What is your oldest (earliest) Spyderco ?

[Archimedes]

Maybe not the oldest I own, but an old one I cherish and I display on my desk.

[Larry_Mott]

Hi NASA,

Thanx again for your service and thanx for sharing.....and thanx for the support across the years. The Aluminum handle was the first one we made. Does yours have a number on it?

Talkin' Story: I was an associate member of the Custom Knife-maker's Guild and the American Blade-Smith's Society. Learning as I could. We'd been making sharpeners for a decade and stainless steel handled "Clipits" for a few years. Bob T and I had been friends seeing each other on the "show circuit". He said he liked my "hole Opener idea and the clip, but my designs were just ugly. "Handles go way way, blade goes anther way, terrible". I said, "You design a pretty one and I'll make it".

That's how the Spyderco's first collaboration began. One of Bob's requirements was that it be made in the USA. (Always the Patriot) Another was that he wanted special Blade steel, ATS-34 as I remember. This commitment was challenging because all of our knives at the time were being made in Seki-City Japan. I'd already spoken with most of the US makers and they didn't want to use the steels that I wanted to or hold the tolerances I wanted. I knew Bob would be just as finicky as I was so the only solution was to try to farm it out until we could build our own factory in Golden, which Gail and I were planning anyway.

We outsourced the first couple of runs to Les DeAsis at Benchmade, another friend of mine, and to Rob & Vince Ford, whom I met recently at a knife factory auction. The first several runs were challenging to say the least, but "Persistence is King". Bob T was our first collaboration with a Custom Knife-maker.

sal

Hi Sal!
Had to check as i couldn't remember. My C15 is indeed numbered.
Cheers!

[Manixguy@1994]

Best buddy Rick asked me to post his Jess Horn with picture and uniform his Grandfather wore in WW1 . He is the friend who started me down the Spyderco road years ago . His collection is amazing . MG2

[NASA50]

WWI Uniform and picture - That is so awesome - I love it !

[JSumm]

Best buddy Rick asked me to post his Jess Horn with picture and uniform his Grandfather wore in WW1 . He is the friend who started me down the Spyderco road years ago . His collection is amazing . MG2

Wow! Tell him he definitely has something special right there. Very cool and thanks for posting for him Dan.

[Manixguy@1994]

WWI Uniform and picture - That is so awesome - I love it !

He will certainly appreciate the comments. Thank you for your interest . The Jess Horn is his Holy Grail . His collection is outstanding. MG2

[Woodpuppy]

I’m getting a lot of mileage out of these pics of my Rapid Release! A knife that doesn’t get much mention here, but is so unique I can’t imagine selling it. An uncommon knife, if not rare per say, this is my oldest Spyderco. In a fit of “gotta have another thing” I sold my first Spyderco, a stainless G2 Worker that I bought in ‘94.

[JFrame]

I'll guess these guys are my oldest...

Clearly, the Delica with the integral clip (far left) has gotta be my oldest.

I believe I got the Calypso Jr. next. The rest of the oldies, in no particular order (because I can't recall) are the Massad Ayoob, Shabaria, and Mouse (v.1).

[James Y]

My AUS-8 Delica clipit, bought in 1997:





Jim

[vivi]

I sold all my oldest spydies. Started with a PE saber ground Delica 4, then an S60V Military, a couple Cara Cara 1's and a C95 Manix.

These are the oldest ones that have survived every impulse to trade or sell off part of the collection:



PE Aqua Salt from Sal
First run Police 3 I drove to New Graham to buy
Some early salts....pinned Pacific with old style jimping, and a first run Tasman with the name etched on the blade.
An old Spin from when I used to carry two knives. Used to pair it with that Police for my work carry.

At one point I basically had every Spyderco I wanted made prior to 2012, then sold off just about everything besides these right here.

I know from experience this set of knives can cover my bases. Got a tough but light all weather fixed blade, one of the best EDC folders ever made, a rust proof EDC folder for summer etc., a serrated beater, and a cute tiny knife you can use anywhere without raising an eyebrow.

[kennethsime]

Haven’t sold a Spyderco yet, but I have lost quite a few.

My first was a ZDP Stretch purchased in 2009, which was lost around 2014 or so.

Now, I think my earliest production would be the KW Exclusive CTS-204p Military I picked up second hand. Next would be my K390 Paras.

[buckthorn]

Slab side, three-screw Worker purchased January 1989