Need some input
- ChrisinHove
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Re: Need some input
Not quite answering the question but what about interchangeable, heat sensitive or glow-in-the-dark options? They can be a *lot* of fun.
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aicolainen
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Re: Need some input
I'm not sure I understand the question, or what the "answer" to the question is looking to solve.
Anyhow, the way I interpret it, it seems quite difficult to answer.
While colors can be a way to express ones personality or mood, knives are a bit different than say watch bands for an Apple watch or a phone cover.
Most (I assume) who carries knives, don't want the knife to attract attention, except for outdoor use and some professions where bright or contrasting colors make sense.
My wife and son mostly wear black pants, and would in most situations prefer black (dark hue) handled knife.
My daughter and myself usually wear blue jeans or grey pants of some sort, so I prefer my EDC folders to be in a similar color so it doesn't stand out. Grey works in most materials, with Chap LW FRN, Maxamet G-10 and Cru-wear S2XL being good examples. Black micarta is also a good one and I was thrilled to read that Spyderco/Sal is looking into blue denim micarta. Some solid blues work pretty well too, e.g. the k390 blue.
My daughter only carry knives for outdoor use, so I don't think she'll care about colors that much. If that were to change and she started to EDC a knife, the only preference I can predict with 100% certainty is that she would not want pink handles.
Anyhow, the way I interpret it, it seems quite difficult to answer.
While colors can be a way to express ones personality or mood, knives are a bit different than say watch bands for an Apple watch or a phone cover.
Most (I assume) who carries knives, don't want the knife to attract attention, except for outdoor use and some professions where bright or contrasting colors make sense.
My wife and son mostly wear black pants, and would in most situations prefer black (dark hue) handled knife.
My daughter and myself usually wear blue jeans or grey pants of some sort, so I prefer my EDC folders to be in a similar color so it doesn't stand out. Grey works in most materials, with Chap LW FRN, Maxamet G-10 and Cru-wear S2XL being good examples. Black micarta is also a good one and I was thrilled to read that Spyderco/Sal is looking into blue denim micarta. Some solid blues work pretty well too, e.g. the k390 blue.
My daughter only carry knives for outdoor use, so I don't think she'll care about colors that much. If that were to change and she started to EDC a knife, the only preference I can predict with 100% certainty is that she would not want pink handles.
Re: Need some input
In my experience women are much more fond of lavender and purple than men. Men seem to prefer deeper colors, whether blues or reds. My father loved green; I’m more of a blue person myself.
Re: Need some input
Sal,
I am thinking of a "two-piece" setup like the sun and moon but across two knives. One knife has a predominant colour with an accent, be it an inlaid shape (spider would be cool) or a bolster of a second colour, and then the other flips that so the main colour is the accent from the first and the accent is the main colour...
The added benefit is people would buy the set because it is cool.
You can send my royalty checks quarterly if that is easiest
Hands down my wife is in the robins egg to teal camp. You just have to look at her sweater/jacket collection.
Cheers
Erik
I am thinking of a "two-piece" setup like the sun and moon but across two knives. One knife has a predominant colour with an accent, be it an inlaid shape (spider would be cool) or a bolster of a second colour, and then the other flips that so the main colour is the accent from the first and the accent is the main colour...
The added benefit is people would buy the set because it is cool.
You can send my royalty checks quarterly if that is easiest
Hands down my wife is in the robins egg to teal camp. You just have to look at her sweater/jacket collection.
Cheers
Erik
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Red Leader
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Re: Need some input
Jade, 100% jade for the handle color for the ladies. At the seconds sale, we had our basket knives all spread out and a lady and her spouse came by and were chatting with us, and then the lady asked us ‘Are you guys going to get that one?’ referring to the jade/M4 DLC Para 3 LW. I said ‘Nope, wanna take it?’ and she said ‘Yeah, I really like that one.’ And then I smiled and said ‘It’s the color, isn’t it…’ and she laughed and said ‘Yep!’
And then later that night, after we got home…completely unrelated, my wife took another look at that picture of all those knives and said ‘I like the color of that jade one’. Which is really saying something because she thinks most knives look ugly lol.
Two different ladies, two completely unique lives and experiences, and they both loved that color.

Jade for the ladies and orange for the dudes - because we are always losing stuff and orange would help us find it - I know it would have helped my 10 yr old self, who lost my first pocket knife and couldn’t find it in the grass. Orange is a bright safe color. The jade is bright too. They look nice. I think kids would like them. I will confirm with the fam when I am home.
And then later that night, after we got home…completely unrelated, my wife took another look at that picture of all those knives and said ‘I like the color of that jade one’. Which is really saying something because she thinks most knives look ugly lol.
Two different ladies, two completely unique lives and experiences, and they both loved that color.

