So I get back from a family trip to Lake Powell about 3 weeks ago, and I'm thinking, "I need to think about getting a better knife. The cheap little locking folder I was carrying did a pretty poor job cleaning those fish. I really should check out those Spyderco's...."
So... a bit of internet research... hmmm... those Delica's and Endura's look nice for the price.... so off to a local outdoor shop (Jax's in Loveland). The Endura is nice, but a bit large-ish, the Delica seems just right. I take the Delica home. Ooh nice.... wow... Really Sharp! Honey!... look how this slices paper!
A couple of days later, buried in Delica-generated confetti, I start thinking, "Man I really like these sharp knives. I should get a couple more..." and begin browsing the internet. I order an Endura FFG (green) and the inexpensive Grasshopper from Amazon. Hey!... that didn't hurt too much! Impatience sets in. I browse the internet some more. I look at knife reviews on YouTube. I find out about Spyderco's value knives. Wow... the Tenacious sure looks pretty cool. Beefy. Hey!... not too expensive. I think Jax had one of those!... off I go to the Jax store... $35+ dollars later I'm playing with my new Tenacious. Out of the box it actually seems to be even sharper than the Delica!
A couple of days have passed, and the Endura and Grasshopper have not yet arrived in the mail. I've done some more internet browsing and find out about the Spyderco Factory Outlet Store. In Golden Colorado... 30 miles south of where I live. (!!!!!!) Oh no! I.... must.... go....
So I make a holy pilgrimage south to Golden. The store is *very* nice. USA knives in the center cabinet, Taiwan and Chinese models in cabinets to the right, Japanese models to left. Byrds and Randall knives in cabinets behind. And they have *everything*... (well almost everything, a couple of models are sold out). There's an impressive 9-11 display with twisted steel beams from one of the Towers.
The sales staff is very knowledgeable and accommodating. Prices are somewhat higher than many of the internet dealers, but I'm able to handle every model I'm interested in. I handle the Natives, the Manix's, the Para2, Resilience, Dragonfly, Sage, and Byrd Meadowlark, Robin, Crow. Hmm... they have the discontinued serrated UKPK's on clearance for $35... hey!... whatya know... they're made in Golden. Gotta have one of those! And the Robin is so inexpensive... it'd be silly not to take one of those. And that lightweight translucent blue leaf-bladed Manix... beautiful.
So, after an hour or so I leave, with three new knives and a couple of 2012 catalogs under my arm. I'm beginning to get a little worried. I've never really been a knife guy before. I've always had a pocket knife, and have carried a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife of one sort or another for at least 20 years, and before that a couple of Buck folders. But a little more than a week into my Spyderco investigations I find myself with 5 new knives, and 2 more in the mail. I'm gonna have to be careful. :cool:
So I go home, experiment with the knives, bury myself in more Spyderco-generated confetti. I realize my sharpeners are not so great (and neither are my hand-sharpening skills) so I order a Spyderco Sharpmaker online. I peruse the Spyderco catalog... no, that's not right. I immerse myself in the Spyderco catalog. I practically memorize the specs of the knives I'm most interested in (e.g. Native, Para2, Sage, Manix, Caly3/3.5, Chapparal, Cat, Dragonfly, UKPK, Tenacious, Resilience, Persistence, Delica, Endura, Salt1, Tasman Salt). I feel an obsession coming on. :confused:
The Endura and Grasshopper arrive in the mail. Nice. All my other Spyderco knives seem sharper than the original Delica I purchased at Jax. The Sharpmaker won't arrive for awhile yet, so I begin hand-sharpening the Delica, with mixed results. Finally it seems a bit sharper, but still not as sharp and slicing as the others. (Remember this was the absolute sharpest knife I'd ever owned just a week before) And I've scratched the sides of the blade in a couple of places. Grrr. Maybe the poorer slicing is due to the saber-grind on this Delica... maybe I should think about getting one of the newer-styled flat-ground Delica's... :rolleyes: NO!... Stop it! :eek:
After memorizing half the Spyderco catalog, I know what I want; not everything Spyderco makes, but maybe about half. I go about my daily business, obsessing about knives in the background. I find out about the Cutlery Shoppe and their excellent prices. Hmm... that lovely Native is only $61 there. Order. I find out that here in Colorado I cannot legally carry a knife with a blade longer than 3.5"... which means I'll need to leave the Endura at home. :mad: As a CCW permit holder, this seems especially senseless, but there you go...
