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

[VandymanG]

Keep - PM2 crucarta it’s the best made ergonomically perfect Spyderco I own, perfection.

Try - Warrior or Ayoob SE CRUWEAR both are very beautiful works of art. Plus the Ayoob uses my favorite knife steal.

Retire - Dragonfly 2 just too small for my beat up hands.

[Palestrina]

Keep - Delica K390 - the best overall package.

Try - Native 5 LW SPY27

Retire - Delica Wharncliffe - great overall design, but very specific used cases.

[cabfrank]

This IS a great revival!

1. Lil Temperance 3 LW SE VG-10. Yep, surprised me too, and there are others (Pac Salt H1/2 SE), but I will never part with the Lil Temp.
2. Chaparral LW SE. Duh. Must have. I'm just waiting for a sale price similar to those I've missed, since it is certainly a want but not need knife. Honorable mention; Stetch XL LW, Salt preferred.
3. Slip joints. Sorry, I know. Just not going to be my thing, progressing the wrong direction. I get some people need them for legal reasons, so this is just for my situation.

[Grza]

1. Manix 2

2.(All time) Jot Singh Khalsa/(Currently available) Military 2

3. (Ducks...) Delica

[Wallach]

Keep: This is the hardest one for me. If I really could only keep one knife... I guess it's the Manix 2 LW. But there are like 5-6 knives that are all strong contenders for me.

Try: With my more recent purchases of the Sage 5 LW and the Chaparral LW (which hasn't yet arrived), the knife that's spent the longest on my list without purchase is the Yojimbo 2. I think Freedom Knife Shop is getting these in soon (I'm waiting on satin finish), so this may get crossed off soon as well. I just really like wharncliffe blades, but I keep passing over the Yojimbo 2 for other, more EDC-focused designs like the Delica or Endela wharnies.

Retire: Personally, I'd probably retire the Techno series. The latest iteration of the Techno honestly looks like it was made by a random Chinese OEM with a Spyderco trademark on it. The opening hole isn't even usable (it's the same ones they put on their fixed blades as just a trademark symbol), it's just a bog-standard titanium flipper. Now it even has a titanium milled, non-deep-carry pocket clip like most of these OEM flippers. Just feels like it has no Spyderco DNA in it at all anymore.

[Bolster]

Fun old-new thread. Thanks for reviving.

In the keep-forever sock drawer (which includes Manixes, Calys, Caly Jrs, Dflys, Stretches, a Chaparral, Sages & Persians) if I had to choose one, it would be on the basis of pocketability with max blade that could fit. In which case it’d be the Caly 3.

Want to try: Bodacious.

Among those I’ve let go (which includes Lum, Delica, Parata, Calys with lock-rock, a dino-jimped Manix, and a UK Pen), can’t say I’ve enjoyed seeing any go, but I found the Parata the least useful simply because I had no application for its blade shape. If I were a hunter, I’d have kept it for skinning.

[Aladinsane]

Keep forever: Caly 3
Try: Sage 5 SPY 27
Retire: Pochi (I don’t own one, I just
don’t get it.)

[SchoonerBum]

1. Aqua Salt

2. Whale Rescue Blade (yes, really, I’ve worked and lived on boats a lot and it looks handy.)

3. If I’m being totally selfish, the compression lock. I’ve tried it and I just can’t warm up to it. In reality I know a lot of people love it so I wouldn’t wish for it to disappear. Maybe Spyderco could use some of the PM2 capacity to make other stuff?

[Wartstein]

...
3. If I’m being totally selfish, the compression lock. I’ve tried it and I just can’t warm up to it. In reality I know a lot of people love it so I wouldn’t wish for it to disappear. Maybe Spyderco could use some of the PM2 capacity to make other stuff?

A bit along your lines:

I have nothing against the compression lock and as I always say admire the ingenious idea and design of it...

But, that said:
Considering that any compression lock Spydie could also be made as a linerlock with almost no overall design changes necessary (other than of course the different locks and cutouts) I really wish that there was a better balance between comp.lock and linerlock models in the mid - to high range arena.

So more linerlocks, or (not realistic, I know) models that come both in a comp.lock AND a linerlock version (Bodacious, Caribbean, Kapara....).
I know I am probably in a minority, but I happen to prefer the linerlock when it comes to ergos and usability, especially in harsher conditions and larger, more outdoorsy folders.

[R100]

...
3. If I’m being totally selfish, the compression lock. I’ve tried it and I just can’t warm up to it. In reality I know a lot of people love it so I wouldn’t wish for it to disappear. Maybe Spyderco could use some of the PM2 capacity to make other stuff?

A bit along your lines:

I have nothing against the compression lock and as I always say admire the ingenious idea and design of it...

But, that said:
Considering that any compression lock Spydie could also be made as a linerlock with almost no overall design changes necessary (other than of course the different locks and cutouts) I really wish that there was a better balance between comp.lock and linerlock models in the mid - to high range arena.