Jade for the ladies and orange for the dudes - because we are always losing stuff and orange would help us find it - I know it would have helped my 10 yr old self, who lost my first pocket knife and couldn’t find it in the grass. Orange is a bright safe color. The jade is bright too. They look nice. I think kids would like them. I will confirm with the fam when I am home.
Re: Need some input
Stainless steel handles engraved "Hers" and "also hers"
.
I prefer forest green. I am fine with black, OD green, kelly green, blues, browns, khakis, etc. I really don't like orange except for high visibility situations.
When my wife wanted an OTF, her detailed specifications were "a purple one, or maybe red if they don't have purple". So she got a purple Kershaw Livewire and and red Native 5 lightweight.
My teenage daughter (then 13) wanted purple, so that was a purple Delica 4.
My son wanted blue at about the same age, so that was a blue Delica 4.
I prefer forest green. I am fine with black, OD green, kelly green, blues, browns, khakis, etc. I really don't like orange except for high visibility situations.
When my wife wanted an OTF, her detailed specifications were "a purple one, or maybe red if they don't have purple". So she got a purple Kershaw Livewire and and red Native 5 lightweight.
My teenage daughter (then 13) wanted purple, so that was a purple Delica 4.
My son wanted blue at about the same age, so that was a blue Delica 4.
Re: Need some input
I asked my ex-girlfriend and she asked me to stop calling her that. Ever since we got married 15 years ago, she prefers to be called my wife.
Anyways, she said that a Forrest Green and Mint Green in the same hue pallet would be nice. It doesn't assume gender preference, and keeping both in the same hue pallet makes them match.
Anyways, she said that a Forrest Green and Mint Green in the same hue pallet would be nice. It doesn't assume gender preference, and keeping both in the same hue pallet makes them match.
Re: Need some input
As per Sal's requests, I asked my wife (non-knife person) and she suggested turquoise and either orange or red.
That's inadvertedly in the vicinity of this prior suggestion:
That's inadvertedly in the vicinity of this prior suggestion:
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TimButterfield
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Re: Need some input
I asked my wife about this. She mentioned a gold tone for girls and a silver for boys. She also likes a slight texture for a little tactile feedback, not as aggressive as a molded LW, but more subtle like a jigged bone traditional scale.
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da1cyclist
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Re: Need some input
I work in the outdoor industry, where it’s become a bit of a faux pas to “pink and shrink” women’s gear. There’s some interesting U.S. military research suggesting that, proportionally, men and women aren’t as different as people assume. For example, a man with smaller hands will generally be similar to an average woman’s hand size, and a woman with larger hands will be similar to an average man’s. That’s not to discount functional differences like strength or body composition, but those factors don’t feel very relevant to this particular discussion.
The idea of selling them as a matched boxed set is intriguing. I carried the Sage 6 most of the summer because its smaller size and lighter weight work better with gym shorts. Now that winter is back, I find myself reaching for the Manix 2 more often.
On the color topic, I can see the case for matching, complementary, or contrasting. As I’ve gotten more into Spyderco, I’ve come to appreciate how handle colors often designate steel type or intended use. From a consumer clarity standpoint, I’d assume you’d want to maintain some continuity around handle colors.
The idea of selling them as a matched boxed set is intriguing. I carried the Sage 6 most of the summer because its smaller size and lighter weight work better with gym shorts. Now that winter is back, I find myself reaching for the Manix 2 more often.
On the color topic, I can see the case for matching, complementary, or contrasting. As I’ve gotten more into Spyderco, I’ve come to appreciate how handle colors often designate steel type or intended use. From a consumer clarity standpoint, I’d assume you’d want to maintain some continuity around handle colors.
Re: Need some input
I'm with Gail. A light tan and a dark brown is the direction my fiance and I would go if it were up to us.
Re: Need some input
two i notice often are maroon and mauve (eg #e0b0ff)
Military/PM2/P3 Native Chief/Native GB2 DF2 PITS Chaparral Tasman Salt 2 SE Caribbean SF SE SpydieChef Swayback Manix2 Sage 1 SSS S2XL G10
- Manixguy@1994
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Re: Need some input
My granddaughter has been wanting a small folder for walking and running. I have been shown er some Spyderco smaller knives and she has been impressed with Teal , and White , but has even expressed she likes Yellow . She wants something to stand out to see quickly if she may possibly have it in a handbag. I recently bought my grandson a Byrd Harrier2 Black to breakdown boxes in the meat department where he works and has asked me to look for a warmer color to rotate . I may look for a Blue Delica size in near future . MG2
MNOSD 0002 / Do more than is required of you . Patton
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Nothing makes earth so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.
Henry David Thoreau
Re: Need some input
Sage green for boy and a soft burnt orange for the girl. Micarta would be my handle coice.
Re: Need some input
speaking as probably one of the few people on here who is transgender and has experience in living as both a guy and a girl, im throwing my vote to pastel-y lilac/lavender/ube for the womens and idk like a forest green ish (sorta lie thee brouwer) for mens
Re: Need some input
My girl's EDC:

She says darker, muted colors, but also loves her bright orange DF2

She says darker, muted colors, but also loves her bright orange DF2
- bob-atlatl
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Re: Need some input
My female family members really like the dual color Blue/Rose 3DP filament from FlashForge : LINK
It shows some variable color at different light angles, as well as the following one.
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The boys like similar dual color Black/Blue (Burnt-Titanium) : LINK
It shows some variable color at different light angles, as well as the following one.
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The boys like similar dual color Black/Blue (Burnt-Titanium) : LINK
... rule #9 ...
Re: Need some input
I think any color would work with the appropriate sign on the handle or on the blade.
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Fine Swine
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Re: Need some input
I like the Tiffany blue idea, and I'd pair it with navy or gunmetal blue.Fastidiotus wrote: ↑Thu Nov 20, 2025 10:03 pmMy mated and often unpleased female has voted Tiffany/robins egg blue or a light lavender color.