Who has a Spyopera?

[ChrisinHove]

If you have, have had, or have even handled a Spyopera, please tell me what you think of it!

TIA!

[Manixguy@1994]

I have a question to this knife . I see pics of it right hand only and pics of it lefty/righty clip , which is it ? Did they may a change at sometime ? I just wish the blade was a bit longer , don’t get me wrong I think it is a nice knife and rather over looked . MG2

[Superflex]

Love my SpyOpera. Smoothest action of any backlock knife I own and the fit and finish is outstanding. The rounding of the spine, backlock and titanium backspacer are nice touches.
Some complain about the inability to disassemble the knife but this is one I dont feel the need to take apart. Mine site on the windowsill in the kitchen for opening packages and for use as a gentlemen carry when going out.
The blade bite issue is over blown caused by users not respecting the knife. Yes it can bite you when closing, but I've never had an issue.
The clip is only on one side.

[ChrisinHove]

I have a question to this knife . I see pics of it right hand only and pics of it lefty/righty clip , which is it ? Did they may a change at sometime ? I just wish the blade was a bit longer , don’t get me wrong I think it is a nice knife and rather over looked . MG2

I’m pretty sure they cqi’d it to enable the clip to be fitted either side.

[Superflex]

I have a question to this knife . I see pics of it right hand only and pics of it lefty/righty clip , which is it ? Did they may a change at sometime ? I just wish the blade was a bit longer , don’t get me wrong I think it is a nice knife and rather over looked . MG2

I’m pretty sure they cqi’d it to enable the clip to be fitted either side.

Could be. I got mine when they first came out

[Mushroom]

I like the one I have. It’s actually one of the smoothest backlocks that I own. The opening action is smooth with very little resistance. Closing the knife like a backlock Spyderco with a choil, by pressing the lock bar and dropping the blade onto your finger, is possible but the actual edge leaves a small sharp corner that can sometimes “bite” your finger by accident. I’ve been “bit” by it but it has never drawn blood.

The spine crowning feels nice too, in my opinion. It’s really comfortable on the thumb ramp. I also like that the crowning extends to the liners as well, it’s a nice touch. The micarta feels different from the Shaman sprint runs Spyderco did. It feels stiffer and almost stabilized to the point that it feels more like the resin than the micarta. Not necessarily a bad thing but it was new to me.

The scales are fully contoured and feel really good in hand. I haven’t actually tried taking the clip off to see how it feels clipless but the clip doesn’t interfere with the ergonomics too much for me. One small detail that I love about the SpyOpera is the clip screw! It’s unique and I think it pairs well with the scale screws.

Overall, I like the SpyOpera and would recommend it if you’re interested in the design.

I have a question to this knife . I see pics of it right hand only and pics of it lefty/righty clip , which is it ? Did they may a change at sometime ? I just wish the blade was a bit longer , don’t get me wrong I think it is a nice knife and rather over looked . MG2

I believe the SpyOpera did experience CQI. It was changed from right hand only to ambidextrous.

The iteration of the SpyOpera I have does not have the slots milled for a clip on the left side, the scale is solid. Spyderco currently displays the SpyOpera with a left hand clip position and notes the clip position as “ambi” on their website and in the 2022 catalog. This leads me to believe that it has been changed through CQI but I do not know when exactly.

https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/detail ... rade-/1877

https://catalog.spyderco.com/2022productguide/?page=106

[Mushroom]

I have a question to this knife . I see pics of it right hand only and pics of it lefty/righty clip , which is it ? Did they may a change at sometime ? I just wish the blade was a bit longer , don’t get me wrong I think it is a nice knife and rather over looked . MG2

I’m pretty sure they cqi’d it to enable the clip to be fitted either side.

Could be. I got mine when they first came out

Yes, it has been changed through CQI. The early versions were right side only. Current versions are ambidextrous.

[steelcity16]

Closing the knife like a backlock Spyderco with a choil, by pressing the lock bar and dropping the blade onto your finger, is possible but the actual edge leaves a small sharp corner that can sometimes “bite” your finger by accident. I’ve been “bit” by it but it has never drawn blood.

I had one and sold it due to this. Mine drew blood a few times. Probably because I am so used to closing my Delicas/Endelas/Enduras/Dflies this way, and I keep the pivot fairly tight on those so I have to give a little flick to drop it. I kept subconsciously doing this with the Spyopera and it got me a few times pretty good. Otherwise it is a very nice knife!

[Pokey]

I got one when they first came out. I agree with everything Superflex and Mushroom have said above.

