Spyderco Forums

Can I just take a second to point out how freaking awesome it is that we have Shawn Houston and Phil Wilson commenting on steel in a knife designed by Eric Glesser on the company forum founded by Sal Glesser?

That's a four-ace draw if there ever was one.



There will never be another era like this in the knife world.

Eli Chaps wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:38 pm

Can I just take a second to point out how freaking awesome it is that we have Shawn Houston and Phil Wilson commenting on steel in a knife designed by Eric Glesser on the company forum founded by Sal Glesser?

That's a four-ace draw if there ever was one.



There will never be another era like this in the knife world.

Its indeed amazing only wish cliff stamp was still among us. He would have made it even more interesting and technical.

apollo wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:26 pm

Evil D wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:58 am

WilliamMunny wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 7:52 am

I do think there is some place for an idiot proof design. There is more than enough demand for a knife that is chip resistant when you try to cut wire or hit a hard surface, the tip wont break when used like a screw driver, opens a box and is easy to sharpen with a $10 pull sharpener.

Oh don't get me wrong I love those overbuilt knives, but the trend has been far too one sided for far too long and it would just be nice to get more slicer oriented options.

Evil D i respect you as the experienced long time member that you are but this time i can not follow what you are saying. Spyderco has not made an “overbuilt” model in years. The last one was probably the shempp tuff and that one has bin long discontinued. The second generation manix has also lost its overbuilt status compared to the original (Thinner blade lighter handle) and almost if not more then 50% that has come out of spyderco the last couple of years are more Lightweight with thinner blades then the designs they made in the past so enlighten me with some more details on what is youre vision of overbuilt please? (Again no disrespect in any way)

I guess it's a matter of perspective?

A Shaman vs this Military for example:



And consider that the Military is still ~4mm blade stock (albeit with a healthy distal taper). Now imagine that Military starting out with 2-2.5mm blade stock and a grind that thin...it may not be the right knife for everything but it doesn't have to be and it would cut the right materials like a lightsaber.

Perhaps OVER built isn't a fair term, is there such a thing as medium built? I guess it's fair to say Spyderco do hit a reasonable middle ground, their knives slice better than some other brands I've owned. All I'm saying is, it would be nice to see some knives that have thinner blade stock and far thinner grinds. Knives like the Shaman definitely lean more towards being over built than being high performance slicers.

Even my MagnaCut mule honestly doesn't slice or carve as well as it could because it's pretty thick behind the bevel. I assumed Spyderco grind mules this way as a kind of safety measure for those who do intend to beat the crap out of mules to really push the steel to test toughness and such, and it's a lot easier to grind a blade thinner than it is to make it thicker lol.

Another example, and I mean this with the shiniest of footprints, I have a ZT0303. It was a knife I wanted so bad when I first saw it. It's an absolute tank. I loved everything about it until the first time I tried to carve into a dried out hard wood branch and that's when I realized that it cuts like a brick. You could beat on it and pry with the tip and do all sorts of non-knife jobs with it, but ultimately it isn't very good at just being a cutting tool. We've just reached a place where pocket knives are expected to be good at doing so many things beyond cutting stuff that they're not as good as their primary function as they could be.

Evil D wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:56 pm

apollo wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:26 pm

Evil D wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:58 am

WilliamMunny wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 7:52 am

I do think there is some place for an idiot proof design. There is more than enough demand for a knife that is chip resistant when you try to cut wire or hit a hard surface, the tip wont break when used like a screw driver, opens a box and is easy to sharpen with a $10 pull sharpener.

Oh don't get me wrong I love those overbuilt knives, but the trend has been far too one sided for far too long and it would just be nice to get more slicer oriented options.

Evil D i respect you as the experienced long time member that you are but this time i can not follow what you are saying. Spyderco has not made an “overbuilt” model in years. The last one was probably the shempp tuff and that one has bin long discontinued. The second generation manix has also lost its overbuilt status compared to the original (Thinner blade lighter handle) and almost if not more then 50% that has come out of spyderco the last couple of years are more Lightweight with thinner blades then the designs they made in the past so enlighten me with some more details on what is youre vision of overbuilt please? (Again no disrespect in any way)

I guess it's a matter of perspective?

A Shaman vs this Military for example:



And consider that the Military is still ~4mm blade stock (albeit with a healthy distal taper). Now imagine that Military starting out with 2-2.5mm blade stock and a grind that thin...it may not be the right knife for everything but it doesn't have to be and it would cut the right materials like a lightsaber.

Perhaps OVER built isn't a fair term, is there such a thing as medium built? I guess it's fair to say Spyderco do hit a reasonable middle ground, their knives slice better than some other brands I've owned. All I'm saying is, it would be nice to see some knives that have thinner blade stock and far thinner grinds. Knives like the Shaman definitely lean more towards being over built than being high performance slicers.