Of course this blade-length restriction starts me thinking about 3.5" blades. I start thinking about the Para2 and Calys. Against my better judgment, I'm off to Golden again... closely examine a couple of knives I only perused before. The Caly's are *very* nice... slim, comfortable, extremely well-made, and with an elongated leaf-shaped blade I especially like. But I can't decide between the Caly 3 and 3.5. With the Colorado length restrictions, I think I should get the 3.5, but I *really love* the feel and handling of the Caly 3. And ooh... ZDP-189. So I get that. I compare the Cat against the Dragonfly... like'em both, but *love* the Cat. So... out I go with two more knives.
So here I am, about 3 weeks into the Spyderco thing; I've blown through at least two months of my discretionary budget, and I've purchased more knives in past 3 weeks than I had in the past 15 years.
Clearly I'm a low despicable creature, entirely lacking in self control. Well, maybe not entirely. I haven't bought I knife for 6 days now. I've learned a lot about blades and steel and slicing up mountains of paper into tiny little slivers. I cut up every unprotected cardboard container that falls under my gaze. No slice-able object on this planet is safe around me. I can judge the sharpness of a blade with my fingernail.
Other than my recent slippage, I have not displayed addictive tendencies in the past... so there's hope isn't there?
David
Spyderco Addiction: somebody shoulda warned me... (long post)
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mcjhrobinson
- Member
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- Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:34 pm
- Location: Wheat Ridge, CO
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KardinalSyn
- Member
- Posts: 1394
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 9:39 pm
- Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Hi and welcome To the forum David. I like your writing style.
Most of the Spyderco aficionados here are like you I think. My wife just grunts in anger now when she sees me with a knife.
Something I can suggest is to look at nice ways to use your new knives. Little things like slicing an Apple or a Kiwi fruit will create an appreciation for those blades that you might like.
Have fun with your new addiction and take care.
Most of the Spyderco aficionados here are like you I think. My wife just grunts in anger now when she sees me with a knife.
Something I can suggest is to look at nice ways to use your new knives. Little things like slicing an Apple or a Kiwi fruit will create an appreciation for those blades that you might like.
Have fun with your new addiction and take care.
:spyder: Centofante3 (C66PBK3), ParaMilitary2 (C81GPCMO), Endura4 (C10P), GrassHopper (C138P), Military (C36GPCMO), Perrin PPT (C135GP), Squeak (C154PBK), Dragonfly 2 Salt (C28PYL2), Military M390 CF (C36CFM390P), R (C67GF), ParaMilitary2 CTS-XHP (C81GPOR2), Tuff (C151GTIP), Ladybug & Perrin Street Bowie (FB04PBB)being the newest.
Hi Fliktrik, wecome to the Forum. What an extremely entertaning story. I know all about it. Yes, you are hooked. No, there is no cure, there will be no doctor with an easy pill to take to recover. Help is on the horizon though as you have found your way to that nice self help group by the name of SPYDERCO General Forums.... I hope you will like it here, as most of us are comitting to their addiction and will share all their knowledge and show a lot of support to a newcomer feeling bad about his/her addiction... :)
Cheers, Jurphaas.
Cheers, Jurphaas.
Clipits Work!
* WTC # 0107 *
* WTC # 0107 *
Welcome fliktrik, you are obviously in the right place 
When you get the Sharpmaker watch the video a couple of times first :) It's almost like a time traveling machine and filled with good advice :)
Be warned that in addition to your knife fixation there is a good possibility you will wind up with a sharp edge compulsion Lots to be learned here on that subject :D
When you get the Sharpmaker watch the video a couple of times first :) It's almost like a time traveling machine and filled with good advice :)
Be warned that in addition to your knife fixation there is a good possibility you will wind up with a sharp edge compulsion
Lots to be learned here on that subject :DCharlie
" Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler."
