Spyderco Forums

Unfortunately I don't think you need to be concerned about a knife lasting 50 years. Unless current trends change, it's likely private citizens won't be allowed to carry knives 50 years from now, at least nothing more than a couple inches long, and no locks.

Caly 3 or UKPK. My cutting needs are similar to yours and both these knives serve me well. They are big enough to be useful, and small enough that no one fills their shorts when you open it .

tac wrote:Unfortunately I don't think you need to be concerned about a knife lasting 50 years. Unless current trends change, it's likely private citizens won't be allowed to carry knives 50 years from now, at least nothing more than a couple inches long, and no locks.

I think Doug Ritter and some people might disagree. They are passing preemtive laws about restrictions in AZ :) per the recent thread.

4" assisted openers with skulls on them? Maybe. Working knives are gonna be tough to get rid of. It's an entire industry of employment (like the tabacco and liquor industry).

For me the Persian was the obvious suggestion, a classic design which will surely stand the test of time, and a time proven reliable lock.

Other alternatives to the Persian would be the CF Stretch and the Kiwi.

Some knives can last 2 weeks,2 months, 2 years or 20, but that's really up to you, how they're looked after and what sort of work they are subjected too.
E.g I expect to have to retire my D2 Para in about a year from now, if I continue to use it as I have been. That's not a reflection on Spyderco's build quality, but on how hard my work knives get used. This Para is a work tool and nothing more, should it become unsafe or badly damaged I'll simply replace it.
If this Para was used "normally" it would last much, much longer.

Jez

I agree about the UKPK and longevity. A guy a work with brought in a slipit that was at least 60 years old and it was still tight as can be. I also think lockbacks aren't too bad. The oldest knife I have is a Gerber lock back I got when I was about 12, which would make it 14 years old. Still works perfectly, and my pretty much sole use for knives when I was younger was to throw them at the ground/trees, or see how far I could stab into something. Probably why my right hand (I'm a lefty) has so many battle scars.

As much as I like frame-locks, I just feel like frame/liner locks will wear out and you can't do much other than make a new scale.

You might want to consider a hollow ground blade. Over 50 years of sharpening will wear a little better with a hollow grind than a full flat grind. My choice would be a Manix 2, Salt 1 or Pac Salt depending on your needs and size preference.

Paul

I have trouble believing that any folder will survive 50 years of reasonably frequent use. They are mechanical tools, and they wear out even when used lovingly. Yeah, maybe a slipjoint is the best bet, but it seems that even the locks on these would start to loosen up over decades.

So...go for the Street Beat! Or build up an S90V Mule with sturdy scales (mine wears the "jcarta" denim/polyester composite, and I have trouble believing that's going anywhere soon). I can easily see those being in great shape after 50 years of caring use. My S90V sits in my house and does all sorts of daily cutting, and I've only had to touch up the edge once so far.

But I subscribe to the notion that all good things come to an end, so we should enjoy it while it lasts...and thus I'm partial to my VG-10/G-10 PE Caly 3. :)