Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
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Wartstein
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Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#1

Post by Wartstein »

Ok, I´ll admit: Mostly I start this thread for the term "bang-for-the-buck", sounds cool somehow to a non-native-speaker in English, and we don´t have anything comparable in my mother tongue.. :D

Now, seriously:

- What would you say is Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" knife?

I am totally aware of that this is a very unprecise question, and would sure need some clarification or categorization: On what price level? Concerning - steel? - broadest range of applications? - fit and finish? And so on.
But I deliberately won´t propose any limitations here, just trying to maybe stimulate a little discussion and exchange, so feel free to share your thoughts

Here are mine:

CHAPARRAL FRN:
- Concerning what you get for your money when it comes to fit and finish/execution, materials, design, craftmanship: CTS HXP steel, absolutely flawless fit and finish, great design, unbelievably well executed locking mechanism.
All for (in the US) under 90 dollars is hard to beat imho.

ENDURA 4 in VG10 (maybe replaced by the Endela in the future)
- Concerning what is the most versatile, most universally applicable knife offering great quality and steel for the money: VG10 is really good stuff, Spydercos backlock and FRN will work and last forever, and there is enough blade for almost any folder-task.
I have to admit: I have almost no personal experience with Spydercos "value line" (so you could say knives a "step below" Endura / Delica) like the Tenacious, so I can´t give a valid opinion on those. Might well be even better "bang-for-the-buck" folders.
Last edited by Wartstein on Sun May 26, 2019 2:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#2

Post by Evil D »

I think Spyderco do a pretty good job at balancing cost with what you get. Most people will say the Tenacious is a good value, but I see other more expensive knives coming with better steel and better fit and finish and I think things stay fairly parallel; when cost increases so does quality/materials/fit and finish. There are definitely some knives that lean towards diminishing returns as compared to others though.
Last edited by Evil D on Sun May 26, 2019 2:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#3

Post by bearfacedkiller »

Gayle Bradley 2 is one of the best deals in the knife world. When it first came out and was about $140 it was a steal.
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#4

Post by Wartstein »

bearfacedkiller wrote:
Sun May 26, 2019 2:25 pm
Gayle Bradley 2 is one of the best deals in the knife world. When it first came out and was about $140 it was a steal.
I never had that knife nor any in CPM M4. But from what I know in theory (design, carbon fiber, that steel!) you could very well be right and the Gayle Bradley could in a higher price category be what the Chap FRN is in a lower one. Offering a lot of "bang" design- , built quality- and material-wise for the "buck"...
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#5

Post by Bloke »

S110V Military. :)
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#6

Post by The Meat man »

UKPK in CTS BD1N.

It's a Golden-made Spyderco in a great steel, superbly designed with better fit and finish than my $200 Police 4, it's featherlight and has a well-done deep carry wire clip, all for LESS THAN $60!
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#7

Post by MacLaren »

I would have to say the Manix XL
It's a whole lot of premium s30v + g10 scales

....but, it will always seem so amazing that the K2, could once be had for $150..... :eek:
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#8

Post by GronK »

Manix 2 LW hands down!
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#9

Post by Tucson Tom »

I still name the Tenacious. Hard to beat what you get there for $50.

It is hard to put numbers on how much a better steel or lock type is worth.

I would probably nominate the stock S30V PM2 as my next choice though for around $125.

The up and coming LW models start to change the landscape in the bang for the buck world.

If you are OK with BD1 steel, the Manix 2 LW is a contender at $91.

Wartstein is probably right though about the Endura at $81 with VG10 steel.
For one reason or other I have a blind spot towards that whole line of backlock knives.
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#10

Post by JD Spydo »

This is interesting because there is certainly more than one Spyderco model that deserves those accolades. But my immediate overall value favorite would be the NATIVE model. And the GOLDEN CO Native too. And I don't care if it's SE or PE. I've still got an older 440V, SE Native that I use for extremely rough jobs and it just keeps on cuttin.

