Spyderco Forums

As I get older, and maybe more practical, I find myself gravitating towards smaller pocket knives and away from very large knives. I need something I can simply take out of my pocket without a lot of drama and use it, and then return it. This does not mean that I will not buy, or have no use for, larger knives, but simply paying attention to what I get the most use from day to day. All of my life I have carried pocket sized knives, like standard barlows, smaller stockmans, etc. Knives with roughly 2.45 to 2.65" blades that I can get a good grip on are what I always need. Of course I will still buy a Native Chief and an Endela, but the smaller knives will get my attention because they are more useful to me and my lifestyle.

I already ordered the Urban LW AEB-L (at customs now), and I will order a Lil Native, soon. I have a new Dragonfly Salt on the way, as I write this, as well. The barlow I had as a boy, and have so many fond memories of, has been replaced by the Urban, the Cat, Dragonfly, and other such knives.

I am even tempted to buy another Squeak, though I did not care for the one I had because of two issues: 1] The weak spring. My Pingo was/is perfect, with actually good walk and talk. The Squeak was mushy and weak. The spring does not need to be too hard, but this one was a bit difficult to keep open. I gave it to someone moving to Germany. 2] The round blade. It was like a flattened spoon. It should be modified to look like a mini Urban blade, and then it would be just fine. Take that round spine and flatten it. It is otherwise a really nicely designed knife.

I have a Roadie inbound, as well, along with the Urban Coyote, and cannot wait to start using that small knife.

Anyway, rant finished. I find smaller knives, though not too small, to be more generally useful for day to day things, and I am not unnecessarily lugging around a large heavy knife.

Those smaller knives must be very dense for you to gravitate towards them! :D

I can't disagree with ya Doc! I love the smaller knives as well, though I enjoy pairing them with a larger folder as well. 9 times out of 10 with daily use, I could get by with my dragonfly or urban...but there's always that one time I'll need something larger, so I try to be prepared.

I've been going the other way lately. The Shaman was gateway knife to the Police 4 and the Chief. For me it hasn't been about needing something that big so much as it's been enjoying the performance you get with a bigger knife.

Starting to go small again though Urban and wave Dfly on the way. I'm hopefully starting a new job soon, and I fear my large knives will get benched. (I'm worried I may not be able to carry the small ones :/ )

I wish I felt the same. Spydeco has such a robust offering when it comes to this size range.

I find myself in the opposite boat though. When I carry my Pacific Salt, there are moments I wish I had a Police 4 sized blade on me.

The Dragonfly was my first love with Spyderco. I have several others in the same size range and love how well Spyderco does smaller knives. I also love variety and love reaching for a Military or Endura some days.

ZrowsN1s wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:47 pm

I've been going the other way lately. The Shaman was gateway knife to the Police 4 and the Chief. For me it hasn't been about needing something that big so much as it's been enjoying the performance you get with a bigger knife.

Starting to go small again though Urban and wave Dfly on the way. I'm hopefully starting a new job soon, and I fear my large knives will get benched. (I'm worried I may not be able to carry the small ones :/ )

No large or small knives!?!?

Hey Doc, I’ve gone the other way these past few years and I blame it all on the first Military I bought. Ah, hahaha!

I find apart from the (obvious?) advantages a longer blade has over a shorter blade, I can do any heavy serious cutting that may dull the edge a little with the first couple of inches at the heel and still have plenty of fresh sharp blade for light cutting at the tip. Add to that the smaller Spyders don’t always have the fine needle tip of the Military Series and other large knives and it’s a bit of a no brainer for me.

I cut a fair hardwood splinter from a pallet out of my thumb with a Military a few months back, something I don’t think I could have done as easily with the smaller knives you mention. :)

I do not believe you. This is a phase it will pass you know better.

I'm heading that way too! I'm finding a Delica or a Dragonfly going out with me more often than not anymore. I can't say that I feel under equipped!

bearrowland wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 9:00 pm

I'm heading that way too! I'm finding a Delica or a Dragonfly going out with me more often than not anymore. I can't say that I feel under equipped!

Good for you. :)

Doeswhateveraspidercan wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:48 pm

I do not believe you. This is a phase it will pass you know better.

I think you're right Does!

I know our dear friend Doc has been a little unwell of late and not himself. Hopefully he'll be much better soon, come to his senses and dispel such thoughts. Ah, hahaha! :)

TkoK83Spy wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:21 pm

ZrowsN1s wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:47 pm

I've been going the other way lately. The Shaman was gateway knife to the Police 4 and the Chief. For me it hasn't been about needing something that big so much as it's been enjoying the performance you get with a bigger knife.

Starting to go small again though Urban and wave Dfly on the way. I'm hopefully starting a new job soon, and I fear my large knives will get benched. (I'm worried I may not be able to carry the small ones :/ )

No large or small knives!?!?

Overheard one of the guys say "I used to cary a knife on my key chain, but so in so didn't like it, so now I carry a multitool". If I carry anything I'm going to keep it on the down low until I get a better sense of what will fly. I had my Manbug in my pocket for all my interviews though :D What they don't know won't hurt em right?

I only carry my small knives because here in Australia, I’m less likely to do a lagging for 2.5” than 4”.
If it wasn’t for the law, I would carry big all the time.

Hahaha! you guys are nuts! Yeah, maybe it is a phase I am going through, but I find that when I do have a larger knife, I still reach for the smaller one for most of the time. People around here are not used to knives, having been brainwashed by their former colonizers long ago. I do still enjoy my larger knives, like the Military, Endura, and the like, never fear. I just find day to day stuff I will always use my smaller knives. That is a big reason I am liking the Urban LW as a test bed for new steels. It is very practical and something I will actually use daily.

JRinFL wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:34 pm

Those smaller knives must be very dense for you to gravitate towards them! :D

winner.

I’ve been acquiring smaller Spydies less for their size, per se, than for experiencing them as solutions for which the Glessers and collabs have asserted some need. Inadvertently, I now have a bunch and among them are ones I didn’t know I needed.



Eric’s Lil’ Native is one such. So demonstrably essential is it to me that I’m experimenting with it in my pride-of-place RFP as my primary knife. Consequently, I’m now rotating the larger Spydies (Manix2s, PM2s, and up) that I prefer in some other pocket (or day bag) as whim or task dictates.

As of late I have been carrying a two blade slip joint with a long-ish muskrat blade on one end and a shorter 2 inch or so Wharncliffe on the other end. Both are full flat grinds and I find that they answer for about any task I need a knife for these days.

Little knives are the bee's knees :)

I’m loving the new aeb-l urban. I’m considering getting some slabs of g10 and building a set of scales with the choil hump removed and a finger guard at the front like the delica, and reshape the finger contour.