With regards to the ambi-clip placement, I saw the picture in the catalog. I keep checking the one in the display case at the SFO; it’s a single sided pre-CQI model. Maybe they’ve kept the original one on display, and maybe they’re now selling the CQI version? I’m going over there today, so I’ll ask them.

I’ve seen the color vary on these. The ones I’ve seen can vary from tan to more like a golden honey color. Here’s a comparison of a few different Micarta models.

Edited to add: They do have ball bearings in the pivot.

[Manixguy@1994]

Thanks everyone, yes I noticed the ambi clip in new catalog but on different sites show only right hand . CQI is probably the answer to my question. Thanks again, MG2

[Pokey]

Thanks everyone, yes I noticed the ambi clip in new catalog but on different sites show only right hand . CQI is probably the answer to my question. Thanks again, MG2

If you want the CQI version and you're ordering online, ask them if they'd take it out of the box and look at it for you.

[Manixguy@1994]

Absolutely would have to be the case since I’m a lefty. MG2

[Spook410]

I've had mine for several months now. A few observations in no particular priority..

- The rounded edges on the liners and spine are nicer in your hand than you would think. It's a premium touch.

- It has a skeletonized titanium frame which makes it both light and solid. It's something you notice when you pick it up.

- I believe M390 is the best steel choice for a knife that blurs the line between different applications. Design features like a back lock and micarta scales lean to harder use but overall, it has the class and size of something comfortable around the office. If I had to choose the perfect application, maybe something a tech would carry.

- Good overall size. A 3" knife is good for a lot of things though if you're a tradesman looking for tough tool, this isn't what I would choose. It's tough enough but it's close to $200 and I wouldn't want sheet rock dust in the bearings since they are not easy to get to.

- Sits easily in you pocket. Mine has the ambi clip. Like the clip depth. Like the wire clip. You don't notice it in hand.

- Don't care for the micarta. Some kind of slick finish on it. Or maybe a higher resin blend. I like to feel the texture of micarta in my hand. This feels a bit more plastic but not extremely so. It's OK but should have either been the micarta we're used to or, better yet and suiting the source, olive wood.

- If you can't open and close this safely, then you've never owned a slip joint. Takes attention to open and two hands to close. If you want a flipper fidget toy, look elsewhere.

[Matus]

I got it together with Brouwer, kept the Brouwer and returned the Spyopera. It is beautifully made, thing behind the edge, gently hollow grind (really!). But it has weird construction and mine arrived with some side-to-side blade play. And of course I did got bit (my fault, really). One of the reasons not to keep it was a voice in my head repeating over and over again … ‘the blade might have been burned to death’. No direct proof for that, just the well known history of the maker.

[Sharp Guy]

I was fortunate to get my Spyopera for a really great price ($100) from the online seconds sale. I'm very happy with that purchase because there's absolutely nothing wrong with it that I can find. I like all the details (smooth action, rounded spine, etc). I close mine one-handed by moving the tip of my index finger to the end of the handle (near the pivot) and push the lock bar. The blade drops and tiny bit down with the little bit of exposed ricasso stopping on my finger tip and then pull the blade closed using the thumb hole. Works great for me and if I happen to nick myself that's on me. I'm well aware of the risks.

The Spyopera's a really nice knife and I'm happy to have one in my collection

[Snacktime]

I have owned 3 Spyopera, they keep walking off in other people's pockets. If you want a nice upscale knife, they are really a fantastic value for the quality.

Been afraid to buy another as everyone that handles it doesn't seem to give them back.

[mikey177]

I got a CQI release with slots for the pocket clip on both scales.

I'm very happy with mine. Never got bitten by it as I close my lockbacks two-handed. I do agree that it has a snappy closing action.

I dropped mine once and caused a very tiny bit of micarta to chip off, but I remedied it with some light sanding.

[JRinFL]

As the name suggests, the SpyOpera is a gentleman’s knife* and it excels at that function. It can stand up to serious work, but it is not what would be considered a work knife.

*Sorry ladies, no offense meant. I’m too tired to think of something less awkward than gentleperson’s knife.

[Pokey]

I stopped by the SFO and they are shipping the CQI version. (I sent this twice from the iFone and it never got here. )

[ChrisinHove]

Well my Spyopera just arrived…

First impressions: beautiful! Very nicely made, and great action, as well. Feels lovely in hand.

I seem to be gravitating to lockbacks these days. Manbug wharnie, Centofante 3 and now this (so far) in 2022.