Gateway Spyderco?

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I didn't have a gateway Spyderco, but rather a bunch of accessible gateway retailers.

I had been carrying an ATS-55 Endura since the 1990s and was quite content to EDC it til the 2010s. Living outside the US, the price of Spydercos has always been prohibitive, even given the limited selection available at the two brick and mortar shops that sold them in the Philippines.

Then in 2016 a series of serendipitous events occurred. Social media took off in a big way in our country and a handful of online knife retailers cropped up that offered a wider range of imported brands at close to US prices. The first Spyderco I bought during this phase was an S30V PM2. It was soon followed by a G10 Manix 2, a G10 Native 5, and on and on, fueled by the slew of photos of other knife enthusiasts sharing their newest finds online.

Then I joined the Spyderco Forum in 2019 and went even further down the rabbit hole.

Thst is very neat. ATS 55 was in my opinion a great steel like ATS 34. From your memory how was the cutting performance of that Endura?

[James Y]

AUS-8 Delica (Delica 2?) Bought in 1997.

Jim

[mikey177]

I didn't have a gateway Spyderco, but rather a bunch of accessible gateway retailers.

I had been carrying an ATS-55 Endura since the 1990s and was quite content to EDC it til the 2010s. Living outside the US, the price of Spydercos has always been prohibitive, even given the limited selection available at the two brick and mortar shops that sold them in the Philippines.

Then in 2016 a series of serendipitous events occurred. Social media took off in a big way in our country and a handful of online knife retailers cropped up that offered a wider range of imported brands at close to US prices. The first Spyderco I bought during this phase was an S30V PM2. It was soon followed by a G10 Manix 2, a G10 Native 5, and on and on, fueled by the slew of photos of other knife enthusiasts sharing their newest finds online.

Then I joined the Spyderco Forum in 2019 and went even further down the rabbit hole.

Thst is very neat. ATS 55 was in my opinion a great steel like ATS 34. From your memory how was the cutting performance of that Endura?

Similar to VG10, as far as I can tell.

It's still in good condition and part of my carry rotation. I was a cubicle dweller and city boy for the first half of my career, so the knife was regularly carried but seldom used. Below is a photo from last year.

[RustyIron]

I was wondering what Spyderco knife got you interested in the brand. What was it that drew you to Spyderco and kept you with the company?

I was a fan of the Benchmade Axis Lock, and when I spotted the similar looking Manix 2, I had to give it a go. First I bagged an S110V, then a Maxamet. Spyderco's usage of high-end tool steels intrigued me, and I quickly branched out into other models.

[Brock O Lee]

The Paramilitary 2 was my gateway Spydie. I still own more PM2's than any other model.

I was looking for the best edge retention at the time, and got hooked on a CTS-20CP Sprint (a S90V equivalent steel).

[Paul Ardbeg]

Like many my first Spydie was the Tenacious. What I liked most was the ergo's of the knife. What really sold me was the Manix 2 and the PM2 i've bought right after the Tenacious.

[sv4]

Mine was a C36GSE Military way back in the 2000s. I was at the local hardware store browsing through their Swiss Army Knives display when the old guy running the store came up to me and said that he wanted to introduce some knives with excellent edge holding, razor sharp and very easy one-handed opening. He handed me that serrated Military, and I was duly impressed. Left the shop with it, the first of my many Spydercos.

[Jesla]

First in 1994, the Cricket then much later the Manix 2 S110v g10 blurple…. It was all down the slippery slope after that… what a ride!

[Pokey]

Two Delica’s and a Sharpmaker in a Cordura bag, thirty years ago. After I bought the Gen 2 Sharpmaker I gave the original away, but I still have the Delica’s.

[Doc Dan]

My first Spyderco I didn't like so much, though it was well built, and I could definitely see the quality. The handle was just too slippery for my hand. However, when I bought a Delica, that was it, I was hooked.

[JoviAl]

My first was the CF S90V Lil Native I picked up from a collector friend of mine BNIB which whet my appetite for Spyderco knives. What really cemented it was the PM2 Tanto that came a little later. I rarely carry either of them as they’re not ideal for most of my uses, but when I do I enjoy them very much. The Lil Native also reminds me of when I naively thought I needed a sharpening choil on all of my knives (I simultaneously wince at it and laugh at myself every time I see it ).

[Road Tripper]

I started with a PM2, but have since moved it along. Depending on what I'm doing, these days I usually carry a Manix, Delica (both blade shapes), or Dragonfly. I have a few other Spydies and other brands that rotate in once in a while. The Kapara remains a favorite for food prep.

The opening hole is one of the most appealing aspects of Spyderco for me, along with Seki's FRN and, of course, the community here.

[elena86]

The most iconic one IMO, the mighty SS SE Police in VG10 triggered the spydermania for me. I own more than 300 spydies now, but this one is still one of my most treasured. I only wish they release one in SPY27 with tuffram scales.

[benben]

Wegner Jr.

[Manixguy@1994]

C44:Dyad was the beginning of my Spyderco journey , then a few other models , but consider the C95 Manix and Chinook 2 the my true appreciation of large Spyderco knives . MG2

[Aladinsane]

C44:Dyad was the beginning of my Spyderco journey , then a few other models , but consider the C95 Manix and Chinook 2 the my true appreciation of large Spyderco knives . MG2

Nice! I wish they’d bring the Dyad back, it would be nice to have SE and PE in one package!

[Manixguy@1994]

C44:Dyad was the beginning of my Spyderco journey , then a few other models , but consider the C95 Manix and Chinook 2 the my true appreciation of large Spyderco knives . MG2

Nice! I wish they’d bring the Dyad back, it would be nice to have SE and PE in one package!

I also have the Gray , if you take in consideration the delicate PE and don’t abuse it works fine . I would love to see a Salt model with a redesigned PE blade and I would be a happy guy , but that’s another discussion. MG2

[anycal]

Paramilitary 2.

I may have told this story before. In the early 90s, friend lent me the Police for a backpacking trip. It was a good knife, got the job done, but at the end of the day, it was just a knife.

I had a few knives before and a few after. When I needed one, I would pick one up at a sporting goods store. I don't recall seeing Spyderco at that time.

Fast-forward to 2016. Being all 'grown up', it was time to get something nice. After going down the rabbit hole of knife research, it came down to Spyderco and Benchmade. I ended up with blacked out PM2. Within a few weeks, I had the Manix 2, Native 5, and Military.

[spydergoat]

Endura FFG absolutely overperformed as a work and outdoors knife and then I got a Delica FFG that sealed the deal as my then-perfect EDC knife.

[Naperville]

S110V 1st Gen Military was my first Spyderco