First Spyderco?

[Mr Blonde]

My first Spyderco, was a stainless steel handled Police around 1996. I liked the opening method, the fit and finish and overall quality. It was a bit heavier than the other carry knives in my collection though, such as the Benchmade 970. Then came the online craze and popularity for the Military model, I tried that one and it changed my perspective. The cutting power of that big full flat grind, the amazing ergos etc... It occurred to me, that the Military offered better performance features than many of the much more expensive knives in my collection. I never looked back at another knife brand for and EDC knife.

[Switchback]

Mine was a Native in S30V that I bought at Walmart in 2007 for $38.97.

I hope this doesn't stray too far off topic but in 1979 or maybe 1980 I bought a Silver Falcon that I carried well into the 1990's. I wore that knife out and ended up giving it to a friend for a tackle box beater. Here's a picture of a newer one that I recently bought for nostalgia's sake.

Little did I know that around that same timeframe, Sal was using the same model as his first prototype.

[gooeytek]

Had 2 Police in the early 90's in ATS-55 with fully-serrated blades that I got from a local gun store. I got them because I was sold on the ease of use when wearing gloves, and they cut fabric and rope effortlessly. Shortly after college, a couple of buddies of mine had just become paramedics and I gifted each of them with one. I didn't even consider Spyderco knives after that for a long while, got into Kershaws and Benchmades. Decided to get a Military on a whim, felt really good in the hand, and the journey back into Spyderco started again from there.

[SchoonerBum]

I started with the Aqua Salt. I’ve always preferred fixed blades and when I found out that I could get a rustproof, lightweight, perfectly sized knife with a coated blade, I seriously thought it might be the last knife I would ever buy. Go ahead and laugh, I promise that for anyone who actually knows me the lack of self-awareness in that statement is even funnier than it is here.

The Aqua Salt’s ergos and functionality are just so good that I still consider it my go-to fixed blade if I could only have one. (If I could have more than one, my short list includes the Fish Hunter, Waterway, Fallkniven S1, Benchmade Nimravus, and Tops T3.)

I’m still holding out hope that we might see a successor to the Aqua Salt one day. I know the molds are done and I’m sure it makes perfect business sense not to make more but I sure wish that Spyderco would make an Aqua Salt/Fish Hunter 2 or something that fills the same roles.

My gateway folder was the Native 5 salt, acquired not long after the Aqua Salt back when it was the only LC200N offering. I carried it for a couple of years before I really started branching out into more variety.

[vivi]

I'd be all about an Aqua Salt 2.

I have four Aqua Salts. It's one of my favorite fixed blades of all time. It can handle just about any role you can think of.

[PwNAR3S]

A Native III FRN that Gail sold me after giving me an education about folders. This was when they had a store off I-70 and Youngfield.

[nerdlock]

reposting my reply from the thread "Gateway Spyderco"

It's really amazing how many have the Delica as their gateway Spyderco.

I got mine many many years ago when it was still like under sixty bucks. At that time, I was only exposed to Kershaws, Schrades, some of those China-made counterfeit knives... I had a few of those, because I did not what to invest my hard earned money into something so trivial as a knife...I knew the Brand, and thought it was bugly (butt ugly, for lack of a better term), and for it's size, expensive - until I handled a Delica.

The ergonomics was a revelation. No, literally, it's like a bulb went on in my head and said "aha!". I'll always miss that feeling of handling a Seki Spyderco the first time.

[Nik74]

I got my first Spyderco a few months ago. A Para 3 in maxamet. I never tought i would love a knife that much. I use it at work and the factory edge is still crazy sharp.

[Pacu0420]

First one for me was a Para3 s45vn with black g10. I wasn't a big fan of the looks. But after holding one and feeling the action, it was a no brainer. Then I find out that Spyderco is the king when it comes to steel variety and heat treatment. I was hooked at that point. Now I'm up to a modest 14 Spydercos. I mod all my Spydies a bit, but the Para3 has recieved the most. The only original parts on it are the liners.

[bandaidman]

native 1 and an almite navigator

[Rainydaysarethebestdays]

2nd (?) Gen Endura. Mid '90s. Had come from slip joints, which was all that anyone I knew as a mid carried. Then a Gerber oho (ez out?). I don't remember the circumstances that led me to buying the Endura as I did know anyone else that had even heard of the brand, I think.

At that age all I was concerned about was chasing skirts and making money so if you were to go back in time and ask my opinion on the knife you likely would have gotten "works good for everything". Which I do remember was true. Construction job, grocery store job, hunting, fishing, canoe camping trips, car maintenance, replumbing the fuel system on a '70s Suburban on the side of a dark Tennessee back road at 2am. Works good for anything.

I still occasionally buy other knives but unless they are SAKs or Spyderco Delica/Endela/Endura I know before I even spend the money that it'll be gifted or traded or just another expensive lesson...

[Wartstein]

2nd (?) Gen Endura. Mid '90s. Had come from slip joints, which was all that anyone I knew as a mid carried. Then a Gerber oho (ez out?). I don't remember the circumstances that led me to buying the Endura as I did know anyone else that had even heard of the brand, I think.

At that age all I was concerned about was chasing skirts and making money so if you were to go back in time and ask my opinion on the knife you likely would have gotten "works good for everything". Which I do remember was true. Construction job, grocery store job, hunting, fishing, canoe camping trips, car maintenance, replumbing the fuel system on a '70s Suburban on the side of a dark Tennessee back road at 2am. Works good for anything.

I still occasionally buy other knives but unless they are SAKs or Spyderco Delica/Endela/Endura I know before I even spend the money that it'll be gifted or traded or just another expensive lesson...

