Where do the best made Spydies come from?

[bh49]

Where do the best hard use knives come from - Golden. In a real SHTF moment I'd grab for my C95 Manix and Chinook 3 before heading for the hills.
Where do the knives with the most consistently excellent fit and finish come from - Taiwan. More specifically, from Taichung. Spyderco's maker there most definitely deserves all the praise they get.
Where do almost all my favorite knives come from - Japan. May just be luck of the draw. May be that, at least until recently, they were the best at midlocks. Either way, it's where the Stretch, Kiwi, Schempp Persian, micarta Jester, and all the Kitchen Sharps, hail from. But Taichung has already broken that monopoly on my pocket space with the Chaparral and Golden may be poised to do so as well with Native V.

I agree with everything what you said and I am glad that you like Native5.
I was looking for the Poll numbers
Golden, CO USA 29
Seki, Japan 13
Taichung, Taiwan 40
and one thought stroked my mind: Japanese made knives lost their leading position. First Spydercos were made in Japan. For many years Spyderco were made in Japan only. And they were good, very good. I remember time, when "made in Japan" was synonym of perfection. Many of my favorite Spydercos were made in Japan, but most of them discontinued, only Calys left. But lately I am reading more and more comments about sticky lock. I owned 5 Caly3, which I bought years ago, none of them had sticky lock. Also after success of Sage1 it looks like more and more new models moving to Taichung and not Japan. Is this reflection of the drop in quality of Japanese made knives. Also I remember Sal's comment about Navaja, that Taichung maker was the only one who took the job. This is in today's economy, to turn job down, when companies ready to cut their profits and do anything to get a job?
Probably we will never know, what is going on, but this is sad picture, at least for me.

[Mr Blonde]

From what I heard about the Japanese knife industry, is that's not so much factories as it is a cottage industry with specialists who excell in parts of the knife production process. Their skills are handed down to the next generation. However, the next generation is less and less interested in learning how to make knives.

My take on quality and manufacturing location is that 'it depends'. For a nice mid-sized midlock model, you can't beat Japanese (Moki) made knives IMHO. For the more technologically 'tricky' models (compression locks, ball locks for example), with close tolerances, Golden makes the best functioning and finished knives. I really like the consistent quality of the Taiwan maker, but their tolerances are relatively large. I'd love to see the PPT with thinner washers- there is some space between the blade and the handle, that I don't see in Golden or Japanese made Spydies. I only have one Italian made model, the Squeak and I am very impressed by its function and fit and finish. I'd love to see more from the Italian maker.

[wrdwrght]

i only have one italian made model, the squeak and i am very impressed by its function and fit and finish. I'd love to see more from the italian maker.

+1

[speedcut]

Although Taichung makes the best f & f Spydercos right now i think that Moki has proven itself to be the main source of high quality Spydercos over the years.....Taichung might gain the top spot in the future .....and Golden has their place too my last Golden product - Para 2 S90v - is perfect in every way and i think that this new approach that Mr. Glesser is taking with the Manix 2, Para 2,Native 5,Yojimbo 2 based on a similar platform might help Golden take the top spot in the future.....just my 02 euros.... :)

[JCP1969]

From what I heard about the Japanese knife industry, is that's not so much factories as it is a cottage industry with specialists who excell in parts of the knife production process. Their skills are handed down to the next generation. However, the next generation is less and less interested in learning how to make knives.

My take on quality and manufacturing location is that 'it depends'. For a nice mid-sized midlock model, you can't beat Japanese (Moki) made knives IMHO. For the more technologically 'tricky' models (compression locks, ball locks for example), with close tolerances, Golden makes the best functioning and finished knives. I really like the consistent quality of the Taiwan maker, but their tolerances are relatively large. I'd love to see the PPT with thinner washers- there is some space between the blade and the handle, that I don't see in Golden or Japanese made Spydies. I only have one Italian made model, the Squeak and I am very impressed by its function and fit and finish. I'd love to see more from the Italian maker.

I think you make a good point. Its like comparing apples to oranges. all fruit but different flavors.

[spyderHS08]

Golden Golden Golden! :D just my opinion

[cosmo7809]

As long as it has a spyder and a hole, I'm good to go. No worries about quality or performance. :-)

TedP

Same over yonder.

