Spyderco Forums

I'm experiencing the joys of finally using my VA education benefits and working PT in a mental hospital. The local PD assured me that I can legally carry a small folder on campus, but I don't want to risk anything nice to an overzealous security guard. I can't carry any knife into the mental hospital, nor do I want to. So, I frequently have a Cold Steel Tuff Lite slipped into the coin pocket on Chinos and it gets left in my glove box when I get to work. That a big change from a ZT 0562CF.

When I'm not headed to work or campus, I almost always carry my Sage 2. Since I bought it in Oct when the disco'ed list hit, it's about the only knife I carry in non-work/school circumstances.

The other big change has been carrying a flashlight almost all the time. I've always been a flashlight nerd, but now I'm required to have one at work. It's the first time since getting out of the USAF that I've constantly needed a flashlight at work. I'm still hunting for the perfect light.

Due to a job change, I started carrying knives with 2.5" or smaller blades.

This was a huge reorientation for me. Previously I've always been a larger knife guy; when I started this job I didn't even own any knives that met the blade length restriction. Even my multitools all had blades longer than that! The smallest knives I routinely carried were 3.25" and I usually went with something larger.

After a year of trying and discarding smaller knives, I've found some that I'm comfortable with, but none that's "the one." I'm coming to terms with the possibility that, between hand size and my own personal preferences, there might not be a truly satisfying knife for me in this form factor, but I keep looking.

I was always a Gerber guy mainly collecting A/F line. The combat folders were my go too edc. Late in 2018 I I switched to my millies, left and right versions. Although I own many knives of different companies very few ever made it into my pockets. A sak also accompanies me most days.

I use to carry the Manix 2 Lightweight Models..

But I find myself using Native 5 Lightweight and Bryd Raven 2 and Crow 2 more often now

Benchmade —> Spyderco

anycal wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 02, 2019 5:44 pm

bigboned wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 02, 2019 4:21 pm

can i ask why the change to cruwear from m390?

Lost my M390 with CF scales horsing around in a river. Currently sitting somewhere on the bottom of Arroyo Seco. It was my oldest PM2 - BBS exclusive with CF scales swapped from the 52100. So no reason really, other than loosing it.

I have a few PM2s, as it is my favorite model. The CRUWEAR gets used the most right now. If you ask me in few months, it could be my new 204P. Other than grabbing specific steel for specific task (stainless vs non-stainless), as long as it is sharp, any of my PM2s will do on any given day.

i was hoping for a "well the cru is far superior" so now im gonna have to get m390 to compare it to my cru - was hoping to save money lol - thanks

Not much has changed for me. I still like big knives, still like robust construction in folders, still don't mind heavy folders, still like the same locks (tri-ad, comp, backlock, Ti framelock), still prefer carrying 2 knives of differing qualities (one extremely tough, one with extreme wear resistance).

The only thing I can say is that I value the tougher tool steels even more. Cruwear, Vanadis 4e, 4v, M4, etc. And I'm starting to appreciate DLC'd blades a lot more.

My biggest edc change was switching to a traditional slip joint (get bullnose) loose in the pocket from a clipped spyderco most days. I work in a climbing gym and a clipped blade often gets knocked around by my harness so pocket carry has been preferable.

joeldworkin307 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 04, 2019 7:25 am

My biggest edc change was switching to a traditional slip joint (get bullnose) loose in the pocket from a clipped spyderco most days. I work in a climbing gym and a clipped blade often gets knocked around by my harness so pocket carry has been preferable.

Do you also do climbing outdoors, thats sportclimbing and / or trad - / - mulipitch? (I do so a lot) - and if, which knife do you bring then, if any at all? Just courious..

2018 was the year of spyderco. I got a couple new ones, an endura and para 3. I was about 50/50 carrying ZT/spyderco a few years ago and my ZT's have been collecting dust last year. Don't know what 2019 will bring, hopefully an Amalgam and Smock....

Realized I love sheepsfoot blades and that I prefer longer knives.

Have too many knives; carried multiples... as some member’s tag line states I may expand to carrying three knife to ensure they all get some usage! :spyder:

- No more safe queens. Learning so much more about my knives by using them.
- Learning to re-profile blades and invested in quality sharpening gear.
- Opened my eyes to Chinese made knives and purchased my first two. Quite impressed...a paradigm shift in the works.
- After years of just thinking about it, finally started to commission custom knife makers/modders to customize some of my favorites and make some dreams come true. Initial results have been gorgeous. This could become habit forming.

Mako109 wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 08, 2019 12:44 pm

- No more safe queens. Learning so much more about my knives by using them.
- Learning to re-profile blades and invested in quality sharpening gear.

I made those same changes a few years back (or 20 years back for your second point....) and it made my enjoyment of this hobby increase more than anything.

I get so much satisfaction from taking a factory edge down to 1/3 to 1/2 the original thickness, then putting a true razor edge on it. Sharp enough to pop off individual pieces of day old stubble.

I swapped my S110V Para 3 for a S90V Para 3. It was hard at first but after a couple months I got used to it.

Crux wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:37 pm

I swapped my S110V Para 3 for a S90V Para 3. It was hard at first but after a couple months I got used to it.

Laughing now that is what I call a bold move out of a comfort zone. :D

Seriously how do you like the S90V by comparison? I find I actually like it better to me it seems more toothy and less slick when cutting.

I could never go back.

That's interesting that you pose that question. Because there have been a few occasions that I only had full SE blades on me. And I'm here to tell you all that I can do a whole lot better with two Spyderedged blades than I can with two plain edged.

This upcoming year of 2019 I'm planning on carrying a full Spyderedged, Reverse S blade for my companion blade. So far though a fully serrated Hawkbill seems to be an excellent companion blade for my hallowed, beloved M390 Military.

I guess you could say that I'm open for experimenting and exploring the possibilities of different EDC selections.

JD Spydo wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 08, 2019 7:41 pm

That's interesting that you pose that question. Because there have been a few occasions that I only had full SE blades on me. And I'm here to tell you all that I can do a whole lot better with two Spyderedged blades than I can with two plain edged.

This upcoming year of 2019 I'm planning on carrying a full Spyderedged, Reverse S blade for my companion blade. So far though a fully serrated Hawkbill seems to be an excellent companion blade for my hallowed, beloved M390 Military.

I guess you could say that I'm open for experimenting and exploring the possibilities of different EDC selections.

I think this is a good habit to develop. I wrote off the idea of EDCing a full sized multitool over a decade ago, and this week I've been up late reading about Leatherman tools, deciding which one to buy for my new EDC. Plan to go to a few shops tomorrow to handle some in person.

Did the same thing with fixed blades. Tried carrying a necker sized puuko back in 2008 or so and didn't care for it. Thought belt carry might look a little too rambo. These days I find a nice fixed blade makes more sense in a lot of ways than a folder for me.

Didn’t really have any changes...finally realized I only like knives 3.5” and bigger. Sold off a dozen or more Spydercos I didn’t carry. Got it down to the seven Spydercos I absolutely love and will never part with. And I picked up some CRKs and Hinderers. The disease never ends I tell ya.