Spyderco Forums

I've seen several YouTube videos where active LE personnel reference Spyderco as the de facto standard knife for LE.

Granted, the sample size is small (their unit/department/other buddies on the force) and it's wildly unscientific.

But I wonder: how true is it? How popular is Spyderco with law enforcement?

I work for large police department(1400). Never seen anyone carrying a spyderco. Knives are normally kept out of sight so maybe there out there. I have been working for 24+ years, the major issue is cost. Most younger cops cant afford quality knives so they buy cheaper alternatives. I am a collector and own around 30 spydercos and only carry a small dragonfly in my outervest pocket for small tasks. I made the mistake of buying a expensive benchmade auto. One drop on floor at station and the benchmade stopped opening properly. Not sure what I would carry if I decided to carry a spyderco, probably PM2.

I see Spydercos as off duty carry.

Very popular.

This is just from my limited recollection, so it's most likely wrong, but Spyderco seemed to be the first knifemaker embraced by the law enforcement community. I did an internship with my local police department way back in 1991 and nearly every officer had a Police model with a fully serrated blade. This leads me to believe that the officers appreciated the clip (which was unique at the time) and the serrations for cutting seat belts and zip-ties. I'm not sure when it started, but they also have the OPFOCUS discount which takes 50% off the price of their knives for law enforcement, first responders, and military personnel. It's how I have such an extensive collection.

Worked with a US Navy unit (HSC 85) that used Pacific salts. Think it’s a issue knife more than a choice as most had them.

I have carried a Military for as long as there has been one on patrol in my LE job (retired after 27 yrs and started with a new dept next day). Prior to that used a Police.

The rank and file in our dept. adopted them almost across the board after an Israeli shooting / dt instructor introduced the fully serrated Delica and Endura models to us in training. We even had a full set of red handled Endura trainers we used in knife fighting classes at one point

These days everywhere you look you see knives clipped to pockets and the options available are vast so the percentage of Spyderco users have declined greatly in LE from a near monopoly it seemed like in the 90s due to that competition. You also should remember that LE personnel are like the rest of us only probably poorer in most cases due to barely adequate wages in most agencies and that Spyderco knives are much more expensive than the CRKT and others knives that I see in lots of officers pockets these days. I am a huge fan and despite a great collection of Spyderco knives I am still carrying a MIlitary plain edge with a coarse diamond grit edge clipped inside my left front pocket of my duty pants. Hate to change to a knife I may like better as I don't think I have 27 more years to work on muscle memory and learning another knife inside and out. With the current winter weather here in the upper MidWest I sure do like that long blade and big gloved hand friendly Spydie hole...

Zatx wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 19, 2019 6:17 am

Very popular.

This is just from my limited recollection, so it's most likely wrong, but Spyderco seemed to be the first knifemaker embraced by the law enforcement community. I did an internship with my local police department way back in 1991 and nearly every officer had a Police model with a fully serrated blade. This leads me to believe that the officers appreciated the clip (which was unique at the time) and the serrations for cutting seat belts and zip-ties. I'm not sure when it started, but they also have the OPFOCUS discount which takes 50% off the price of their knives for law enforcement, first responders, and military personnel. It's how I have such an extensive collection.

Very interesting. I wonder what most guys carry out there. Police model would be obvious, and probably an Endura ... what would be the top 5 for LE?

standy99 wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 19, 2019 6:34 am

Worked with a US Navy unit (HSC 85) that used Pacific salts. Think it’s a issue knife more than a choice as most had them.

Did they also call them "H-1s"? Both my Navy friends call them that, and it drives me crazy. I gifted one of them an Autonomy 2, and I'm waiting to see if he starts calling that one an "LC200n".

Zatx wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 19, 2019 6:17 am

they also have the OPFOCUS discount which takes 50% off the price of their knives for law enforcement, first responders, and military personnel.

And veterans, I’m grateful to say.

wrdwrght wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 19, 2019 10:17 am

Zatx wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 19, 2019 6:17 am

they also have the OPFOCUS discount which takes 50% off the price of their knives for law enforcement, first responders, and military personnel.

And veterans, I’m grateful to say.

Yep, that is my qualifying category.

bagsnatcher wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 18, 2019 8:19 pm

I've seen several YouTube videos where active LE personnel reference Spyderco as the de facto standard knife for LE.

Granted, the sample size is small (their unit/department/other buddies on the force) and it's wildly unscientific.

But I wonder: how true is it? How popular is Spyderco with law enforcement?

Law enforcement / military is very prevalent in my extended family and friends. From over 30 year Marine Colonel to 20 years retired LAPD...I have 3 in family and 4 close friends. Two of the LEOs have Spyderco Stainless SE police and the other(female ) has Kershaw Blur. One of the retired military carried a Buck 110 (in both Gulf wars) and a Benchmade Axis stryker combo edge. The other carried a old Schrade. .not sure of the model.