Welcome to the forum!

Love to hear stories like these about my still favorite folder platform of all brands and all times, the Endura!

And yes, the whole "Endura family" (so plus Endela and Delica) is my favorite one too (the Endela SE in VG10 is an amazing workhorse and performer, and the Delica and Salt 2 with their cleverly thinner blades than the "bigger siblings" the best folders in their particular small size range).

[Farmer]

Mine was a partially serrated Ladybug with red handle, purchased c. 1998. I remember being really irritated by how much better it cut than my only other decent knife at the time, which was an Air-SOG. The irritation being with the Air-SOG not the Ladybug! Anyway it lived on my keyring and got used a lot for cutting big fishing nets when didn't have anything else to hand. I think I lost the tip using it as an impromptu jewellers screwdriver and then one day the whole knife vanished. Such a shame cos it was seriously handy!

[Actinolite]

I needed to replace the Gerber LST I lost after carrying it for years. A new knife had to fit well into my 5th pocket. While looking, I got my hands on a Dragonfly 2, and I was shocked at how it could be held with all four fingers, unlike the LST or any other small knife I had tried. I bought a basic one, black FRN, VG-10. I carried it until I replaced it with a DF2 with teal scales, K390, and Wharncliffe blade. Then I plunged down the rabbit hole with enthusiasm. I still carry the DF2 Wharncliffe much of the time, often alternating with a Lil Native (G10, S30V) in my 5th pocket.

[Infinite Zero]

First Spyderco was a Harpy. I got it because it was strange. I got a Delica soon after because I wanted something with an ambidextrous clip with the same easy-opening action. They are both long gone now, in a collection purge from 2017.

These days, I pretty much limit myself to the Native family (only backlocks or slipits), and a few other fully-ambidextrous models. Strangely, I don’t really like the Delica much anymore; the Native 5 massively leapfrogged over it in my opinion.

[Mini2white]

My first Spyderco was a Gen 1 Ladybug. I bought it from an Army disposal store in Melbourne before going on a trip to New Zealand. Now I own hundreds, I carry a Spyderco every day. I have a website showcasing part of my Spyderco collection. I am admin on two Spyderco focused facebook groups. One of the cameras in my house is called Spyderco since most of the items in the room are Spyderco. I guess you could say Spyderco has influenced me a little.

[Stuart Ackerman]

Mine was a Native in S30V that I bought at Walmart in 2007 for $38.97.

I hope this doesn't stray too far off topic but in 1979 or maybe 1980 I bought a Silver Falcon that I carried well into the 1990's. I wore that knife out and ended up giving it to a friend for a tackle box beater. Here's a picture of a newer one that I recently bought for nostalgia's sake.
IMG_6675.JPG
Little did I know that around that same timeframe, Sal was using the same model as his first prototype.
Spyderco-prototype-675x450.jpg

Where do you get old stock new Falcons today Switchback?
I have searched for years.

[Switchback]

Where do you get old stock new Falcons today Switchback?
I have searched for years.

I found mine on eBay but I've had it longer than I thought. My spreadsheet says that I bought it in July, 2023.

I see a few old stock models on eBay now. None of them look pristine but one of them isn't too bad. I'll send you a PM with a link just in case.

[CXXX]

Original Military ATS 34 with the diamond engraved blade. Still have it. 464 Spyderco's later (minus 174 sold or traded), I would say it changed my perspective quite a bit.

[Rainydaysarethebestdays]

2nd (?) Gen Endura. Mid '90s. Had come from slip joints, which was all that anyone I knew as a mid carried. Then a Gerber oho (ez out?). I don't remember the circumstances that led me to buying the Endura as I did know anyone else that had even heard of the brand, I think.

At that age all I was concerned about was chasing skirts and making money so if you were to go back in time and ask my opinion on the knife you likely would have gotten "works good for everything". Which I do remember was true. Construction job, grocery store job, hunting, fishing, canoe camping trips, car maintenance, replumbing the fuel system on a '70s Suburban on the side of a dark Tennessee back road at 2am. Works good for anything.

I still occasionally buy other knives but unless they are SAKs or Spyderco Delica/Endela/Endura I know before I even spend the money that it'll be gifted or traded or just another expensive lesson...

Welcome to the forum!

Love to hear stories like these about my still favorite folder platform of all brands and all times, the Endura!

And yes, the whole "Endura family" (so plus Endela and Delica) is my favorite one too (the Endela SE in VG10 is an amazing workhorse and performer, and the Delica and Salt 2 with their cleverly thinner blades than the "bigger siblings" the best folders in their particular small size range).

Thank you but I'm not actually new. I do, however, only post a few times a decade and this is the 2nd time I've forgotten both my password and username. No longer having access to my older email so I just joined again with all new info.

Currently our three member immediate family owns around ten Delica/Salts, two Endelas and three Enduras. I need another Pac Salt. My wife and kid have been introduced to and offered every quality folder I think they would be interested in. And every time its "I like my Delica", so they get another color or something.

I also have a friend who owns two very high level restaurants, which makes him enough money so he just bums around running a kayak rental business during the summer and a climbing/mountain bike tours (fairly new) from Labor Day to Memorial Day. After watching me use an Endura to prepare several meals on a week long kayak trip (using the bottom of the kayak as a cutting board) he now has carried one for seven years. Not the same one, as he has one stolen (confiscated) at least once a year in unfriendly cities/countries. We're working on that.

So, yeah, if I spend money on any folding knife that's not a multitool or a Spyderco I will regret it and will lose money getting rid of it.