To me, you really don't know when it is going to start, end, how many antagonists you will face, or what type of equipment they will be wearing to prevent you from penetrating their personal space while they beat you down, so whatever you bring has to get you home.
Sure, but you can get that from very inexpensive steel. Wear resistance is not an issue for self defense situations because you're not cutting miles of cardboard.
Will the steel roll after hitting the first knee pad or elbow guard? If I do a roof block as an opponent swings an axe handle at my head, will my non 4V knife break?
Sigh. Really?
Really, this is a serious issue and I do not think you read everything that I posted. Perps are wearing body armor now.
I MOVED out of Chicago due to riots, and parades/protests that were nothing but riots in disguise. What of the person in Israel who only has a 4 inch knife going up against someone with a 10 inch knife intending to do them harm? What of the person walking home in Portland who comes upon an axe handle or baseball bat wielding perp who strikes their street bowie and snaps the blade off leaving them with nothing to defend themself with. Rolling, chipping, failure of the blade are real things, and the failure to cut when needed renders the knife a useless slab of steel.
I'd feel better if the steels looked at for the street bowie and street beat were 4V, Magnacut or potentially even 3V. My best melee weapon is a 1V Bravo Machete from Bark River Knives. My best self defense weapon overall is my 4V Spyderco Province, a knife that is no longer made. I'd like to see the Spyderco Respect in 4V to see if it makes the entire package less prone to failure, and maybe I'd snap one or more up.
As a little context for my comment, I carry a clinch pick nearly everyday. I carry another folding knife for more mundane tasks and uses. I have numerous spyderco reverses. I own numerous other knives such as the yojimbo, ARK, matriarch, night stick and various other makes and models of knives designed for defensive use. I personally see a clinch pick as having an important niche role that compliments carry other potential life saving tools.
I like the clinch pick and what I will refer to as P’kal style, or reverse grip edge in (RGEI), knives. I would personally like to see what Spyderco produced in a RGEI knife. I do however strongly suspect that it probably wouldn’t be the best business move. I really appreciate that spyderco makes knives like the P’kal folder for those that have reason and the understanding to carry such knives, despite them not being the commercial success that something else could be.
RGEI knives are a niche inside a niche. Even among people who generally like and are interested in knives it’s a subset that are interested in knives as a defensive weapon (and a shocking portion of the community is dismissive or outright hostile to the notion). Even among that defensive niche any Instagram post about a RGEI knife on a knife oriented page is a demonstration in how many people have no grasp of the concept or application of this type of knife. What your not up on your down on is an adage that is often demonstrated people’s comments. They have no idea how it’s supposed to be used and to them it’s “stupid” etc.
When it comes to knives guns cars and many other things there are users and there are enthusiasts. For something like a clinch pick they are aimed at a consumer that is a user. They are after a tool. Many spyderco buyers are enthusiasts. The marginal differences in two different steels or handle color and materials interests them. I don’t know but would hypothesize many clinch pick customers are more on the user side than enthusiast.
The main things a spyderco RGEI knife would bring is materials and likely a not made in China option. Upgraded materials is not as significant as in other types of uses. It’s also something that may well be lost on many potential customers anyways. The more attractive thing might be a made in the USA or at least not made in China option that is not a comparatively expensive ban tang custom.
The first version of the clinch pick has a less than ideal handle. It’s actually surprising to me it got designed and made that way. The shape is somewhat obviously prone to the issue it has of rolling in one’s hand. The V2 corrects that. The sheath is OK but many people myself included opt for an aftermarket version. That is true of MANY fixed blade knives though. It might be true more often than not for me that an after market version better suits exactly how I want to carry/use a knife.
A different sized knife might be something it could offer but I don’t know what you really get with a slightly larger knife that would cause all of the already limited customer base to be compelled to buy. The shivworks lineup includes the clinch pick and the disciple. Two knives with different roles. I don’t see spyderco doing a double edge and dramatically shrinking the customer pool even more. So apart from being a Spyderco what in practical terms would it offer and who would buy it. I, the guy that has multiple reverses would, but who else?!
To the comment/question earlier would you rather have a clinch pick than a mini yojimbo. I would rather have the clinch pick but I would bet the market would answer the inverse. I can carry fixed blade knives and they are imho significantly better than folders for defensive use. Folders have a place and an important one for those unable to lawfully cary a fixed blade. A niche spyderco fills with the P’kal verses the clinch pick for example. I can carry whatever size knife I like and have a yojimbo. Others are subject to legal constraints. A mini yojimbo would almost certainly be a more popular knife. It would have more practicality beyond just defensive use. It would also benefit more from what spyderco bring to the table in making a knife.
In sum, my heart so of heck yeah!!!! However, my brain says that absent a real marketing push I’d probably be able to score a few backup after it was discontinued.
I will say the mini P’kal is interesting and I think fills a void and although it would probably not be any more popular than the standard P’kal I hope it comes to market for the same reasons they keep the P’kal in production.
Those are great knives, but I prefer edge-in for teeny fixed blades. I tried the Reverse, but it was just too long to wear between 10:00-2:00.
The Clinch Pick is one of those unique designs, being so small as well as effective. Shivworks supplies an adequate production version, but Spyderco could do better with Magnacut or LC200N, Micarta or FRN handles, and a thicker kydex sheath priced between the $340 Custom and the $120 import versions.
It would even look good with a hole in the blade and a bug logo
