Left handed DATA BASE ?????

[JD Spydo]

The Deacon suggested I do this and the more I thought about it I think he is right. I asked him in a PM yesterday if he was aware of an official Spyderco list of LEFT HANDED Models. With him being the flagship lefty here on the Forum I was actually astounded that Spyderco themselves or at least one of the exhaustive websites like that one of "TED's" for instance didn't have an exhaustive list of the Spyderco Folders that were offered in a designated "Left handed" version.

So folks let's put our heads together and see if we all can't list all of the lefty models out there. I purposely want to start making a collection of Left Handed Spyders. I just know that with their limited production that they will more than likely catapult in value down the road>> barring Armegeddon of course :eek:

Oh one more footnote>> If there were ever any Spyderco knives made with Special modifications that were very limited editions would be great to compile as well. I have several Spyderco dealer's catalogs going back to 1997 that don't even specify left-handed designations. OK guys/gals what do you have listed for leftys and such :)

[uhiforgot]

WELL, YOU CAN GET A BIG OL' AMEN FROM ME!!! :D :D :D

Will try to contribute later cause this has just GOTTA happen!!!

-Jeff

[smcfalls13]

The only models I know of that had dedicated left hand versions are:

SS Worker
SS Mariner
SS Hunter
CF Police
SS Police
CF Delica
CF Civilian

Here are the models that FULLY ambidextrous:

Endura(3rd gen and up)
Delica(3rd gen and up)
Rescues(both sizes)
Merlin
Native
Native II
Native III
Calypso Jr.
Massad Ayoon
Chinook II(not the first one)
Ocelot
Kiwi
Spyderhawk
Assist
Dodo
D'Allara(Rescue and Drop Point)
Salt
Pacific Salt
Atlantic Salt
Tasman Salt
Stretch
UKPK(I think the clip is reversible)
Manix(both sizes)
Poliwog
Adventura
Lava

Models that have a reversible clip(or none at all), that are ALMOST ambi but can't be considered fully ambi, due to their lock or other features(not everyone can use all locks with both hands):

Dyad(both sizes)
Meerkat
ATR
Salsa
Karambit
Yojimbo
Snap It
Remote Release

The rest of them are all either not southpaw friendly at all, or would need a reversible clip to be ambi.

That's all I can come up with off the top of my head. There may be a few dedicated Lefty models I missed. Turner III's Terzuola for one, can't remember which one it is.

Hope that helps JD.

[The Deacon]

Ok JD, this is the same list I sent you when you asked me which models I knew came in LH versions. You appear to be more interested in the monetary rewards that left handed models might provide for a collector. So, rather than a list of models which a left handed person might find most accomodating to their needs, I have limited the list to dedicated LH versions. By this I mean knives with no provision for RH clip mounting and serrations on the opposite side of the SE edged ones. I figure that models with reversible clips have no special value (except to those of us who are left handed) based on "lefty friendliness".

SS Worker PE & SE
SS Mariner PE & SE
SS Hunter PE & SE
SS Police SE
CF Police PE & SE
SS Harpy PE & SE (the PE are about as rare as Spydies get, but the DO exist)
CF Delica PE & SE
CF Civilian PE & SE

The '90 catalog pictures LH versions of the Executive, Economy Standard, and CoPilot, and says they are (were) available, but I cannot honestly say I have ever seen and of them aside from that picture.

The 94 catalog suggests that LH versions of the C15 and C19 Terzuolas, were available on special order, but again, I have never seen one.

I have seen photos of a LH SE G-10 Civilian, but suspect it was an after-market customization.

[smcfalls13]

SS Hunter PE & SE
SS Police SE

OK, so these do exist in left handed version, I wasn't sure. Thanks.

The 94 catalog suggests that LH versions of the C15 and C19 Terzuolas, were available on special order, but again, I have never seen one.

Turner III has one of them, but I'm not sure which model.

