Should Spyderco make this knife?

[Doc Dan]

I carried one of these in the Army and I carried one for twenty years afterwards until it wore out. I wonder if Spyderco could make this knife out of a good, tough steel, like 420HC or AEB-L/13C26? I would absolutely buy a few. The P38, as we called them, was the most useful piece of kit, ever.

[Mushroom]

That's a can opener.

[Bill1170]

That's a can opener.

That Crocodile Dundee clip never gets old. So much fun.

[silver & black]

Definitely bring this back!

[Jeb]

Heck, I still got mine...

[zhyla]

Cool but seems like a pain to sharpen. Being semi-disposable and cheap makes sense. Doesn’t really make sense for Spyderco to make them.

You can get them for a few bucks all over the place. Good stocking stuffer for next year.

[Jeb]

I have never sharpened mine or any others. They do more like a punching...

[Doc Dan]

These things cut paracord, cleaned weapons, opened mail, cleaned fingernails, opened cans, were used as light pry bars, and I can't think of all the things for which I've used one of these. It was the best key chain or neck chain tool ever.

Those who were in the military when these were issued know what I am talking about.

[Aladinsane]

We didn’t get issued these in the Navy, but I found out about them from the Marines and I still carry one!

[RustyIron]

That's a can opener.

You have something against canned food? The Spyderco can opener would go nicely with the Spyderco cork screw, toaster, and curling iron.

[olditguy]

In the Marines we called them John Waynes.

[Halfneck]

Handy little things. I designed a sheath (made by JRE leather) with a slot for one for a custom little Dogwood knives fixed blade.

[Doc Dan]

Heck, I still got mine...

It is amazing how many vets still hang on to those things. Mine wore slap out from use or I'd still carry it. I would love to see Spyderco make these out of a tough steel so they'd last. I always thought these would be more practical than the Dog Tag knives they made a few years back (not that there was anything wrong with them).

[ChrisinHove]

I keep one of these attached to both of my small camping/backpacking stoves, along with a small ferro-rod.

Bloomin’ useful little blighters!

Whether Spyderco could/should make them is another matter.

[Mushroom]

Heck, I still got mine...

It is amazing how many vets still hang on to those things. Mine wore slap out from use or I'd still carry it. I would love to see Spyderco make these out of a tough steel so they'd last. I always thought these would be more practical than the Dog Tag knives they made a few years back (not that there was anything wrong with them).

Did you know P38's are still readily available for about 59 cents a piece?

[Doc Dan]

Heck, I still got mine...

It is amazing how many vets still hang on to those things. Mine wore slap out from use or I'd still carry it. I would love to see Spyderco make these out of a tough steel so they'd last. I always thought these would be more practical than the Dog Tag knives they made a few years back (not that there was anything wrong with them).

Did you know P38's are still readily available for about 59 cents a piece?

Yes, but not in great steel and they don't say Spyderco on them.

[Mushroom]

Was this thread supposed to be posted on April 1st? Is this real?


They cost less than one dollar and they last decades... Steel is irrelevant.

[TkoK83Spy]

Why not just carry a SAK??

[yablanowitz]

Heck, I still got mine...

It is amazing how many vets still hang on to those things. Mine wore slap out from use or I'd still carry it. I would love to see Spyderco make these out of a tough steel so they'd last. I always thought these would be more practical than the Dog Tag knives they made a few years back (not that there was anything wrong with them).

Did you know P38's are still readily available for about 59 cents a piece?

Yes, but not in great steel and they don't say Spyderco on them.

Would you pay $100 for one made in Golden? $200 if it was S90V? More? P-38s are stamped out and the blade part is rolled or crimped onto the handle part. What would it take to do that with good, high carbon, hardenable steel? How many would they have to sell to recover the R&D cost to make one to Spyderco standards?

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Why not just carry a SAK??

This is my same exact thought.
With all due respect to the military folks who used these, why not instead use the U S Military issue folding knife with a can opener and actual knife blade?

One scary note:
A military author who wrote about that knife claimed the reason the can opener was labelled was to hide the fact that that can opener was allegedly used to take out enemy sentries