Your toughest Spyderco Folder

[ZrowsN1s]

Easily my 4V Shaman.

I'll second that, 4V Shaman is my toughest spyderco folder, for the steel, geometry, the handle, lock. 4V Manix too. I've see the K390 Police take an impressive amount of abuse.

[anycal]

I don't normally push my knives to the toughness limit. If I do, I reach for a beater, or oldest of the bunch.

This particular PM2 has been through more than any other knife. Stabbed, dropped, torqued, and yes, even batoned. We have friendly fire starting competitions when camping, and this one has been part of that few times.

Independent of steel, it is a tough knife. G10, full liners, screw (as oppose to floating) stop pin. The actions and locking is still as good as new.

[tonijedi]

Easy... Aqua Salt! It unfolds from the sheath and folds back :D

[Larry_Mott]

I'd say: (in no praticular order)
Tuff
Li'l Temperance
O.G. Manix Back lock
Gunting
Chinook
Superleaf
Shaman

[Evil D]

I would think about the overall construction of the knife before I focus too much on steel. Just because a knife has a well known tough steel doesn't mean the KNIFE will be tougher overall than another model.

Agree with all your points ... the reason why I picked the Native over Chinook (1 and 4), Tuff and even Ti Cruwear Manix 2, is because the Native Pivot is the same size as the Manix 2, but the Native blade is shorter. Max. torque (on the pivot at least) is proportional to the blade length.

BTW, I thought my 4V Manix 2 was tough until the tip broke off. These days, I look at Spyderco's 4V (with the hardness they use) more like at Rex 45, Cruwear chips much less likely for my applications. Plus (you convinced me?) the hollow grind is more fragile than the flat grind.

Thanks,

Roland.

I had the old hollow grind Manix 2 and the FFG M4 sprint and the FFG tip was definitely thicker and stronger. This may not be true for every model that comes in both these grinds but definitely true on the Manix series. I would expect the opposite from an Endura/Delica though.

[tonijedi]

I would think about the overall construction of the knife before I focus too much on steel. Just because a knife has a well known tough steel doesn't mean the KNIFE will be tougher overall than another model.

Agree with all your points ... the reason why I picked the Native over Chinook (1 and 4), Tuff and even Ti Cruwear Manix 2, is because the Native Pivot is the same size as the Manix 2, but the Native blade is shorter. Max. torque (on the pivot at least) is proportional to the blade length.

BTW, I thought my 4V Manix 2 was tough until the tip broke off. These days, I look at Spyderco's 4V (with the hardness they use) more like at Rex 45, Cruwear chips much less likely for my applications. Plus (you convinced me?) the hollow grind is more fragile than the flat grind.

Thanks,

Roland.

I had the old hollow grind Manix 2 and the FFG M4 sprint and the FFG tip was definitely thicker and stronger. This may not be true for every model that comes in both these grinds but definitely true on the Manix series. I would expect the opposite from an Endura/Delica though.

Saber ground delicas and hollow ground Salts have definitely thicker tips than the FFG Delica.

[VooDooChild]

Its really got me wondering now if any of you would draw a distinction between your toughest folder vs your most bulletproof folder. Given toughness is usually an independent factor when talking about a steel when compared to other factors of the steel. A 3v tank of a folder would probavly be toughest. But I would have to say my most bulletproof would be something from the salt series. I guess Im asking are we just talking impact and prying abuse, or is the ability to drag something through the mud and blood and guts for weeks on end, without sharpening or cleaning or caring part of what makes a knife tough.

[JD Spydo]

Also I think there are some modifications that Spyderco could do for their C-36 Military and the Para models both to increase their overall "toughness". I literally put my M390 Millie through the equivalent of a World War in the past two years or so>> which is why it's now in the Spyderco Emergency Room for treatment and replacement parts. They could do a few modifications for the Millie and Para models that would make them virtually indestructible IMO.

