Reveal 19 - Live!

[RamZar]

Surprised there isn’t a Military 2 Salt MagnaCut with Black DLC Blade and Black Bi-directional textured G-10.

[NCJohn62]

I guess that Spyderco is now following the herd instead of leading, because to me the Button Up and Mantra 4 feel like a late attempt to get a piece of the market of the 2 actions. I don't know how long these 2 models have been in the pipeline, but I swear Sal had said some time ago they were pivoting AWAY from China. I like the look of the Mantra 4, but it really deserved a better steel from the get-go because I'm not sure I can bring myself to drop $71 and change on 8cr these days.

[ZenL]

Surprised there isn’t a Military 2 Salt MagnaCut with Black DLC Blade and Black Bi-directional textured G-10.

That actually has been revealed and released already

[RamZar]

Surprised there isn’t a Military 2 Salt MagnaCut with Black DLC Blade and Black Bi-directional textured G-10.

That actually has been revealed and released already

Thanks. I missed that. Haven’t been paying much attention lately.

Military2 Salt CPM-Magnacut Black DLC Blade Black Grooved G-10 C36GMCBK2 (USA) - MAR 2025

[VandymanG]

The Native Chief looks good to me. Probably get one each of the mules but don’t know enough about the steel yet to know if I’ll get more than that. Really not interested in the 8CR steel that is on several of the knives. Reveals are good but just like previous reveals that still haven’t been fully realized I remind myself that some of these knives could take a long time to get to market. Which works for me since I don’t have much of a budget this year for knives. Only got 4 knives this year compared to about 1.5 per month last year.

[Red Leader]

Wow, great reveal.

Just perused and VERY grateful to see the new Bodacious in a different steel. Spyderco is listening! Now we just need to see some of the big boys (Knife Center, Blade HQ, SMKW, REC, St Nicks, etc) pony up for some exclusives. It is a good design that deserves some additional support. This is a step in the right direction.

Either the dudes at the SFO truly don't get any sort of internal 'heads up', or they are reeeeeaaally good at keeping secrets, because on more than one occasion I've asked about a 15V Native Chief - in fact I asked a couple of weeks ago. Holding out on me, lol. Well, I'm still really glad to see it. Of course, the icing on the cake would be the next reveal that would have the Crucarta, Salt, or 15V Bodacious variants.

The Mules are on point. I think they needed to be a big enough 'bang' per se, to follow up on the Magnamax releases. I think the Z-wears are exotic enough and curious enough to do just that. Well done.


I'm going to touch on a subject that I may need to start a different thread on, because it is part of a larger topic, and I don't wish to derail this thread. But I know that Spyderco wants feedback from customers and does listen, so here goes...

It may be a hot take, but: Little to none of Spyderco's budget (China) offerings are competitive in 2025.

I went hard into the knife enthusiast world in the last couple of years, and before choosing Spyderco I spent 100s of hours pouring over various companies, models, materials, designs, pricepoints, etc. While I am no longer landing on that segment of the community, I still pay very close attention to it.

IMO, 8cr is a complete non-starter. The 'plunge lock' or 'button lock' is a fad, and interest in it (apart from outliers like Machinewise and Protech) is waning in favor of the button compression lock ala 'top liner lock'. Micarta, titanium, bearings...these are all common in the budget knife sector now.

A Civivi Vision FG is $78. CJRB Pyrite in titanium...$51. Miguron Pagos in 14C28N w/ titanium pocket clip...$46. And all of these knives are old news. Take a look at the Teneble Fenrir and Vosteed Porcupine...this is the competition. This is China. It is unrelentingly fast-paced and unforgivingly reflexive, and I'm just not sure its ruthless market ethos is a good match for Spyderco. The vibe I get from the Spydie value line here is 'too little, too late'. The spec sheets are DOA, and while I really admire the designs, it may be one of those catch 22s where in order to have a really well thought-out, purpose driven design, it is going to take a little bit more care and time - more testing, more tweaking, more 'getting it just right'. It is part of Spyderco's philosophy that I love. I don't mind their pace. But this stands in direct contrast to the Chinese knife market, which is to oversaturate all the time, new ideas new designs, and if something is a bad design it doesn't matter because something is replacing it in 2-3 months anyway, or the bad feedback is taken and a new product enhancement will be a part of the next shipment.

I know that there are people who probably really appreciate the value line and I have absolutely no disrespect for anyone when I say that I wish that Spyderco had the ability to leave the Chinese folder line behind them, then take that energy and pour it into their other knife lines and factories.

[Bolster]

Nice new designs. No Chinese knives for me, but I can still appreciate the designs.

[Ramonade]

The Mantra 4 has the best flipper action I've ever played with on a Spyderco. I'm very surprised to learn it is part of the Mantra series though.

And I don't mind simpler steels but for having used this steel a lot, it really does not hold up long enough to last a day if you cut a lot. I'm kinda with you @Red Leader on competitiveness. Especially once it reaches Europe. The design is great though. Maybe it will be like the Tenacious. The M4 variant makes it competitive. It's price can't be matched by other companies, none of them offers well heat treated M4 for that price, for example.

[aicolainen]

I’m both a bit disappointed as well as relieved that this reveal didn’t excite me much.

I don’t think it would have helped if the China/8Cr models were made elsewhere. Nothing really spoke to me.

Beyond always hoping to see a new and really exciting knife, turning the pages of a new reveal is much like Christmas to me, I’m quite happy this one was just socks and boxers. I still have a backlog of released knives I still haven’t bought and there are still rumored knives in the pipeline that will be absolute must haves for me. This reveal provided some much needed breathing room :)

[jwbnyc]

Thanks Kristi!