Even my MagnaCut mule honestly doesn't slice or carve as well as it could because it's so pretty behind the bevel. I assumed Spyderco grind mules this way as a kind of safety measure for those who do intend to beat the crap out of mules to really push the steel to test toughness and such, and it's a lot easier to grind a blade thinner than it is to make it thicker lol.

Another example, and I mean this with the shiniest of footprints, I have a ZT0303. It was a knife I wanted so bad when I first saw it. It's an absolute tank. I loved everything about it until the first time I tried to carve into a dried out hard wood branch and that's when I realized that it cuts like a brick. You could beat on it and pry with the tip and do all sorts of non-knife jobs with it, but ultimately it isn't very good at just being a cutting tool. We've just reached a place where pocket knives are expected to be good at doing so many things beyond cutting stuff that they're not as good as their primary function as they could be.

Thx i see what you’re point now. And i must say you are correct. Some designs should be even better with a slightly thinner blade. For example in my eyes the pm2 could also use a slight thinning. Its an amazing cutter but i feel it could be even better that way.

Knives are a hobby for many, but it's not all that it is for everyone.

For me it's a passion. Something I got introduced to by a dear family member, something that slowly has grown into a hunger for knowledge on the matter. Of course it won't come before family and friends. But reading some of the discussion on this threa puzzled me.

Spyderco caters to a diverse but pretty specific set of ELUs. I know there is a large demand for sharpened prybars in some groups, youtube communities and forums. Maybe because they open paint cans better than an Opinel. But I don't see the correlation between this and a 15V Manix2
There's also a large demand for toilet paper, WAY larger than for Chaparrals and Watus. I for one am very glad Spyderco did not go in the TP business (even if it's an idea, or maybe a CBN bidet?).

All european dealers bookmarks that I have are now directly linking to their "Coming soon" section, because I won't miss that. Just like I promised myself I'd have a Chad Kelly Vanax knife sooner than later .

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:43 am

Yeah, yeah, I know, somebody out there is cutting six miles of cardboard at work everyday and they need this knife and only they can actually appreciate this knife. All the enthusiasts are making their life harder and wasting a perfectly good knife.

Although all my knives get carried and used, my chores will not be magically lessened on the day I get my new CPM 15V blade. I don't need that knife. The difference it makes on my life won't amount to a hill of beans. Maybe that makes ME a poser, an imposter, a contemptible wannabe.

Of all the people reading this, suppose there are actually ten who will be able to fully utilize the CPM 15V and all its heat treated goodness. Suppose Spyderco only made ten knives, one for each of those people who really need them. The costs of research, development, and gearing-up will be split up among those ten users, and each knife will cost them $5000.

Luckily, there are 500 people like me who want to buy this knife for reasons that are neither logical nor sensible. But we want it nevertheless, so Spyderco makes a bunch of these knifes. And the sheer volume of knives produced allows the costs to be amortized among more customers, bringing the cost down to a mere $157.

So considering the economics and the effects they have on product diversity and affordability, the Safe Queen Collectors are the true heroes of the world of knives.

RustyIron wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:54 pm

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:43 am

Yeah, yeah, I know, somebody out there is cutting six miles of cardboard at work everyday and they need this knife and only they can actually appreciate this knife. All the enthusiasts are making their life harder and wasting a perfectly good knife.

Although all my knives get carried and used, my chores will not be magically lessened on the day I get my new CPM 15V blade. I don't need that knife. The difference it makes on my life won't amount to a hill of beans. Maybe that makes ME a poser, an imposter, a contemptible wannabe.

Of all the people reading this, suppose there are actually ten who will be able to fully utilize the CPM 15V and all its heat treated goodness. Suppose Spyderco only made ten knives, one for each of those people who really need them. The costs of research, development, and gearing-up will be split up among those ten users, and each knife will cost them $5000.

Luckily, there are 500 people like me who want to buy this knife for reasons that are neither logical nor sensible. But we want it nevertheless, so Spyderco makes a bunch of these knifes. And the sheer volume of knives produced allows the costs to be amortized among more customers, bringing the cost down to a mere $157.

So considering the economics and the effects they have on product diversity and affordability, the Safe Queen Collectors are the true heroes of the world of knives.

I Like you’re comment since i am the same type of collector/user as you it seems , so thank you for posting this because i could not have said it better myself i got to frustrated by the words of a few people here that someone like me with a passion for Manixes (own and use 20 of them) should not be able to get that knife because i would use and cherish it and not test it to its limits.

