Cat vs Astute price

[CDEP]

The Astute is one of my favorite Spydies, and along with the Tenacious is a Value Folder that ranks up there with the best of Spyderco. The 8Cr steel is fine for a daily all-purpose EDC, and Spyderco's 8Cr performs better than some "better" steels from other companies. The Astute is my most carried "budget" knife for EDC away from home.

What I would love is an Astute 2 with a wire clip, as the hourglass clip is just a bit too big for the handle. And get the blade length just under 3" for legal reasons (I just shaved off a bit to make mine legal in LA).

That said, the CAT is a wonderful knife, too, especially if you need a small blade for legal restrictions. The Chicago is worth a look, too.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

How solid does the Astute feel when it locks open and how is it's cutting performance? I was thinking of getting one.

[Big50]

How solid does the Astute feel when it locks open and how is it's cutting performance? I was thinking of getting one.

Mine locks up really solidly.
As far as cutting, I’ve only done light EDC stuff and it’s fine.
It’s ground like a Spyderco.
I haven’t tried to do any major cardboard processing or something like that with it.

[benja-man]

I haven’t tried to do any major cardboard processing or something like that with it.

I have. The blade shape and size is fantastic. The handle comfortable but on the smaller side, so prolonged use isn't as comfortable as I'd like. 8Cr13MoV gets sharp quickly but dulls just as fast when put to use. I re-sharpened in the middle of an hour long cardboard massacre FWIW.