So more linerlocks, or (not realistic, I know) models that come both in a comp.lock AND a linerlock version (Bodacious, Caribbean, Kapara....).
I know I am probably in a minority, but I happen to prefer the linerlock when it comes to ergos and usability, especially in harsher conditions and larger, more outdoorsy folders.

I'm with you Gernot but I think we might be a minority.

Dan

[KeepCalm&Carrion]

keep 1 forever: Pacific 2 H1 SE. I somewhat recently spent the better part of 2.5 years traveling the USA via road and rail, and this was the only knife I carried the entire time. It saw a wide range of use-cases (all of which were appropriate for folding knives) and never skipped a beat. My go-anywhere-do-anything knife.

try 1 out: UKPK Salt SE in MagnaCut. I've watched too many videos of the mechanism in use and it just seems like it'd be so pleasant from a functional/mechanical perspective. Also, I use my SE Chaparral with the blade half-opened all the time (i.e. unlocked) so I pretty much already know I'd use a non-locking folder if I had one.

retire 1: Delica 4. The Leaf/Rockjumper opened my eyes to how superior handle-forward designs are (for me) compared to something like the Delica, which isn't handle-forward and has a non-functional choil (again, for me). Also, justified or not, I imagine most knife consumers would view VG-10 as a subpar baseline steel.

[apollo]

, I imagine most knife consumers would view VG-10 as a subpar baseline steel.

I think you are talking about most “Spyderco consumers” ? As VG10 is still an amazing steel and in the end most knife consumers do not pay Spyderco money for a knife…
In quantity i am sure Spyderco is not a very big seller in comparison to some of the other well known more budget style brands.

[KeepCalm&Carrion]

, I imagine most knife consumers would view VG-10 as a subpar baseline steel.

I think you are talking about most “Spyderco consumers” ? As VG10 is still an amazing steel and in the end most knife consumers do not pay Spyderco money for a knife…
In quantity i am sure Spyderco is not a very big seller in comparison to some of the other well known more budget style brands.

I should've been more clear, but yeah, you're right; "most knife consumers" was my way of saying "knife nerds"/"Spyderco fans."

I, too, hold VG-10 in high regard (especially in SE format, which is the edge type I heavily prefer), so that's not an issue for me either.

[cabfrank]

Same here. I love VG-10 SE. I even like the PE, but I prefer SE in general. By the way, that road and rail trip sounds amazing.

[apollo]

, I imagine most knife consumers would view VG-10 as a subpar baseline steel.

I think you are talking about most “Spyderco consumers” ? As VG10 is still an amazing steel and in the end most knife consumers do not pay Spyderco money for a knife…
In quantity i am sure Spyderco is not a very big seller in comparison to some of the other well known more budget style brands.

I should've been more clear, but yeah, you're right; "most knife consumers" was my way of saying "knife nerds"/"Spyderco fans."

I, too, hold VG-10 in high regard (especially in SE format, which is the edge type I heavily prefer), so that's not an issue for me either.

No problem i guess we are all a bit nerdy and spoiled as spyderco fans…
SE is generally not my cup of tea but i can say SE vg10 is indeed very good i have bin using my SE harpy as my go to gardening tool for years and it keeps amazing me!

[Wartstein]

...
I'm with you Gernot but I think we might be a minority.

Dan

When it comes to the wish for a better balance between liner- and comp.lock on mid- to high end Spydies I am certain we are.
And there ARE of course indeed good reasons to prefer a comp.lock over a linerlock (as it is vice versa) since the comp.lock is a great and ingenious design and idea! (On certain small, more "urban", not hard use folders I myself might like it better)

But I also think if both locktypes came freshly to the market right now as new technologies, both only in high quality, and people would really try both completely unbiased and uninfluenced: Things would look a bit better for the linerlock.

As it is the linerlock
a) has a bit of a bad rep from the many crappy "gasstation" linerlock folders that are out there (while the true comp.lock so far ONLY comes in high (Spyderco) quality)... and
b) people who don´t really use their knives or just not unbiased might be influenced by what they always hear and read on social media: That the comp.lock inherently would be an "improvement" and objectively "superior" and "safer", and miss what a linerlock potentially (!) can offer over the comp.lock (and of course vice versa!!), depending on what people put their focus on and how they use knives.

[tzirconia]

Keep: Delica 4

Try: Canis

Retire: Pochi, solely based on my own preferences

[spydergoat]

1. Stretch 2XL Salt - pretty much all I carry
2. Military 2 Salt - just wanna try it
3. SpyMyto - seems like lionsteel already makes it for cheaper

[vivi]

for me liner locks offer nothing but draw backs compared to compression locks.

It's a weaker lock more prone to failure and accidental unlockings. Cut-outs in the handle to facilitate easier unlocking affect ergonomics negatively for me while compression lock cutouts have no impact on ergos. Slower to close.

If they made every model they offer in comp lock also in a liner lock, I'd never buy the liner lock versions.

[Wallach]

Yeah, I honestly am not sure what a liner lock is supposed to offer over a compression lock.