple of days. After each cutting chore, my fingers kept looking for the unlocking bar. It’s a strange sensation to feel your fingers doing something as uncontrollable (at first) like that, while you’re always concentrated on the fact that you’re using a sharp instrument. No cuts to date though. I am trained on Victorinox Swiss Army knives, but be careful nonetheless. I can imagine it could be dangerous if you’re rotating Navigators, Meerkats and Prides! The AUS8 steel is a breeze to sharpen, especially considering Spyderco’s thin edge.

Another plus, despite the clip location the Pride is very –very- lefty friendly. The handle is thick enough for opening sans aid of gripping the clip.

The non-locking feature plus the flag of the country you’re traveling in/to should make it a breeze to fly through customs and security personnel. “ Hey, I love your country so much, I bought this diminutive non-locking folder with your flag on it to celebrate my enjoyable holidays” . TIP: don’t say this when you’re carrying a Civilian for back-up <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>, but the Pride should be an excellent ultra-sheeple friendly public use knife, even if you’re not traveling, while you carry your larger folder discreetly for emergency uses.

-continued-

[Mr Blonde]

Most importantly, the knife looks and feels a lot better than you’d think from most on-line pictures. Would I want to change anything? Sure, I would like to get one with a Dutch flag! These Prides could make great “ trading cards”. I am ‘proud’ to put this one in its new -bug logo- travel pouch, in my suitcase.

I made some photos in an attempt to make the knife look better, as well as demonstrating the enormous versatility in possible grips with this knife.

PS guess where I am going to….;-) eyh?

Cheers,

Wouter


Edited by - Mr Blonde on 4/14/2004 12:04:44 PM

[Mr Blonde]

Just some more pix

Wouter

[Jimmy_Dean]

That was on **** of a long post. But it was good reading though. Ive never really been interested by the pride but Ill have a look at the dealer. This goes to say that you never know

-Dean

[J Smith]

I been waiting for one of the rebel flag models to pop up.

<img src=http://techhelpers.net/e4u/drink/trink36.gif

[Jurphaas]

Prima post Wouter! It shows exactly where small things can be GIANTS. I also liked your post in chapters. It was good reading and it gave a real good impression of what this little knife can and can not do. Thanks and "Tot Ziens"
Jur.

Clipits work!

[Mr Blonde]

I spread my post over several posts, so that the attached pics could be attached as the story comes along, rather than posting 3 seperate posts with just pictures.

Thanks for the kind words Jimmy- Dean and Jurphaas. I hope to score a nice flat ground Grohmann in Canada in a couple of weeks. Tot ziens,

Wouter

[Ted]

Wouter, nice review!

There's one 'positive' side to the fact that the Pride was never a big seller ( in Europe ). It resulted in the development of the Spyderco UK Penknife. A Calypso Jr shaped slipjoint with G-10 scales and S30V (flat ground) steel.

Ted


<A HREF="http://www.ted.tweakdsl.nl/spyderco/spyderco.html" TARGET=_blank><B><FONT SIZE=1>CLICK HERE FOR A LIST WITH ALL SPYDERCO MODELS</B></FONT></A>

[redline]

Nice pics.
I agree with what you say about the pride not looking good in photos, this has always put me off getting one, although I've never seen one in the flesh, so I've been waiting for the new Penknife model.
But now, your pics have changed my mind. It looks a lot better than I thought, and I'm going to have to get one as well as the Penknife. What flag though?


<*)###>{

[voxnaes]

"Would I want to change anything? Sure, I would like to get one with a Dutch flag!"

It´s funny that you can get the Pride with the Danish flag but not with the Dutch (Since the Pride is illigal in Denmark!)
Vox.

[Ted]

Is the Pride also illegal in Denmark? It's not even a locking folder!!
What is legal then?

Edit: I think I remember - one hand opening folders....
Ted

Edited by - Ted on 4/15/2004 6:14:10 AM

[Mr Blonde]

Voxnaes, to those yanks Dutch and Danish is the same people right? <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

The UK Penknife is -very- sweet, a true PC-Knifenut-folder.

Wouter

[AllenETreat]

Blondie -

You're wrong on that count ( for the most part <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>) -

The Dutch ( of Holland ) and the Danes are
breeds apart. I know some Amies couldn't
find either if ya' showed them a map.

About the only thing I got confused ( voxnaes corrected me ) was the WWII factoid
that the Quisilings were Norwegian NAZI puppets - Denmark had it's own.

As for the Pride -

Denmark ( according to vox ) has a "zero tolerance" to ANY folding knife.

I think the Pride is under-rated as well ;
people got spoiled AFAICS with the "tactical" rather than "traditional"
jacknife & slip joint folders. Hence the
lack of interest. I'd actually like to see
a Pride in G-10 w/ a <img src="spyder.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0> logo on it. But, as
with most dreams here, I believe it's just a
dream, and little more.

AET

Some things are necessary evils, some things are more evil than necessary. John Le Carre

[redline]

Now that's an idea - a G10 Pride as a smaller brother to the new Penknife!!!
Sal, are you reading this?
I'll have 2 of them!!!

[Kohai]

Hey Wout,

Very interesting post and the pics are great!
Took some time reading your posts, but it was worth while!

Thanks for the info!

b.t.w. thinking of keeping the Dodo....

[Mr Blonde]

Kohai, it's a good knife and you won't have to worry about putting scratches on it.

<img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle border=0>

Wouter

[dynaryder]

When I first got my Pride(free from SFO w/my Forum Hawk set),it felt funny cause there wasn't a lock to push. Then I figured a trick. I put my index finger under the choil(like I normally would for a front lock) and then instead of pushing a lock,I'd push the base of the blade. The choil would hit my finger and then I'd rotate it out of the way and close it w/my thumb;just like I would a front lock. Now it almost feels as natural as a 'regular' Spydie.

[Little claw]

voxnaes:

what is legal to carry in Denmark?

not one hand?
locking?
blade/edge length?

what do you carry, or what would you look for in an ideal EDC?

The Fallkniven U2 looks good to me if locks are ok.

Mr. Blonde

Thx for the review and pics, apparently the other reviews and pics that I've seen don't do this knife justice. I'll have to pick one up now.