Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs:
Resilience by name, resilience by nature?
I bought this knife from Heinnie Haynes on 14/10/2014 for £43.95. It's one of their cheaper, Chinese made folders.
Plain edged, 8Cr13MoV steel, long leaf-shaped, drop-point blade with full-flat grind and no choil nor finger choil and full length liners, open-backed, Walker liner-lock, phosphor-bronze washers, black textured G10 scales with a lanyard hole. Jimping on the thumb-ramp.
Size:
It's tempting to think of the Resilience as a budget Military, given the size and same lock type. The specs:
Resilience:
Military:
However, the blade on the Military is CPM-S30V and has a straight spine, as opposed to the gentle rounded profile of the Resilience, so a slightly pointer tip. The Mili also has a finger-choil and a bigger thumb ramp. The G10 scales are unlined, giving a slimmer handle and less weight.
The finger choil is a matter of personal preference, ostensibly offering good control of cutting close to the choil. However, the actual cutting edge of the Resilience extends right to the handle, negating this difference almost completely as there is almost no ricasso. This means that the Resilience actually has a bigger cutting edge relative to overall blade length.
Military blade length versus cutting edge:
Cutting edge length
The Resilience provides pocket clip 4 positions (I favour tip-down for long blades) versus the Military's one. Better for lefties, though Liner-lock don't necessarily suit left-handed use anyway.
On paper, S30v chemistry should out perform lowly 8Cr13MoV but in real world use the latter is an excellent compromise of edge-holding and stability versus ease of sharpening.
I've been down the rabbit hole of hyper-steels, having used Farid CPMRex-121 fixed and folders, Phil Wilson K294, S110v etc. I've come to realise that for my purposes, steels like SF100, O1, Aus10a etc serve my needs as well, if not better, than their high-carbide cousins (I confess to a soft spot for CPM-3V, though). 8Cr13MoV is in the "basic" steels category.
It's plenty tough enough as I found when I dropped it point first onto a tiled-floor:
I live by the sea, enjoying kayak and spear fishing, but corrosion has not been a problem (rinsed thoroughly after use), though I carry a Salt blade for these activities most of the time. My usual Salt folder was confiscated by airport security (I'd left it clipped in my board shorts and was travelling with hand baggage only, oops!) so the Resilience filled-in until a replacement arrived.
The Resilience has accompanied me on twice-daily dog walks and hikes where it excels at slashing brambles around styles/narrow paths, bushcrafting forays and and foraging.
The hole is 12mm: useful for scale in photos:
Parasols
Amanita
The full-flat grind and long blade mean this knife excels at food prep (not as good as a dedicated kitchen knife but better than most folders.)
Continued...
Resilience by name, resilience by nature?
I bought this knife from Heinnie Haynes on 14/10/2014 for £43.95. It's one of their cheaper, Chinese made folders.
Plain edged, 8Cr13MoV steel, long leaf-shaped, drop-point blade with full-flat grind and no choil nor finger choil and full length liners, open-backed, Walker liner-lock, phosphor-bronze washers, black textured G10 scales with a lanyard hole. Jimping on the thumb-ramp.
Size:
It's tempting to think of the Resilience as a budget Military, given the size and same lock type. The specs:
Resilience:
Military:
However, the blade on the Military is CPM-S30V and has a straight spine, as opposed to the gentle rounded profile of the Resilience, so a slightly pointer tip. The Mili also has a finger-choil and a bigger thumb ramp. The G10 scales are unlined, giving a slimmer handle and less weight.
The finger choil is a matter of personal preference, ostensibly offering good control of cutting close to the choil. However, the actual cutting edge of the Resilience extends right to the handle, negating this difference almost completely as there is almost no ricasso. This means that the Resilience actually has a bigger cutting edge relative to overall blade length.
Military blade length versus cutting edge:
Cutting edge length
The Resilience provides pocket clip 4 positions (I favour tip-down for long blades) versus the Military's one. Better for lefties, though Liner-lock don't necessarily suit left-handed use anyway.
On paper, S30v chemistry should out perform lowly 8Cr13MoV but in real world use the latter is an excellent compromise of edge-holding and stability versus ease of sharpening.