I guess we could tentatively add the Lefty Kopa to the list as well, in hopes that it hits production.

[JD Spydo]

NO I don't really just want to know for the value aspect of it alone. I have 3 people in my immediate family who are left handed and if I ever do get them knives it will let me know which ones to go after. Also from a historical sense I would like to know which ones have come and gone as well.

You are somewhat right about there being a greedy motivation in all of this but I like the cumalitive knowledge that can be gained as well. Like Michael Douglas said in the movie "Wall STreet" " Greed is good, Greed works :rolleyes: "

Other than Spyderco I can't think of too many knife companies who have made attempts to accomodate the leftys in the knife arena. One thing that does perplex me though. With a fully serrated knife I can't see right off the bat where a "left hand/right hand" set up makes much difference. But being a right hander in a right hander's world maybe it is hard for me to see why :confused:

[The Deacon]

One thing that does perplex me though. With a fully serrated knife I can't see right off the bat where a "left hand/right hand" set up makes much difference. But being a right hander in a right hander's world maybe it is hard for me to see why :confused:

Ah, JD you've stumbled upon the "dirty little secret", the one area where Spyderco puts looks above performance. The truth is that the serrations found on a RH model work better for us soutpaws than they do for you right handed folks, and visa-versa. The reason they are cut the way the are is strictly a cosmetic issue, not a functional one. Almost all manufacturers do the same, both on serrations and on chisel grinds. For optimum slicing efficiency with either, the "flat" side of the blade should be toward the "loaf" not towards the slice you are cutting from it. Could you imagine trying to use a wood chisel with the ground edge to the board?

[TurnerIII]

Wait for it............

Oh ya - the Left Handed Terzuola Jr Bigfoot Unicorn!

One of the few- the proud - the right brained! :D

[JD Spydo]

Ah, JD you've stumbled upon the "dirty little secret", the one area where Spyderco puts looks above performance. The truth is that the serrations found on a RH model work better for us soutpaws than they do for you right handed folks, and visa-versa. The reason they are cut the way the are is strictly a cosmetic issue, not a functional one. Almost all manufacturers do the same, both on serrations and on chisel grinds. For optimum slicing efficiency with either, the "flat" side of the blade should be toward the "loaf" not towards the slice you are cutting from it. Could you imagine trying to use a wood chisel with the ground edge to the board?

That wood chisel analogy is a really good point. But it is like I also said about the serrated edge. If you are cutting rope for instance then what difference would it make if you were using a right-handed version or a left handed one? But you make a great point because if you are cutting something dense like a pound of cheddar cheese then you would want to use the opposite model of which hand you normally use. Hmmm? I wonder if the General has ever considered that :confused:

There's also something else I've noticed lately. It seems as though more and more Spyder-heads I talk to ( leftys & rightys both) seem to prefer Spyderco's flat grind blades over most other grinds. A flat grind wouldn't make any difference what so ever which hand you cut with :confused: .

[The Deacon]

That wood chisel analogy is a really good point. But it is like I also said about the serrated edge. If you are cutting rope for instance then what difference would it make if you were using a right-handed version or a left handed one? But you make a great point because if you are cutting something dense like a pound of cheddar cheese then you would want to use the opposite model of which hand you normally use. Hmmm? I wonder if the General has ever considered that :confused:

There's also something else I've noticed lately. It seems as though more and more Spyder-heads I talk to ( leftys & rightys both) seem to prefer Spyderco's flat grind blades over most other grinds. A flat grind wouldn't make any difference what so ever which hand you cut with :confused: .

JD, your observation is correct regarding SE blades and things like rope. When there is equal "tension" on both sides of the blade, the "grind side" becomes a non-issue. However, since it does not make any difference under those circumstances, but does when you're cutting a thin slice from a large bock, I suggest that it would still be more "performance oriented" to have the grind on the proper side of the blade, rather than the cosmetically most appealing side.

