Spyderco Forums

Also a Spydie with a crossbar lock feels wrong. Back lock all the way.

Hey Sal:

My preference would be Mid-Back. Comp lock in second place, but I'd absolutely grab it.

I love both models, but they are workers and I don't know that I'd go for a crossbar lock, especially if they had omega-style springs.

I carried the Polestar a lot before I got my first PM2. A Golden version in a tool steel like Cru-Wear or M4 would be amazing. Thanks!

Mid backlock for me.

Caribbean and Bodacious seem to have your comp lock bases covered.

Mid-back lock for me, please. Thanks for the update, Sal.

Anything other than cross bar would be my preference.

sal wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 21, 2025 7:20 pm

I guess I can provide an update? We made prototypes of the Polestar and Alcyone with mid back-locks and "Handle Forward". Eric thought that the models might sell better with Compression Locks, so we made Prototypes with Compression Locks with the edge to the handle, no handle forward. Then we made prototypes of both models with "Cross Bar Locks".

Currently we're sitting on the protos with all 3 locks as there is no capacity available at this time for any of the models to be made in Golden. So I have to ask, what would be the preferred variation for you?

sal

3 different variations :D, go big or go home, right?

The cross bar lock would be a new lock to Spyderco, so maybe it would fit better in the Sage series?

The back lock would probably eat into edge length and is not as popular as the last option.

So my vote goes for the compression lock, flagship lock for Spyderco, quintessential in a Golden knife

sal wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 21, 2025 7:20 pm

Currently we're sitting on the protos with all 3 locks as there is no capacity available at this time for any of the models to be made in Golden. So I have to ask, what would be the preferred variation for you?

sal

Compression lock makes the most sense to me. I actually am perfectly happy with most locks and likely wouldn’t be buying any of these myself. But people seem most interested in comp locks these days.

I’m having a hard time understanding what the purpose of these knives in the Golden lineup would be.

Cross bar lock with Spyderco quality as well as a larger cutting edge than the Sage series. Obviously there is a demand for crossbar locks so why not the Polestar with the Spyderco touch? I would buy it.

sal wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 21, 2025 7:20 pm

Eric thought that the models might sell better with Compression Locks, so we made Prototypes with Compression Locks with the edge to the handle

I think Eric is correct here. This sounds great. A Polestar compression lock made in Golden could be the most perfect Spyderco ever made. The only other thing I'd prefer is not plain black G-10. It makes a lot of people hold off until exclusives or sprints.

sal wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 21, 2025 7:20 pm

I guess I can provide an update? We made prototypes of the Polestar and Alcyone with mid back-locks and "Handle Forward". Eric thought that the models might sell better with Compression Locks, so we made Prototypes with Compression Locks with the edge to the handle, no handle forward. Then we made prototypes of both models with "Cross Bar Locks".

Currently we're sitting on the protos with all 3 locks as there is no capacity available at this time for any of the models to be made in Golden. So I have to ask, what would be the preferred variation for you?

sal

A Crossbar Lock or Back Lock would be my preferred. Or a "Three Addendum Lock". Don't say the other name but do you know what I mean?

I heard it is a variation of the Compression Lock?

Back lock

A comp lock Golden Polestar sounds like a really cool combo to me. Not sure what the difference between handle forward and not would be though?

Backlock.

Back lock for sure.

They had a Polestar 2 in the Prototype case at BLADE Show... I can't remember if it was the backlock or crossbar lock. They had a few models with crossbar locks in the case and there was just a lot to try to keep track of. I also think they had a larger Polestar prototype in the case.

I definitely remember a Tenacious with a cross bar lock though. The action was awesome and it felt like it would be a very popular variant of the Tenacious.

On that note, after conversations with Eric at the show, it sounds like Spyderco will only be making knives with crossbar locks in China. Therefore, I would take that to mean a Polestar 2 with a crossbar lock would still be made in China.

I actually wonder, since there is no production capacity available in Golden, is the plan to wait until there is or is this one slated for China regardless of the lock type?

Scandi Grind wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 23, 2025 10:30 am

A comp lock Golden Polestar sounds like a really cool combo to me. Not sure what the difference between handle forward and not would be though?

The term "handle forward" is often misapplied to any knife where the edge extends to the handle. The term "Handle forward" is really only in reference to backlocks. What it means is, instead of the edge going all the way to the handle, the handle is brought forward to the edge.

The edge on a compression lock blade can extend all the way to the handle because the lock does not have the same design constraints of a backlock. Therefore the handle does not need to be brought forward for the edge to extend to the handle.

Handle forward backlocks still require some kind of blade kick, which often gets in the way of the edge extending all the way to the handle. To make up for the space taken up by the kick, the handle is extended forward. Hence the name, handle forward.

If they're the same overall size, a handle forward backlock Polestar would have a slightly longer handle than a compression lock Polestar. The compression lock Polestar would sacrifice a small amount of handle length for a slightly longer edge length.

Mushroom wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 23, 2025 11:51 am

I actually wonder, since there is no production capacity available in Golden, is the plan to wait until there is or is this one slated for China regardless of the lock type?

But they've never made a compression lock in China, at least not successfully. Wasn't that the problem with the first run of the Rhino, which led to them tossing 1,000+ Rhinos and moving production to Taichung?

BornIn1500 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 23, 2025 1:11 pm

Mushroom wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 23, 2025 11:51 am

I actually wonder, since there is no production capacity available in Golden, is the plan to wait until there is or is this one slated for China regardless of the lock type?

But they've never made a compression lock in China, at least not successfully. Wasn't that the problem with the first run of the Rhino, which led to them tossing 1,000+ Rhinos and moving production to Taichung?

That's partly why I ask.

They did have to toss an entire run of Rhino's from China, but I don't know what the specific problem was. I've heard overall fit and finish was unacceptable but I don't know if it had anything specifically to do with the compression lock itself. That whole run of Rhino still exists, by the way. (We've asked in the past, it's unlikely, but I still dream of seeing that run put out for sale at a future seconds sale.)

Personally, I wouldn't conflate not making a compression lock there in the past with not being able to make one there at all.

Idk why crossbar lock is even mentioned in the same sentence as Spyderco. Spyderco has their own caged ball bearing lock which functions the same way and is arguably better. Why would they use someone else's design when they can keep it original to Spyderco?

Mushroom wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 23, 2025 12:36 pm

Scandi Grind wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 23, 2025 10:30 am

A comp lock Golden Polestar sounds like a really cool combo to me. Not sure what the difference between handle forward and not would be though?

The term "handle forward" is often misapplied to any knife where the edge extends to the handle. The term "Handle forward" is really only in reference to backlocks. What it means is, instead of the edge going all the way to the handle, the handle is brought forward to the edge.

Thanks for the explanation, that makes sense of the term for me.