I've been down the rabbit hole of hyper-steels, having used Farid CPMRex-121 fixed and folders, Phil Wilson K294, S110v etc. I've come to realise that for my purposes, steels like SF100, O1, Aus10a etc serve my needs as well, if not better, than their high-carbide cousins (I confess to a soft spot for CPM-3V, though). 8Cr13MoV is in the "basic" steels category.
It's plenty tough enough as I found when I dropped it point first onto a tiled-floor:
I live by the sea, enjoying kayak and spear fishing, but corrosion has not been a problem (rinsed thoroughly after use), though I carry a Salt blade for these activities most of the time. My usual Salt folder was confiscated by airport security (I'd left it clipped in my board shorts and was travelling with hand baggage only, oops!) so the Resilience filled-in until a replacement arrived.
The Resilience has accompanied me on twice-daily dog walks and hikes where it excels at slashing brambles around styles/narrow paths, bushcrafting forays and and foraging.
The hole is 12mm: useful for scale in photos:
Parasols
Amanita
The full-flat grind and long blade mean this knife excels at food prep (not as good as a dedicated kitchen knife but better than most folders.)
Continued...
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Cont.
It's seen a lot of use on game (I shoot a lot of deer and rabbits, having 4 freezers for meat):
Deer:
Watching deer:
Fallow buck
Deer gralloch:
Deer skinning:
Deer prep
The open-backed design helps cleaning but, as with all Liner-locks, you have to get gunk out of the gap between the scale and the lock bar to avoid stiff disengagement and poor hygiene.
Edge holding has been more than adequate in these tasks, also cutting up the numerous cardboard boxes we seem to acquire.
I initially sharpened it free hand, convex, later using a 40deg inclusive micro-bevel with the Sharpmaker.
Lock is wearing but still secure:
G10 a bit chewed up (opening beers):
It's become a "go-to" beater, when I don't want to abuse the Military nor carry a bigger folder like the Cold Steel Rajah I or Espada XL (which are superb at clearing overgrown paths etc.)
My Resilience celebrated its 8th Birthday last year and I began to wonder how long the lock would hold-up.
Q. So what can you replace a Resilience with?
A. Another Resilience! The price had gone up to £75 (still excellent value for a knife of this size and quality) but an offer appeared on Amazon at £50, so I snapped one up. Aside from the laser etching on the blade, nothing has changed.
Unboxing:
New and old:
So, if you're in the market for a large folder, I can whole-heartedly recommend the Spyderco Resilience. Even at the current price of £75, it represents excellent value and will last for years of normal use.
Highly Recommended
It's seen a lot of use on game (I shoot a lot of deer and rabbits, having 4 freezers for meat):
Deer:
Watching deer:
Fallow buck
Deer gralloch:
Deer skinning:
Deer prep
The open-backed design helps cleaning but, as with all Liner-locks, you have to get gunk out of the gap between the scale and the lock bar to avoid stiff disengagement and poor hygiene.
Edge holding has been more than adequate in these tasks, also cutting up the numerous cardboard boxes we seem to acquire.
I initially sharpened it free hand, convex, later using a 40deg inclusive micro-bevel with the Sharpmaker.
Lock is wearing but still secure:
G10 a bit chewed up (opening beers):
It's become a "go-to" beater, when I don't want to abuse the Military nor carry a bigger folder like the Cold Steel Rajah I or Espada XL (which are superb at clearing overgrown paths etc.)
My Resilience celebrated its 8th Birthday last year and I began to wonder how long the lock would hold-up.
Q. So what can you replace a Resilience with?
A. Another Resilience! The price had gone up to £75 (still excellent value for a knife of this size and quality) but an offer appeared on Amazon at £50, so I snapped one up. Aside from the laser etching on the blade, nothing has changed.
Unboxing:
New and old:
So, if you're in the market for a large folder, I can whole-heartedly recommend the Spyderco Resilience. Even at the current price of £75, it represents excellent value and will last for years of normal use.