The one common denominator is serrated or combo edge ...no PE in the bunch. I recently gifted a Copper and Clad Buck 110 with nickel bolsters , S30V drop point blade, black Micarta scales, And a mirror polished edge in a custom leather sheath my wife made. He loved it and said it wasn't for use....C'mon now Sir! :cool:


James

My son loves his Stag Arms Manix. Matches the green in his uniform well.

“The one common denominator is serrated or combo edge ...no PE in the bunch”

Doesn’t surprise me in the least.

I think this is a clear separator between civilians and LEO’s/Military people.

One thing I found is you seem to get clusters for various products - knives, watches, boots, webbing, holsters etc etc - in each unit (subject to being allowed to vary your uniform and carried equipment)

So one will get something and people see it working really well so it others grab one.

People on this forum are outliers obviously as I have more Spyderco’s than I can count. Most guys I work with carry cheap “tactical” knives with a serrated edge and glass breaker. I’ve seen a few guys with ZT’s and microtechs.

vernonremington wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 20, 2019 8:46 am

People on this forum are outliers obviously as I have more Spyderco’s than I can count. Most guys I work with carry cheap “tactical” knives with a serrated edge and glass breaker. I’ve seen a few guys with ZT’s and microtechs.

Are the guys you work with LEOs/Military people ?

I find those who really use knives worked out long ago that cheap knives don’t work/last. IMHO And cheap ‘tactical’ knives are often purchased because they look good over design.

500Nitro wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:33 am

vernonremington wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 20, 2019 8:46 am

People on this forum are outliers obviously as I have more Spyderco’s than I can count. Most guys I work with carry cheap “tactical” knives with a serrated edge and glass breaker. I’ve seen a few guys with ZT’s and microtechs.

Are the guys you work with LEOs/Military people ?

I find those who really use knives worked out long ago that cheap knives don’t work/last. IMHO And cheap ‘tactical’ knives are often purchased because they look good over design.

A couple carry ZT, a couple carry spyderco, most carry Kershaw or gas station level garbage. Almost everyone carries one though. A lot of leatherman and gerber MTs out there too.

The couple of guys who carry a ZT or spyderco have no real consideration for what they're carrying. They just know that they're supposed to be good so they buy one they like the looks of and don't give it another thought. My entire 12 years working with many dudes all over the country in about 5 different federal agencies I've met two that i would consider knife junkies and actually carried good knived and knew exactly what they were carrying and could justify why and compare them to other companies' products. One carried ZT almost exclusively and the other carried a PM2 and a Dyer (IIRC) fixed blade.

500Nitro wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:33 am

vernonremington wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 20, 2019 8:46 am

People on this forum are outliers obviously as I have more Spyderco’s than I can count. Most guys I work with carry cheap “tactical” knives with a serrated edge and glass breaker. I’ve seen a few guys with ZT’s and microtechs.

Are the guys you work with LEOs/Military people ?

I find those who really use knives worked out long ago that cheap knives don’t work/last. IMHO And cheap ‘tactical’ knives are often purchased because they look good over design.

Yes, I should’ve said I’m a police officer.

vernonremington wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 20, 2019 11:08 am

500Nitro wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 20, 2019 9:33 am

vernonremington wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 20, 2019 8:46 am

People on this forum are outliers obviously as I have more Spyderco’s than I can count. Most guys I work with carry cheap “tactical” knives with a serrated edge and glass breaker. I’ve seen a few guys with ZT’s and microtechs.

Are the guys you work with LEOs/Military people ?

I find those who really use knives worked out long ago that cheap knives don’t work/last. IMHO And cheap ‘tactical’ knives are often purchased because they look good over design.

Yes, I should’ve said I’m a police officer.

Surprises me that they use "cheap" tactical knives.

I learnt along time ago that buy quality once and cheap shyte doesn't last.

Happy to be proven wrong. I suppose it does depend on someone's definition of cheap !

500Nitro wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 20, 2019 12:51 pm

Surprises me that they use "cheap" tactical knives.

I learnt along time ago that buy quality once and cheap shyte doesn't last.

Happy to be proven wrong. I suppose it does depend on someone's definition of cheap !

Several things at play here:

1. LEO isn’t a super lucrative career.
2. While I imagine LEO’s aren’t using their knives a lot, when they do get used it’s often not a “you know, I’m going to go get a prybar instead” type of situation.
3. Cheap knives get the job done just as well.

Spyderco only has a few knives that I would think fit into that under $50 category that I imagine most LEO’s are shopping for. Of those I imagine most would opt for the Tenacious as there aren’t any other large models under $50. $50 buys you a lot of knife from lesser brands.

I’ve noticed several firearm brands white label inexpensive knives. HK (a pricey brand) used to do this with Benchmades. Someone I know had a very cheap Smith & Wesson. These probably get in front of LEO eyeballs easily and make for easy sales.

Very interesting, it seems like a mixed bag here.

The LE professionals on YouTube may be in the minority as true "knife guys."

Everyone carries at least one knife. More cheapo ones than I would like to see. I think a lot of it depends honestly on what the cop shop in the area has in the case. Around here they stocked spyderco's and bench made autos so thats what a lot of the guys carry. A few ZT's, and a few Gerbers also.