You could also say that about any model in the SALT SERIES could qualify as well. Also any of the RESCUE models are a steal too.
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#11

Post by 5pins »

Of the ones I have, I would have to say the Native. I would say the Para3 LW would fit the bill but I don't have one to make an informed opinion.
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#12

Post by ZrowsN1s »

The ones that immediately jump out at me are the Dragonfly Salt(s) (PE,SE,HB) for $67, the S110V UKPK $97, and the G-10 S30V Manix for $110.

But in General... The Lightweights.
The Dragonflys $60ish
DFly Salts $67ish
Delicas $78ish
Endela $80ish
Enduras $82ish
Delica "Salts"(Leaf,Wharncliffe,Hawkbill)$85ish
ZDP-189 DFly $88ish
Para3 $91ish
Manix $94ish
Stretch $94ish
S110V UKPK $97ish
Natives $98ish
DLC Pac Salt $99ish
Waved Matriarch $104ish
Police4 $108ish
ZDP-189 Delica $110ish
ZDP-189 Endura $120ish
Native Salt $120ish
S110V Native $130ish
MAXAMET Native $162ish
MAXAMET Manix $189ish
All amazing knives with great steel at reasonable prices.
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#13

Post by Wartstein »

OP here, and one of my two choices was (and is) the Chaparral FRN. I am actually a bit surprised that no one else brought it up so far:
I did some google-search meanwhile, and funny, in quite a few reviews it is explicitly pointed out, what a great value the Chap FRN is for the money (was not aware of this seemingly quite wide-spread opinion when I started the thread).
But then, I did not actually own too many Spyders myself compared to many on this forum probably.
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#14

Post by MichaelScott »

I’d think the Chaparral FRN or the Para 3 LW, depending on your knife size preference. Having both is a good idea.
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#15

Post by SG89 »

Any of the Golden factory lightweights especially when you factor in the dealer exclusives.
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#16

Post by wrdwrght »

I’ll keep it simple.

VG10 Delica4.

Three iterations of improvement on the inspired original for less than US$80.00. The biggest BANG!
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#17

Post by Wartstein »

wrdwrght wrote:
Sun May 26, 2019 3:43 pm
I’ll keep it simple.

VG10 Delica4.

Three iterations of improvement on the inspired original for less than US$80.00. The biggest BANG!
So I guess you´re with my choice in my op: If one likes bigger blades, it´s the Endura 4 instead of the Delica, right?!
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#18

Post by Nate »

Chaparral lw, Urban.

Thos bittersweet deals you get buying off the discontinued list. :o

SPY DKs still kicking around, among others...:
https://www.knifeworks.com/folding-kniv ... inued.html
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#19

Post by Wartstein »

Nate wrote:
Sun May 26, 2019 4:18 pm
Chaparral lw, Urban.

Thos bittersweet deals you get buying off the discontinued list. :o

SPY DKs still kicking around, among others...:
https://www.knifeworks.com/folding-kniv ... inued.html
I never really understood this: Discontinued models normally should be sought after and RISE in price (and in fact DO often times, believe me I know that from hunting down a Stretch 1... :rolleyes: ), but then there are some that get really cheap?!
Top three going by pocket-time (update March 24):
- EDC: Endura thin red line ffg combo edge (VG10); Wayne Goddard PE (4V), Endela SE (VG10)
-Mountains/outdoors: Pac.Salt 1 SE (H1), Salt 2 SE (LC200N), and also Wayne Goddard PE (4V)
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Re: Spydercos best "bang-for-the-buck" - knife?!

#20

Post by sal »

The Chinese Yuan is 6 to 1. That means that a US dollar is worth 6 when it crosses the Chinese border. While there is a big discussion in the US as to whether China is unfairly valuing it's currency, based on the 6-1 valuation difference, the best bang for the buck would have to be a Chinese made model.

sal
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