I think they should put heavy focus on all the GOLDEN CO made models and put priority on making the Golden, CO flagship models their super tough icon models>> which in turn I believe would bolster their sales exponentially :cool: The GOLDEN made models now are not bad now in that department but I do believe that some new, different hardware could make a huge difference.

[steelcity16]

The Cruwear Micarta Shaman is the toughest folder I own for sure. I would love to see a Shaman collaboration with Nathan Carothers using his Delta 3V heat treated CPM-3V steel and the Terotuf (bright green Terotuf would be awesome!) scales that are popular on his knives. You think the Cruwear Shaman is hard to get?? A Delta 3V Shaman would break the internet!

I have one of his Delta 3V Heavy Duty Field Knives on the way as my birthday present to myself! :D THAT beast will be the toughest knife I own!

[bearfacedkiller]

The Lionspy by a mile. It is an overbuilt tank of a knife. I don’t think that even the Tuff could compete. That said, the Lionspy has less than optimal cutting ability so I never really carry it. Of the knives that I own and that actually cut well I would vote for the Shaman.

Fixed blade? Probably the Schempp Rock. I traded into a used factory second and tried to destroy it. I thought I would like it because I like kuhkri shapes in large knives but unfortunately the Schempp rock doesn’t have enough weight for me to be a good kuhkri. Since I didn’t have much into it I decided to beat it to death. It was a throwing knife for a whole summer and it actually does that fairly well. I pryed and batonned with it to oblivion. I wedged it in logs and saw it bend over 30 degrees, maybe even 40 degrees, and it has returned to true. The defect that made it a second was a warped blade and I was trying to straighten it. I was able to mess the edge up a lot (mostly from hitting rocks in the dirt while throwing it) but I never damaged the rest of the knife. If I tried much harder to break it I would have hurt myself.

[dogrunner]

Interesting that it took this many posts (referring to JD's post on the previous page) to bring up the Tuff :)

[acer]

I think it would be my Tatanka but it’s in my for collection only category so I will never personally find out . Living the dream out soon be christmas

[Sharp Guy]

Manbug!!! Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'!

[yowzer]

Two more solid overbuilt chonks I haven't seen mentioned yet:

The Foundry and the Ayoob.

[Cambertree]

In different aspects, my SE Pac Salt, Gayle Bradley 1, and Cruwear Manix would probably be my top three.

[JuPaul]

Fixed blade? Probably the Schempp Rock.

Was there ever talk of making a scaled down version of this? I'd love a 5" version.

[bearfacedkiller]

Fixed blade? Probably the Schempp Rock.

Was there ever talk of making a scaled down version of this? I'd love a 5" version.

That sounds even worse than the original. :eek: :D We all like different stuff and i don’t like recurves except in big knives that can chop.

Make it 9”-10” and about a pound. If I am informed correctly it is based on one of Ed’s competition knives which was bigger. They scaled it down for production. I want a full size to use as a woods tool.

[ferider]

Interesting that it took this many posts (referring to JD's post on the previous page) to bring up the Tuff :)

I did mention it in the OP :) It lost out compared to Ti Native as the blade is almost 4" long. Love the knife though.

[ferider]

In different aspects, my .... Gayle Bradley 1, and Cruwear Manix would probably be my top three.

We really need a like button in this forum ....

[JuPaul]

Fixed blade? Probably the Schempp Rock.

Was there ever talk of making a scaled down version of this? I'd love a 5" version.

That sounds even worse than the original. :eek: :D We all like different stuff and i don’t like recurves except in big knives that can chop.

Make it 9”-10” and about a pound. If I am informed correctly it is based on one of Ed’s competition knives which was bigger. They scaled it down for production. I want a full size to use as a woods tool.

Oh ha! Yeah a larger knife would excel at chopping, but I like ~5" knives for canoe camping when I usually have a hatchet, too. The Hossom dayhiker, for example, which also strikes me as a beefy knife that could handle light chopping and general camp duty.