Regarding flat grinds. In PE at least, I believe what normally happens in use is that your hand naturally cants the blade ever so slightly in the "proper" direction when cutting a slice from a loaf, so that it acts almost like a correctly chisel ground blade. So, naturally, it would work equally well for RH and LH users, they would just cant it in opposite directions. Hope that makes sense, I can picture it well in my minds-eye, not sure if it is coming out all that clearly in print.

[zeus]

How about a Data base of Left-handed forum members?

I am one.

[EricJohn]

I'm a Southpaw too! I spent countless hours searching for my unicorn: a left-handed CF police. Once I found one, I found 5 others (which took some of the fun out of the whole hunt :) ) I gotta admit however, that even though I like/love most everything Spyderco, I just cannot warm up to anything right-handed, with the exception of the Military. It seems that the bigger the knife is that is dedicated right-handed, the easier it is for me to operate with my left. I bought a SS Dragonfly and I had to take the clip off because I just couldn't make it work. Anyways, I'll leave with a 'parting quote' my father liked to tell people about me (in as endearing a manner as possible):

"The boy's 'not quite right!' "

-John.

[pmel018]

Hi Deacon
I guess you could add the LH P.I.G to your list. I haven't seen a later SS lefty the ones I have have Gin-1 blades. Are there later ones???
Phil

[The Deacon]

Hi Deacon
I guess you could add the LH P.I.G to your list. I haven't seen a later SS lefty the ones I have have Gin-1 blades. Are there later ones???
Phil

Phil, I have seen at least a couple LH SE SS Police with the POLICE lettering, rather than the P.I.G. lettering. Don't really recall the steel, or for that matter, whether they had steel markings. My "guess" is that they did not, since many of the LH offerings were made, and discontinued, prior to the point where such markings were added. If they were marked, again using the same logic, the steel is most likely GIN-1 marked as G-2. But again, I do not and have never owned one, and am relying strictly on memory here.

[Pete1977]

The '90 catalog pictures LH versions of the Executive, Economy Standard, and CoPilot, and says they are (were) available, but I cannot honestly say I have ever seen and of them aside from that picture.

I am sure of the existence of the left hand executive :) it doesn't look like it has been redrilled as there are no holes on the other side. I'll post a photo when I get in this afternoon.

pete

[The Deacon]

I am sure of the existence of the left hand executive :) it doesn't look like it has been redrilled as there are no holes on the other side. I'll post a photo when I get in this afternoon.

pete

Excellent Pete, that moves yet another one from the "possible" to the "definite" column.

[Mr Blonde]

How about a Data base of Left-handed forum members? I am one.

First the NSA wants to track our phone-call numbers, and you want to start a database of lefties, do you work for the 'gummint'?! :D

Having said that, yes I'm a lefty too. But for rougher cutting jobs I'm right handed. Sort of similar in the way that I write with my left hand, but throw a ball with my right.

Excellent work so far guys, really cool list!

Wouter

[Pete1977]

here is the lefty executive with a righty harpy-






hope this helps, and if you make a database, feel free to use the picture, and if you want one without the knife, let me know.

pete

[pmel018]

Phil, I have seen at least a couple LH SE SS Police with the POLICE lettering, rather than the P.I.G. lettering. Don't really recall the steel, or for that matter, whether they had steel markings. My "guess" is that they did not, since many of the LH offerings were made, and discontinued, prior to the point where such markings were added. If they were marked, again using the same logic, the steel is most likely GIN-1 marked as G-2. But again, I do not and have never owned one, and am relying strictly on memory here.

Hi deacon
just checked my collection
have 1 x P.I.G LH fully serrated
1 x POLICE MODEL plain edge LH, this one has the same slab sided grip as the P.I.G
1 x POLICE LH fully serrated, blade marked G-2
Phil

[Southpaw]

Here is a pic of my SS Police, CF Civie, CF Delica and CF Police