The Hole

[gldfshkpr]

I really love the spydie hole for quick deployment. Not that I'm looking forward to using it in a self-defensive manner. It's just so much better than the thumb stud of my latest acquisition from a competitor. Oh, and I'm not talking about the little holes. I'm talking about the holes on my Stretch and Para. I had a Caly3 and traded it. I hated that small hole. To me, this is what sets the Spyderco brand apart from others. Thoughts?

[davibocce]

hole >>> stud because it does not get in the way of deep cutting, and wont snag on clothing when you take the knife out of your pocket :D

[HellHound]

ghetto wave! for sd there is nothing better :D

[Cool Breeze]

The hole and leaf shaped blade form is wat drew me to Spydies in the first place!

[chuck_roxas45]

hole >>> stud because it does not get in the way of deep cutting, and wont snag on clothing when you take the knife out of your pocket :D

Also, your knife doesn't jar on the stones during sharpening.

[bh49]

I strongly prefer Spyderhole to stud. Last time I bought a knife with stud 2-3 years ago and it was very uncomfortable for me to open. No problem with smaller holes so far, I use my ladybug, open one hand. Caly3 has a beautiful Spyderhole IMHO.

[ChrisR]

I agree - I have never been able to get-along with studs because they are just too small and don't give enough purchase/leverage on the blade for my arthritic thumbs. The Spydie-hole was a revelation when I tried my first one and I have no problems with most of them ... some are a bit easier to use (when the hole is well-exposed and far from the scales) but the only things that I have trouble with are the small SS knives, which are just too small to OHO anyway :)

[freeman7]

Also with holes comes the advantage of the spydie-drop, which is not easy to do with a thumbstud.

[SUDS]

And the best thing of all, Is it makes the knife look amazing pared with the leaf-blade shape and that little bug.

[c.joe]

What about a Spydie drop? It's relatively fast.

[The Deacon]

Sal has come up with some other valuable innovations, but for sheer usefulness, the Spyderhole has them beat hands down. It's simply the best opening system yet devised. Simple and as close to foolproof as anything available for sale without a prescription can be. It removes weight, rather than add it. It is hand neutral, as long as the knife design supports that. There is nothing to fall off, nothing to snag.

[gbelleh]

After using Spydercos, all my thumb stud knives seem awkward. I find most hole sizes easy to use, even the tiny hole on the Zowada.

[marcus1]

I love the hole :D
However, on a Manix (or likely any bolt/bearing lock knife) you don't need it :)

[Koen Z]

Sal has come up with some other valuable innovations, but for sheer usefulness, the Spyderhole has them beat hands down. It's simply the best opening system yet devised. Simple and as close to foolproof as anything available for sale without a prescription can be. It removes weight, rather than add it. It is hand neutral, as long as the knife design supports that. There is nothing to fall off, nothing to snag.

Are you sure the hole removes weight? When there is no hole in the blade, there is also no need for a broad blade, so I think the knife will be lighter without it, even if you have to add a thumbstud.

By the way, The Spyderhole is brilliant!

[Evil D]

Are you sure the hole removes weight? When there is no hole in the blade, there is also no need for a broad blade, so I think the knife will be lighter without it, even if you have to add a thumbstud.

By the way, The Spyderhole is brilliant!

Well, are you asking if it removes weight from a Spyderco blade or are you comparing it to some old style hunting blade that when closed is almost completely inside the handle?

Really if you think about a Delica for example, the blade isn't really any broader than your typical classic lock back folder...the part that has the hole is essentially just a loop of metal on top of the blade so if it does add any weight it's more than made up for in the lightness of the FRN handle...but this is getting way off topic. If you consider simply having a leaf shaped blade, then yes the hole removes weight when compared to having a thumb stud instead.

[The Deacon]

Are you sure the hole removes weight? When there is no hole in the blade, there is also no need for a broad blade, so I think the knife will be lighter without it, even if you have to add a thumbstud.

By the way, The Spyderhole is brilliant!

Perhaps not universally but it's certainly true in some cases. On the one side, there are more than a few broad bladed tactical folders which use other opening devices. On the other there are Spydercos like the C25 and C50 Centofantes, the C42 and C97 Vieles, and my personal favorite, the Kiwi, whhich have narrow blades and a number more, like the Goddards, Native, and Lum Chinese Folder with blades which could not be made any narrower without destroying the "look and feel" of the knife.

[HistoricalMan]

It's simply the best opening system yet devised.

I completely agree with Paul.

[dbcad]

I love the Spyderco hole. I never liked thumb studs and haven't bought them, always thought they were kind of "cheezy".

The syderhole is a truly elegant solution to opening a folding knife.

Charlie

[jzmtl]

I have no problem one hand opening the caly 3 with ski gloves on so it's fine with me.

[Blerv]

I don't mind or dislike thumb studs. They are MUCH better than the SAK "thumb nick".

The problem is that while they work well, the SpydieHole is a further evolution of the concept. Whether you want to open the blade slow, fast or close it at the same speed...it offers superior control. It involves your entire thumb not just a strange angle and a portion of the pad.

I only have a handful of thumb stud knives. They are loosened, greased and what-not. They flick open quick! That said, the control between fast and slow leaves much to be desired. At least the control compared to knives utilizing opening holes.