Spyderco Forums

Sole use would be food prep indoors...no camping trips just cutting boards at home. Kitchen show off blade so to speak. Or just a silly idea of mine? My kitchen knives are Shun and J.A. Henckels. Just wanted something a little different.

Sprig.

I LOVE my Southfork. I use it for everything. Outdoors. Yard work. Cleaning game. Food prep. Grilling. You name it. It's an amazing knife.

I thought it was the most used tool I'd ever own.

Then I got my hands on a Phil Wilson Bird and Trout (the custom knife the Sprig is a copy of) in Elmax.

I still use the Southfork, but 3 time out of 4 it's the smaller knife in my hand.

I realize that my actual Phill Wilson custom is going to be a cut above the production Sprig, but still, I think the Sprig will be more useful than the Southfork for the average persons uses. The places where the Southfork beats the Sprig are generally heavy chopping and outdoor tasks, and if you're going to use it in the kitchen exclusively, I'd go with the Sprig every time.

I own waaaay too many knives (just ask my wife)--well over 100. And I've spent waaaay too much money on them. The Bird and Trout is both one of my two most expensive knives (the other is another Phil Wilson custom--a Smoke Creek in K390), and the best value (bang for the buck) of any knife I own.

Or both, of course. You won't regret buying the Southfork. But you'll find the Sprig more useful in the kitchen for 90% of kitchen chores.

Hey Tom, I think you need to post some pics of your bird and trout :D

Holland wrote:Hey Tom, I think you need to post some pics of your bird and trout :D

and his Smoke Creek :p

Spydergirl, I think for the tasks you mentioned the Sprig would be best but you'll have to wait for it's release, maybe in the meantime you might look at a Street Beat :D

Spydergirl88 wrote:Sole use would be food prep indoors...no camping trips just cutting boards at home. Kitchen show off blade so to speak. Or just a silly idea of mine? My kitchen knives are Shun and J.A. Henckels. Just wanted something a little different.

Not a silly idea at all. Just today I was kinda laughing at myself for making dinner with my Military as my only kitchen knife when I have a whole block full of others more or less suitable. Fact is, I like using my Military for everything as my sole knife, (hey, I only have to sharpen one blade, right?), and I haven't found any kitchen chore I can't do with it, either at home or in camp. I will admit to living pretty primitive, but that's just me. :)

Just wanting "something a little different" is more than good reason enough to give the Southfork or Sprig a place in your kitchen. If you can't make up your mind as to which one, why not get both. Then you will know for sure!

As my good friend tells me, "You can't have too many knives you know." :D

Holland wrote:Hey Tom, I think you need to post some pics of your bird and trout :D

This. Yes. :D

I own both. Spyderco SF and a custom B&T (sprig). The sprig is going t be thinner and thinner behind the edge. It will slice better and will be a more nimble knife in the kitchen.

This seems like as good of a place as any to ask. Where are we at with the Sprig? Am I gonna get to use it this winter on some big Pike and some big Lake Trout or what? :) I should be out on the ice chasing some Kokanee in about three weeks.

Get both, I have the South Fork a great knife and await the Sprig. Wish it would hurry up and get here. Anyone heard any news as to delivery date? Been waiting for the Sprig a long time.

What's the latest on the Sprig release date?

I'd like to know as well. I am on Pre-order for the sprig for a while now.

I work in a fish and seafood distro company and cut my share of fish in a day and depends what I am doing. If I was going to be steaking salmon and skinning all day I'd rather a shape like the southfork. If I was going to be gutting and cleaning small fish like say a sea bream or a trout! I'd rather use something like the sprig.

My 2 cents

I'd get the Sprig first and the Southfork later because, let's face it, you're gonna' end up buying both anyway.
But seriously, I agree with the other recommendations on the Sprig for a kitchen piece. Let us know which route you take! :D

The sprig is the most refined fixed blade knife I've ever held.

Were did you get to handle the sprig?

Makes you wonder what a Real Phil Bird and Trout is like

They had one at Blade Show...

Ankerson wrote:They had one at Blade Show...

Ahhh, OK.

les_garten wrote:Were did you get to handle the sprig?

Makes you wonder what a Real Phil Bird and Trout is like

I personally held it at the Amsterdam meet, and I'm pretty confident the feel (in hand) is incredibly close to a Phil Wilson custom, if not practically identical. Spyderco's execution is top notch. A custom would likely be thinner ground, and possibly run harder, so the cutting performance might be different, but I'm pretty sure those who have the opportunity to handle both would say that Spyderco nailed the feel in hand.

The Southfork is quite a bit difference in thickness between the Phil and the Spydie versions.