keep 1 forever, try 1 out, retire 1...

[juggler]

Keep 1 forever: Stretch XL (PD#1 version)
Try 1 out: Native Chief (Magnacut or SPY27)
Retire 1: Karahawk

[Fastidiotus]

Keep: Caribbean Leaf SE

Try: Superhawk

Retire: DFly (it's not bad, just doesn't fit my hands at all)

[Spyderwebs]

Forever - Ayoob Cruwear SE (best cutter in the group. Everything about this knife is ergonomic perfection)

Like to try - Schempp bowie or Caly Damascus (something with a bolster)

Retire - Endela (too many better options in the 3.4" blade range)

[ZrowsN1s]

This has gotten harder now, than 8 years ago but,

Keep forever, 15V Shaman (with my skinny mod micarta scales).

Try out, Stove Pipe

Retire, Tenacious

[Coastal]

Fun thread!

Because I use a knife for saltwater fishing, I'd pick the Stretch 2 XL SE as my forever choice. If saltwater wasn't involved, it might be the same knife in K390. Pacific Salt SE in H1 is a close second.

I'll try a Bodacious as soon as something other than S30V and black G-10 is available.

Retire: Native Chief.

[Wartstein]

Really tough question...

For 1.) and 3.) I'll go with Spydies I actually have experience with (obviously not possible with 2.) )

1.) "Keep forever"
Pac Salt ffg SE (so the LC200N version)

2.) "Try out"
Gayle Bradley 2

3.) "Retire"
Para 3
(Again: This just when considering only the Spydies I have actually tried and purely concerning my personal preferences!)

[Paul Ardbeg]

Keep: Gayle Bradley 2
Try: Bodacious
Retire: Spymyto

1 and 3 based on knives I actually have.

[apollo]

Keep forever. Manix 2 XL
Try. Carribean
Retire. PM3 LW. Have one it stays because it has some sentimental value but darn it makes my blood boil when i hold it as its everything i could ever dislike in a Spydie.

[horzuff]

As most question where You have to narrow it down, this one ain't easy ^^.

1 is easy enough though - the Military 2
2 also not that problematic - the Bodacious (although if the Caly 4 or Police XL comes out, those would substitute here)
3 is the toughest one... - the Manix 2 without skeletonized liners. That's the only model I can think of that is almost definitely less good than it's brethren with skeletonized liners. I don't buy the strength argument as the handle is much stronger than the rest of the knife and additional weight is never an advantage unless You use the knife as a projectile or paper weight :D. Thus it's one that I think could be retired (but replaced with skeletonized liner version)

[Evil D]

1. Military (of some variant)
2. Nirvana
3. I honestly don't know. Probably something I have absolutely no use for like the P'kal.

Man, a LOT has changed since 2017 for me. Today my answers would probably be:

1. Bodacious (hopefully in a flavor other than S30V)
2. Civilian (on my short list actually)
3. Still no good answer.


1. Because the Bodacious does everything my beloved Militarys do but in a smaller and more efficient package. All I really need are steel variants and a more grippy scale pattern and this is basically my dream knife.

2. I've been thinking about a Civilian a lot lately, not really sure why. I like the handle design a lot and I'm thinking about reprofiling the tip down a little so it's less fragile and make it more usable.

3. The thing is I really am completely indifferent to a lot of designs anyway, so much that I wouldn't really even care to make them go away and I'd feel like a bad person wishing to discontinue them when surely others love them. Like an Endura for example, it's not my thing and I have no plans to buy one at all in the future, but I'm sure others feel differently. Everyone loves the PM2 but it's not for me but I just couldn't wish it away. There are probably a lot of knives I could name for this one but just wouldn't feel right.

[TkoK83Spy]

Keep: Rex45 Manix 2

Try: Khukuri or Hungarian - I honestly can't decide.

Retire: Pochi

[Roefisher]

Keep: Lil' Temperance
Try: Shaman
Retire: Military Titanium Fluted

Mark

[Mat_ski]

1: chaparral lw se
2: bodacious
3: not sure, maybe a spyopera or spymoto

[abbazaba]

PM2

Slym

H1

[Skar]

1. Hmmmm I really like them all.
Millie 1.

2. Bodacious as I think many have spoken to. Maybe the amalgam.

3. Pochi does seem fair to me. Sorry if you like that 1.

[petz462]

1. Spydiechef

2. Slysz Bowie

3. Stovepipe

[aicolainen]

2 could change 1, or even 3 I guess.. so my entries can't be trusted.

1: DF2 k390 wharncliffe.
2: Preferably I'd want to put a folding knife here, but it bugs me to no end that I haven't had the opportunity to get my hands on a Junction yet, so Junction it is.
3: hmm... This one is tough. Maybe if it would bring back the Urban with the longer blade, I'd retire the current Urban

[anycal]

Keep - PM2
Try - something expensive from Taiwan
Retire - Manix 2 LW

Keep - PM2 K390
Try - Bodacious in tool steel
Retire - still Manix 2 LW. Big fan of the G10 version, just not the LW.

[vivi]

My 2017 answer:

1. (Use exclusively) Pacific Salt (Either SE or PE)
2. (Don't own, would like to try) Full sized Calypso
3. (Permanently retire) Endura 4 in favor of the Endura 3 handle pattern. Or, the best of both worlds, the Endura 3 handle shape with Endura 4 construction and FFG blade with no rounded tip.

My 2025 answer:

1. Pacific Salt 1, but definitely PLAIN EDGED. (There's no Police I trust to carry 365 days a year w/o serious corrosion issues, don't trust the Military 2 enough for summer IWB carry while doing sports. Couldn't tell you the last time I carried a Pacific Salt, but it's still the best 365 days year knife for me)

2. Rock Salt. Looks like a fun knife for the trails. (Ended up trying out a full sized Calypso sprint in brown g10 - great design but pinned linered construction was a deal breaker for me. Never tried out the Rock Salt though)

3. Para 3 (Normally I don't care about the models Spyderco makes that don't cater to my preferences - but it's kind of ridiculous watching 50% of new sprints and exclusives be for this model. Kill it with fire so we can get more variety)

[ZrowsN1s]

Great answers everyone thanks for reviving this xceptnl. Cool to see how peoples tastes have changed, and stayed the same.