Wow, I somehow missed this topic in June! Sorry for replying to an older thread ... Also, I'm from Belgium, so pardon my English as well.
I purchased multiple Spydercos: PM2 in s110v, Para 3 CF in s90v, 3 natives (Maxamet, fluted s90v, and Salt), the Spydiechef, Kapara, Sage 5, Techno and Chaparral in FRN. I love each and everyone of them. I own almost no other knives. Yet since I've bought the Manly Wasp in s90v, my Spydercos' performance seem lacking. It's the thickness behind the edge.
I am convinced that as a company that aims for high performance, Spyderco should address the issue. Now, I do remember the Nilakka incident a few years ago. It was an extremely efficient slicer, but because of the association with a sturdy Puukko the customer expected a higher level of toughness. Managing expectations through communication and knife model choice is an important take away, I think. This drives my suggestions below: when can thin edges be effectively communicated?
It's not easy to point at a current model to have thin edges on their blade. For instance: I don't think the Delica would be a good candidate. This is the first real 'good knife' many people buy. I don't think that 10 thou BTE would render a steel much more likely to chip, but a person's first knife might not be the best idea.
Unfortunately, what is a good choice for myself, would perhaps not be the best choice for Spyderco. I would *love* a Para 3 that's thin BTE. But I don't think the PM2 should be (as it is often the first 'hard user' that people buy) and the Para is positioned as an equally capable sibling. Thin edges would be difficult to communicate.
I think the Sage lightweight series might be a good candidate. They already have some of the thinnest BTE, I hear. They don't have the hard use image of the PM2 and Para 3. Things are currently changing with the Sages, too. They're no longer just exhibition pieces for lock types (unless the lightweight compression lock is considered a separate lock). The handle material changes. I hear there are different steel option in the future as well. In terms of managing and even creating expectations, the 'new' Sage series would be a safe start. I would buy it in a heartbeat.
The spydiechef is another, and more obvious, candidate . People don't consider it a hard use knife, but a slicer that could feel at home in a kitchen. A thinner edge might even be framed as a CQI.
Finally, the native line. Maybe it's wishful thinking as it would be my own first choice. The native has been a platform for so many steels: s35vn, m4, cruwaer, s90v, s110v, maxamet, lc200n. It is a model that people actually associate with a platform. People that buy a native in maxamet have different expectations from those that buy the lc200n one. There is a potential here for a thin BTE option or line. People would 'get' it. I would buy it. In a heartbeat.
Now for new models. I read that a potential collaboration with Shawn might be coming up. This *has* to be thin BTE as that's his trademark. If the model is even halfway decent (and preferably not too large for EDC in Belgium), it's a must buy for me.
Thanks for having me on this forum.