[CENTER]"Integrity is being good even if no one is watching"[/CENTER]
" Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler."
[CENTER]"Integrity is being good even if no one is watching"[/CENTER]
Re. Sprints. lol... yeah, I'm beginning to understand. During my last trip to the Golden factory outlet I noticed a damascus-bladed sprint knife with a beautiful blue handle. I didn't dare touch it for fear that I'd lose all control. Despite my love of Spyderco's, I think of knives mainly as tools. Once I begin to buy knives that are too beautiful or expensive for me to carry or use, then all hope will be lost.
I may already be on the edge; I try to reserve my cheaper Tenacious for harder jobs, rather than just using one of my nicer/more-costly EDC Spydies. I need to get past that attitude... I'm sure they're all up to the job, and they'll all eventually show signs of usage and wear.
David
I may already be on the edge; I try to reserve my cheaper Tenacious for harder jobs, rather than just using one of my nicer/more-costly EDC Spydies. I need to get past that attitude... I'm sure they're all up to the job, and they'll all eventually show signs of usage and wear.
David
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jackthedog
- Member
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- Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2010 5:48 am
I think the most sensible thing you've done after becoming addicted to Spydercos is join this forum. Nothing you see or read here will in anyway make you want to purchase more knives. :)
Welcome aboard and it sounds like you and Highway 93 are going to become good friends! Enjoy the new problem err... hobby!
Welcome aboard and it sounds like you and Highway 93 are going to become good friends! Enjoy the new problem err... hobby!
Welcome! Quite new myself but everyone is very friendly and helpful so I know you will enjoy it here too.
Sounds like the :spyder: has you good, you have been enlightened and are now freed from inferior blades and the burden of deciding what to spend any spare cash on. Better to have a :spyder: and no money than money and no :spyder: .
Really enjoyed reading your post, look forward to the next! :D
Sounds like the :spyder: has you good, you have been enlightened and are now freed from inferior blades and the burden of deciding what to spend any spare cash on. Better to have a :spyder: and no money than money and no :spyder: .
Really enjoyed reading your post, look forward to the next! :D
Having the right tools is not an addiction but a necessity
In your opening monologue you mentioned that the folder you had was a poor choice for cleaning/field dressing fish. Well Sir you need the proper tool for the job. You really need to contact Spyderco ASAP because when I talked to them 2 months ago they still had some of the H-1, Green handled Catcherman models. I don't know of a fillet knife out there that does a better job than the Catcherman.
Now the folder I carry for EDC is the C-60, G-10 handled Massad Ayoob Spyderco model. And believe it or not it's a great blade for doing fish and other wild game as well. It's been the most versatile folding knife I've ever owned up till now. Now I don't recommend one over the other because they both have their advantages.
No Sir what you're describing is not an addiction at all. What you've described is a need for necessary tools. Hey I have dozens of Spyders and I still don't feel as though I have enough. You're on the right path my brother and don't let anyone lead you astray :cool:
Now the folder I carry for EDC is the C-60, G-10 handled Massad Ayoob Spyderco model. And believe it or not it's a great blade for doing fish and other wild game as well. It's been the most versatile folding knife I've ever owned up till now. Now I don't recommend one over the other because they both have their advantages.
No Sir what you're describing is not an addiction at all. What you've described is a need for necessary tools. Hey I have dozens of Spyders and I still don't feel as though I have enough. You're on the right path my brother and don't let anyone lead you astray :cool:
Long Live the SPYDEREDGE Spyderco Hawkbills RULE!!
Unmentioned in the story above is my other new little habit... flicking the Spyderco knives open with one hand. These days when I'm sitting at home reading or watching TV, I usually have a Spyderco in hand... practicing the thumb flick trick. My wife tolerates it, but it seems to alarm our dog. I'll have to be sure not to unconsciously do this around visitors... I'm sure it'd look absolutely mental to the uninitiated...