Highly Recommended
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
great write-up! thanks for sharing. and i couldn't agree more. the resilience is an outstanding knife that is underrated in my opinion.
keep your knife sharp and your focus sharper.
current collection:
C36MCW2, C258YL, C253GBBK, C258GFBL, C101GBBK2, C11GYW, C11FWNB20CV, C101GBN15V2, C101GODFDE2, C60GGY, C149G, C189, C101GBN2, MT35, C211TI, C242CF, C217GSSF, C101BN2, C85G2, C91BBK, C142G, C122GBBK, LBK, LYL3HB, C193, C28YL2, C11ZPGYD, C41YL5, C252G, C130G, PLKIT1
spyderco steels:
H2, CPM 20CV, CPM 15V, CTS 204P, CPM CRUWEAR, CPM S30V, N690Co, M390, CPM MagnaCut, LC200N, CTS XHP, H1, 8Cr13MoV, GIN-1, CTS BD1, VG-10, VG-10/Damascus, 440C
current collection:
C36MCW2, C258YL, C253GBBK, C258GFBL, C101GBBK2, C11GYW, C11FWNB20CV, C101GBN15V2, C101GODFDE2, C60GGY, C149G, C189, C101GBN2, MT35, C211TI, C242CF, C217GSSF, C101BN2, C85G2, C91BBK, C142G, C122GBBK, LBK, LYL3HB, C193, C28YL2, C11ZPGYD, C41YL5, C252G, C130G, PLKIT1
spyderco steels:
H2, CPM 20CV, CPM 15V, CTS 204P, CPM CRUWEAR, CPM S30V, N690Co, M390, CPM MagnaCut, LC200N, CTS XHP, H1, 8Cr13MoV, GIN-1, CTS BD1, VG-10, VG-10/Damascus, 440C
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
+1
Luvin' my S35VN PE Resilience. Great build quality and I am finding it surprisingly useful. Couple years ago there was a case where some Russian dude used a Resilience to kill a Russian Brown Bear in self defense.Been using my Siren for shroomin', but your pictures have inspired me to give my Resilience a go for that.
Appreciate your long term extended review and pics.
Luvin' my S35VN PE Resilience. Great build quality and I am finding it surprisingly useful. Couple years ago there was a case where some Russian dude used a Resilience to kill a Russian Brown Bear in self defense.Been using my Siren for shroomin', but your pictures have inspired me to give my Resilience a go for that.
Appreciate your long term extended review and pics.
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Great write up, Thank you.
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
The resilience is one od my favorite designs. Love how that long edge goes all the way up to the handle and you can get your hand right up to the edge. A genius design by Eric. I only own the lightweight versions for now
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
I’ve got my OG resilience with me today! Such a great blade.
I may have to try a LW / S35vn
I may have to try a LW / S35vn
- Shannon
MNOSD 0006
MNOSD 0006
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Sweet! I gifted my original Resilience to my brother-in-law and missed it so much that I picked up an S35 when they came out. Just an all-around great design.
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Great write-up, really appreciate the well-thought-out review.
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Great post, thanks for sharing! I've spoiled myself so much that I never found myself carrying the Resilience or Tenacious anymore, but they are certainly 100% Spyderco reliable high performance.
- spoonrobot
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Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Great thread, thanks for sharing.
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
This was an enjoyable read, thank you Xavier! I always appreciate threads that detail use and remind us that knives are tools, first and foremost.
A few years back, I found a Resilience for $25 in my local Walmart's clearance aisle.. til this day I consider it one of the best "knife deals" i've ever gotten. I keep it as an "emergency knife" in one of my backpacks and sadly it doesn't get used as much as it should.. I need to break it out and throw it in my pocket again..
A few years back, I found a Resilience for $25 in my local Walmart's clearance aisle.. til this day I consider it one of the best "knife deals" i've ever gotten. I keep it as an "emergency knife" in one of my backpacks and sadly it doesn't get used as much as it should.. I need to break it out and throw it in my pocket again..
Rick H.
..well, that escalated quickly..
..well, that escalated quickly..
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Awesome review. That is a well loved knife.
- Jeff
May your feet be warm and dry and your throat warm with whiskey. A knife in hand or in the sock band.
MNOSD Member #0005
May your feet be warm and dry and your throat warm with whiskey. A knife in hand or in the sock band.
MNOSD Member #0005
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Great thread and great review!!
Jim
Jim
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- Location: Earth probably?
Re: Review: Spyderco Resilience after 8yrs
Nice long term review!
Because desolate places allow us to breathe. And most people don't even know they're out of breath.
MNOSD member #0035
MNOSD member #0035