[Aladinsane]

Hmm… thinking about that Manbug wharncliffe. I gave my Manbug leaf SE to my wife and would like to replace it, but don’t want to buy the same knife again. I don’t have a wharncliffe, or a black blade, maybe this one will do?

[vivi]

if you can't get a full day out of 8Cr as done by Spyderco, you need to change how you sharpen. 12dps 400 grit cleanly shaving sharp 8Cr Resilience edge would go a month for me.

[bearfacedkiller]

Pretty bummed that the shelter cove is a budget knife. Been waiting so long for a premium fillet knife from Spyderco.

The Buttonup looks like it was designed by committee. Like they asked ai to design a spyderco and it just mashed Spyderco’s best selling models together.

There isn’t much of interest to me in this one which is rare.

[Red Leader]

I’m both a bit disappointed as well as relieved that this reveal didn’t excite me much.

I don’t think it would have helped if the China/8Cr models were made elsewhere. Nothing really spoke to me.

Beyond always hoping to see a new and really exciting knife, turning the pages of a new reveal is much like Christmas to me, I’m quite happy this one was just socks and boxers. I still have a backlog of released knives I still haven’t bought and there are still rumored knives in the pipeline that will be absolute must haves for me. This reveal provided some much needed breathing room :)

Socks and boxers lol...that is actually a great analogy.

My favs were definitely the 15V Native Chief and Bodacious, just because the NC caught me completely off guard. And the Bodacious because it confirms (at least to me) that the model is worth investing in for future iterations. I haven't picked up a Bodie yet, but I hope to at some point in the near future.

I also really enjoyed seeing the Shaman Salt, primarily because that handle absolutely needed some sort of traction and the Salt is a fantastic variant. I would be totally good if the only variants released for any model were 1) Crucarta, 2) Salt, and 3) HP steel flavor of the month (15V, Vanadis 8, Z-wear, Magnamax etc).

[riclaw]

I'm so glad they are making the Bodacious with peel-ply scales. I like the texture, they don't show wear as easily, and they should be a little wider.

[RyanY]

Love it! There are a few here that were featured in the case at BLADE show and I’m glad to see them already revealed.

The white Mantra 4 was in the case and it was one of my favorite designs in there! It’s very sleek design, the flipper tab is super subtle but still very effective. Really cool to see the blackout and CF version too!

The Button-Up was also in the case at BLADE and I suspect it is going to be Spyderco’s new best seller! It was such a good design, it felt like a slightly smaller PM2 with a Button Lock. It’s going to be a huge hit and the calls for upgraded steel will come fast!

The Shelter Cove was in the case too and it’s another must have! I love that we’re finally getting a proper filet knife from Spyderco again.

The Shaman Salt is a cool surprise! As well as the Microjimbo Salt. Maybe we’re working our way towards a Lil Native Salt next reveal.

I’ll be in line for that lil native salt haha!

[NCJohn62]

if you can't get a full day out of 8Cr as done by Spyderco, you need to change how you sharpen. 12dps 400 grit cleanly shaving sharp 8Cr Resilience edge would go a month for me.

We all know that geometry cuts and at 2.2 mm blade thickness that'll be the saving grace for the Mantra 4 with that steel which is the only reason I'm possibly considering it.

[burley_c]

I love all the new salts! After picking up a couple of Salt 2's over the Summer, I'm fully on team-salt.

Like others, I'm a little disappointed to see the reveal list slant so heavily toward Chinese manufacturing though, since I personally do not buy Chinese-made knives. The only reason a lot folks consider Chinese knives is the low price point, which may be on it's way out anyway with the double whammy of rising Chinese labor costs and rising U.S. tariffs.

[VandymanG]

Beyond always hoping to see a new and really exciting knife, turning the pages of a new reveal is much like Christmas to me, I’m quite happy this one was just socks and boxers. I still have a backlog of released knives I still haven’t bought and there are still rumored knives in the pipeline that will be absolute must haves for me. This reveal provided some much needed breathing room :)

Amen. Add all the CPM steels I still need to add or increase in my collection and 8CR just isn’t worth it. I need to get more Cruwear, M4 and 15V which are my favorite Crucible steels. I need to add SPY27 and S90V. I also need to get a locking Magnacut knife, I have a UKPK. Don’t even mention the @Deadboxhero designed knife cause that’s a must have whenever it drops. And finally the high performance Delica knives and I’m overwhelmed.

[CDEP]

I have no access to Spyderco spreadsheets, of course, but I have a C-Note that says the Value Line 8Cr folders like the Tenacious sell in numbers that dwarf most other models. That revenue helps sustain Spyderco, which allows Sal & Eric to give give us those limited Sprints in exotic steels that we knerds love so much.

We should all rejoice at the fact that Eric has come up with the Mantra 4 and set it in China with 8Cr. If it is half as successful as his Tenacious it will make it easier for Sal & Eric to give us the 1200 unit Sprints we crave so much.

Also, I will absolutely grab a Mantra 4 in 8Cr. IMHO Spyderco 8Cr performs as as well as any other brand in 14C28N, and if I love the model (It's Eric, so I'm sure I will) I can come back here and start bugging Sal to do a G10/M4 variant like they did with the Tenacious.

This reveal had something for just about everyone, and it strikes me as odd that some expect *every* model to be geared for them. We are a vocal but small minority of the market for Sal, and yet we have gotten so much over the years that is made for us. I think the Mantra in 8Cr as a Value Line addition is brilliant, and if successful, will be a win for us all.