[presbo]

1) Golden
2) Japan
3) Taiwan
4) China

[JNewell]

I really like this post, having read it several times now. It illustrates that even what looks like a simple question isn't necessarily what it appears to be.

My 'take' on the question when I answered the poll, and the question I thought I was answering, was the one posed in Paul's second paragraph. However, even considering the wonderful GB folder, in a pinch (and almost always not in a pinch), the knives I grab first are always the Golden knives. :spyder:

Where do the best hard use knives come from - Golden. In a real SHTF moment I'd grab for my C95 Manix and Chinook 3 before heading for the hills.

Where do the knives with the most consistently excellent fit and finish come from - Taiwan. More specifically, from Taichung. Spyderco's maker there most definitely deserves all the praise they get.

Where do almost all my favorite knives come from - Japan. May just be luck of the draw. May be that, at least until recently, they were the best at midlocks. Either way, it's where the Stretch, Kiwi, Schempp Persian, micarta Jester, and all the Kitchen Sharps, hail from. But Taichung has already broken that monopoly on my pocket space with the Chaparral and Golden may be poised to do so as well with Native V.

[MountainManJim]

Really, Taiwan in on top??

I'm voting Japan and Golden, thank you very much.

Jim

[Melektau]

Japan

[Mr Blonde]

Well, what is 'best'? I think Golden is best at making the technologically advanced stuff like a Manix 2, or anything else with ball locks or compression locks. Seki makes the best midlock knives and I think Taichung is the best overall bang for your buck. Furthermore, I haven't seen nicer FRN slipits than the Squeak and Pingo from Maniago.

[JNewell]

Japan

I have to differ. The most recent three Spyderco knives I've bought were a Tuff, a Southard and a Caly3 Super Blue sprint. The two from Taichung were in every respect as perfect as is possible for a production knife. The Caly3 sprint, on the other hand, has poorly ground, nearly non-existent bevels* and is something like 65-45% centered, and the pivot action is distinctly gritty. It's just not in the same league.

* This blade very closely resembles the blade on the "demonstrator" BM mini-Grips (with the clear handles), if anyone has one of those or remembers what the edge on the blade was like.

[thelock]

Golden
Taiwan
Italy

[Pomelly]

Golden;
Japan;
Italy (only for Lionspy! Greal example of italian design...)

[bh49]

Italy (only for Lionspy! Greal example of italian design...)

You need to get Volpe, brother. F&F is outstanding. I had three of them. All perfect. I gifted one to my friend. He is Italian (American-Italian to be precise). He has may 50 various knives, about 10 spydies and he worships Volpe.

[rwasham]

I voted the US. I just think they make a more refined product.

[DedRok]

It really depends... quite frankly Golden does a really good job on the PM2. Mine have been perfect thus far... but some of their recent knives with black G10 have this weird checkered pattern on them under certain lighting conditions that bothers me. (So far apparent on my Native 5, Manix 2 Black and Manix 2 XL)

However, my number one is Taiwan.

[IG-88]

1. Taichung
2. Golden
3. Seki
4. Maniago
5. Somewhere in China

[JD Spydo]

Really, Taiwan in on top??

I'm voting Japan and Golden, thank you very much.

Jim

I've looked at many of the posts here and I'm also going with my many years of personal experience of being a very devout Spyder-Head :cool: >> It's sort of a complex answer I'm about to render but one I've given a great deal of thought to. First of all I have a special love and a strong affinity for the Golden Colorado, USA Earth made Spyders>> they will always have a very special place in my heart.

However after much honest evaluation and looking at my collector's arsenal and my USER'S Arsenal of Spyders that I dearly adore and love using for many reasons >> I must at this time say that I have just a little more love for the Seki City, Japan, Moki, G-Sakai Spyders over all the rest of them.

In a way it sort of hurts me to say this but I'm going to call it the way I see it>> at this time I'm given the Japnese Brothers the nod because I do believe that they aret taking their quality very seriously., But I'm also basing that opinion of the fact that I"m using far more of the Japanese Spyders at this time that I am any of the other groups.

But my opinion could change back to Golden, Colorado USA Earth at any time because their quality has always been superb and I'm pending that on possible new models that could win my heart back. But with the re-introduction of the big Dyad they are going to have to do something very special for that to happen. >> JD