Yep plenty of room for all types of users and collectors. No doubt that's best for Spyderco too. No one likes flippers of course. I'd like to get one to use and sharpen and experiment with.

Do we know how far out this release may be?

I think Spyderco's latest policy is to only "reveal" knives that are very close to release. They got tired of people complaining about delays.

As Dirty Harry once said, a man’s has to know his limitations. I pretty well understand mine by now and I can say that this knife is well beyond my needs, real or imagined. The same with any of the really good culinary knives.

However, I can also say that this is exactly the kind of knife Sal created Spyderco to make, extreme performance knives. Shawn is the cutlery version of Carrol Shelby.

RustyIron wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:54 pm

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:43 am

Yeah, yeah, I know, somebody out there is cutting six miles of cardboard at work everyday and they need this knife and only they can actually appreciate this knife. All the enthusiasts are making their life harder and wasting a perfectly good knife.

Although all my knives get carried and used, my chores will not be magically lessened on the day I get my new CPM 15V blade. I don't need that knife. The difference it makes on my life won't amount to a hill of beans. Maybe that makes ME a poser, an imposter, a contemptible wannabe.

Of all the people reading this, suppose there are actually ten who will be able to fully utilize the CPM 15V and all its heat treated goodness. Suppose Spyderco only made ten knives, one for each of those people who really need them. The costs of research, development, and gearing-up will be split up among those ten users, and each knife will cost them $5000.

Luckily, there are 500 people like me who want to buy this knife for reasons that are neither logical nor sensible. But we want it nevertheless, so Spyderco makes a bunch of these knifes. And the sheer volume of knives produced allows the costs to be amortized among more customers, bringing the cost down to a mere $157.

So considering the economics and the effects they have on product diversity and affordability, the Safe Queen Collectors are the true heroes of the world of knives.

Agreed. It’s a tricky situation. Every hobby has its elitists and they do fuel progress but in the end they also take away from the casual hobbiests who actually keep the hobby going.

I’m tired of hearing about users, collectors, afis, flippers and influencers. I don’t care who buys one or why. I just hope there are enough for me to get one too.

The price on this thing is crazy. I cannot imagine that anybody involved is actually making much. This knife is a gift from knife geeks to knife geeks. This is the most amazing thing I see here. I just gotta say thanks to all involved.

I think 'most' (not all) peoples need for an over built knife could be solved by carrying a Lynch All Access Pass for twisting, prying, bottle opening, scraping, and screw driving. And using their knife for the cutting jobs.

ZrowsN1s wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 30, 2022 11:35 am

I think 'most' (not all) peoples need for an over built knife could be solved by carrying a Lynch All Access Pass for twisting, prying, bottle opening, scraping, and screw driving. And using their knife for the cutting jobs.

Or carry a multi tool like millions of ordinary people do everyday.

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 30, 2022 11:31 am

The price on this thing is crazy. I cannot imagine that anybody involved is actually making much. This knife is a gift from knife geeks to knife geeks. This is the most amazing thing I see here. I just gotta say thanks to all involved.

That's what makes me nervous that there may not be that many, and with that price it will only increase the interest more than there already is. Could this possibly get as crazy as the Crucarta Shaman release?? We'll have to wait and find out!

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:43 am

… I am most likely buying a Busa in the spring….

Fantastic! A bit different from the Africa Twin…

TkoK83Spy wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 30, 2022 11:39 am

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 30, 2022 11:31 am

The price on this thing is crazy. I cannot imagine that anybody involved is actually making much. This knife is a gift from knife geeks to knife geeks. This is the most amazing thing I see here. I just gotta say thanks to all involved.

That's what makes me nervous that there may not be that many, and with that price it will only increase the interest more than there already is. Could this possibly get as crazy as the Crucarta Shaman release?? We'll have to wait and find out!

Don't be mad at the one weird / bad review... keep them coming and no one will want to buy one. haha

I'm honestly surprised KnifeCenter even let that review go through at this time.

ChrisinHove wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 30, 2022 11:50 am

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:43 am

… I am most likely buying a Busa in the spring….

Fantastic! A bit different from the Africa Twin…

I’m gonna keep the AT. I put quite a few miles on it this year and I love it. I couldn’t imagine a more practical motorcycle for me. It’s the Swiss Army knife of motorcycles. Everything you could ask for but not exciting. It’s perfect.

They are gonna force electric bikes on us soon so the next 10 years will be the swan song of internal combustion super bikes. I might as well buy the 15V Manix of motorcycles while I still can.

It will be a weekend toy that I keep the miles low on and maybe someday it will be highly collectible and worth a fortune. I think a lot of folks look at some of their more exotic knife purchases that same way and that ok.